The Resurrection: Validation and Vindication of the Lamb of God

The resurrection of Jesus, the assertion central to the observance of Easter, is a non-negotiable component of the Gospel. Paul states this clearly: “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Why are these particular teachings “of first importance”? They are the ground upon which we claim the hope of eternal life. 

Jesus died to atone for our sins. As the sacrificial and substitutionary Lamb of God, he fulfilled all righteousness even to the point of dying on a cross. Then, in fulfillment of what was said about the coming Savior, he died among the wicked and was buried with the rich. But most important of all that is of “first importance,” he rose again from the dead. This is critical. For as Paul bluntly states, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” Why is this so? Because it is the resurrection that validates and vindicates Jesus.

He told his disciples beforehand, on several occasions, that he would be given over to be scourged and crucified but would come back to life “on the third day.” That this indeed happened validates the words he spoke about his death and resurrection and by extension all that he taught and said. The resurrection also vindicated Jesus against all the charges that were leveled against him. He was not a demon-possessed, blaspheming criminal deserving of death. To the contrary, he “was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4). In the words of Peter, “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:24).

If Jesus did not rise from the dead then he could not have been the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He would have been just another human being who needed the Lamb of as much as anyone else. But with his resurrection his person and purpose were proclaimed. Faith in him is not futile. It is that which saves the sinner for “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Full Disclosure

Perhaps you know the famous quote from President John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech, "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." The brilliance of the line is how it succinctly expresses the obligations of citizenship. It is a call to service, to sacrifice, on behalf of your country and its aims.

The intent of the phrase could well be adapted to the task of preaching the gospel. Too often the gospel is presented as a pretty gift, wrapped in bright paper and topped with a bow, that's handed to the listener in a manner that communicates, "Ask anything you want from God and he'll give it to you -- no strings attached!" Unfortunately, this does not accurately represent the enterprise given the church by its Savior. It's true that the price necessary for a sinner's redemption has been fully paid by the obedience of Christ. By faith and faith alone are the benefits of that meritorious work put upon the sinner's account. He need not add anything. That amazing grace needs to be preached and preached boldly. But Jesus says there is more to the gospel call. The other side of the coin is the call to discipleship. And this is where the enterprise gets challenging. It involves not just what God has done for you, but what he calls you to do for him.

Jesus taught that if one is not willing to be more loyal to him than to anyone or any thing else, even one's own life, then that one cannot be his disciple. And if one is not willing to bear the suffering and rejection contained in the cross, a cross that awaits each follower of Jesus, then that one cannot be his disciple. His suffering has, indeed, freely bought the sinner salvation, but faith in him will not be free from suffering, for faith in Jesus sets the believer against the world. It is inevitable, therefore, that at some point in the life of a follower of Jesus his or her loyalty to Christ will be tested, and when that happens whether or not that one is a disciple will be revealed. This is why Jesus asks those who would follow him to count the cost.

We want to be faithful to call people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, but for the sake of full disclosure, we must also tell them all that that call entails. If they choose to follow Jesus they do so at the risk of losing everything they hold dear. It will not be a popular message but it's the one we are expected to give. After all, we've been commissioned to make disciples of all nations and a would-be disciple must count the cost.

Not a Sacrifice

If there was a fire in your apartment building forcing you to leave quickly, what would you grab on the way out? What would you want to save? If you have children . . . I suppose that goes without saying. Or a pet, likewise, I assume you’d be sure to take the dog or cat. But what else? Passport? Photos? Computer? A painting? What if you could only take one or two things? What would you choose? Whatever you ended up choosing would say something about what you think is most valuable (and not necessarily monetarily) among all of your possessions.

For the men in two of Jesus’ parables, one who discovered an unprecedented pearl, the other a buried treasure, the realization of what was most valuable didn’t come at the expense of a tragedy. Just the opposite was true. Theirs was a discovery that brought joy. How could it not? They knew that what they had come upon was more desirable than everything they owned and quickly gave it all up. The loss that these men experienced to possess the prize turned out to not be loss at all. In truth, they had exponentially gained. 

Jesus likens their response to the discovery that the kingdom of heaven is opened to sinners such as you and me. When the reality of what it means to be included in the kingdom is understood, all that might have to be left behind to be part of it shouldn’t feel like a sacrifice. Too often, however, we behave as though it were a tragedy, like being left with a couple of precious items as we watch our building burn to the ground. 

Why is it so difficult for some of us to receive the kingdom with joy? I suspect it’s because we don’t really grasp that damnation awaited us. The parable of the net, which immediately follows those alluded to above, teaches that at the end of this age there will be a judgment that only the “good” will survive. All who are “evil” will be sent away to an eternal existence too terrifying to imagine. 

The hard truth is that unless God acts none will be judged to be good on that day. But the gift of God is a Savior who was good, perfectly good, and our faith in his finished work opens the door to the kingdom. The apostle Paul understood this better than any other, as he was the “foremost” of sinners. This is why he wrote, “Through him we have . . . obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Like the men in the parables, he joyfully “suffered the loss of all things” and counted them “as rubbish, in order that [he might] gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of [his] own” but a righteousness that “comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” An exponential gain to be sure!

Is It Worth It?

