The gospel is the the best news that has ever been and the best news that will ever be. Jesus – the perfect one – gave his life so that sinners could be forgiven. Jesus – on the cross – became sin for us so that we could become right before God.

1 Peter 3:18a – …Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God…

It is the death of Jesus and all that happened in his death that saves us. The resurrection is the victory cry. Jesus – alive again – means that it was all true.

1. – If Jesus is not alive he was a liar

Matthew 17:22–23a – As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.”

2. – If Jesus is not risen we are not right with God – we are still in our sins

Romans 4:25 – [Jesus] was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

When Jesus rose from the dead it was a demonstration that who he said he was and what he came to do was true – God had accepted the suffering and death of Jesus as full payment for sin. All those who take Jesus as their Champion are now right with God.

1 Corinthians 15:13–17 – But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

3. – If Jesus is not alive we have no priest interceding for us

Romans 8:34 – Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

4. – If Jesus is not alive he cannot come back for us

John 14:3 – And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

5. – If Jesus is not risen we will not rise again

1 Corinthians 15:20–21 – But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man (Adam)came death, by a man (Jesus) has come also the resurrection of the dead.

If Jesus has not been raised from the dead he is not the first of many who will follow. When Adam sinned death won.

6. – In the resurrection of Jesus all God’s promises of God – in the Old Testament – are true:

Acts 13:32–33a – Paul speaking of Jesus to both Jews and Gentiles – “And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus…”

• When God freed the Hebrew slaves from Egypt and instituted the Passover celebration – that was an image of how he would free us from the slavery of sin. The resurrection tells us that our old slave-master has been defeated and now has no power over us.

• The amazing, expensive, one-of-a-kind Old Testament temple; the place where God would meet his people is now a perfect reality in Jesus. The resurrection tells us that we are no longer separated from God. In Jesus God embraces his people.

• The high priest of the Old Testament – the one who represented the people before God – was a promise of the perfect high priest. The resurrection tells us that Jesus – our perfect high priest – now intercedes for us.

• The countless number of lambs that were sacrificed in the Old Testament was looking forward to the perfect sacrifice. The resurrection tells us that Jesus – the lamb of God – took away our sins on the cross.

• I mentioned on Friday night that even the food God gave the Hebrews in the wilderness – the Manna – was an image of Jesus the bread of life (John 6:32-35). The resurrection of Jesus tells us that he is our eternal food.

• The imagery in King David of the Old Testament was prophetic. King David was a living prototype – in many ways – of the perfect king who was to come:

  • King David was chosen by God – Jesus was chosen by God

  • King David became king in humility – he was a shepherd – Jesus came in humility

  • King David represented the people alone as he faced Goliath – his victory was their victory. Jesus faced God’s judgment for us alone – his victory is our victory.

  • King David was powerful in battle – Jesus killed sin

  • King David was even born in Bethlehem – just like Jesus.

  • King David was a refuge for the hurting:

1 Samuel 22:2a – And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to [David]. And he became captain over them…

Jesus was a friend of the tax collector, the leper, the Roman solder, the prostitute – all who were outcast.

The resurrection of Jesus shows us the amazing reality of fulfilled prophecy.

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If Jesus is dead all is a sham. But Jesus is not dead – he is alive. He is not a liar. Those who believe in him have been made right with God because their sin has been dealt with. He is – right now – at the right hand of God interceding for us. He will come back for us. Death does not hold us and all the things written about Jesus in the Old Testament are absolutely true.

Jesus lives – proof that the gospel is true. Jesus lives – proof that he beat slavery. Jesus lives – proof that he killed sin. Jesus lives – proof that he beat death itself.

On that Sunday morning two thousand years ago the check that Jesus wrote with his life, cleared the bank. On that Sunday morning two thousand years ago the check that Jesus wrote with his death cleared the bank. The funds he said he would

So, the question I have this morning for you is this – will you follow Jesus? Will you take him as your treasure and leave your idols? Will you confess your sin and believe in the one who killed sin and death?