A MATTER OF DEATH AND LIFE

Photo by B Smith from the patio

 

 

350 - 1 A MATTER OF DEATH AND LIFE

April 10, 1977 

Pastor Henry F. Kulp

 

Romans 4: 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

On this day in which we remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is necessary for us to see that Christ Jesus arose bodily from the grave. If you do not see the empty tomb as a vital relationship to the cross, the cross is useless without the resurrection. It is the resurrection that gives meaning to the cross. The empty tomb proves convincingly that the cross was more than just the physical death of a mere man.

1/ The matter of Christianity stands or falls upon the doctrine of the resurrection. How do we know that death didn’t conquer Jesus Christ? We know He came forth from the tomb.

2/ There are those who say Jesus Christ didn’t rise from the dead, and they have an answer for the empty tomb. The enemies of Jesus Christ have certain man-made theories to account for the empty tomb.

3/ There is the theory that Jesus merely fainted or swooned away and afterwards recovered Himself and walked out of the tomb. Men have been known to do that very thing, but each of the four Gospels say that He did die. As we study the Scriptures, we find that the soldiers did not break His legs, which was the general custom, because He was already dead. They did it to hurry up the death of the victim. But they found Jesus Christ already dead. Suppose He was not dead—the embalming process which was carried on by Joseph of Armithea was enough to suffocate Him. One hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes were rubbed into His body and then the bandages were wrapped tightly upon His limbs. His body, His head and His legs. He was then placed in a sealed tomb and guarded for three days according to Pontus Pilate’s instructions. To deny the fact that He was a dead Man is impossible.

4/ Then there is another theory called the vision theory. This theory makes the resurrection of Jesus Christ the creation of love. Because of their love for Jesus Christ, it is claimed that Mary and the other disciples saw what they wanted to see, and overwrought people are often prone to do. They said this is what they wanted to believe, and so they believed it. And told it forth. This is not an honest evaluation under any circumstance.

5/ Then there is the theory that the body was stolen out of the tomb, and of course, this isn’t any more valid than the other two ideas.

6/ THE PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION

The disciples were not expecting Him to rise from the dead. They had heard Him say something about it, but really they never understood Him. And their faith in the resurrection was very vague. The death of Jesus Christ was really a great disappointment to them.

7/ They had expected that He was the One Who would redeem Israel. They were amazed when they found the empty tomb. They had embalmed His body and went back to the tomb to complete the embalming process immediately when the Sabbath Day was over. Why would they go to all this trouble if they really believed that He would come again from the dead? In three days? It is evident that they didn’t believe He would be resurrected and then, of course, you know about Thomas who said, Unless I see and thrust my hands into the wounds, I will not believe.

8/ But, of course, it all comes down to believing the Bible. The Bible is God’s Word, it is infallible, it is perfect in every way, and my great belief in the resurrection stems from the fact that God said so in His Word. There can be no question that the Bible teaches the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb.

9/ Now let me show you what the death of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of Jesus Christ accomplished.

II Timothy 1: 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

Here we read, But now is made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. What is this appearing? This is the first advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is when He was born of the Virgin and lived upon this earth, went to the cross of Calvary and died and was resurrected from the dead. The word, appearing, is interesting in the Greek EPPE - FAW - NAY - AH. And it means the glorious manifestation—a shining forth. It means A MAGNIFICENT APPEARING. Here was the God-Man Who never sinned, Who never did one thing that was wrong, lived a perfect life, performed all sorts of miracles, even made the dead to rise up, and in this manifestation which He appeared He abolished—the word abolished, KOT - R - GET - O, to cancel, to render powerless. It is hard to express the meaning of this Greek word. If we had a word exactly the opposite of energize then we might be able to understand what Paul was talking about. Paul says Jesus Christ has rendered death powerless, or he has de-energized death. He has taken the heart and the sustenance out of death. He has robbed death of its power. He has brought death from the thing to be feared to a nothing. Death is still here but its force, its energy, its power, its sting is no more.

10/ How can we say this? When death is still as busy as ever, working over the lives of men. Therefore we have to understand the Word Abolish— what it means to render de-energize—powerless.

11/ We can understand this and we will use an illustration to prove it. If you have ever read the story of the death of Socrates. I am sure you have studied in school. Compare it with the story of the death of Stephen. Immediately you will see what I mean when I say Jesus Christ has de- energized death. We in the flesh can admire Socrates, His death is a marvel of courage. He girt his loins about him and with great courage he died. But he died. That is all you can say about him. But Stephen when he died, he died a horrible death, but he met it smiling, his face set like the face of an angel, and he said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Acts 7: 54 - 59 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 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. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Certainly in Stephen’s case, death had been de-energized. It has been made powerless. It is true it put the body in the grave, but the inward person was with the Lord Jesus Christ.

12/ Then notice, He brought to life and in the Greek FOE—TEED—ZOE and it means to put light on something that is already there. And what is already there? Life and immortality.

11/ Let us look at life. Go to the first verse of II Timothy 1: 1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

He is our Life. We are born dead without life—spiritually dead. But through His death and resurrection, He has abolished death and brought life to light. This is the age of abiding life—life that has no end. It is real life.

John 14: 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 11:25, 26 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Romans 8:2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Philippians 1: 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

12/ Then notice the next thing that is brought to light. Immortality, and this should be translated incorruptibility. There is a great deal of difference between mortality and incorruptibility.

I Corinthians 15: 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

AMEN

Ref: 04/10/1977 / A MATTER OF DEATH AND LIFE / 09/02/2022