|
LESSON 1, THE
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW:
Matthew 16:21
interestingly records these words of Jesus:
"From that time forth began Jesus to shew
unto his disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and
suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes,
and be killed, and be raised again the third day."
According to these inspired words, Jesus
waited until quite late in His Ministry to reveal to the
Disciples the fact of His coming Death!
But, why?
The "context" of
Jesus' statement provides the answer.
This conversation
had just occurred: "When Jesus came into
the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying,
Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some
say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others,
Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom
say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art
the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and
said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and
blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which
is in heaven." Matthew 16:13-17
It was not until
the Disciples clearly knew WHO Jesus was ... that He was willing
to reveal to them the specifics of His upcoming Death!
Again, why?
Because just a
plain death on a cross could save no one!
On average that
happened dozens of times a day in the Roman Empire!
Jesus' Death, to
be powerfully effective in the saving of lost souls, cleansing
them from sin, had to be unique!
And it was!
Jesus was (and
still is) the very Son of God! In fact, He is God The Son!
That's what Peter
proclaimed, "Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the living God!"
That also means
Jesus was sinless! God cannot sin!
It then provides
unlimited vicarious power to His Death, the power that can save
the lost!
Jesus' deity also
invests Him with Authority! His promises must come to
fruition! God cannot lie!
And, Jesus being
God, He also is eternal! Living in Heaven, He can certainly
assure us that one day He will return ... to catch us away unto
Himself!
Jesus is God!
Not until the
Disciples know this fact can the impending Crucifixion, Burial
and Resurrection have the Meaning they must!
For you see, they
are the heart of the Gospel!
Jesus
is God the Son!
Jesus died for
you!
He arose from the
Grave!
He has power to
save!
As we near
Easter, do remember that the Resurrection must be linked to the
Godhood of the Saviour!
A living Saviour!
Eternally so!
Also notice this. Our Text answers some
fundamental questions about Jesus Life, Death and Resurrection.
"From that time forth
began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that He must go unto
Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the
third day."
When? From the time of Peter's great confession!
Where? Jerusalem, outside the city!
What? Jesus must be "killed!"
Why? In order that He be "raised again!"
Who? That is, "Who cares?" Sinners who need a
Saviour!
Thank God for the Gospel!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 2, THE GOSPEL OF
MARK:
Only Mark words it exactly like this.
He is talking about the resurrected Jesus. He once appeared to
two Believers as they journeyed away from Jerusalem. It was late
on the very day of Jesus' Resurrection, that first Sunday!
"After that He appeared
in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into
the country." Mark 16:12
Mark's short one verse account takes Luke a
whole paragraph to explain, Luke 24:13-32.
Yet in some ways Mark says more!
Both Gospels make it plain that the two
disciples walking away from Jerusalem did not at first recognize
our Lord. Luke even says: "But their eyes
were holden that they should not know him." (Luke 24:16)
The verb "holden" ("krateo") means "overpowered!"
How so?
Back to Mark: "He
appeared in another form."
I must confess ignorance here.
The verb "appeared" ("phaneroo") here, which
is passive, means that Jesus was made known ... or
even made visible! This is apparently
something the Father did for the Son, hence the passive voice.
Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Jesus appeared!
But ... "in another
form!"
These words, "heteros morphe," are so
interesting!
One means "another of a different kind!"
That's heteros.
The second, "external appearance." That's
morphe.
The Resurrection Body of Jesus, while being
one of flesh and bones, yet had a "different" quality about it
too! Jesus taught: "Behold my hands
and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a
spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." Luke
24:39
But, He could enter locked doors ... ascend
to Heaven itself ... eat food ... and still work miracles, all
in that new and glorious Body!
Maybe ... and notice that I say just maybe
... He could also appear in different forms! Perhaps
that's why the two Believers on the way to Emmaus did not at
first recognize Him!
Who can limit a resurrected Saviour?
My point today is this: Jesus is alive!
And, in whatever form He chose, He could
appear to those who believed and needed His Counsel or
Encouragement!
Then again, He could appear as a resurrected
and ascended Lord to an old sinner ... on the road to Damascus
too!
Just ask Paul!
And ..."this same Jesus" ... is coming again
some day!
In whatever form He chooses, we shall be
glad!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 3, THE GOSPEL OF
LUKE:
The enemies of
the Gospel are constantly attacking the Resurrection of Jesus.
Often they say the Disciples "plotted" certain events to simply
make it look like Jesus arose from the grave!
In other
words, He's still dead!
But there is a
problem with that argument.
Had Jesus'
Followers been "planning" His Resurrection, they would have
responded to it much differently than they did!
In Luke 24:11,
having just heard from several women that Jesus was "alive,"
risen from the dead, we are told of the Disciples:
"They believed not!"
Here's the
whole verse: "And their words seemed to
them as idle tales, and they believed them not."
They just were
not yet prepared to accept the Resurrection as a fact!
Far from
"acting" like it was a "sure" thing, they responded with
hesitancy and doubt!
Even later,
when Jesus stood in their very presence, they
"were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen
a spirit." Luke 24:37
Next, after
being shown Jesus' pierced hands and feet, still
"they yet believed not for joy, and
wondered." Luke 24:41
This does not
sound like a "plot" to me!
