John Piper "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ" Chapter Twelve


We know that Christ being raised from the dead
will never die again;
death no longer has dominion over him.
ROMANS 6 : 9

God . . . raised him from the dead
and gave him glory.
1 P E T E R 1 : 2 1

INVINCIBLE LIFE

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Excerpts from the Chapter:
“God raised Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:4; 1 Peter 1:21). Everybody knew he was dead, from the governor to the executing soldiers to the women who buried him to the adversaries who feared a conspiracy of resurrection rumor. They all knew he was dead. That is why the fabrication concocted to explain the empty tomb was not that he wasn’t really dead, but that the disciples stole the body (Matthew 28:13). But it didn’t work, because people don’t risk their lives for a self-made falsehood.”

“As the possibility dawned on the skeptical disciples that the resurrection might be true, the first speculation was that the Jesus they saw was a ghost or apparition of some kind. But Jesus was ruthless to abolish this speculation immediately. To doubting Thomas he said, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe” (John 20:27).”

“When the apostle Paul described the future resurrection body of Christians, he was describing the resurrection body of Jesus too, because Christ was raised as “the firstfruits” of the rest of the dead who belong to him (1 Corinthians 15:20). In other words, the body of the risen Christ is part of the same harvest of all the other bodies that he will raise in glory at the last day. Christ, Paul says, “will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21).”

“Coming through death with sovereign power, Christ entered into an imperishable, never-ending life. Jesus has become an ever-living High Priest according to “the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16).”

“Therefore the resurrection of Jesus assures all his future work on behalf of his people: his authority and rule over everything in the universe (Matthew 28:18); his priestly intercession on our behalf (Romans 8:34); his advocacy with God the Father (1 John 2:1); his protecting, comforting presence with us to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20); and his final coming to earth in glory to give rest to us and retribution to all who “do not know God and on those do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8). And the resurrection of Jesus therefore secures all the blessings he obtained for us in his death. The resurrection vindicates the sufficiency of the cross and seals the certainty and finality of our justification by faith. “[Jesus] was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25). All the promises of God, purchased by the blood of Christ, become ours in everlasting perpetuity because of the resurrection of Jesus.”

“The glory of Christ in the power of his resurrection into invincible life and omnipotent authority will be reflected back to him in the joyful worship of his risen and perfected saints. Who shall enjoy this eternal gift of life? Jesus answers: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me . . . shall never die” (John 11:25-26).”


A P R A Y E R
Father of glory, we praise you that you mightily raised your Son, Jesus, from the dead.
We praise you that the stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
This is your doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Death could not hold him!
Our last enemy has fallen before your power in the triumph of Jesus over death, and we have been freed from fear of this ancient enemy.
And now, O God, grant us to live in the riches of all that Jesus’ resurrection means.
All authority belongs to him in heaven and on earth.
No power and no enemy can prevail against him.
Only good can come to us in the end as we trust in him.
The best is always yet to come.
So, Father, banish fear and fretting and discouragement and moodiness from our lives.
Rivet our attention on the ultimate reality of Christ’s final triumph over death.
Never let us forget or fail to feel universal glory that you have given Jesus a name that is above every name.
Make this practical in our daily lives as we see every person, great and small, facing someday the risen and triumphant Judge of all the nations.
Give us a brokenhearted boldness in the mercy and the might of Jesus.
O Father, we want our lives to count for the display of his greatness.
Work in us to this end with all your might, we pray.
In Jesus’ name,
amen.

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