TEXT: Acts 17:29-34 (Esp v. 31)
READING: John 20:1-18
SUBJ: The importance of the resurrection and its impact on judgment
AIM: That we see the necessity of judgment in salvation and how the resurrection confirms both salvation and judgment.
INTR: The Gospel is anchored by the bodily resurrection of Christ. It is the wonderful confirmation of all that God declared He would do.
1. I rejoice in the fact that many will today think on an essential component of the Gospel and yet many will fail to acknowledge the substance of the fact that He is risen.
2. How easy it is to pay lip service to a belief when the reality of it and what led to it are far from the hearts.
3. If the necessity of the atonement is not experienced, then the events around it will appear as mere symbols. Men love ritual and ceremony. Romans 10:9 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.
THESIS: The judgment of God upon the world is essential to salvation (what would salvation be if the ungodly were still there – from what would we be saved) and the bodily resurrection of Christ assures both judgment and salvation.
I. The resurrection of Christ reviewed
1. The crucifixion had a devastating effect on the disciples and Apostles
1) There was apparent defeat – consider the sequence of events
2) Alarm and dismay
3) Confusion
4) Fear
2. But then came the news of the resurrection
1) and it was a message of victory over death and the forces of evil
2) The eleven were unbelieving – the messengers were taken as “them that dream.”
3. The resurrection is hard to believe from a human perspective – put us in their places.
4. We must ask the question: “what does it all mean to me?” Do we know the power of His resurrection? Do we understand the implications of: 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 1:19-20)?
II. The resurrection confirming judgment (v. 29-31)
1. Here idolatry is called out (v. 29)
2. Repentance is demanded (v. 30) – we note here that “winked” is not the original it is rather that He overlooked it for the time being not giving it the attention He does now.)
3. Divine judgment is set forth as the force behind this demand. (v. 31a)
1) It is emphatically declared – the world will be judged
2) It is dated (although we do not know when)
3) The righteous judge was ordained of old – Christ our Lord (that Man)
4. All these things were previously stated in the Old Testament and confirmed in the earthly ministry of Christ and are now assured by His resurrection.
III. The resurrection as assurance (v. 31b)
1. Compare the determination to raise Him in: Acts 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. AND Acts 10:39-41 39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; 41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
2. What is assured here? That Christ rose from the dead to fulfill all that was appointed to Him.
3. The declaration that God will judge the world is proven by what Christ suffered – but now it (the resurrection) declares that He will continue in His capacity as judge and that He will execute judgment.
4. Thus, assurance is given to all:
1) That death has been overcome and controlled
2) To the believer it is that life has been claimed from the dead for those who believe from the heart
3) To the ungodly and unbelieving the assurance is that the judge of all the earth is alive forevermore and will carry out His office.
5. The Gospel is herein underwritten and guaranteed by the bodily resurrection of our Lord
IV. The resurrection and doubt (vv. 32-34)
1. We would remember that the disciples doubted, and they had been with Him. He soundly rebuked their unbelief and then commanded that they preach the Gospel.
2. Perhaps this is a time to examine our hearts in regard to what He did and to ask: “what does it all mean to me.” Romans 10:8-9 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 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.
3. A little-known brother and sister in Christ clave to Paul and the message: Dionysius and