It rather
appears that the Disciples were among the last of Christ's
closest followers to believe!
Even after the
Roman soldiers guarding the tomb!
And after Mary
Magdalene!
After the
other women!
After the two
who traveled to Emmaus!
But, praise
the Lord, finally they did ... believe!
Here's how
Luke describes the moment they "saw" the Light, Resurrection
Light! "Then opened He their
understanding, that they might understand the scriptures."
Luke 24:46
What a
beautifully logical Book the Bible is!
Such sequences
of events as I have just described were once called by a godly
preacher "the undesigned coincidences of Scripture!"
Yes, the Bible
"proves" the Bible ... when allowed to do so!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 4, THE GOSPEL OF
JOHN:
Concerning the Resurrection of Jesus, The
Beloved John writes: "The first day
of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark,
unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the
sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to
the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They
have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not
where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that
other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both
together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came
first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in,
saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh
Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and
seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his
head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in
a place by itself. Then
went in also that other disciple, which came first to the
sepulchre, and he saw, and believed." John 20:1-8
My emphasis today is found in that last
verse. When that "other disciple," whom many believe to have
been John himself, entered the empty tomb ... he "saw" certain
things ... then believed!
Only the fourth Gospel relates this incident.
What did he see?
The burial clothes of Jesus!
Linen cloths, likely cut into long strips,
which were wrapped again and again around the body of Jesus.
"Wound" around the Lord according to John 19:40. Cloths that had
been saturated with the burial spices (an hundred pound weight
according to John 19:39), thereby becoming sticky and somewhat
hardened as the myrrh and aloes dried.
What John saw was this. The cloths had
not been unwound and thrown into a corner! They remained
in place, still wrapped, right where the Lord lay! His
Body arose right through them! They remained undisturbed! And
even the head napkin was carefully wrapped and placed in a
separate location! No doubt these men had seen Jesus wrap
napkins before! They knew His manner of doing so!
Jesus had a glorified Body, one that slipped
through the "cocoon-like" burial clothes ... through the sealed
grave ... and later through locked doors! (The angel
rolled away the stone so people could see in ... not so Jesus
could get out!)
And our Lord did not leave in a hurry either!
No rush! He took time to tidy the place, no head cloths
dropped haphazardly! But neatly folded, as Jesus always
did apparently!
Having see such "evidence, " John ...
believed!
I'm telling you, Jesus is alive!
Just as He promised!
I believe too!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 5, THE BOOK OF
ACTS:
If any New Testament Book surveys the
preaching of the early Believers, this one does. I mean the Book
of Acts.
Let me show you some examples. As these
are listed, notice the frequent references to the Resurrection
of Jesus! These men couldn't preach without mentioning our
Living Lord!
1. If one considers Luke's treatise to be a
sermon within itself, Acts 1:3 is the first statement of Jesus'
Resurrection. Of Jesus Luke says: "To whom
also He shewed himself alive after his passion by many
infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking
of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."
2. Then comes Peter's first sermon in Acts.
Listen to him talk about Jesus: "Whom God
hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was
not possible that he should be holden of it." Acts 2:24
3. Peter preached also in Acts 3. About Jesus
again, he boldly says to the Jewish leaders:
"And killed the Prince of life, whom God
hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses."
Acts 3:15
4. Then in Acts 4 Peter, after healing a lame
man, preaches to the Sanhedrin itself: "Be
it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by
the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom
God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand
here before you whole." Acts 4:10
5. And in Acts 5, to the very face of the
Jewish High Priest, Peter proclaimed: "The
God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a
tree." Acts 5:30
6. Even the dying Stephen saw the Resurrected
Jesus, standing at the Father's Right Hand!
"But he, being full of the Holy Ghost,
looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and
Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see
the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right
hand of God." Acts 7:55-56
7. Now listen to Peter preach to Cornelius.
His Subject: Jesus ... "Him God raised up
the third day, and shewed him openly." Acts 10:40
8. And we are just now getting to Paul!
Shortly after his salvation experience, he is preaching too! His
first recorded sermon is in Pisidian Antioch and he says:
"But God raised him from the dead."
Acts 13:30
9. Then study Luke's synopsis of Paul's
Thessalonians preaching: "And Paul, as his
manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned
with them out of the scriptures, opening and alleging, that
Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead;
and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ."
Acts 17:2-3
10. Even in Athens ... Jesus is
described as having been "raised
from the dead!" Acts 17:31
As you can see, Acts is "loaded" with
Resurrection Truth!
The early Church just could not have existed
without the undergirding power of the resurrected Lord Jesus
Christ!
Praise the Lord, the living Lord!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 6, THE EPISTLE
TO THE ROMANS:
The Book of Romans is certainly one of the
greatest Letters ever written.
Concerning the Resurrection of Jesus, it
contains much critical information.
That is ... information on how to apply
Jesus' Resurrection in our individual lives.
But, at least to this Preacher, the verse
that must be emphasized today is Romans 10:9.
Talk about importance!
