Okay, I'm going to talk to you about how Jesus is, what Colossians 1 says, he is the firstborn from the dead.
The firstborn from the dead.
You know, if you grew up in the church, the resurrection, Easter Sunday is a pretty run-of-the-mill thing that you've done before.
It's one of the most concrete apologetics of the Christian faith.
Jesus rose from the dead.
And as happens with many things in life, is the things that we hear a lot, the things that we are told, and even the most fundamental things are sometimes forgotten.
Okay, and the resurrection, I think, along with everything else, can be forgotten in its significance.
And this is a big deal.
This is an incredibly big deal.
Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there would be no Christians.
No Christian without the resurrection.
In fact, Paul says that if Christ wasn't raised, our preaching is in vain.
All our preaching is vain.
And we're actually the most to be pitied in the world if Christ wasn't raised.
But as it says, in fact, Christ was raised from the dead.
Amen?
So I'm going to talk to you about specifically how Jesus is the firstborn among the dead.
Like I said, that comes from Colossians 1, verse 18, which says,
He is the head of the body.
I'm a little excited there.
He is the head of the body of the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.
Okay?
Jesus is the firstborn among the dead.
Romans 8, 29 says,
There's this idea that Jesus, when He was raised, was the first in His significance.
Okay?
This wasn't the only, Jesus wasn't the only person that was resurrected.
You can think of Lazarus.
There's people who died and came back to life.
But Jesus was significantly, uniquely the firstborn from the dead in that not only was He raised from the dead as the firstborn or as the preeminence,
but that He lives never to die again.
All those who were resurrected, if they were, died.
Okay?
And death is a lingering, a lot of times haunting thing for many, many people.
Christians as well.
But as we will go on, a Christian should not fear death.
Not even in the slightest.
Okay?
But the world fears death.
Death is the final thing in life that haunts many people.
Marcus Aurelius says that, about death, he says,
But death and life, honor and dishonor, pleasure and pain, all these things equally happen to good men and bad.
Okay?
Death, whether you're good, whether you're bad, whether you're rich, whether you're poor, however much pleasure or pain you have,
death is something that happens to everyone.
You cannot escape it.
Okay?
And Jesus came so that He might destroy death.
All right?
And death is something that if we're going to be in the world, that we have to understand in terms of how to deal with it.
And if Jesus didn't deal with it, then we also, like the world, would be swallowed up by it.
Okay?
And so, my question to you, Christ Church, is where is your faith in regards to the resurrection of Jesus?
And where is your faith in regards to death?
How do you think about death?
How do you think about death in regards to this world, which the Bible says is passing away?
Okay?
And how does the resurrection of Jesus, the fact that Jesus is the firstborn from the dead, change us as Christians?
Okay?
It makes us Christians.
Okay?
John 3 makes it very clear.
Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus, and he says,
Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.
I leave with this kind of title of the firstborn from the dead,
because it reminds us all that when Jesus was lifted up, when he was crucified and he rose from the dead,
he is the firstborn that guarantees people being born after him.
Okay?
Romans 8 says that he is the firstborn among many brothers.
So it's not just that we look at Jesus and we see, okay, that's awesome.
He's the Lord.
He conquered death.
It's not just him in his isolation.
It's that what that means is that he has offspring after him.
That he has a host of captives that he has led unto life after him.
That's good news, is it not?
Isaiah 53 near the end says, in view of his resurrection,
Isaiah 53 goes on almost completely about Christ's suffering,
specifically for the sins of his people.
But then in verse 10 it says,
He will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
Okay, so not only do we see in Isaiah 53 the excruciating pains of a suffering servant,
but the promise that after his suffering he will see the fruit of his hand.
He will see his offspring.
Okay?
This is good news for us.
All right?
If you trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins,
if you trust in his atoning blood,
what scripture calls the atoning power of the righteous,
more specifically the atoning power of the one and only righteous one, Jesus,
then you are numbered among his offspring.
That's good news, Christchurch.
So he's the firstborn from the dead.
What, I ask you, what would pain, what would suffering,
maybe even the suffering of, you know, a woman in labor, of childbirth,
what would the pain of enduring those things be
if there wasn't an eager expectation of new life on the other side,
of a baby being born?
Okay?
What motivates somebody to go through such pains?
It was the same with Jesus at Calvary.
The scripture says that it was the joy that was set before him
that made him endure the cross.
Okay?
And we, too, will share in the sufferings
that we would actually go after something greater.
You know, suffering is not,
there's nothing worse than meaningless suffering.
Right?
And if you're a Christian,
no suffering is meaningless.
Okay?
