THE RESURRECTION

THE RESURRECTION

Early Sunday morning January 2, 2022, Brother Given O. Blakely went home to be with Jesus. He was 86 years old. Throughout all of his adult life he was a diligent student of the Bible and a passionate preacher of the Word. His witness for Christ is both voluminous and global. Given knew the time of his departure was drawing near and shared with June, his faithful wife, that he wanted his memorial service to be a blessing for others. He wanted it to reflect a positive expression of our mutual faith and hope, and a focus on the resurrection.

This following study is to honor his request. These thoughts were condensed at his memorial service in Joplin, Missouri on January 7, 2022.

• The subject of the resurrection dates back to the book of Job. Scholars believe this is the oldest book in the Bible. Men in that day were not dragging their knuckles on the ground like a Neanderthal, they were building pyramids. Job was as brilliant thinker and the greatest man among the people of the east. He had a vast estate with thousands of animals and a large number of servants. He worshiped God every day and was both blameless and upright. He feared God and turned away from evil. Somehow, his prodigious mind, concluded that there had to be a resurrection. Perhaps he reasoned from the fact that God created us to sleep and then wake up. Perhaps he reasoned from seeds that seemed to die but brought forth new life. Perhaps he reasoned from the seasons which every Spring brought new life from the deadness of winter. At any rate he said: He said: ““Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever! I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:23-27).
• Abraham also believed in the resurrection. He remembered that Isaac was born out of a dead womb, so when God commanded him to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead” (Heb. 11:19). The word translated as “reasoned” is “logizomai”. It is an accounting term that involves calculation and reasoning. Being saved is not easy, It requires mental energy and concentration for “This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (Jn. 6:29 KJV).
• Daniel believed in the resurrection. He wrote that: “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan. 12:2).
• David believed in the resurrection and predicted that the body of Jesus would not be abandoned in the grave or see corruption (Ps. 16:9-11; Acts 2:26-28).
• The Bible mentions many people that were raised from the dead. Lazarus is perhaps the best known. When Jesus called Lazarus out of his grave he had to be specific. Remember that in Jn. 5:28-29 we are told that “all that are in their graves will hear his voice and come out”. So Jesus limited this command to only one man and said: “Lazarus, come out” (Jn. 11:43).
• The resurrection is essential to Christianity for “If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17 KJV).

THIS MEANS THAT YOU WILL BE RESURRECTED

As we have said, Jesus promised: “For a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” (John 5:28-29)

The Greek word translated as “evil” in this verse is “phaulos”. It doesn’t mean to kill, rob, or rape, it merely means to “do nothing” or be “worthless”. A branch doesn’t have to bear poison ivy in order to be cut off and cast in the fire, it merely has to bear no fruit (Jn. 15:2). A servant doesn’t have to waste his talent in riotous living to be condemned, he merely has to be “worthless” and do nothing (Matt. 25:24-30). This means that all you have to do to be eternally lost is to do nothing!

There is an old joke about the man who jumped off the Empire State Building. He was quoted as he went by the 35th floor: “Everything is all right so far!”. If you have any brains at all you surely know that “so far” is not good enough. As a young preacher I witnessed to one of the richest men in our community just a few days before he died. He had put his vast wealth in a trust fund so his children couldn’t waste it. He had paid in advance for his funeral, cemetery and headstone. Yet he had made absolutely no preparation to meet God. Sadly, when I asked him about it it made him mad!

No matter what you do, you are going to die. It doesn’t matter who your doctor is, how strict is your diet, or how much you exercise, you are still going to die. Paul Anderson was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s strongest man. He back lifted 6,270 lbs. Yet he still died! Methuselah lived to be 969 years old, but he still died! (Gen. 6:26). You may not be as strong as Paul Anderson or as old as Methuselah, but you will die! You may not be good at keeping appointments, but there are two appointments that you will keep whether you want to or not: “It is appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27 KJV). The point is, you will keep your appointment with death and the Judgment whether you want to or not. As Jesus said: “a time is coming when all who are in their graves shall hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (Jn. 5:29).