"That if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in
thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt
be saved." Romans 10:9
Romans is the Book Paul wrote to particularly
explain God's plan of salvation anyway.
It has more than one "how to be saved" verse!
But, to me, this is the most powerful!
The verb "confess" is "homologeo" and just
means "to say the same thing" as God does about an issue!
Agree with God ... about Jesus!
Agree out loud!
With your mouth!
That's just because the mouth is the audible
indicator of what's in the heart!
Say the same thing God does about Jesus!
"And behold a Voice out
of the cloud, which said, This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am
well pleased; hear ye Him." Matthew 17:5
"For unto you is born
this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the
Lord." Luke 2:11
"And she shall bring
forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall
save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21
"Verily, verily, I say
unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that
sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." John
5:24
The verb "believe" is "pisteuo" and means to
be persuaded! To think to be true! To place confidence in
Someone! To trust! To accept as fact!
Paul said to an already convicted Philippian
jailer: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31
Notice in Romans 10:9 that God raised Jesus
from the dead! "That if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart
that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
The Bible expresses Jesus' Resurrection in
three ways.
God the Father raised Him!
God the Son did too!
"No man taketh it (Life) from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I
have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.
This commandment have I received of my Father." (John
10:18) That "power to take His Life again" is speaking of the
Resurrection.
And the Holy Spirit:
"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead
dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also
quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."
Paul said this in Romans 8:11.
The verb "raised" ("egeiro") is in the aorist
"tense." It is an event that has occurred in the past. It
will not happen again! Jesus will never die again ... nor
need to be raised again! He is now alive eternally!
"From" the dead ("ek") means "out of" the
dead!
Jesus entered the realm of death ... and
conquered it, having returned to live evermore! That's why Paul
writes: "O death, where is thy
sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death
is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But
thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ." 1st Corinthians 15:55-57
How important is the Resurrection?
Belief in it is essential to one's salvation!
Believe it ... and
"thou shalt be saved!"
The verb is "sozo" and was used in Paul's day
in several different ways.
It meant to win on the battlefield!
Jesus did ... at the Cross ... defeat the
devil!
It means to save a life down at the hospital!
Doctor Jesus did that too!
He saved and healed us spiritually from a
terminal malady, sin!
"Sozo" also meant to reconcile two fighting
parties!
Jesus, by His Blood, brought me a sinner into
harmony with God, the Holy Righteous One!
Peace now exists in my heart!
Believe on Jesus and His Resurrection from
the dead ... God will save you!
He said so in Romans 10:9.
One more time ... "That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved."
Praise the Lord for a Living Saviour!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 7, FIRST
CORINTHIANS AND THE RESURRECTION:
In his First Epistle to the
Corinthians the Apostle Paul clearly reveals the fundamental
importance of the Resurrection of Jesus.
For him it is
essential to the Christian faith.
Chapter
fifteen presents the apex of his reasoning.
He first
defines the Gospel, showing that it must include the
Resurrection as a central ingredient.
See what I
mean: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto
you the gospel ... for I delivered unto you first of all that
which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he
rose again the third day according to the scriptures."
1st Corinthians 15:1, 3-4
Then Paul,
proving Jesus' Resurrection, begins to name some of the
Believers who saw Jesus ... after His Resurrection!
Eyewitnesses! There are hundreds of them!
"And that he was seen of Cephas, then of
the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred
brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this
present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of
James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of
me also, as of one born out of due time." 1st Corinthians
15:5-8
Next Paul
tells us several vital aspects of our faith that depend upon the
Resurrection.
"And if Christ be not risen, then is
our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea,
and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have
testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not
up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not,
then is not Christ raised: and if Christ be not raised, your
faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also
which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life
only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."
1st Corinthians 15:14-19
With no
Resurrection ... everything meaningful in the Christian faith
vanishes!
Then Paul
"personalizes" the Resurrection of Jesus. He reminds us that
some day we too will be raised! That is, our dead bodies will be
called forth from the graves in which they were buried.
"Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall
be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and
this mortal must put on immortality. So when this
corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal
shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O
death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy
victory?" 1st Corinthians 15:51-55
Because Jesus
lives, we shall live also! These are our Lord's very words,
spoken in John 14:19. "Yet a little while,
and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live,
ye shall live also."
Yet again,
because of the Resurrection of Christ, we can rejoice and thank
God forevermore! "But thanks be to
God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
(1st Corinthians 15:57) Now remember, this verse is based on
Resurrection Truth!
Then, finally,
what is the result of Jesus' Resurrection? What should it
produce in our lives as Christians? Paul answers,
"Therefore ...." This conjunction provides sequential
fruit to Jesus' Resurrection. Because He was raised from the
grave, we can be ...."
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye
stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the
Lord." 1st Corinthians 15:58
Yes!
Our very
stability and faithfulness as servants of the Lord depend upon
Jesus' vital and eternal Ministry, upon His intercession on our
behalf.
We should be
faithful, rock-solid and persistent ... because Jesus is alive!
Praise the
Lord!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 8, SECOND
CORINTHIANS:
The Apostle Paul just can not preach without
mentioning the Resurrection of Jesus!
He does so in 2nd Corinthians 4:14.
"Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up
us also by Jesus."
He That raised up Jesus is God The Father!
The first "raised up" verb is an aorist.
That means its action is complete! This is a finished event!
Jesus has been completely raised from the dead!
The second "raised up" verb is formed in the
future tense. God some day will raise our dead bodies from
the grave ... because of Jesus' Body being raised from the
grave!
We shall be given new bodies, glorified
bodies, bodies like unto Jesus' Body on that glorious day!
And all this is done "by" Jesus ... the
preposition here being "dia." It means "through" or "by means
of." It indicates that Jesus is the channel through which our
future resurrection will come!
Of course do understand that while our dead
bodies rest in the tomb, our spirits are in the presence of
Jesus, resting joyfully!
Like Paul says, also in 2nd Corinthians, we
shall be "absent from the body, and
present with the Lord."
Truly, because Jesus lives ... we shall live
also!
Again, it's just like He said!
"Yet a little while, and the world seeth
me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also."
John 14:19
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 9, GALATIANS AND
THE RESURRECTION:
Galatians was perhaps Paul's most difficult
Epistle to write.
The Churches in
that area had allowed certain individuals into their midst who
questioned the Grace of God.
"Another Gospel"
was being preached!
Paul had to
correct these serious errors immediately!
Therefore the
whole Epistle has within it a tone of rebuke and reproof.
Paul does not
write them as a friend, but as a teacher.
That being the
case, he must establish his authority in Christ Jesus.
Not in this whole
Book does he "thank" the Galatians for anything!
Instead, in order
for his necessarily authoritarian manner to show, Paul had to
dispense with a lot of his usual personal comments.
That's why he
opens the Epistle as he does.
"Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by
man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him
from the dead and all the brethren which are with me, unto the
churches of Galatia." Galatians 1:1-2
Look!
In the first
sentence, the very first sentence, we find Paul referring to the
Resurrection of Jesus!
Why so soon?
If Jesus is
alive, and He is, then Paul speaks with the
authority and power of a resurrected Lord!
His opening
argument here develops something like this:
1. Jesus was
raised from the dead!
2. That same
Jesus saved Paul and called him to be an Apostle.
3. As an Apostle
Paul is warning the Galatians not be be removed from the Gospel
of the Grace of God!
The way I read
it, the whole premise of Galatians rests upon the fact that
Jesus is alive, raised from the grave!
This is an
example of Jesus' Resurrection being used doctrinally.
But then again in
Galatians, in chapter two, Paul insists upon the Resurrection of
our Saviour!
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless
I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I
now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who
loved me, and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20
If Jesus lives in
Paul, and He does, then the Resurrection is
a fact!
A fact that
provides Paul with his very motivation for life!
Here now the
Resurrection is being viewed, not just doctrinally, but practically!
Not only in the
classroom, but in the living room ... Jesus lives!
And Paul could
never quit talking about that fact!
Hallelujah!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 10, EPHESIANS:
This month many
will think of the Resurrection, the Resurrection of Jesus.
But for far too many of us, even
Christians I mean, the Resurrection is some far-removed fact of
history.
But Preacher Bagwell, it happened
over two thousand years ago!
Yet I respond, Our Saviour is still
alive today!
Alive and sitting
at the Right Hand of God the Father! Jesus is interceding on our
behalf and serving as our Great High Priest!
Furthermore, He
in reality is living within us too!
Christ, through
His Holy Spirit, indwells each Believer!
Additionally, He
empowers us to victoriously fight the devil, remain faithful in
service and worship Him all our days!
Paul the Apostle
even says something more specific.
While he is
praying for the Ephesian Christians, he asks the Lord to help
them know several things, spiritual things.
"The eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may
know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches
of the glory of His inheritance in the saints ..." What
glorious things to know!
But there is one
more thing Paul longs for us to realize!
That is ...
"And what is the exceeding
greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the
working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he
raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right
hand in the heavenly places, ...." Ephesians
1:18-20
Paul wants us to
be aware that God's power to us is mighty!
That preposition
"to" is spelled "eis" and means "into" or "on" or "among!"
The noun "mighty"
is "ischus" and refers to sheer power, brute strength! It often
even refers to physical force! It also implies endowed power!
Given power! Granted us by an almighty and gracious God!
But, Paul, what
other way can you describe the Power that's available to us
Christians?
The Power that
rests "in" us?
Here it is:
"according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought
in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead."
The very same
power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead ... is
available to YOU my dear Christian friend!
Is within you!
Right now!
Amazing!
This is one of
the greatest statements in all the Bible I believe. Especially
when it comes to living a godly successful Christian life!
We do not have to
fail all the time!
We do not have to
stay discouraged!
We do not have to
dabble with sin all along either!
The POWER of God,
"exceeding" power, is ours by a grant from God the Father!
"Exceeding" is
our word "hyperbole." It means over and above all we could have
thought!
Yes, the
Resurrection of Jesus is indeed not just a one-time historical
fact. It is a daily truth to be experienced and lived!
No wonder Paul
elsewhere said: "I can do all things
through Christ which strengtheneth me."
Now let us all
live day by day, even hour by hour, drawing on that
inexhaustible Source of Power!
