The Resurrection and The Return

Luke 24:5 “…Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!”

Jesus had to go through the crucifixion, dying on the cross, in order to be resurrected in the full glory of God.

Crucifixion was the most painful Roman torture, reserved for slaves and rebels. Dr. Alexander Metherell, M.D. Ph.D wrote: “The pain was absolutely unbearable…in fact, it was literally beyond words to describe; they had to invent a new work: ‘excruciating.’ Literally, excruciating means ‘out of the cross.’” AmericanMinute.com

Sir Lionel Luchhoo (1914-1997) was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s most successful criminal attorney. He wrote: “The bones of Muhamad are in Medina, the bones of Confucius are in Shantung, the cremated bones of Budda are in Nepal. Thousands pay pilgrimages to worship at their tombs which contain their bones…But in Jerusalem there is a cave cut into the rock. This is the tomb of Jesus. IT IS EMPTY! YES, EMPTY! BECAUSE HE IS RISEN! He died, physically and historically. He arose from the dead and now sits at the right hand of God.” AmericanMinute.com

The foundation of our hope is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If He did not rise from the dead, we have no hope. We have no doubt that Jesus rose from the dead. If He hadn’t, there would be no Christian faith. Think about it:
Empty tomb, where’s the Body? Who stole the body? Romans? Pharisees-Chief Priests? The Apostles? Angry Jews?
First, female witnesses, then underclass fishermen.
Apostles turned from wimps to warriors and died for what they believed.
Over 500 recorded witnesses saw the risen Christ.
Thousands of Christians were tortured and killed; to live they only had to deny Christ
Paul went from killing Christians to one of the greatest Christians
Coffins dating back to the first century marked with crosses and “Jesus let him arise”
Jesus Dies on the Cross and Rocks the Earth!
Matt 27:50-54 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"
The Chief Priests and Pharisees asked Pilate to post Guards at the Tomb
Matt 27:62-66 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.' 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first." 65 Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how." 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
The Chief Priests Pay the Guards to Lie, Denying the Miracle, Refusing to Believe
Matt 28:11-15 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.' 14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure." 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, (the last days).
HOPE: Strong’s # 1680, elpis (el-pece). In the NT the "expectation of good". To trust in, wait for, look for, or desire something or someone; or to expect something beneficial in the future.
Resurrection: Strong’s #386 anastasis (an-as-tas-is); A standing up again, restoration to life, rising from the dead. A compound of ana “again” and histemi “to stand.” The resurrection of Jesus is the firstfruits or prototype of the future resurrection of all that are in the grave. Another usage is “a moral recovery of spiritual truth” (Word Wealth SFLB)

1 Cor 15:13-16 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up — if in fact the dead do not rise.

God, Jehovah Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) raised Jesus from the dead with a glorified body. No other god had the power to do this, and it confirmed Jesus is the true Messiah and represents His glory and Truth. There is no Truth apart from Jesus. Trying to go straight to God, bypassing Jesus (the Truth) will lead you astray.

Phil 3:10-11 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Rom 6:5-7 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. “Begotten us again” means being “born again.”

1 Peter 1:22-25 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever."

John 3:3-5 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Rom 10:9-13 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Are you born again? Do you remember a day in your life where everything changed? Became new?
If not, are you born again?