Without the resurrection, humanity will live on the peripheral of materialism: but the resurrection lifts humanity above matter and elevates them to a state of peace on earth, and eternal life after death.

For the Christian believer in Jesus Christ, the greatest event in human life is the resurrection of Jesus Christ which led to our great salvation. The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives credence, authenticity and reality to the Christian faith. It proves salvation is real for millions and millions of believers down the age from all over the world: green, red, yellow, black or white: and also millions who have gone to be with the Lord hoping to be resurrected someday.
Today, the Christian believer celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul the apostle reminded us that:

“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” 1 Cor. 15: 14&15

When Jesus was killed, the ruling class at that time watched carefully if His claims were real. They accused Him of saying he would destroy the temple and rebuild it in 3 days. But actually, Jesus meant that he was going to die and resurrect in 3 days. They watched to see whether He was going to resurrect, or come out of the grave where they buried Him.

A song writer captured the historical event like this:

“Vainly they watch His grave
Jesus my Savior
Vainly they seal the dead
Jesus my Lord

Up from the grave He arose
With a mighty triumph o’er His foe
He arose a victor from the dark domain
And he lives forever with His saints to reign
He arose, He arose
Hallelujah Christ arose

But despite all their watch, Jesus rose from the dead.

Significance of the Resurrection:

What is the significance of the resurrection? On Easter Sunday, millions of people all over the world flock to the church; even those who don’t go to Church attend services on this day. Why? It is because the resurrection of Jesus Christ is real and truthful. Without the resurrection, humanity will perish under the yoke and bondage of sin and wickedness.

• The resurrection is victory over sin:

Like St Augustine said:

“God has made us unto Himself and our hearts are restless until they rest on God.”

There is nothing material that can satisfy the human soul: not our material opulence or our intellectual or political ingenuity, or whatever exalts our ego. They give only temporary happiness. You can have all of these things and sin- secret or open will destroy your life. The resurrection of Jesus Christ destroyed sin and the grave, and set humanity free who were in bondage of sin and diseases: and continues to set free those who will believe His word by faith.

On that cross of cavalry, Jesus destroyed sin in humans, exchanged our weakness through the power of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. Romans 6:3&4 says:

”We are buried with Him in the baptism of death; as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father; even so we should walk in newness of life: knowing that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth, we should not serve sin.”

The resurrection of Jesus Christ simply means like that power that raised Jesus from the dead and destroyed the grave, so also for the believer, the same power sets the believer free to live a new life that destroys sin in his or her life: a new life of victory over sin. The Scripture says:

“Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under law, but under grace. Shall we continue in sin because we are under grace? God forbid!” Romans 6:14. Simply means sin shall not have hold over you anymore. This is because the power that resurrected Jesus: the Holy Spirit- The Third Person of the Trinity has been given to the believer to overcome sin and human weakness. Humanity’s sin was buried on that cross of cavalry. The Holy Spirit comes to the believer to abide and enables him or her to overcome sin, no matter what the sin is that throws you down all the time. It was all done on the cross; and Jesus crushed death, sin and the grave.

A song writer captured the scene:
“At the cross at the cross
Where I first saw the light
All the burdens of my life rolled away
It was there by faith, I received my sight
And now I am happy all the way”

The believer’s sin was buried on that infamous cross. So the believer receives a new power through the power of the Holy spirit to rise to defeat sin. “It is not by power, or by might.” It is not by human effort or goodness that we become Christians. It is only through pure grace of God. “By grace are we saved, and not of works less any man should boast. It is the gift of God.” All of these was done by someone for us-Jesus. This is the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is victory over sin: sin that rattles your life and belittles you: stealing, lies, anger and bitterness, adultery, fornication, child abusers, etc. Victory can become yours right now if you will believe in faith the story of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Has there been any political leader or spiritual, no matter how powerful they roared like lion in world history ever died and resurrected again? Mohammed, Buddha, etc. Jesus is the only one who claims He came from heaven and went back to heaven. He alone claims to live in the body of His believers through the power of the Holy Spirit who is the Third person in the Trinity: and this is real for the believer can attest to that.

• Gift of eternal life:

The resurrection of Jesus Christ gave humanity eternal life. Paul reminded us in 1 Corinthians 15:16-18:

“For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ not raised: for if Christ be not raided, your faith is in vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”

One of the greatest benefits of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is to know that someday, despite the sufferings and anguish of this world, we shall resurrect after death and live with Jesus forever in that glorious kingdom that awaits the believer. This is why many have perished, suffered persecution, killed and destroyed by the devil all over the world-black and white: but they patiently bore their pain and suffering looking unto the resurrection because they knew it was real; and it has revolutionized and transformed their sin riddled lives to a life of blamelessness and holiness. They experienced it and died for it.