May the sweet
Name of the Lord be praised!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 11, PAUL'S
EPISTLE OF PHILIPPIANS AND THE RESURRECTION:
Even after being
saved for years, Paul still wrote about his passionate goal for
life!
"That I may
know Him." Philippians 3:10
Paul wanted to know Jesus better and
better!
The verb "know," which is "ginosko,"
here means to be aware of someone, or even to understand them!
To perceive that person! To learn of him!
The verb is in the active voice here
too.
Paul plans to put some effort and
initiative into "knowing" Jesus!
But .... watch
the next phrase:
"That I may know Him, and the power of His Resurrection!"
The great Apostle
wants to know Jesus ... as the Resurrected Jesus!
He wants to have
knowledge of our Lord in all His Power!
Resurrection
Power!
Power, as one
would suspect, is the noun "dunamis." This word usually
expressed "inherent" power. That's power that is "within" a
person! Deposited there! Built-in power!
And of course
Jesus possessed such Power!
He said:
"All power is given unto me in heaven and
in earth." Matthew 28:18
Paul wanted to
live in the light of that Power!
It was the
longing of his heart!
Even from a Roman
jail cell, where he was writing the sweet Epistle to the
Philippians!
Brothers and
Sisters in Christ, today, two thousand years later, that same
Jesus is alive and at the Right Hand of God!
His Power is
still something we can know!
This month,
Easter month, let's seek to know Him ... and the Power of His
Resurrection!
To know Him more
personally than ever!
He is pleased
with such desires!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 12, COLOSSIANS:
Last night I
preached on "Loving Jesus."
That's what saved people do!
They adore and honor and worship
their Lord, Jesus Christ the Son of God!
Paul the Apostle, in Colossians 3:1,
says to us: "If ye then be risen with
Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth
on the right hand of God."
Then he immediately adds:
"Set your affection on things above, not
on things on the earth."
First notice that
Paul clearly asserts that Jesus is "risen!"
And we are risen
with Him too!
Not only were we
once "lost" but now are "found!"
Not only were we
once "blind," but now see!
We were also
"dead," but now are risen with Christ, alive in Him!
And if we are
alive in Christ, the risen Christ, we must consequently be
interested in things "above," where Christ is right now.
The verb "seek"
("zeteo" in Greek) also means "to desire" or "to crave!"
To "set one's
affection" ("phroneo") means to lets one's mind dwell upon
something! To think about it! To carefully regard it!
Where Jesus is
... our minds and hearts must be too!
And, since Jesus
lives, is raised from the dead, is interceding at the Right Hand
of God the Father ... our longings and aspirations must dwell
there with him also!
Again let's read
our verses for today: "If ye then be risen
with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ
sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things
above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:1-2
Jesus taught us:
"For where your treasure is, there will
your heart be also." Matthew 6:21
And Jesus, the
risen Jesus, is our Treasure!
Then Paul
elsewhere adds this tremendous fact. Christ is raised from the
grave ... and ascended to heaven ... "and
hath raised us up together, and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."
Ephesians 2:7
We are
spiritually and positionally already with Jesus ... in Heaven,
sitting with Him right now!
What a thought!
Only Paul,
through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, could have
identified and written such glorious truth!
Folks, today,
let's allow our minds to dwell in Heaven!
Ponder the
glories of our Saviour, the resurrected Jesus!
To Him be all the
glory!
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 13, THE
THESSALONIAN EPISTLES:
Paul
masterfully combines two great doctrines of the Faith in 1st
Thessalonians 1:10.
He, writing to
this beloved Macedonian Church, reminded them how they had ...
"turned to God from idols to serve the
living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom
He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us
from the wrath to come."
The two doctrines
I have in mind include both the Resurrection of Jesus ...
"Whom God raised from the dead" ...
and the Second Coming ... "waiting for His
Son from Heaven!"
Paul the Apostle,
still relatively young in the Faith, is nonetheless strong in
his convictions about our Living Lord! Jesus is raised from the
dead! Raised by God the Father! Paul just said so!
Now let's
remember that Paul himself saw and heard Jesus, the resurrected
and ascended Jesus, the day he was saved ... on the road to
Damascus. He is absolutely assured of the fact of Jesus' return
from the grave!
But Paul believes
that the Resurrection, which also demands the bodily Ascension
of Jesus to Heaven, is a prerequisite for another great event.
That is, the Second Coming!
Jesus is alive!
And ... He is
coming back again!
How could it be
any other way?
Yes!
Jesus ... coming
again to "catch away" His saints!
Then, seven years
later, coming again to earth literally, riding a white horse of
victory!
To interrupt
Armageddon!
To "save" Israel!
To inaugurate His
Millennial Kingdom!
To rule and
reign!
To bring Glory to
God!
Yes!
Listen to me
today!
If there is no
Resurrection, there can be no Second Coming!
And that is
precisely Paul's emphasis here in His Thessalonian Epistles!
What linkage!
Resurrection
and Revelation!
Praise the dear
Lord!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 14, THE EPISTLES
TO TIMOTHY:
Often in the New
Testament any "second" book in a series, like Second Timothy or
Second Corinthians or Second John or Second Thessalonians, will
contain bold and corrective preaching.
