Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning and evening, Jan. 26, 2003, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.
BIBLE-BELIEVING FUNDAMENTALISTS BELIEVE IN THE SAVIOR – HIS SPECTACULAR RESURRECTION
By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: Romans 1:1-7
Text: Romans 1:4
Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Introduction: A Bible-believing fundamentalist believes the Bible he holds in his hand is God’s inspired, inerrant, infallible word. He holds certain grand truths of that Bible to be FUNDAMENTAL and makes those truths qualifications for fellowship. One of those fundamentals is expressed in our scripture reading this morning. It is the wonderful truth of
THE SPECTACULAR RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
This doctrine is non-negotiable. It is not a secondary doctrine; it is PRIMARY. It is not INCIDENTAL; it is FUNDAMENTAL. No one can go to heaven and deny this truth. No one becomes a Christian without embracing this truth. This truth is SAVING truth; it may not be the HEART of the gospel of the grace of God, but it is PART of the gospel!
2 Timothy 2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
The resurrection is so essential to the work and character of our Lord Jesus Christ that He said:
John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
The apostles bore witness to His resurrection:
Acts 1:22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
They angered certain religious people because that they proclaimed the Lord’s resurrection:
Acts 4:1-2 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, 2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
They POWERFULLY witnessed of the Lord’s resurrection:
Acts 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
The apostle Paul emphasized Christ’s resurrection:
Acts 17:18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
I. CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD PROPHETICALLY
Acts 2:29-31 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
A. The scriptures prophesied it
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 “according to the scriptures”
B. The Son of God prophesied it
- See the passage in our next point – John 2:19-21
II. CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD PHYSICALLY
John 2:19-21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
A. It was the SAME body
- He said destroy THIS temple, and I will raise IT up!
B. It was the SLAIN body
- Jesus didn’t “swoon”; He died!
- Dr. Luke filled out the Death Certificate – Luke 23:46
- Dr. Luke also filled out the Resurrection Certificate – Luke 24:6 Hallelujah!
III. CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD POWERFULLY
Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
A. In spite of the sepulchre, He arose!
B. In spite of the stone, He arose!
C. In spite of the soldiers, He arose!
D. In spite of the skeptics, He arose!
E. In spite of Satan, He arose!
Don’t you know “you can’t keep a good man down”?
IV. CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD PURPOSEFULLY
Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
He rose again in order to
A. Seal our salvation
B. Show His Sonship – Romans 1:5
C. Set the standard for the resurrection body – 1 John 3:2
V. CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD PLAINLY
1 Corinthians 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
Acts 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
A. He interacted with the disciples
B. He invited them to touch Him
C. He identified Himself
D. He ingested food
VI. CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD PERMANENTLY
Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
As such, Jesus is:
A. The first begotten of the dead
- The first to be born, to die, to rise, and never to die again!
B. The finisher of our faith – Hebrews 6:1-6; 12:1-2
VII. CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD PROMISINGLY
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,