Shakespeare’s Hamlet spoke some wisdom when he was about to commit suicide. He said in his famous soliloquy: “To be, or not to be, that is the question”. In other words, should he kill himself or not. Then he began to think seriously about death and said: “To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause . . .” Remember: “As in Adam all die so in Christ will all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22). Remember! “a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”

Perhaps it is time to turn off the TV and cell phone and start “reasoning” about the resurrection!

THE SIGN OF THE RESURRECTION

God knows our frame and remembers that we are dust. “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust” (Ps. 103:13-14). God therefore understands our skepticism and never asks us to do anything without providing evidence that it is rational. Frequently this evidence is given

in the form of supernatural signs. God gave signs to Moses, Gideon, Hezekiah, Isaiah, and many others. He also gives a sign to you and to me! God commands us to deny ourselves, take up our cross every day, and follow Jesus. The “sign” He gives to make this rational is the resurrection of Jesus! “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:39-40).

• Jesus spoke often of His death and resurrection.
• When asked for a miraculous sign authorizing Him to cleanse the temple He said: “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (Jn. 2:19).
• After Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day raised to life” (Matt. 16:21).
• Coming down from the Mount of Transfiguration “Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead” (Mk. 9:9).
• “The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must Be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Lk. 9:22).
• Later Jesus taught his disciples “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men, and after three days he will rise” (Mk. 9:31).
• When the disciples came together in Galilee Jesus said: “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life” (Matt. 17:22-23).
• “Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life” (Matt. 20:17-19).
• “‘We are going up to Jerusalem’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him, and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise” (Mk. 10:33-34).
• “Jesus took the twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again” (Lk. 18:31-33).
• Jesus told his disciples: “This very night you will fall away on account of me, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered”. But after I am risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee” (Matt. 26:31-32).
• “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again. No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay down and authority to take it up again” (Jn. 10:17-18).
• BECAUSE JESUS IS A TRUE PROPHET EVERY ONE OF THESE PREDICTIONS ABOUT HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION CAME TRUE!
• THE FACT THAT JESUS WAS RESURRECTED IS THE “SIGN” GOD GIVES THAT MAKES IT RATIONAL FOR YOU TO GIVE YOUR LIFE TO JESUS!

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS

The invasion of Europe by allied forces took place on Tuesday, June 6, 1944. It was the largest seaborne evasion in history. Planning for this invasion began in 1943 and as the day drew near allied forces implemented “Operation Bodyguard” to deceive Hitler regarding when and where the invasion would take place. This elaborate plan of deception involved hiring actor, M.E. Clifton James, to pretend to be General Montgomery. James was remarkably similar to Montgomery in appearance and was trained to walk, talk, and act like the famous British General. When James appeared at Gibraltar on his way to N. Africa the Germans assumed it was Montgomery and were confident that the invasion would not take place while he was out of country. This operation of deception depended upon double agents with misleading information, mock tanks and other military hardware that appeared to be real but were not. The deception worked, the invasion was successful, and Europe was liberated.

The ultimate confrontation between Jesus and the devil was much different. Jesus announced in advance that the one sign upon which his kingdom would stand or fall was his resurrection. Jesus announced this in advance and said: “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:39-40).

As we have said: “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith”

Jesus not only announced “what” would take place, he also specified “when” and “where” it would take place. Jesus plainly stated that he would be crucified in Jerusalem. Jesus then boldly predicted that on the third day he would be resurrected from the dead. There was no attempt to deceive anyone about when and where he would do this. The chief priests clearly understood what Jesus said and after he was crucified went to Pilate: “Sir” they said. “We remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said ‘after three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This deception will be worse than the first” (Matt. 27:62-64).

So it was a fair fight from beginning to end. The devil had plenty of time to marshal all of his evil forces to prevent the resurrection. The hypocritical Jewish leaders also knew when he would be resurrected and did their best to stop it. Even the Government of Rome aligned with the enemies of Christ and “sealed” the tomb and posted a guard (Matt. 27:66).