By that I mean the author will be
setting right some error, either doctrinal or behavioral, that
had surfaced in the local church there.
Such is the case in Paul's
correspondence to Timothy the young Preacher.
A couple of men,
Hymenaeus and Philetus by name, had nearly destroyed the faith
of some of the younger Believers!
Let's read Paul's
warning. "But shun profane and vain
babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And
their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and
Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred,
saying that the
resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of
some." 2nd Timothy 2:16-18
I have
highlighted their heresy by putting it in bold capitalized type.
As Paul wrote his
letters to Timothy, somewhere around 65 or 66 or even 67 AD,
Jesus had been raised from the dead for three decades!
But Jesus'
Resurrection guarantees the saved man's resurrection! Or the
saved woman's! I mean the resurrection of their bodies from the
grave some day! That is, their being "raptured" into the
presence of Jesus! I mean ... should they have already died
before His coming in the air!
These two men,
Hymenaeus and Philetus, have wrongly taught the church that such
events (the Rapture and the subsequent resurrection from their
graves of millions of saints) had already occurred!
That, if taught,
would not only be wrong! It would also be very confusing!
Here's what I am
saying today: the Resurrection was so important to Paul and the
Church Timothy pastored (likely at Ephesus) that the Apostle had
to correct such false teaching!
The Resurrection
of Jesus ... and its many derivative blessings ... must be
taught and defended at all costs!
Jesus is coming
again!
At the Rapture!
Then He will
catch away all His saints, both dead (in body only) and living,
and take them with Him to Glory!
Yes, every Book
Paul writes mentions and emphasizes the Resurrection one way or
another!
This great
doctrine is critical to our faith!
In fact, Paul
can't even mention the Gospel without alluding to the
Resurrection! They are twin doctrines!
Watch.
"Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of
David was raised from the dead according to my gospel."
Paul can't even testify without inserting the Resurrection of
Jesus! Even in Timothy! I have just quoted for you 2nd Timothy
2:8.
Thank God for the
Resurrection!
It is the
theological "glue" that holds the Bible together!
Jesus, He lives!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 15, TITUS AND
PHILEMON:
Now we today come to an anomaly in Paul's New
Testament corpus, his body of literature.
Neither Titus or Philemon mention the
Resurrection.
Not at all!
Unless I've missed something.
But ... both these little Epistles were
written by a man who believed in the Resurrected Jesus!
Be assured of this!
I was thinking about this as I drove
yesterday.
WHY did Paul so believe in the Resurrection?
Here's what the Lord showed me I believe.
Paul never doubted the living Jesus because
...
Of what he saw!
Of what he heard!
Of what he felt!
Let me explain.
In Acts 9 he saw the Lord, the
resurrected Lord! He never got over the impact of such an event!
In 2nd Corinthians 12 he tells us about going
to Heaven, the place called paradise, the third heaven! And when
he got there ... "he was caught up into
paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful
for a man to utter." He head unspeakable things
... from the resurrected Jesus!
Finally in Corinth, at a particularly
discouraging time, Luke reports: "Then
spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid,
but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no
man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in
this city. And he continued there a year and six months,
teaching the word of God among them."
What assurance he must have felt ... from the
resurrected Jesus!
Additionally, in the midst of a treacherous
storm at sea, when all seemed lost, God did this for Paul. "For
there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and
whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought
before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail
with thee."
He felt secure ... because (again) of the
resurrected Jesus!
Yes, Paul knew Jesus' Resurrection to be a
fact!
He had seen Him, heard Him and felt His
Presence!
He was so secure in the fact of the living
Jesus, he did not have to mention the Resurrection per se in
every note he wrote!
Suffice it to say ... Jesus lived ... in
Paul!
In Galatians 2:20 he says it all:
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless
I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ...."
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 16, THE EPISTLE
TO THE HEBREWS AND JESUS' RESURRECTION:
Look at this two
verse Text!
"Now the God of
peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that
great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the
everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do
his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his
sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever
and ever. Amen."
This beautiful blessing is located
in Hebrews 13:20-21.
I am referencing it today because of
its validation of Jesus' Resurrection from the dead.
Our Text here is
at the end of the Epistle of Hebrews.
Paul means it as
his great benediction.
Note that he
calls our Lord "the God of peace." Paul usually mentions the
name of God that best fits his hearers' needs at any given
moment. These Hebrew Christians had been suffering for their
faith. Many of them were upset and in turmoil. They needed
comfort! They needed peace! And God, the God of Peace, was there
to supply such a Peace!
Jesus promised:
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give
unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your
heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27
The verb "brought
again" translates "anago." This means "to lead" ("ago") "up" ("ana")!
God the Father led Jesus up from the grave! As far as the
Epistle to the Hebrews is concerned ... it's an undoubted fact!
Jesus is alive!
Then we are given
further information.
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of
the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to
do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his
sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever
and ever. Amen."
