JESUS CHRIST IS THE RESURRECTION
AND, WHAT IS THE RESURRECTION?
  1. Jesus Revealed To Martha : “ I Am The Resurrection And The Life .” John 11:20-27
    • Jesus’ friend Lazarus became gravely ill, but Jesus did not go to see Lazarus until he had died.
    • It was then that he took His disciples with Him to Bethany to see Lazarus’ sisters Martha and Mary.
    • Martha came out to meet Jesus and she complained about the fact that He could have saved Lazarus since God always hears Jesus and grants what he requested, she insisted.
    • Jesus made a statement that Martha did not understand. Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again.”
    • Martha argued, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
    • Jesus continued to challenge Martha’s concept of the resurrection: “

      I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 11:25-26 NKJV

    • Martha answered: “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:20-27 NKJV.
    • Jesus then called Lazarus to come out of the tomb and Lazarus came out walking and all wrapped up in grave clothes. Then many people who were there believed also. IMPORTANT: Jesus made a statement to His disciples regarding Lazarus’ sickness that it was not going to be for death, but to bring glory to God and that Jesus would be glorified through it. Nevertheless, Lazarus did die and Jesus would bring about a great miracle by bringing Lazarus back to life. But in the process His disciples and Martha came to the understanding of what was the reality of the resurrection and how Jesus had been empowered by God to bring about the resurrection of a person who was dead. But, Lazarus continued to be a human after Christ’s resurrected him since he did not receive his glorified body.

  2. The Prophets Of The Old Testament Reveal Their Concept Of Death And The Resurrection :
    • When Martha spoke to Jesus regarding her brother resurrecting at the last day, she was bringing to Jesus her understanding and her knowledge of how it was going to be at the end. The Jewish people had gained their understanding of the resurrection from the writings of the prophets, as we can see:
      • The prophet Daniel: “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2 NKJV
      • The prophet Isaiah: “Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.” Isaiah 26:19
      • David’s prophecy about Christ’s resurrection: “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” Psalm 16:9-10 NKJV
      • David: “This is the way of those who are foolish… like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them…And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for He shall receive me. Selah” Psalm 49:13-15 NKJV
      • Solomon: “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7 NKJV [The rich man and the beggar: when they died, the spirit of the rich man went to hell and the beggar to Paradise—Luke 16:19-31]

  3. The Father , The Son , And The Resurrection :
    • Jesus reveals that as the Father works and raises the dead given them life, so does the Son — John 5:19-21
    • The will of the Father is that all HE has given the Son, Jesus will raise in the last day: John 6:36-40
    • The dead will hear His voice and will be resurrected: “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:25-26 NKJV
    • Jesus reveals that there are 2 resurrections: “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” John 5:28-29. [This statement that Jesus made goes with what Daniel prophesied: “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Dan. 12:2 NKJV. There are 2 resurrections, but they do not occur at the same time.]
    • Paul stating that there is an the order for the resurrection — Christ, the first fruits, and then, born again believers, at his return: 1 Cor. 15:20-23

  4. The First Resurrection Is Of Life And The Second Resurrection Is Of Condemnation :
    • This is the first resurrection: “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:5-6 NKJV
    • The second resurrection: “But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.” Rev. 20:5 NKJV
    • Resurrected to be judged: “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” Rev. 20:12 RVR60
    • Born again believers will not be judged: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” John 5:24 NKJV
    • Final judgment: “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:14-15 NKJV

  5. The Resurrection Of Life Occurs At The Time Of The Rapture :
    • The Rapture: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16 NKJV
    • Paul answers questions people have: But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” 1 Cor. 15:35
    • Here is his explanation to these questions [1 Corinthians 15:36-54]:
      • What is sown does not live until it dies. The human body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown a natural body, and it is raised a spiritual body—the natural is first and then the spiritual. The first man [Adam] came from the dust, and the second Man [Jesus] came from heaven. We have the image of the man of dust; we will have the image of the heavenly Man, Jesus. Flesh and blood will not inherit the kingdom of God, therefore we have to be changed, and that is a mystery.
      • Paul explaining the mystery: “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Cor. 15:51-52 NKJV
      • The corruptible bodies of the dead will become incorruptible, and the mortals who are still alive must put on immortality. Then in the twinkling of an eye, both dead and alive born again believers will receive their glorified bodies, as they are going up to meet the Lord in the air. When will this occur?
    • Jesus reveals what He is going to do on that Day: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven,and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:29-31 NKJV
    • Jesus is coming to rapture His children before the wrath of God is unleashed on this world. 1 Thess. 5:9