These feeble efforts reminded Peter and John of the second Psalm: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather against the Lord and against his holy one” (Acts 4:25-26). When all of this happens “The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them” (Ps. 2:4). You know this is true! If every government on earth combined their armies and decided to defeat God, He would only laugh and hold them in derision.

Satan is indeed the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4). He may be able to blind the eyes of unbelievers but is totally powerless to stop God from doing anything He wants to do! The only power the devil has is the power of deception. May God open your eyes and keep you from being deceived!

Paul said that Jesus was “the firstborn from among the dead”. The title “firstborn” denotes denotes rank and priority. Israel, for example, was called God’s “firstborn son” (Ex 4:22). His brother Esau, however, was literally born first. Israel, however, was given precedence over his brother by God. Jesus was not the first person to be raised from the dead, but he was still the “firstborn from among the dead”. His resurrection was unique in a number of ways. For example, he not only raised himself from the dead but ascended to heaven so that he would never die again.

Jesus is also the “first fruits” of them that have fallen asleep (1 Cor. 15:20). This means that the rest of us will someday come out of the grace with eternal bodies just like Jesus did!

WITNESSES

As you know: “Jesus appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also” (Paul – I Cor. 15:5-8).

As you can see, every one of the apostles was a witness to the resurrection. Jesus appeared to ten of his disciples on the day of his resurrection. He miraculously appeared in their midst even though the doors were locked (Jn. 20:19-23). Thomas (called Didymus), however, was not there at the time. The word “Didymuys” means “twin”. Thomas was apparently a twin and had been mistaken many times for his brother. He therefore said to the others: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my fingers where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (Jn. 20:25).

A week later Jesus again appeared in their midst even though the doors were locked. Jesus said to Thomas: “‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe’ Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’” (Jn. 20:25-29).

Let us quickly point out that there are many kinds of evidence that do not involve sight. We believe, based on evidence, in an infinite number of historical people and events that we have never seen. The idea that “faith” does not require evidence is ridiculous. In fact, right after Thomas saw the resurrected Christ and confessed his faith, John wrote: “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (Jn. 20:30-31).

MARTYRS

Our English word “martyr” comes from the Greek word “martus” which means “witness”. When these apostles testified that they had seen the resurrected Christ and died without changing their story they became powerful witnesses to the resurrection. Thomas himself died as a “martyr” while preaching the Gospel in India. Not one person who witnessed the resurrected Christ ever denied what they had seen.

The Cardiff Giant was one of the most famous hoaxes in American history. The giant was the creation of a New York atheist named George Hull. Hull decided to create the giant after an argument with someone about Genesis 6:4 which states that giants once lived upon the earth. Hull hired men to haul a block of gypsum over 10 feet long from Ft. Dodge, Iowa to Chicago. In Chicago he hired a sculpture named Edward Burghardt to carve a giant out of the stone. Various acids and stains were used to make it look old and steel knitting needles were used to simulate pores. In Nov. 1868 the stone giant was shipped to a farm in New York owned by William Newell who was a cousin of the atheist. It was buried at night in secret.

Almost a year later Newell hired Gideon Emmons and Henry Nichols to “dig a well” where the giant was buried. On Oct. 16, 1869 they “discovered” what they “believed” to be a petrified giant. Newell set up a tent and charged $0.25 to view this amazing “discovery” At the time the charge translates into almost $5 in today’s currency. P. T. Barnum offered $50,000 for the “giant” and when his offer was refused he hired a sculpture to make a plastic replica of the giant which he also put on display and charged an admission price. Barnum brazenly advertised that his giant was the real one and the other was a fake. As you know, Barnum was famous for saying “there is a sucker born every minute”. The original “giant” is currently on display at the Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y.

The point is that everyone involved knew the giant was a fake consequently, there were no martyrs for this hoax. No one died and not one drop of blood was shed by anyone claiming the giant was real.

The fact that the original witnesses to the resurrection of Christ died as martyrs is powerful evidence that they actually saw, touched, and talked to the risen Lord. The Apostle John wrote: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.” (1 John 1:1-4).

