He Arose

Today's program was created from the following episodes:

"The Atoning Work of Christ"

"Reflecting on the Cross"

"The Twofold Nature of Christ"

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"Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!' And having said this he breathed his last."

Dannah Gresh: Friday He died, but Sunday He rose. Today, we’re gonna remember.

Welcome to Revive Our Hearts Weekend, I’m Dannah Gresh. 

He is risen . . . He is risen indeed. Good Friday has passed, and now we celebrate His resurrection. 

I remember many of the Easters gone by. For some reason there is this one Easter . . . We were at my parents’ house for the weekend visiting from out of town, and I had bought (get this) a faux silk lilac suit to wear on Sunday. Oh, back in the day when we dressed to the nines on Easter Sunday!

I remember the year that Easter meant more to me than I could explain. For the first time I went to a Protestant church that offered the Stations of the Cross to really meditate on the sacrifice of Christ. It was like, "Now I understand!" I think each year I’ve grown in my anticipation of His return.

Oh friend, this is Easter weekend. Today I want us to spend our time together remembering what Christ did for us on that cross, and we’ll hopefully stand in awe. I’m wondering if this might be your first Easter that’s about more than bunnies and chocolate; your first sacred celebration of what Christ has done for you. If it is, I’m so honored that you’re joining me. 

Here’s Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth reminding us why Easter had to happen, why Christ would have to die. She starts with us—you and me.

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth: God created us to enjoy intimate relationship and fellowship with Him.

We disobeyed Him. “The wages of sin is death,” is eternal separation from God with whom we were created to have intimate, eternal fellowship. Now we’re separated, access to Him was cut off. If you feel like you can’t get close to God, it’s because you can’t! And you can’t because you’re a sinner; you’re a rebel—same for me. But that’s not the end of the story, thank God.

God loves us. He wants us to be reconciled, to fellowship with Himself. But His holiness and His justice require that sin be paid for. He cannot violate His holy character. So, in eternity past, God devised a plan to restore us to Himself, while at the same time satisfying His righteous wrath against sin. That plan required the shedding of blood.

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"I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:3).

"And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. And it was the third hour when they crucified him." (Mark 15:22–25)

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.'" (Galatians 3:13)

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

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Nancy: Atonement . . . “at-one-ment” is how sinful humans can be reconciled to a holy God. It requires first that reparation be made for our sin against Him.

Going back to the Old Testament, the old covenant, God instituted the offering of sacrifices for sin. When the people sinned, they brought an animal—a lamb, a bull, a goat—they brought the animal to the priest. That innocent animal was killed—not for its own sin. The animal didn’t sin; the people sinned. When they sinned, they brought this innocent animal, and the innocent animal was killed and sacrificed as a substitute in place of the sinner who was offering the lamb, the sinner who deserved to die. The sinner didn’t die; the lamb died. So God’s righteous justice and wrath were satisfied . . . sin, sacrifice, substitute and satisfaction. The sinner was forgiven and reconciled to God and to the covenant community— at-one-ment—atonement.

But there’s a problem. All those things that we just read about—Yom Kippur, the blood, the animals, the altar, the temple, the Holy Place—all these things were only types and pictures and symbols. They were shadows of a greater reality. They represented and foreshadowed full atonement which was yet to come.

These Old Testament sacrifices could not cleanse guilty consciences. They could not make people right with God. They merely pointed to a future, coming sacrifice, a Savior, a Messiah who would save God’s people from their sin. So day after day, year after year, as the Israelites laid their hands on those sacrificial animals, they were doing two things.

They were identifying themselves and their sin with that animal—that lamb, that bull, that goat that was dying in their place; and they were expressing faith in the complete provision that God would one day make through the sacrifice of the Messiah, God’s own Son.

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"And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'" (Luke 23:33–34)

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace." (Ephesians 1:7)

"For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him." (Colossians 1:19–22)

"Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!' And having said this he breathed his last." (Luke 23:46)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:16–17)

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."

"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only son of God."

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Song: “Behold the Lamb of God” 

Behold the Lamb of God
Who takes away our sin.
Behold the Lamb of God
The life and light of men.
Behold the Lamb of God
Who died and rose again.
Behold the Lamb of God
Who comes to take away our sin.

Dannah: This is Revive Our Hearts Weekend. I’m Dannah Gresh and we’re just sitting here today remembering.

Can you imagine the weight that the disciples felt as they watched Jesus take His last breath? Or Mary, she loved her Lord. There was a lot darkness and a deep sadness, probably deeper than we may ever experience. Christ was crucified.

You and I know the story didn’t end there. Good Friday was excruciating, but for the disciples and Mary and so many others, the good-news was . . . Sunday was right around the corner. 