My own favorite song is:

“We shall be changed
We shall be changed
We shall be changed
We shall be changed
In a twinkle of an eye”

! Corinthians 15: 51-58 says:

“Behold I show ye a great mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, at the trump, for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on immortality. So when this corruptible must have put on incorruptible, and this mortal shall have put on immortality. Then we shall be brought to the saying that is written: Death is swallowed in victory: 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 the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Resurrection of Jesus bequeathed humanity eternal life in place of death-for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. At the end of life, when it is over, we go back to be with Jesus and live with Him forever. At that point, your material opulence, political and intellectual acumen will be all gone. You wished you knew Jesus as savior, because like Job said: “Naked we came, naked we must go,” a huge loss because you are not going anywhere with your material labor.

• Daily victory through resurrection power.

The Scripture says:

“What can ever part us from God’s love? Shall anguish, or calamity or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or the sword? For thy sake, we are being killed all day long; we are counted as sheep being slaughtered. Nay, in all of these, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:35-37

It is only the resurrection power that can give such victory listed above. It does not matter what trials beset the believer, he or she rises above it to still maintain peace and move on. It could be hunger or no money or sickness or anything, the believer is assured God will never forsake or abandon him or her if she firmly and completely relies on the Lord. As job lost all his material wealth, and the devil sought to destroy him, his friends accused him it was because of his sin he suffered, and his wife told him to curse God and die. His body was infested with worms. He affirmed:

‘I know my redeemer liveth, even though worms eat my body,Yet in this body will I see God.’

It was through Job in the Old Testament we hear the first mention of resurrection. Job held tenaciously to his faith in God and defeated the devil, and his end was a greater blessing. Those who love the Lord have risen against the enemy who sought to destroy them: their bodies, mind, their works in life. They rose above the enemy –the devil and defeated him. They still loved the Lord even when the enemy attacked mercilessly, knowing someday, they will be in a better place where there is no sorrow er can or pain. That is the resurrection story. Not only someday, right now, the believer is more than a conqueror through Jesus who gives him or her the strength. The believer can do all things through the strength of the Lord.’

The believer lives daily above sin in his or her life. Romans 6:14: Sin shall not have dominion over the believer because you are not under the law, but under grace.” Grace simply substitutes the believer’s weakness through the power of the Holy Spirit that lives in the believer; as long as the believer listens to the Holy Spirit in his or her life. The believer through His death on the cross, destroys demonic forces for no weapon formed against the believer can prosper. The believer daily in the power of Jesus resists the temptation to do evil: steal, lie, cheat, kill, fornicate, commit adultery, abuse children, etc.

Some people say there is no resurrection, or don’t believe in the word of God. Some call themselves atheists; I tell you the resurrection of Jesus is real and gave the believer a new life of victory over sin, daily trials to rise above life struggles, defeat them and have peace. It is real in my own life.

This is the resurrection story. This is the victory Jesus gave the believer through His death on the cross and the resurrection. Also to those who want to become believers and know the resurrection story. Yes, the believer can have victory over sin, your daily needs through faith in Jesus Christ and His word. You must believe or rely or trust the story of the cross and resurrection. You must believe you are healed with His stripes; you are forgiven of your sins when you have failed through His blood that forgives and cleanses you from sin; that God is able to provide your daily needs like jobs or other needs like your financial struggles, or the need to have a child, or wife or husband. Whatever your needs may be: that God is able to heal you if you are dying and the doctors cannot help you. It is only a matter of faith: “All things shall be possible to those who believe.”

As we look at our turbulent world, only the power of the resurrection can guarantee peace to our torn and chaotic world. That peace is found in reconciling with God about your sin and rise in newness of life to live above sin: like Jesus destroyed sin and the grave. The one who believes in Jesus rises also like that and destroys sin through the power of the Holy Spirit and will have peace. Jesus is the only one that gives peace. It does not come from material attainment. “My peace I give to you , not as the world giveth.” When you have God’s peace, you strife to live in peace with others: no matter what nationality or color they are. Understanding the resurrection of Jesus Christ will save our world from Third World Nuclear War looming.
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This is the significance of the resurrection. It is the greatest event in human life and without it, there is no salvation, victory over sin and no eternal life. Humanity will rigmarole on the peripheral of materialism.