Sermon Guide: Reasons the Resurrection of Jesus is Essential

The following blog post contains notes and application questions from our April 17, 2022 message

Reasons the Resurrection of Jesus is Essential

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SUMMARY

Christians around the world celebrate a risen savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. But have you ever considered the reasons the resurrection of Jesus is essential? Why does a risen Christ matter to Christianity? Did Jesus give any certainty to his resurrection? What kind of comfort can we find from the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Many people today think the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is crazy, and they don’t believe it makes any sense. They may believe in the human Jesus, who died on the cross, but they cannot comprehend how He is the resurrected and reigning Lord of all. Other people are confused. They have a sense of aspects of Jesus’s life and ministry. They have heard of His resurrection, but they do not understand why that makes a difference.

Finally, some are convinced that Jesus has risen from the grave, that He has ascended to the Father, and is soon to come back as Lord and judge. And this brings them a great sense of comfort and peace.

No matter where you are on the journey, this message will give you ample reasons that the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is essential. Be blessed.

Pastor James preached an Easter message entitled, “Reason the Resurrection of Jesus is Essential” from John 11 and Luke 24. From his message, we see:

BRINGING IT HOME: (REFLECT, REQUEST, RESPOND)

REFLECT: QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

• Read through the passages from John 11:1-57 and Luke 24:36-48
• Do you believe that the biblical account of the resurrection is true? Why?
• Would you find yourself fitting into any of the categories James spoke about in the message about people’s responses to the resurrection of Jesus
  • this is Crazy
  • Feeling contentious or angry at God
  • Confusion, or
  • Convinced and Committed to the belief that the resurrection is true.
• If the resurrection really happened, why do people still doubt?
• How can the resurrection of the Lord Jesus bring hope and comfort to people?
• Consider studying these following reasons why the resurrection of Jesus is essential:
  • He plainly declared himself to be the Son of God (Romans 1:4)
  • He rose to have satisfied divine justice (Romans 8:34)
  • He rose to have conquer death, and also him who holds the power of death (Hebrews 2:14)
  • He rose to be Lord of living and dead (Romans 14:9)
  • He rose to be the representative of all who are alive in Him (1 Corinthians 15:21–22)
  • He rose to be the head of his church (Ephesians 1:20, 22-23; Colossians 1:18)
  • He rose in order to justify believers (Romans 4:25)
  • He rose to make believers alive in grace (Eph. 2:1, 5–6; Col. 2:12)
  • He rose to support believers against enemies (1 Corinthians 15:25–27)
  • He rose to assure believers they too will be resurrected from the dead at the last day (1 Corinthians 15:20)

REQUEST: PRAYER AND PRAISE

• Ask God to help you to grow in God’s grace and enablement.
• Confess and repent of any sins that are in your thoughts, words, or actions that hinder your growth in grace.
• Ask for the Holy Spirit to enable you to love others by believing and living out the gospel.

RESPOND: APPLYING WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

• How can you love God more through what you have learned?
• How can you love others more through what you have learned?

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Suggested Scripture Study: Here is a list of passages that speak to the resurrection. Please take time to read and meditate on these passages and praise God for His gracious plan to save you.

• Psalm 2:1–12; 16:1–11
• Jonah 1:17–2:10
• Matthew 12:38–45; 16:1–4, 21–23; 17:1–13, 22–23; 20:17–19; 26:30–35; 28:1–17
• Mark 8:27–33; 9:1–13, 30–32; 10:32–34; 14:26–31; 16:1–20
• Luke 9:18–22; 18:31–34; 24:1–53
• John 2:13–25; 10:1–21; 14:8–21; 16:16–33; 20:1–29; 21:1–14
• Acts 1:1–3, 9–11, 15–26; 2:14–39; 3:11–26; 4:5–12, 32–37; 5:22–32; 10:34–43; 13:13–41; 17:1–4, 16–34; 25:13–27; 26:19–23
• Romans 1:1–7; 4:13–25; 6:1–14; 7:1–6; 8:1–11, 31–39; 10:1–13; 14:1–13
• 1 Corinthians 6:12–20; 15:1–28
• 2 Corinthians 4:7–15; 5:12–21; 13:1–6
• Galatians 1:1–5
• Ephesians 1:15–2:10
• Philippians 2:5–11; 3:1–11, 17–4:1
• Colossians 1:9–18; 2:11–3:11
• 1 Thessalonians 1:2–10; 4:13–18
• 1 Timothy 3:14–16
• 2 Timothy 2:1–13
• Hebrews 7:20–28; 9:23–28; 10:11–18; 13:20–25
• 1 Peter 1:3–21; 3:18–4:6
• Revelation 1:4–20; 2:8–11