Every pain that you endure,
any view of God's mercy,
will be later realized.
It will be later seen as,
even however much we say it's meaningless,
it will be a very precious thing.
We might be even found saying
that we shared in Christ's various sufferings
by enduring ourselves.
And so,
Christ is the firstborn among the dead.
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead
wasn't just a statement about Jesus' divine identity,
although it was.
It was also a guarantee that he alone would not be the only one
who would enjoy eternal life.
Okay?
Him being the firstborn of the dead,
he has the offspring, as I said.
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead
was very much the genesis of salvation.
It was the beginning.
It was his inauguration.
It was his stamp and his seal on something way back in the garden
that the seed of the woman would one day crush the head of the serpent.
Okay?
We see in the garden that on the day that they ate of the fruit,
it says that they will surely die.
Death reigned from Adam up until Jesus came
and confronted death in his own grave.
This is good news for us.
The serpent was laid waste by Jesus' resurrection.
And one day, that will be completely sealed
and completely done on the very last day
when he's cast into the lake of fire.
And then will come the saying
that says death is swallowed up in victory.
We got a foretaste of this when Jesus rose from the dead.
When Jesus rose from the dead, it was a guarantee.
However many feelings we have
about whether or not it was significant,
how that affects us now,
it was a guarantee that one day,
in its totality, death will be swallowed up.
Death is inescapable, like I said.
You know?
But one day, the most inescapable thing in this life,
every single one of us will die,
with the exception maybe if, you know,
we see the day of the Lord.
But if we don't, we're going to die.
Death will be swallowed up in victory.
That inescapable, haunting feeling,
haunting thing that all men face
will be swallowed up in the victory of Jesus.
And this is good news.
Jesus rose from the dead,
which makes him the leader of all his people,
out of death.
His rising from the dead is a proclamation
to death, that he is that.
He's the preeminent one.
Revelation 1 says,
he says,
I died, Jesus speaking about himself,
I died, and behold, I am alive forevermore,
and I have the keys of death and Hades.
May the Lord give us faith in regards to believing
if we've fallen short of remembering the resurrection.
Where is your faith in the resurrection?
If you're a Christian, if you've been born again,
there is no being born again.
There is no hope in the future if Jesus wasn't raised.
This is the thing that must empower us to live a life,
even a life of suffering.
We have to look into not just his pains that he suffered,
but the seal after,
that he did come out of the tomb and it was empty.
The scripture says, I think in Matthew's account,
that when Jesus died on the cross,
that the earth shook,
that there was actually a resurrection of dead saints.
But then something happened in the temple.
It says that the curtain of the temple was torn in two,
from top to bottom, actually, it says.
And to us, to our Gentile minds,
that might seem strange or insignificant,
but there's a lot of significance there,
especially if you were a Jew and heard about it in its time.
The curtain was the division, or the veil, you would say,
between the rest of the congregation of Israel,
between the common man and the Holy of Holies.
That which is sacred and undefiled by man.
And the Holy of Holies in the temple
was where the sacrifices happened once a year.
And the veil separated.
It was a sign that sin had to be separated from God.
The sin of man had to be kept away from God
because God is holy.
When Jesus died on the cross,
it says that from top to bottom, that veil was torn.
In what way was that significant?
Well, number one, that God's dwelling place changed.
It wasn't exclusively hidden in the way
that he dwelt in a temple made with hands.
It changed that his dwelling place actually became with man.
That the separation from the Holy of Holies
was done away with.
That actually that the sin that separated us from God,
God of his own volition,
took responsibility for his own children
and died the death that they deserve
to bring him to God.
Okay?
When we think about,
it's easy to think about a veil in the temple
and maybe the ritual behind that.
But what about the veil in your heart?
What about your own struggle with your sin?
Do you feel separated from God?
How close to God do you feel?
Do you sometimes feel close to God?
Do you say to yourself,
there's something between me and God.
There's something.
God is just an arm's length away,
but he's not quite close.
I think Jesus dying on the cross
and that veil being torn
was a statement that there is
nothing that stands between us and God.
Amen.
Okay?
That you, as a common person,
as a deviled sinner,
can come into the Holy of Holies
with no veil.
With no curtain.
Okay?
I just would want to be a Jew in that day
trying to ponder what happened.
You know?
Like, this curtain is torn up
and we just crucified Jesus.
Something's going on here.
You know?
At the very least, right?
But the powers of the heavens were shaken.
Death itself was laid in his grave
when Jesus died and rose.
And so,
we need to think about,
if we're in Christ,
where is our faith
in regards to this sweet promise
of what Jesus did?
Okay?