Let’s turn that corner and experience the good news, the celebration. This time we'll hear from Matthew 28:1–10. Then we’ll hear more from Nancy.

"Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.' 

"So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, 'Greetings!' And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.'"

Song: “In Christ Alone” (instrumental)

Nancy: Now, I think that most of us realize that the death of Christ is central to our redemption, but we might ask: Is it just as crucial that He rose from the dead? How much does that matter? Yes, I believe it, but is it as essential as the cross that Jesus rose from the dead?

As you read the New Testament, you realize that the resurrection matters supremely. For example, in Romans chapter 1, verses 3 and 4, we see that the incarnation of Christ, when He was born to this earth, validated His humanity, but it’s His resurrection that validated His deity, that proved that He was God.

Listen to Romans 1:3 and 4. It says that,

[Jesus] was descended from David according to the flesh [that’s His humanity; proved by His birth as a human being], and [He] was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead.

It’s the resurrection that validates the deity of Christ. 

Apart from Christ’s resurrection from the dead, we have no hope of eternal life. First Peter 1 says that, “according to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (v. 3).

So there’s no doubt that the resurrection matters. But now that Resurrection Sunday is behind us, what difference does the empty tomb make in our lives this week and the next week and the week after that?

The resurrection means there is hope in the most desperate circumstances. It means that God can make a way out where there is no human way out. It means that God is all-powerful and nothing is beyond His control. It means that one day all tears will be wiped away and all sorrow will be turned to joy. It means that He can bring beauty out of ashes and that He can cause even evil circumstances to bring Him ultimate glory.

Think about things that have been done to you or others that you know that have been such heinous, grievous crimes or circumstances, so painful—perhaps in your upbringing. Let your mind’s eye go back to the cross where evil men put Christ to death and realize that evil men never get the final word. God gets the final word. There is hope in the most desperate circumstances.

It’s the resurrection that encourages us to remember that Christ has defeated death—the most ultimate desperate circumstance. He’s defeated death by walking through it and has come out on to the other side. So no matter how many enemies seek to take Him down, He cannot ever die again. That’s what the resurrection tells us.

We think today about news of natural disasters, economic uncertainty, world crises—it can be overwhelming just to read the news. But the resurrection encourages us to take a deep breath and to remember that God is on His throne; He is in charge no matter how dark it gets in your life or in this world.

There is nothing that can happen to us that is not going to be ultimately overcome by His power. The resurrection means there is hope in the most desperate circumstances.

The resurrection means that God always keeps His promises.

In Matthew chapter 28, verse 5, when the two women went to the tomb looking for the body of Jesus that was buried there, so they thought, “The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said'” (vv. 5–6). As He said . . . Jesus had told the disciples that He would not stay dead, that He would rise from the dead.

Let me just read to you one of those accounts where He’s told them that. In Matthew, chapter 16, beginning in verse 21:

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you” (vv. 21–22).

Now what’s the problem? Peter did not hear the end of the message! All he heard was the part about the Son of Man going to “suffer many things . . . and be killed,” and that’s all Peter heard. Peter goes, “No way, Lord! That’s not going to happen to You!” He didn’t hear “and on the third day be raised.” He heard it with his physical ears, but he didn’t get the promise of the resurrection.

So when the angels said to the two women, “He is not here; He is risen, as He said,” the disciples began to remember things that Jesus had told them, promises He had made that they had just entirely missed. So we think about how much stress and anxiety and fear the disciples had to endure all because they didn’t really hear and lay hold of the promises of God.

It makes me wonder how would our lives be different if we really believed, if we really heard and believed and laid hold of the promises of God? How often are we stressed out: “Lord, no! This can’t happen!” No! We haven’t heard the end of the story. We haven’t heard the promises. We haven’t really heard the promises.

Think of that wonderful promise in 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 10, that says:

After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

How often do we forget that when we’re in the midst of the suffering part? If we would just hear, believe, and lay hold of the promises of God, how much stress and discouragement would we be able to avoid perhaps if we remembered that God always keeps His promises. That’s the message of the resurrection.

The resurrection means that death is no longer to be feared. Because Christ overcame death, our separations and losses are only temporary. In the last day, those who are in Christ will be raised from the dead. That’s an implication of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Because He rose from the dead, that means that those of us who are in Christ will one day be raised as well.

Remember those incredible words of Jesus to Martha, who was grieving over the death of her brother Lazarus? In John 11 Jesus said to Martha,

I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? (vv. 25–26).