It is not an uncommon experience for a Christian to weigh the wisdom of holding fast to the faith when there are so many pressures placed upon the believer to abandon it: a family member or neighbor scoffs, what we have to say consistently fall on deaf ears, all the power and influence appears to reside in the hands of those who oppose the church and its mission, or, as has recently been the case, the persecutor’s sword is at the throat. In the face of such opposition, it’s not unusual for enervating thoughts to creep into one’s head, “Is this worth it? Is there any reason for me to keep confessing this stuff? Do I really want to continue being associated with such an impotent and irrelevant institution as the church?” Assuredly there is, for the faith we confess rests not in the effectiveness or faithfulness of church, but in the God who makes and keeps covenant. It’s because of who he is and what he purposes that we should “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering” (Hebrews 10:23). The following is a brief catechism based upon Micah 7 (with a couple of other portions of Micah thrown in) that I hope will convince you of this truth:

What is God’s goal?

To bring glory to his name (4:1-5)

How has he done this?

By creating for himself a people who declare his glory (7:8-10, 18; 4:1-7)

What kind of people has he created?

A holy people (7:7)

What does it mean for a people to be holy?

It means that they are set apart, possessed by God from all other peoples, and their lives reflect the fact that they have been set apart, possessed by God (7:16-19)

What has he done to meet his goal?

Entered into covenant with them (7:20)

How does this accomplish his goal?

It binds the entire weight of his character and attributes to the accomplishing of the goal (7:15, 20)

Will that prove sufficient to accomplish the goal?

Certainly, for he is not only capable of accomplishing the task, he delights in it (7:15, 18)

Why does he delight in accomplishing this goal?

Because it brings him glory (7:18a)

What in particular has he done, or is doing, to have for himself a holy people?

He has dealt with their past sins and is working on their present sins (7:18-19)

How has he dealt with their past sins, and how does he work on their present sins?

By sending his Son, the promised Messiah, to accomplish in the flesh what his people could not, namely all righteousness, both in his obedience to the law and his atoning death; and in the sending of his Holy Spirit to abide in his people by whose power he is transforming them to walk in the holiness that marks his people (5:2-6, 10-14; cf., Romans 8:1-4, 31-39)

Does this bring him glory?

Yes, for it is all a product of his mercy, grace, and love, and makes a mockery of false gods and the dire predictions of foolish, boastful people (7:18-20; 7:10).

What should we do as we wait for God to accomplish his goal?

Remain steadfast and patient, praying with faith (7:7)

What's in a Name?

What’s in a name? Most names have a meaning. How about yours? My name, Kirk, means church. It’s pretty ironic that I ended up working in a church for the past 25 years. Sometimes destinies are bound up in names, at least that seems to be the case biblically. It's certainly so for the one whose birth we anticipate during the Advent season.

In Matthew’s account (1:18-23), we learn that the baby who is to be born to Mary is to be named Jesus, the meaning of which is “God saves.” The name will have particular significance for the child, as he will “save his people from their sins.”  But Matthew also sees in the birth of the child the fulfillment of a word given by God through the prophet Isaiah that the child born of a virgin is to be named Emmanuel, which means “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14).

What’s in a name? In this case, the identity of the perfectly suited mediator between a holy God and sinful human beings. We needed a thoroughly righteous man to accomplish what we could not do -- live a sinless life -- and so be our champion, who at the same time was powerful enough to bear the eternal wrath of God. Only the heavenly named redeemer would do.

God knew that we could not save ourselves. If we were going to be rescued he would have to do it. And wonder of wonders, our savior is a baby, sent from heaven to be for us Jesus, Emmanuel. Advent is intended to be a time when we reflect upon the circumstances that prompted the loving and gracious act of God sending his Son. May our hearts be humbled and filled with gratitude.

To Whom Much Is Given . . .

The Yankees are not getting the job done in the American League Championship Series. In fact, by the time some of you read this they may have been eliminated. It’s just baseball, I know, but when the Yankees lose it’s seems worse than when other teams lose (I say this not because I’m a Yankees fan, though I am). The reason why it seems worse is because the Yankees are the Yankees, and when it comes to the Yankees expectations run high. Why are there such high expectations? Because they have an unparalleled history of winning and they consistently have one of the highest payrolls in professional baseball. Without necessarily being able to quote the verse, most people who care about it would agree with the teaching that “to whom much is given, much will be required.” And when the Yankees don’t produce, they deserve all the verbal junk that gets thrown at them.

God’s judgment of Saul (1 Samuel 28, 31) was of a similar stripe. It’s true that Saul had been plucked unasked from obscurity and made king of Israel. But before we cut Saul slack for his failings, we must keep in mind that he had been given what he needed to accomplish the job he had been assigned: the anointing of God’s Spirit and the word of God. These are tremendous resources that Saul squandered or abused. And what applies to the Yankees applies to him, “to whom much is given, much will be required.”

God holds people responsible for what he has given to them. This seems an inescapable reality when we consider the many parables of Jesus that warn of the coming accounting. Like Saul, for the many around us who have heard and pushed away the revelation of God, a just judgment awaits. Their only hope is to repent and trust that what God has revealed in the person and work of his son is sufficient to atone for their squandering what had already been revealed to them by a generous and gracious God. Much has been given; much will be required. For those who repent and believe, what is required is met in the one who was given.