Not only in his death,
which we talk about a lot,
and rightfully so,
but in his resurrection.
Romans 4 says that
he was raised
for our justification.
Okay?
Do you believe that,
Christ's church?
Do you believe that with your sins
that regularly plague you?
Do you believe that on your good weeks
and your bad weeks?
Do you believe that Jesus
being raised from the dead
was a work that we did not do?
That it was a punishment
that he went on the cross
that we deserve?
And it was completed.
He gave up his spirit.
The KJV says he gave up his ghost
and said,
it's finished.
Okay?
It's done.
If anything,
that I want you guys to hear today
is that that is true.
If all of you go home,
say to yourself and your own soul
that it is finished.
Christ rose from the dead,
and one day we will see that
in its fullness.
Amen?
Amen.
I'm going to read real quick
from Luke 24.
This is about the resurrection.
You guys can open up there if you want,
but I'm going to go through it very quickly.
Luke 24,
starting in verse 1.
On the first day of the week,
at early dawn,
they went to the tomb,
taking the spices they had prepared.
And they found the stone
rolled away from the tomb.
But when they went in,
they did not find the body
of the Lord Jesus.
While they were perplexed about this,
behold,
two men stood by them
in dazzling apparel.
And as they were frightened
and bowed their faces to the ground,
the men said,
why do you seek the living
among the dead?
He is not here,
but he but has risen.
Remember how he told you
while he was still in Galilee
that the Son of Man
must be delivered
into the hands of sinful men
and be crucified on the third day
and on the third day rise.
And they remembered his words.
And returning from the tomb,
they told all these things
to the eleven
and to the rest.
Now it was Mary Magdalene
and Joanna
and Mary,
the mother of James
and the other women
with them
who told them,
who told these things
to the apostles.
For these words
seemed to them
an idle tale
and they did not believe.
They did not believe them.
For Peter rose
and ran to the tomb,
stooping and looking in
when he saw the linen cloths
by themselves
and he went home
marveling at what had happened.
Okay, so
first day of the week happens.
The women go to the tomb.
They have an encounter
with these angels
and it says
when they went into the tomb,
they did not find
in the body of the Lord
and they were perplexed.
Okay?
You would think
after Jesus' teaching
about what's going to happen,
hey, I'm going to die.
The Son of Man
will suffer and die
but he's going to rise.
You would think,
like, yep,
we believe that.
Of course it's going to happen,
you know?
But it says that
they're confused.
They're perplexed.
They didn't see the body
and they're like,
what's happened?
I think sometimes
in Christianity
there could be a faith
that is
a kind of blind faith
that we just accept things
without any evidence
or any speculation.
And I think that's against
even the witness of the Bible,
especially in regards
to the resurrection,
is that
they didn't understand
what they were seeing.
Why?
Because they were using
normal reason.
This tomb
is empty
which doesn't make sense.
This...
People don't rise
from the dead, right?
So they're thinking
in a carnal way
but
let's not make any mistakes
that this is a witness
to us
that
they weren't just
hoping
in this kind of
ethereal way.
They...
God proved to them
what he said
he would do
in fact.
And
we see that here
that they were
perplexed about it.
And then
when
the women
came to the apostles
they told them
all that had happened
and they said
it seemed to be
an idle tale.
So they're still
in disbelief.
Okay?
And then we move on.
In verse 13
it says
that
that very day
two of them
were going to
the village
named Emmaus
and
about
seven miles
from Jerusalem
and they were
talking
with each other
about
all these things
that had happened
while they were
talking
and discussing
together
Jesus himself
went with them
but their eyes
were kept
from recognizing him
and he said
to them
what is this
conversation
that you're
holding with
each other
as you walk?
And they stood
still
looking sad
then one of them
named
Cleopas
answered
answered him
are you the only
visitor
to Jerusalem
who does not
know the things
that have happened
there these days?
and he said
to them
what things?
Jesus is
trying to gather
intel
tell me about it
what happened?
And they said
concerning Jesus
of Nazareth
a man
who was a
mighty prophet
in deed
and word
before God
and all the people
still in disbelief
he's not God
he was just
a mighty prophet
and keep going
what do they say?