That’s what Jesus said to Martha, but don’t you think He says the same thing to us? Do you believe this—that whosever "lives and believes in Me will never die”? Jesus' resurrection forever changed the way Christians view death.

Rodney Stark is a sociologist at the University of Washington. He has observed that when a major plague hit the ancient Roman Empire, Christians had unusually high survival rates. You might wonder, Why? Here's the reason he discovered.

In the homes of most Roman citizens, when someone was stricken with the plague, the sick person would be thrown out into the street so as not to contaminate others. But because Christians had no fear of death, they didn't throw their sick out into the streets; they nursed and cared for them in their homes. Many of those sick survived the plague.

They didn't have a fear of death.

You or someone you love may be facing a terminal illness, as is the case of a couple I spoke with on the phone a couple of days ago. The wife wrote me this week and said, "The nephrologist has told us that there is nothing else that they can do to help my husband. He doesn't know how sick he is." He's in the coronary care unit at the moment.

As I talked with this couple on the phone, to hear their hearts in this very difficult time, to sense the trust and the peace and the rest and even the praise we sang and we read Scripture (we had a worship service there on the phone) . . .

Listen, if Jesus is the resurrection and the life—and He is—what do we have to fear? What’s the worst that can happen to you? You say, “I can die!” Well, the good news is that He has overcome death.

So the resurrection means that those who are in Christ no longer need to fear death. He has delivered us from Satan’s power who, for many years, held us in bondage to the fear of death—Hebrews tells us.

The resurrection means that God has accepted and approves of the work that Christ did on the cross, and therefore He accepts and approves of us. Now this is something you may not have thought about a lot, but it is a huge implication of the resurrection.

The resurrection for Christ meant that His work was finished. The price for sin had been paid; no penalty was left. God's righteous anger against sin and sinners had been completely satisfied. There was no remaining guilt. The resurrection was proof that God had accepted the payment and completely approved of Christ’s death in the place of sinners.

Now, the Scripture tells us that we have been united with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Ephesians 2 says that God “raised us up with Christ”—which means that God not only accepts Christ, but He accepts us. He approves of us as He approves of Christ.For those who are in Christ, that means there is no longer any condemnation for any of our sins—past, present, or future. Could I hear a hallelujah?! Amen!

Dannah: Amen and amen! Thank you Nancy for reminding us that there is no condemnation for us. That verse that Nancy just made reference to is Ephesians 2, verse 6. Can I read verses 5 and 6 to you? 

Even when we were dead in our trespasses, [God] made us alive together with together Christ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Thank you Jesus. We have reason to be celebrating this Easter weekend don’t we.

If you have questions about Easter and what Christ actually did for you on the cross, I have a book for you titled How You Can be Sure You’ll Spend Eternity with God by Erwin Lutzer. Even though this book isn’t about Easter, it’s a book about how you can be sure that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is real. And you can base your eternity on it.

 If you’re seeking answers and Easter only gives you more questions, then we want to give you this book. Again the title is, How You Can be Sure You’ll Spend Eternity with God. Request this book by calling 1-800-569-5959. 

Song: “O Worship the Risen Christ”

One name is the praise of the heavens above,
God enraptures the wonders of angels?
Whose Glory outshines all the burning of suns
And shall blaze all the brighter through ages.

O praise the One, the risen Christ,
The name of names, the Lord of Life.
Let songs of joy now fill the sky.
He lives, He lives, O worship the risen Christ.

What morning has known such a glorious light
And what hour beheld such a promise.
When He who was slain dawned the end of all night
When He rose to crush death and darkness.

O praise the One, the risen Christ,
The name of names, the Lord of Life.
Let songs of joy now fill the sky.
He lives, He lives, O worship the risen Christ.

From heaven to earth, for a people He came
From the earth bore our sin unto Calv'ry.
From Calv'ry he sank to the depths of the grave
From the grave unto infinite glory.

O praise the One, the risen Christ
The name of names, the Lord of Life.
Let songs of joy now fill the skies
He lives, He lives, O worship the risen Christ.³

Dannah: Thanks for listening today nad big thanks to our team. For Revive Our Hearts Weekend, I’m Dannah Gresh

Revive Our Hearts, calling women to freedom, fullness and fruitfulness in Christ.

¹Andrew Peterson. “Behold the Lamb of God.” Behold the Lamb of God ℗ 2019 Andrew Peterson.

²Zeno. “In Christ Alone.” Instrumental Worship, Vol. 3 ℗ 2016 Zeno.

³Matt Boswell & Matt Papa. “O Worship the Risen Christ.” Almost Home—The Hymns of Matt Boswell and Matt Papa, Vol. 2 ℗ 2021 Getty Music Label, LLC.

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