SESSION 7

RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

OBJECTIVE

The students should understand the biblical concept of resurrection and its importance for a
life of growth and fruitfulness.

AIMS

1. The student will be able to know the different resurrections.

2. The student should be able to know the significance of each resurrection.

BIBLICAL FOUNDATION

John 5:19-30
Revelation 11:18
1 Corinthians 15:1-58
Romans 6:1-14

EXPOSITION

A. INTRODUCTION

 ‘Resurrection’ means ‘raising up’. In its verb form it means ‘to cause to stand up or
rise; to raise up; to raise from sleep and from the dead’.
 As disciples of Jesus we are not merely living for time, or for a time, but for eternity.
We are eternal beings: we have eternal life.
 Jesus lived with the cross in the foreground and eternity in the background
(Hebrews 12:2), and we are to follow Jesus.
 George Whitfield said, “O, that I might work for eternity, pray for eternity; preach
for eternity: I want only God.”

B. EXAMPLES OF RESURRECTION IN THE BIBLE

1. Resurrection in the Old Testament

 the widow of Zeraphath (1 Kings 17:17-24)
 the Shunamite’s son (2 Kings 4:32-35)
 the man on Elisha’s grave (2 Kings 13:21)

2 Resurrection in the New Testament

Raised by Jesus - Jairus Daughter (Mark 5:35-43)
- the widow of Nain’s son (Luke 7:11-17)
- Lazarus (John 11:1-45
Through Peter - Dorcas (Acts 9:36-42)
Through Paul - Eutychus (Acts 20:9-12)
 There are three aspects of the resurrection we need to consider in this teaching unit:
— the resurrection of Jesus (past)
— the spiritual resurrection of the believer in Christ (present)
— the ultimate resurrection of all who are in the graves (future)

C. THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST (past)

(Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:36-53; Acts 1:3)

1. What does the resurrection of Jesus declare?

— Jesus Christ is supreme over all created things (Ephesians 1:17-23)

 Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

— Future judgment is assured.

 Acts 17:31 “because He has appointed a day on which He will judge
the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has
given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

— Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

 Romans 1:4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according
to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

— Believers are justified

 Romans 4:25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was
raised because of our justification.

— Death is defeated
 Romans 6:8-9 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall
also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the
dead, dies no more. Death has no longer has dominion over Him.

— There is a new birth into a living hope.

 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a
living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

— This teaching is not only glorious because Jesus rose from the dead, but a
person cannot be a Christian without believing that!
 Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will
be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
D. THE SPIRITUAL RESURRECTION OF THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST (present)
(2 Corinthians 5:14-17; Galatians 2:19-20; Colossians 2:12)
 “ And you (He made alive, when you were dead (slain) by (your) trespasses and sins…
Even when we were dead (slain) by (our) own shortcomings and trespasses, He made us
alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ. He gave us the very life of Christ
Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him… and He raised us up together with
Him in the heavenly sphere.
(Ephesians 2:1,5,6 Amplified Bible)

1. What are the evidence of this resurrection in a disciple’s life?

 A new life manifest
 Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into
death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the
Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

 A new attitude to life is established and maintained

 Romans 6:11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed
to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 A new master is obeyed

 2 Corinthians 5:15 and He died for all, that those who live should live
no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose
again.

 A new life is embraced

 Colossians 3:1-4 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set
your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died,
and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life
appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

E. THE ULTIMATE RESURRECTION OF ALL WHO ARE IN THEIR GRAVES (future)

 John 5:28-29 “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in
the graves will hear His voice 29 “and come forth; those who have done good, to the
resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of
condemnation.

1. Resurrection day is a reward day

 Great and wonderful as these truths are in their inspiration and comfort,
there is a sense of something missing. How is this great truth meant to affect our
life from its very foundation?
 Luke 14:12-14 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “when you give
dinner or supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich
neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. 13 “But when you give a
feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14 “And you will be blessed,
because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
  Jesus encouraged the people when they had a feast, not only to ask
those guest who would repay the invitation, but to ask those who
would not.
 Then He made this statement, “You will be repaid at the resurrection
of the righteous.” (Luke 14:14)
 So resurrection day is reward day. This is the context in which the
judgment seat of Christ should be taught.

