Lesson 13.The Risen Lord
The Resurrection of Christ: Foundation of Christian Faith and Hope
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith and the central event that brings together the entire story of salvation. In this lesson, we examine the crucial moments after the resurrection: the first encounters of the risen Lord with His disciples and the significance of His commission to spread the Gospel to all the world. Despite the initial doubt and unbelief of the disciples, the encounter with the living Christ transformed them into bold witnesses. We are invited to anchor this message of hope and victory over death in our lives and to carry it out into the world. The resurrection is not only a historical fact but also the source of our faith, our hope, and our mission today.
13.1 Rejoicing in the Resurrection
Hope and New Life in Christ
Read Mark 15:42–16:6. What happens here and why is this story so significant for the resurrection account?
In Mark 15:42–16:6, the decisive moment of Jesus’ resurrection is described. It begins with the burial of Jesus, which was hurriedly carried out before the start of the Sabbath, and culminates in the discovery of the empty tomb on early Sunday morning. The women who had come to anoint Jesus’ body with spices found the tomb empty and were informed by an angel that Jesus had risen.
This story is highly significant for the resurrection account because it represents the central element of the Christian faith: death does not have the final word. Through Jesus’ resurrection, the promise of eternal life and the overcoming of death becomes a reality. Without the resurrection, the Gospel would be incomplete.
Interestingly, all the Gospels emphasize that Jesus died on a Friday and rose on a Sunday. This chronology is the origin of the Sunday resurrection celebration in Christianity, which has been recognized by early Christians since the second century. However, the New Testament itself does not mandate a specific sanctification of Sunday. Instead, it underscores the importance of the resurrection and the victory over death as fundamental aspects of faith, regardless of a particular day of the week. The sanctification of Sunday later developed as a tradition within the Christian community.
In summary: The resurrection is not only the climax of the biblical narrative but also the foundation of the Christian faith. It emphasizes God’s victory over death and gives substance to the hope of eternal life.
Read Colossians 2:10–12. What is the New Testament remembrance of Jesus’ resurrection?
In Colossians 2:10-12, a deep spiritual connection is established between Jesus’ resurrection and baptism. Paul describes that we are buried with Christ in baptism and raised to a new life with Him. This image illustrates that the New Testament remembrance of Jesus’ resurrection is not tied to a specific day of the week but is expressed through baptism.
Baptism symbolizes the burial of our old life and the resurrection to a new life in Christ. This is the central remembrance of Jesus’ victory over death and sin. Paul emphasizes that through baptism, we participate not only in Jesus’ death but also in His resurrection—a new life begins.
Romans 6:4 aptly summarizes this: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Here we see that baptism is the biblical symbol for the resurrection and not the sanctification of a specific day.
Even though Sunday worship may be theologically debated, the joy over Jesus’ resurrection remains undeniable and of central importance. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated death and gave us the assurance of eternal life. This is also evident in 1 Peter 1:3: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
This living hope gives us the certainty that death is not the end. Peter’s assurance is based on the fact that Jesus lives and, through His resurrection, has paved the way for our redemption. We can also have this certainty when we live in His death and resurrection, symbolized by baptism.
The connection between Jesus’ resurrection and our daily lives as well as our faith is profound and central to the Christian experience. The joy over Jesus’ resurrection and the hope that springs from it directly impact our daily conduct and our relationship with God.
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New Perspective on Life: Jesus’ resurrection gives us the assurance that death is not the end but the beginning of a new, eternal life with God. This realization changes how we live our daily lives. It gives us courage and confidence to overcome difficulties and challenges because we know that life extends beyond death and that God has the final victory.
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Hope and Joy in Daily Life: Through Jesus’ resurrection, we have a living hope that gives us strength even in difficult times. This hope enables us to live with joy and gratitude, regardless of circumstances, because we know that Christ has defeated death and that we have a secure future in Him. This hope keeps us strong in faith and encourages us to seek God’s presence in every situation.
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Connection to Baptism and Spiritual Renewal: Baptism, as Paul describes in Colossians 2:10–12 and Romans 6:4, is the outward sign of our inner spiritual renewal. Through baptism, we symbolically participate in Jesus’ death and resurrection. This means leaving behind our old, sinful life and walking in a new life in Christ. This spiritual renewal should also be reflected in our daily lives—through a life of love, forgiveness, and following Christ.
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Victory Over Sin and Death: The resurrection reminds us that Christ has not only overcome physical death but also the power of sin. In our daily lives, we can live in the power of this victory by remembering daily that we have been freed from sin through Jesus and are allowed to walk in a new life. This freedom means we are no longer held captive by our mistakes and weaknesses but live in God’s grace and forgiveness.
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Certainty of Eternal Life: The resurrection gives us not only hope for this life but also certainty for life after death. This certainty gives us the strength to live our lives in the light of eternity and encourages us to focus on things of lasting value—love, justice, and our relationship with God.
In summary, Jesus’ resurrection and the associated hope for new life should shape our daily attitudes, thoughts, and actions. We are invited to live in the joy and peace of Christ, made possible by His victory over death and sin, and thus fill our daily lives with hope, confidence, and love.
Jesus’ resurrection gives us today the assurance that every challenge can be overcome in a new life full of hope and joy.
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