Jesus is renamed
as "That great Shepherd of the sheep." In John 10:11 Jesus is
the Good
Shepherd Who died for us! In Hebrews 13:20 here Jesus is
the Great Shepherd Who was raised
again for us! And in 1st Peter 5:8 Jesus is the
Chief Shepherd Who is coming again
for us!
But the vehicle
of the Resurrection is ... the Blood of our Lord!
Look ... "through
the Blood of the everlasting covenant!" The preposition
"through" here is spelled "en" in Greek. It, in the dative case,
means "by, before, in, near or on!" Somehow the Blood is
absolutely critical to the Resurrection!
And do notice
that the Blood has not lost its power, nor will it ever do so!
It is part of the "everlasting" covenant! The "ageless" covenant
literally! This is telling us that our salvation is eternal! God
will never fail to keep His Word, His saving promise!
Then, according
to verse 21, it is this living Jesus, this Blood shedding
Saviour, Who has the Power to make us "perfect!" The word "katartizo"
means restored or mended or properly fitted or framed or
perfectly joined together! All of this is possible because of
the Resurrection!
God is further
able to work in us that which is "wellpleasing" to Himself! The
term "euarestos" means acceptable or proper or satisfying!
Again, because of the Resurrection! Jesus lives! We can be
molded therefore into the kind of Believer that pleases our
Father in Heaven!
And this is all
done "through" Jesus Christ! "Dia" means Jesus is the channel
by which these blessing flow from heaven to us on earth! He is
the conduit, the means of such grace!
And to this
living Jesus, this shepherding Jesus, this redeeming Jesus, this
victorious and powerful Jesus ... be all glory for ever and
ever!
The Resurrection
in Hebrews is the foundation for all our future joy and delight
... plus the basis of our eternal worship of the Saviour, our
dear Lord Jesus Christ!
And nothing could
be said after that but ...
"AMEN!"
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 17, THE EPISTLE
OF JAMES:
The Book of James, as far as I can discern,
contains no direct reference to the Resurrection of Jesus.
In fact, James does not specifically mention
Jesus a lot. Perhaps his best "quote" concerning Him is
"the Lord of Glory," found in James
2:1. Come to think of it, that expression alone implies the
Resurrection!
But I have realized something.
Although James does not pointedly speak of
the Resurrection, his very Christian life is a product of that
Resurrection!
Let me show you what I mean.
This James, one of several in the New
Testament, is almost surely the "half" brother of Jesus. They of
course did not have the same father, Jesus being Virgin born!
But they did have the same mother, Mary.
Proof?
"Is not this the
carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and
of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And
they were offended at him." Mark 6:3
Our James here would have been that "brother"
of Jesus.
But he was not saved, at least during Jesus'
lifetime!
Speaking of His direct family, John wrote:
"For neither did his brethren believe in him." John 7:5
When, then, did James get saved?
I think Scripture hints that it was after the
Resurrection of Jesus!
The glorified resurrected Lord made it a
point to go see James ... revealing Himself to him as the living
Son of God!
Paul lists several of Jesus'
post-resurrection appearances. "Christ
died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was
buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the
scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once;
of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are
fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of
James; then of
all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of
one born out of due time" 1st Corinthians 15:3-8
Notice the strange insertion of "James" here!
That's probably the half brother we are discussing!
After that event, James begins to appear in
the Bible as a believer in Christ!
James got saved when He saw Jesus ... after
Calvary, the resurrected Jesus!
Therefore, returning to my main point today
... without a living Jesus, we would have had no Epistle of
James at all!
In that sense, every verse in James is a
direct product of the Resurrection!
Talk about a Book being permeated with a
Truth!
Resurrection Truth!
Glory to God!
Jesus lives!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 18, THE EPISTLES
OF PETER:
Peter just plainly says that our "hope" as
Christians depends upon the Resurrection of Jesus!
The Apostle writes:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again
unto a lively hope by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an
inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not
away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of
God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the
last time." 1st Peter 1:3-5
Our hope, here called a "lively" or living
hope, is predicated upon Jesus' lively or living Ministry at God
the Father's Right Hand!
Our future life in Heaven, our very
inheritance, rests upon the foundation of Jesus being raised
from the grave!
And our security too, its permanence, is
founded upon the living Lord!
And this is how Peter begins his first
Epistle!
If Jesus is still dead ... we have no hope
and no heavenly future and no rewards and no security!
Then near the end of 1st Peter's opening
chapter, we read about Jesus Who is called the Lamb of God.
Among other things Peter says of our Lord:
"Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world,
but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do
believe in God, that
raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that
your faith and hope might be in God." 1st Peter 1:20-21
God raised Jesus from the dead!
To Peter it's just a matter of fact!
And then shortly thereafter Peter adds
another critical piece of information to our Resurrection
theology. He tells us: "For Christ also
hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he
might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but
quickened by the Spirit."
1st Peter 3:18
The Resurrection of Jesus was effected by the
Power of the Holy Spirit!
"Quickened" ("zoopoieo" means "to make" ...
"alive") by the Holy Ghost of God!
The Triune Godhead was involved in Jesus
Death, Burial and Resurrection!
We indeed have a full salvation!
And just to "indirectly" prove Peter's belief
on the subject: "And when the chief
Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that
fadeth not away." 1st Peter 5:4
The "Chief Shepherd" is Jesus of course.