2. When is the future resurrection take place?

 At the last day (John 6:39,40,44,54)
 In the resurrection of the last day (John 11:23-24)
 At His coming (1 Corinthians 15:20-23)
 At the last trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)
 When the Lord Himself comes down from heaven with a loud command, with
the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God.
(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

3. Believers shall rise again

 To eternal life (Daniel 12:2-3)
 With a body like Christ’s glorious body (Romans 6:5; Philippians 3:20-21;
1 John 3:2)
 With imperishable bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42)
 With a body raised in glory & power (1 Corinthians 15:43)
 With spiritual bodies (1 Corinthians 15:44)
 First (Revelation 20:6)
“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake
with thy likeness.” (Psalm 17:15 AV)

4. The judgment seat of Christ (Rev. 11:18). The reason for this teaching are:
 To work because the Lord rewards everyone according to their conduct and
as their deeds deserve (Jeremiah 32:19)
 To work in the power of the Spirit (John 6:63). We should do no dead works
(the flesh profits nothing!) but rather do everything with faith towards God,
energized by the Holy Spirit.
 To stop judging others (Romans 14:10-13)
 To work in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 5:10)
 That our service be done sincerely and with the right motive.
(Colossians 3:23-25)
POEM *When I stand at the judgment seat of Christ, and He show me His plan for me,

The plan of my life as it might have been, had He had His way, and I see
How I blocked Him there and checked Him there and would not yield my will,
Will there be grief in my Saviour’s eyes, grief though He love me still?
He would have me rich, but I stand there poor, stripped of all but His grace,
As memory runs like a haunted thing, through the years I cannot retrace;
Then my desolate heart will well nigh break with the tears that I cannot shed.
I’ll cover my face with empty hands, and bow my uncrowned head.
Lord of the years that are left to me, I yield them to Thy hand;
Take me, melt me, mould me To the pattern Thou hast planned.

5. This doctrine corrects some wrong “Christian” doctrines

— “All that matters is that we are saved and going to heaven”
(We are not saved by works, but when we are saved it is the works that
count!)
— “We will all be the same in heaven.”
(In one sense we will, but there will not only be rewards but also loss of
rewards. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15)
— “You can live as you like and get away with it.”
(Grace is free but is not cheap!)

6. We must give an account for the things done in the body (Romans 2:5-6)
— It is individual. This means that there is no pointing the finger. The
responsibility lies at our door and we cannot blame others or even
circumstances.
— Before Christ the Judge. He will judge only in love and without partiality. His
memory is perfect, so we may as well give up all hypocrisy now and have no
pretense because then there will be starky honest. We may as well start now.
Remember, that when we are honest before God and we confess our sins, He
will forgive us.
— What we have done in the body. What we have let our eyes look on; our
ears listen to; our hearts love; our mind believe; our lips say; our hands
handle; our feet takes us to; and our bodies yielded to. On the reverse of this
: what good things we have done with time, money, talents etc.
— Secrets exposed. (Romans 2:16) Not only what we have done will be exposed
but why, that is, our motives will be revealed (1 Corinthians 4:5). We need to
do what is good and right in the sight of God (Matthew 6:1).

7. The Rewards (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

“If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.” (1 Corinthians 3:14)
— Crowns for leading many to righteousness (Daniel 12:3)
— Crowns that will last forever (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)
— Crowns of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
— Crowns of life (enduring temptation James 1:12)
— Crowns of glory (faithful service 1 Peter 5:1-4)
 Rewards are given at the end, so hold fast to that which you have so that no one
may take your crown (Revelation 3:11). We need to be right with God; with our
body, soul and spirit under His control.

8. Great White Throne Judgement (Revelation 20:11-15)

— This is a judgement for unbelievers.

Conclusion
1. Jesus resurrection show that death is defeated and that He is Lord of all.

2. Jesus died and was raised to be with God forever and His disciples will live forever
with Him.

3. A disciple of Jesus has a new Master called Jesus and a new life in Him.

4. The spiritual resurrection of the believer should have the effect of keeping us from
sinning and cause us to be committed to and labor for the Lord Jesus.

5. Resurrection day is reward day for the disciple of Jesus.

6. Works will not save us, but when we are saved, God initiated works count for reward
in heaven.

7. We are personally responsible before Jesus Christ the judge for what we have done
in the body, even the secret things.

Ministry
Pray that every disciple would be prepared for that day when we will stand before the
Lord and give an account of our lives.

Method
The Question and Answer method is recommended to start with as it will help you to get to
know the level of understanding in the students.

ASSIGNMENT

Each student should examine their lives in light of eternity and assess their deeds whether
they will be excited or ashamed on that day when we stand before the Lord.