As we approach Easter and the celebration of our Lord’s
Resurrection, l would like to share 7 things accomplished when Jesus rose from
the dead (largely spurred from studying I. Howard Marshall’s book: Aspects
of the Atonement).
1. Easter Confirms Jesus’ Teaching
Acts 2:22 says that Jesus proved who He was by signs and
wonders. Throughout the Old Testament, there was a two pronged approach to
testing the validity of new teaching. If it contradicted what came before, it
was false, no matter what else happened (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). If it matched
exactly what had come before, there was no need for a sign. If it was
consistent with what came before, but went beyond it, miracles would verify. Jesus
said that the sign He would bring to a wicked and adulterous generation would
be the sign of Jonah (Matthew 12:39-40) – on the third day He conquered death.
The resurrection shows that Jesus is a true prophet.
2. Easter Accepts Jesus’ Death as Complete
In the Old Testament, when propitiation was made for some
sin, God’s forgiveness was shown by the end of the punishment. When Phinehas
performed a representative execution, the plague was lifted from Israel
(Numbers 25:7-8). When the people cried to God, the judges delivered them from
the oppressors they had earned. When David offered on the threshing floor, the Angel
stopped His path of destruction (1 Chronicles 21:26-27). Each time, the
sufficiency of the offering was shown by the end of the plague. In the same
way, when Jesus rose from the dead, it showed that God had lifted the curse of
death, because the penalty was completely paid.
3. Easter Acquits Jesus from Human Judgment
Jesus had been condemned both by the secular authorities (in
the person of Pontius Pilate) and the religious authorities (in the person of
Caiaphas). They had found Jesus guilty. Doubtless, prior to this many people
had been executed for crimes they had not committed, but they were still
sinners worthy of death (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Jesus being delivered from the
power of death was God’s resounding acquittal of His innocent Son (Matthew
27:24).
4. Easter Makes a Spectacle of Satan
The powers of the universe in rebellion against God enjoyed
an incredible control of humanity. Genesis 5:5 begins a sequence of the grim
testimony “and he died” which is found nearly 100 times in the Old Testament.
As Jesus took the power of death in His hand, truly the pallbearers came to a
halt (borrowing language from Luke 7:14). Satan’s greatest triumph was turned
into disaster, as the rising of the Lord Jesus showed that by death, the power
of death was broken (Colossians 2:15).
5. Inaugurates the new creation
Easter was the beginning of a new world, a sign that the end
has begun. All of the matter which now exists will be recreated, except the
body of Jesus. When He returns in power and glory, we will be conformed to Him
and ultimately the whole creation will be transformed by His resurrection power.
Easter shows that on the first day of a new week, God began His new work –
Jesus is the beginning of that creation (Revelation 3:14) and the firstborn of
the dead (Colossians 1:18). As 1 Corinthians 15:42-49 reveals, we will take up
the image of the heavenly just as we have taken the image of the earthly, what
the entire universe groans for began on the Easter morning (Romans 8:22).
6. Easter Positions Jesus as Advocate
A dead Lord cannot help us, but we have a living High Priest
who is always available to work on our behalf. Hebrews 7:23-28 reveals that we
have a High Priest who, through His resurrection, will never be unable to help
us because of the scourge of death, but who is always available for us. As Job
19:25 tells us, we know that our Redeemer lives. Romans 8:34 puts it in similar
language: if God is for us, who can be against us? Jesus died and was raised,
and always intercedes on our behalf.7. Easter Pardons Jesus as the Representative Man
Jesus, as the second Adam, stands as the federal head of His
people. In the first Adam, all were given a sin nature and made subject to
death; all those who are in the second Adam are made like Him (Romans 5:14). As
God found Jesus not guilty and lifted the penalty of sin from Him, we too
escaped that penalty. Everyone who looks at Jesus’ suffering and death and
rightly proclaims: “That death ought to have been mine!” and places their trust
in Him is united to Him. If we are united to His death through confession of
sin, we will be united in His life (Colossians 3:3-4; 2 Corinthians 4:10). In
Easter, the innocent Jesus was pardoned in our guilty place.
Let us close with the triumphant hymn “He is Risen” by PP
Bliss:
Hallelujah, He is risen!
Jesus is gone up on high!
Burst the bars of death asunder,
Angels shout and men reply:
He is risen, He is risen,
Living now no more to die.
He is risen, He is risen,
Living now no more to die.
Our exalted Head to be;
Sends the witness of the Spirit
That our advocate is He:
He is risen, He is risen,
Justified in Him are we.
He is risen, He is risen,
Justified in Him are we.
Death for aye hath lost his sting,
Christ, Himself the Resurrection,
From the grave His own will bring:
He is risen, He is risen,
Living Lord and coming King.
He is risen, He is risen,
Living Lord and coming King.
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