He says
mighty word
and deed
before God
and all the people
and how our chief
priests and rulers
delivered them up
to be condemned
to death
and crucified them
and we had hoped
that he was the one
to redeem Israel
fill in disbelief
you know
yes and besides
all this
there's not a third day
since these things
happened
moreover some women
of our company
amazed us
they were out
to him early
in the morning
and when they
did not find
his body
they came back
saying that
they had even
seen a vision
of angels
that said
that he was alive
some of those
who were with us
went to the tomb
and found
it just as the woman
had said
but him
they did not see
so the news comes
still don't believe it
so they go check it out
and they're like
where's the body?
yeah it's not here
but we didn't find them
and he said to them
oh foolish ones
so Jesus
yeah
directly confronts
all of that
he said
oh foolish ones
and slow of heart
to believe
all that the prophets
have spoken
was it not necessary
that the Christ
should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?
and beginning with Moses
and all the prophets
he interpreted to them
and all the scriptures
the things concerning himself
and so they drew near
to the village
to which they were going
he acted as if
he was going farther
but they urged him
strongly saying
stay with us
for it is toward evening
and the day is now
far spent
and so he went in
to stay with them
and when he was at table
with them
he took the bread
and blessed
and broke it
and gave it to them
and their eyes were opened
and they recognized him
and he vanished
from their sight
they said to each other
did not our hearts
burn within us
while he talked to us
on the road
while he opened
to us the scriptures
and they rose
that same hour
and returned to Jerusalem
and they found the eleven
and those who were with them
and gathered them
saying
the Lord has risen indeed
and he has appeared
to Simon
then they told
what had happened
on the road
and how
he was known to them
in the breaking
of the bread
so Jesus reveals himself
not like a
a
you know
superhero
coming down
you know
out of the sky
and saying
I'm here
it's me
but he's cryptic
about it
he comes
specifically
to specific people
and
he reveals himself
in ways
that they would
understand
they recognize
the way he broke
the bread
and blessed it
something was different
about him
and
not only that
but he was
on this earth
alive for 40 days
teaching
and revealing himself
all the more
this really happened
sometimes we can think
this is a
this is an idle tale
ourselves
okay
it was long ago
but still as true
and as new
then
as it is
today
for us
okay
spiritually speaking
Christ is dwelling
with us
by his spirit
man how I would
love to
be taught
by him
for 40 days
post resurrection
but Jesus said
it's better
that I go
and send you
to the spirit
to teach you
bring to remembrance
all the things
that I taught
and then all that
will be brought
one day
in the end
so
how
how do we
reckon
with all these
things
how do we
as a church
say
Lord
what does
the power
of your resurrection
mean
on our lives
this is what
Paul said
that I might
know him
and the power
of his resurrection
Christ
church
do we have
faith that
that not only
will God
destroy death
for us
for that one
day
whatever
sufferings
we endure
will be
for the glory
of God
and ultimately
at the end
will be worth
it
every single
sacrifice
every single
cross that we
bear
will be worth
it
okay
let's not lose
hope in the
small areas
that we
sacrifice
but realize
that Christ
was the one
who led
an example
and did not
fail
he lived
a perfect
life
a sinless
life
never once
did he sin
and he was
crucified
in weakness
but the scripture
says he was
but he lives
by the power
of God
amen
where we at
I have two
points
I was thinking
about three
but I'm like
God
do that
two
resurrection
points
in light
of Jesus
rising from
the dead
number one
I was thinking
about
and praying
about our
church
and just
thinking about
Lord how
would you
have us
think about
the concrete
and
undissolvable
truth that you
rose
I came up
with two
things
number one
we lack
nothing
we lack
nothing
Romans 8
31-32
what then
shall we say
to these
things
if God
is for us
who can
be against
us
he who
did not
spare his
own son
but gave
him up
for us
all
how will
he not
also
with him
graciously
give us
all things
what are the
things in your
heart that you
more regularly
tell yourself
you don't
have
what are
they
Christ
church
what are
the things
that you
say
that you're
constantly
saying I
need this
I need
this
I'm not
whole
until I
have
this
what are
the things
what are
the little
things in
relationships
that you
desperately
envy and
want
what are
the things
that unsettle
you
what are
the things
that the
world promises
that say
you must
have this
when the
truth is in
Christ we
lack
nothing
we lack
nothing
God has
given us
everything in
Christ
God has
given us
Jesus
he's given
us himself
and we
lack
nothing
Christ is
enough for
you right
now
apart from
all the
things that
are your
wants
and desires
although they
might not be
bad
but the
truth is
do you
believe that
Christ is