FOCUS ON JESUS

It is interesting to note that we cannot focus on two things at the same time. The Chinese have a saying that the man who chases two rabbits doesn’t catch either one. Many watches, for example, do more than tell time. Some also display the month, day, and year. Even though the watch is small you still cannot focus on two messages at the same time. You must focus on one or the other. So to focus on the resurrection you need to not focus on anything else. That’s why you need to pray with Paul “asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding (Col. 1:9). You need to put other things out of your mind and ask God to help you to

focus on Jesus. When Israel sinned in the wilderness God sent venomous snakes among them and many Israelites were bitten and died. The only way they could be saved was by “looking” at a bronze serpent that Moses lifted up on a pole (Nu. 21:4-9). This “look”, of course, was not a casual glance. It was a life or death matter and those who were saved refused to lose their focus. This is precisely the way Jesus said we would be saved by focusing on Him (Jn. 3:15).

The Apostles of Jesus consistently preached on Jesus and the resurrection!

• When Paul preached in Athens to the philosophers on Mars Hill, for example, he preached the “Good news about Jesus and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18).
• To be an apostle you had to be a witness of the resurrection (Acts 1:22).
• When Peter preached the first Gospel sermon he preached about Jesus and the resurrection (Acts 2:31).
• The priests and the captain of the temple were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead (Acts 4:2).
• Acts 4:33 declares: “With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus”.
• So Paul preached to the philosophers what the apostles preached everywhere. He preached the “Good news about Jesus and the resurrection”!

When these arrogant philosophers, however, heard Paul preach about the resurrection they called him a “babbler”. This derogatory term comes from the Greek word “spermologos”. “Sperm” means “seed”, and “lego” means to “collect”. The word refers to birds that hop around randomly picking up seeds. The Scriptures state explicitly: “When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some sneered” (Acts 17:32). Jesus once told of a rich man who was clothed in purple and who fared sumptuously every day. The day before he died this rich man may have sneered at the idea of life after death, but when he woke up in flames and torment he wasn’t sneering (Lk. 16:19-31). Fortunately a “few” of these philosophers focused on the truth of the resurrection, became followers of Paul, and believed (Acts 17:16-34). Notice that not many focused on the resurrection. Only a “few” did! If you want to focus on life after death you will have to dare to be different!

When Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, “Someone asked him, ‘Lord, are only a few people going going to be saved?’ He said to them, ‘Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you will try to enter and will not be able to” (Lk. 13:23-24).

Yes! Sadly, only a few will be saved. No matter how irrational it is, most are more interested in the stock market or a football game than they are in their eternal destiny. So many will go through the broad gate that leads to destruction, while only a few will have the spiritual wisdom and understanding to focus on the narrow gate that leads to life (Matt. 7:13-14). In order to be part of this blessed few you must focus all of your mental and spiritual energies on Christ and His resurrection”. In order to be saved you must believe “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION

Please prayerfully consider this prayer of the Apostle Paul: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” (Eph. 1:17-21)

Throughout all of history man has been searching for power. Archimedes said: “give me a place to stand and a lever strong enough and I can move the world”. Men went from harnessing horses, to harnessing the power of steam. The came power from gasoline and diesel. Finland claims to have developed the largest motor in the world. It has 14 cylinders and can generate 107,389 horsepower. From the human standpoint nuclear energy is perhaps the ultimate power that man can develop. But all of this energy pales into insignificance by comparison to the power of God. The power of God is able to do “Immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20). That was the power that raised Jesus from the dead and set Him at the right hand of God in the heavenly realms.

THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION IS AVAILABLE TO ALL WHO BELIEVE! MAY GOD ENLIGHTEN THE EYES OF OUR HEART SO THAT WE CAN KNOW IT!

I have written these thoughts about the resurrection to honor Given O. Blakely whom I have known and loved as a brother in Christ since 1954. You are free to use this material in whole, or in part, for the glorification of Christ and the advancement of His Kingdom.

Boyce Mouton