Will You?

Welcome back to our verse -by -verse exposition through the Book of Acts, or as we have retitled it, the

Acts of the Risen, Ascending, and Ruling Lord Jesus Christ. Last time we discussed the apostles to whom

Jesus gave orders before his ascension, Luke's reason for including those details, and the qualifications to be an apostle with a capital

A that every professing apostle of the modern day fails to meet. Let's read

Acts 1 .3. To these he also presented himself alive after his suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

We've spoken already in this series about the ascension of Jesus, and today we get to talk about his resurrection.

Let me just say something at the outset. Can I say something? The resurrection should be preached often, and not relegated to only making a big deal out of it on Easter Sunday.

The resurrection is the main theme in the preaching of the apostles as it is recorded in the

Book of Acts. Now, our text says that Jesus' presentations of himself alive to his disciples were many convincing proofs.

And it begs the question, proofs of what? What does the resurrection prove? It's an important question because whatever it does prove, the apostles, being convinced, will proclaim it to death, literally.

Will you? Well, this won't be exhaustive, but let's start with his victory over death. Paul announces this decisive victory, citing

Isaiah and Hosea in 1 Corinthians 15. Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? And what Paul is describing here in context is that Christ's triumph over the grave guarantees our own victory over death for those of us who die in him.

In fact, this victory is so decisive and so secure that death is actually taunted and mocked in these verses.

Death is, in fact, the last enemy to be defeated. Next, the resurrection proves Jesus' claims to be divine.

During his temptation in the wilderness, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6 .13. You shall worship the

Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. After Jesus rose from the dead, in John 20,

Thomas worships him, saying, My Lord and my God. And this worship Jesus does not deny.

So Paul makes it clear in Romans 1 .4 that Jesus was declared to be the

Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead.

Finally, the resurrection proves not only that Jesus is who he claimed to be, but that every word he spoke is true.

The gospel of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, about which he spoke as it concerned his atoning work on the cross and his being raised for the justification of his church, is true and therefore must be proclaimed, which the apostles, here in Acts 1, will soon set out to do.

There is no good news without the resurrection. Each of these appearances of Jesus during this forty -day period declares not only the end of death's victory, but of sin's victory also.

And that's why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15 .17, if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless and you are still in your sins.

The resurrection is essential and something I will often say when I am street preaching is to tell the people

I'm speaking to that his resurrection is proof to you of all these things.

So let me ask you, what emphasis does the resurrection have in your gospel presentation?

Does it line up with the examples of the apostles that we read of in Acts? Don't allow the resurrection of Christ to take a back seat in your gospel proclamation.

Next time we have something very important to discuss, which comes at the end of verse three, the kingdom of God.

Smash that like button, thanks for watching, and God bless. When Jesus died, he paid the penalty for his people's sin.

That substitution, the wrath of God against the believer, is satisfied in the death of Christ.

That's what you will find on most gospel tracts. But unfortunately, that is all you will find on most gospel tracts.

And I say, unfortunately, because substitution alone doesn't make me acceptable to God.

You can take away my sins, but I still have no merit applied to me by which

I could approach him. Jesus died, as Paul says to the

Corinthians, if Christ has not been raised and we are still in our sins, but praise

God, he was raised for our justification. Justification simply means that undeserving, believing sinners are counted righteous and declared to be righteous based upon the merit of Jesus Christ, which is applied to them by faith alone.