The Amazing Resurrection of the DeadSample

Romans 5:3-4; Hebrews 7:15-17; 23-25

The Remarkable Resurrection of Jesus

Have you ever met anyone who has been raised from the dead?

Pretty unlikely, I guess. Even in the Bible, there are only a few examples. See 2 Kings 13:21; Mark 5:21-43; John 11:17-27; Acts 9:36-42 for some of them. And there have been significant more recent testimonials averring such incidents in various parts of the world. I have personally heard reliable reports from places like Chile, Africa, and Papua New Guinea of people returning to life without medical intervention.

Then, of course, there is the story of Jesus. In his letter to the Romans, Paul tells us that Jesus was declared to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4). The term ‘declared’ is a translation of the original Greek verb horizo from which we derive the word ‘horizon’. Its original meaning: was to set a boundary or a limit and from there a more general usage developed with the meaning of fix firmly or decree or appoint. So it was by the resurrection that God decreed unequivocally that Jesus was the powerful Son of God.

In the book of Acts, Luke writes something similar when he uses that same verb to affirm that one day Jesus would be appointed as judge of all the world (Acts 17:31).

Now here is the thing - there is a crucial difference between all other resurrections and the resurrection of Jesus. The fact is that all the others, having been brought back to life, still died. Marvellous as it was, being raised only gave them a few extra years.

In the case of Jesus, however, having been raised once, he will never die again. That’s why his resurrection was so different. Wonderfully, remarkably, he is alive forevermore. He lives and reigns forever! (That would be a good place to stop and throw in a hallelujah or two!)

The writer to the Hebrews puts it strongly: Jesus became our high priest by ‘the power of an indestructible life’ (Hebrews 7:23). One French translation calls it a life impérissable. Eight hundred years ago, John Wyclif called it a life ‘that may not be undone’.

The Greek term comprises three different words which originally meant something like ‘not-washable’. In other words, indissoluble, impossible to remove. Today, we might say colour-fast. The Lord Jesus Christ is Indestructible.

The Hebrews letter goes on to say, ‘He remains forever; he holds his priesthood permanently… He is able to save completely those who come to God through him since he always lives to intercede for them.’

Whatever we think about the resurrection, our main point of reference must always be the risen Christ! He brings us from the grave with him (1 Thessalonians 4:14). We will live because he lives. And that says it all.

What next?

Read Hebrews 7:15-25. Why does the writer use the word ‘consequently’ (‘therefore’ in some versions) at the beginning of verse 25? Copy verse 25 onto a slip of paper or your phone and read it aloud during the day. Can you memorise it? In other words, read (aloud), record, repeat, recall.