enough for
you right
now
he is
enough for
you presently
and if
any
if any
of you
have a
lingering
feeling
that goes
something like
this
like I'll
come to
God
when X
Y and Z
happen
or I'll
come to
God
once I'm
ready
or I'll
come to
God
insert your
own thing
that hinders
you
remember that
the veil was
torn on
purpose
okay
outside of
you doing
anything to
bridge the
separation
God tore
that veil
and today
you can
come to
Jesus
presently
okay
that's
point number
one
we lack
nothing
point number
two
resurrected
identity
I think
identity is
a crucial
thing
if we
are in
Christ
then we
have to
know who
we are
we have
to know
who we
are
and Christ
has made
us sons
through his
resurrection
resurrected
identity
Romans 6
tells us
that our
old self
was buried
with Christ
as he died
was buried
into the
ground
into death
so that we
would also be
raised with
him to walk
in newness
of life
although we
wrestle with
our old
passions
our faults
and foibles
the Bible
says that our
old self
has died
do you
reckon your
old self
dead
in that
respect
all the
things that
presently
aggravate you
about yourself
about others
the old
self has
been crucified
with Christ
Romans 6
says
so that we
might walk
in newness
of life
resurrected
identity
do you know
who you are
in Christ
I was listening
to Tim Keller
talk and he
was
talking about
why
did Jesus
with Mary
reveal
himself
the way
that he
did
you guys
can recount
when he's
talking with
Mary
he's the
gardener
you know
or whatever
and
you know
Tim Keller
is like
why didn't
Jesus
just be like
it's me
but all
we have
is that he
just said
her name
and her eyes
were open
he said
Mary
and
what about
that
did it
for them
I think
it's similar
to actually
how he revealed
himself to his
disciples
they didn't
recognize him
because they
saw his wounds
first
they recognized
him because
of the way
that he lifted
up the cup
and the bread
that he blessed
it
something about
him
showed them
something about
their self
and what I
mean is this
there's one
person who
had a quote
that said
all of my
life
I have been
a bell
all of my
life I have
been a bell
and not
known it
until I was
lifted up
and rung
okay so
what that
means
and Tim Keller
talks about this
is basically
that
when Jesus
reveals himself
to Mary
he says
Mary
Mary knew
that the only
person
who could
know her
like that
however that
was
was the
Lord himself
that he
called her
by name
and she knew
this must
be the Lord
okay
when Christ
rose from
the dead
not only
did he
stamp on
his own
name
who he was
as the
divine king
prophet
and priest
but he
also
called us
who we
truly are
where does
Christ call
your name
where does
Christ
call Judah
and Samir
and Amber
you know
where does
Christ say
to us
our own
names
so that
we're
finally
known
I believe
that Christ
reveals us
in this
precious way
that makes
us say
in our
heart of hearts
in our souls
we lack
nothing
and
we will
follow after
the Lord
at whatever
cost
because he's
given everything
for us
so
we lack
nothing
and
let us
lay to
heart
our new
identity
in Christ
if you
feel
unsure
about your
identity
in Christ
or who
you are
in him
Christ
wants to
make you
sure
he wants
to make
you sure
he wants
to give
you a
revelation
of his
love
that isn't
whimsical
isn't
fading
but it's
it's
constant
that you
know it's
always there
that's kept
in heaven
until the
last day
okay I'm
going to
close with
this verse
I'm going to
close with
this verse
in Revelation
21
that happened
long ago
Jesus rose
long ago
but
the
reality
of us
being
raised
and
the
Bible
says
that we'll
get new
bodies
in the
resurrection
that reality
will happen
when he
comes again
and Revelation
21
will
I think
describes this
and even
that picture
of the veil
being torn
God's dwelling
place actually
going out
from the
holy of
holies
and being
with man
you can really
see here
I was actually
reading this
and tearing
up
in longing
yesterday
for this
day
Revelation
21
verse 3
to 4
and I
saw the
holy city
new
Jerusalem
coming down
out of
heaven
from God
prepared
as a
bride
adorned
for her
husband
and I
heard a
loud voice
from the
throne
saying
behold
the dwelling
place of
God
is with
man
he will
dwell
with them
and they
will be
his people
and God
himself
will be
with them
as their
God
he will
wipe away
every tear
from
their eyes
and death
shall be
no more
neither
shall there
be mourning
nor crying
nor pain
anymore
for the
former things
have passed
away
one day
God's
dwelling
place
will be
with man
in its
completion
isn't that
amazing
that was
inaugurated
when Jesus
rose
that veil
was torn
that was
the promise
one day
God will
dwell
with man
with no
veil
in its
totality
death
shall be
no more
okay
how does
that
fuel us
okay
how does
that
wake us
up in the
morning
how does
that
increase
our faith
and tell
other people
one day
death
shall be
no more
the most
sure thing
in this
life
other than
death
and taxes
you know
death
shall be
no more
neither
shall there
be mourning
nor crying
nor pain
anymore
for the
former things
have passed
away
believe this
Christ
church
take this
to the
bank
in your
daily
life
all this
because
Christ was
raised
amen
a
ending
a
ending