1 Peter 1:3 (NKJV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Yesterday we looked at Paul’s perspective on the Resurrection and what would be lacking from Christianity if Jesus had not been raised from the dead. Here is a list of things from Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15.
1. His preaching and our faith are both empty
2. All who preached in the beginning are false witnesses (liars)
3. We are still in our sins
4. The dead are just dead
5. We are living futile and pitiable lives
Today I want to look at the words of another apostle, Peter. The difference between Peter and Paul is that Peter was there. He saw the trial, the crucifixion and the resurrection. He went to the tomb and saw the empty grave clothes. Later he ate with Jesus. He talked with Jesus many times. He was there when the risen Lord gave them the instructions to wait in Jerusalem. He watched as Jesus was taken up into heaven and he heard the angels tell them that Jesus would return in the same way.
In today’s scripture, we read some things that Peter says were provided by the resurrection. The list of things we could say came through the resurrection is endless. However, I want to focus on what this eyewitness has to say in these few verses.
The first thing Peter tells us that God the Father has caused us to be born again unto a living hope through the resurrection. When we were looking at Hebrews 11, we found that faith is the substance of things hoped for. Hope and faith are closely related. Hope is possibility. We have hope when we believe for any reason that something is possible.
Faith is the application of a promise from the word to our hope. As we meditate on the promise, the force of faith rises in our hearts until the hope changes from possibility to certainty. Without hope, faith has nothing to grasp. Without hope, we fall into despair and unbelief. Peter tells us that we have a living hope because of the resurrection. As I read that this past Sunday morning, something exploded in my heart.
What produces hope more than the fact that God raised a man from the dead? Jesus was not partially dead or almost dead. There were reports circulated by the Jews and the Romans that Jesus did not really die on the cross. However, there were far too many witnesses there for this to be true. Jesus was dead.
I have done both weddings and funerals in my life. I am sad to say that some of the people I married are not still married due to divorce. I can say with absolute confidence that every person I have ever buried is still in the ground! Once a person is dead, they stay that way. Death is the ultimate impossibility. As the saying goes, “Nothing is sure but death and taxes.”
When we look back at the resurrection, we understand that if God could raise Jesus from the dead, anything is possible. If God would raise Jesus from the dead, there is nothing he will not do for his children. That does not mean that everything and anything we want will be done. It does mean that within the boundaries of God’s written word and the further boundaries of that which is good for us, God will do anything; God can do anything for his children.
When I face that fiery trial, I need to remember the hope that comes with the resurrection. If my body is sick, I need to remember that God raised Jesus from the dead. If I need a financial breakthrough, I need to think about the power released in the resurrection. If there is any other need in my life, I know that it cannot be greater than the power required to raise Jesus from the dead.
Look at Paul’s words in Ephesians 1.
Ephesians 1:19-20 (NKJV) 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
Paul makes it very clear here that the power at work toward us is the same as the power it took to raise Jesus from the dead. I submit to you that raising Jesus from the dead is the most difficult thing God has ever done. Of course, we are talking about God here, so I am not saying it was any problem for him. I am saying that there was more Satanic resistance to that one act than anything else God has done.
God created everything. That is certainly outside of the realm of any power I can imagine. The difference between that and the resurrection is that there was no resistance to creation at all. The birth of Jesus was a great display of God’s power. However, that was done in a way that veiled the plan of God in the realm of the spirit. Satan knew God was doing something but he did not understand what. 1 Corinthians 2:8 tells us that Satan would never have crucified Jesus if he had understood the plan.
Once Jesus arrest trial and death had taken place, Satan had a much clearer understanding of what God was doing. I do not know if he fully understood the implications of Jesus death but I am sure he knew the importance of Jesus resurrection. All of the power at Satan’s disposal was focused on keeping Jesus in the grave. I think he would have loved to annihilate him altogether if that were possible. In the end, all the power Satan had was woefully insufficient to keep God from raising Jesus. That is why Jesus made that great statement in Matthew 28:18.
Matthew 28:18 (NKJV) 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Whatever you and I are facing today is not more difficult for God than the resurrection of Jesus. Take a moment and look at your circumstances. Look right at the impossibility of the situation and then read the story of the resurrection. Let you soul thrill to the wonderful victory that was purchased on that day. Measure your need against the power it took to raise Jesus from the dead. I think you will find that hope will rise. Find a promise and faith will not be far behind.
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