If He is coming again ... one may safely
assume He is alive!
The Return of our Lord demands His earlier
Resurrection from the dead!
Peter is a proponent of the Resurrection of
Jesus!
Yes!
Remember also, he saw the Lord in His
glorified Body!
He knows whereof he speaks!
In fact, basing this conclusion on the Book
of Acts as well as the Epistles of Peter, this dear Apostle
could not quit talking about the Resurrection!
Praise the Lord!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 19, THE
three short EPISTLES
OF JOHN:
The Epistles of John are strangely lacking in
Resurrection evidence!
This fact certainly does not indicate any
weakness in the "Priority of the Resurrection" argument however.
John himself, the beloved Disciple, was a
strong defender of Resurrection Truth.
His Gospel, all 21 chapters, and his
Apocalypse, the Book of Revelation with its 22 chapters ... both
declare Jesus risen and alive again and again!
It's just that his Epistles have a slightly
different emphasis.
All of which is good, really!
Through these three little New Testament
Books we get to see John's peripheral view of the Resurrection!
As he combats Gnosticism in 1st John and
faithlessness in 2nd John and power politics in 3rd John ... the
Apostle also uplifts a powerful and living Saviour!
Look!
1st John 3:2 says:
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear
what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we
shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." It
would be hard for Jesus to "appear" if He were not alive,
wouldn't it?
And 1st John 5:7: "For
there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the
Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." The
Word, according to John, is Jesus! Now, look where He is!
In Heaven! He must then have been raised from the dead and
subsequently ascended to Heaven!
Then, in its ninth verse 2nd John thunders:
"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not
in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the
doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son."
The doctrine of Christ includes the great fact of His
Resurrection! Otherwise there would have been no doctrine
at all!
And the 3rd Epistle, while admittedly more
focused on other issues, has John saying unto Gaius:
"I have no greater joy than to hear that
my children walk in truth." What Truth? The Truth about
Jesus! Can anyone reading here even faintly imagine such Truth
not including the Resurrection of Jesus? Apart from His
being raised from the dead there is no truth in the Gospel!
Amen!
Yes!
Even in John's little Letters there is
evidence, repeated evidence, of a living Saviour!
Praise the dear Lord!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 20, THE EPISTLE
OF JUDE:
The little Epistle of Jude is one of the New Testament's shorter Books.
With only twenty five total verses, it
can not focus on any one subject for long!
For example, does Jude mention the
Resurrection of Jesus?
Not directly.
But he certainly implies it!
The Jesus Whom Jude has learned to love
and trust is a living Saviour!
Read with me his last two
verses. "Now unto Him That is able to keep
you from falling, and to present you faultless before the
presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God
our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power,
both now and ever. Amen." Verses 24-25
Examine this two verse Text and
you will not find the word "resurrection" at all! It's just not
here!
But you will find a living
Lord!
Who could "keep us from
falling" but the resurrected Jesus? The Lord Who is alive for
evermore! Who has all power!
And Who could possibly "present
us faultless" except a Great High Priest Who is familiar with
the Power of the Blood of the lamb? A living High Priest named
Jesus!
And to Whom could all "glory
and majesty and dominion and power" be ascribed but to the
crucified, buried, risen and ascended King of Kings and Lord of
Lords? Jesus, the Lord of Life!
Yes, Jude the Book is really
built upon the resurrected Lord and His ministry!
And Jude the man was too!
This Easter weekend let's ask
the Lord to make His Resurrection more meaningful and powerful
in our lives than ever before!
Truly, we can do nothing
without Him!
Jesus lives!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 21, THE BOOK OF REVELATION:
Even the Book of Revelation
talks about the Resurrection of Jesus!
My favorite verse concerning
Jesus and His victory over death is Revelation 1:18. Our Lord
there says: "I am he that liveth,
and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and
have the keys of hell and of death."
It is plain to see that Jesus,
having once been dead, is now alive for ever!
Revelation 1:5 also confirms
this great Resurrection truth. It speaks of ...
"Jesus
Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of
the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth."
And when talking to the Church
at Smyrna Jesus identified Himself as ...
"the First and the Last, Which was dead, and is alive."
Revelation 2:8
Additionally, most of what
occurs in the Book of Revelation just could not happen without a
living Saviour!
There would be no glorious Lord
on the Throne!
No One able to open the seven
sealed book!
No One to judge the saints and
bestow crowns upon His faithful followers!
No Bridegroom to claim the
Bride!
No rider of the majestic white
horse!
No Victor at Armageddon!
No King to occupy David's
Throne!
No Destroyer of Satan's power!
No Judge at the great white
throne!
No Light for the heavenly city!
No eternal bliss and joy for
the Believers in Christ Jesus!
But ...
Jesus lives!
Therefore ... the Book of
Revelation stands as written!
True!
True in every aspect!
Including this verse in its
last paragraph: "And the Spirit and the
bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him
that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water
of life freely." Revelation 22:17
Praise the Lord!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
TRULY THE RESURRECTION
OF JESUS IS CENTRAL TO THE TEACHING OF THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT!
|
