The Meaning of Christ’s Resurrection: The Power of the Father Revealed in the Risen Son
Today, we proclaim not just a past event but a living and
eternal truth: the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ—the cornerstone
of our faith, the hope of our salvation, and the victory of God the Father over
sin, death, and Satan.
The resurrection is not merely a miraculous moment in
history. It is the powerful act of the Father, by which He glorified His
Son and began the new creation. The empty tomb is not a conclusion—it is a
divine announcement. It declares to the whole world that the Father is
faithful, sovereign, and full of love—and through His Risen Son, He calls us
into newness of life.
Let us now open our hearts and the Scriptures and reflect on
what the resurrection reveals to us about the heart of the Father and
His eternal purpose in Christ.
1. The Resurrection Reveals the Father’s Victory Over Death in Christ
We begin with this foundational truth: the resurrection is
the Father’s victory over death.
Death, the ancient enemy of humanity, thought it had spoken
the final word on Good Friday. But on the third day, the Father responded with
power: “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of
those who are asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). The grave could not hold the
Risen Son because the power of the Father is greater than the sting of death.
The Lord Jesus Himself declares, “I am the Living One; I was
dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore” (Revelation 1:18). And through the
prophet Hosea, the Father had already declared His intention: “I will ransom
them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death” (Hosea 13:14).
Christ’s resurrection is not just His triumph—it is the
Father’s promise fulfilled, breaking the chains of death for all who believe.
2. The Resurrection Declares Lord Jesus as the Son of God, Glorified by the Father
Not only is death defeated, but the identity of the Lord
Jesus is vindicated.
Through the resurrection, the Father makes a bold
declaration to all creation: the Lord Jesus is His Son, the Messiah, the
Anointed One.
St. Paul tells us clearly: “[He] was declared the Son of
God with power by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4). This is not
mere symbolism. It is the Father’s public confirmation of who the Lord Jesus
truly is.
And the apostolic preaching confirms it: “God has fulfilled
this promise… by raising up Jesus, as it is also written… ‘You are My Son,
today I have begotten You’” (Acts 13:33).
The empty tomb speaks of identity—The Lord Jesus is not
merely a prophet or a teacher—He is the Son of the Living God.
3. The Resurrection Confirms the Father’s Faithfulness to the Gospel Promise
Now, my beloved, if the Lord Jesus had remained in the
grave, our faith would be a lie.
But the resurrection proclaims that the Father is
faithful. His Word is true. The Gospel is not wishful thinking—it is the
fulfilled promise of God.
St. Paul says it plainly: “If Christ has not been raised,
your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).
But thanks be to God, that is not the case!
As Peter preached: “God raised Him up, putting an end to the
agony of death” (Acts 2:24). And St. Paul affirms: “Christ, having been raised
from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him”
(Romans 6:9).
The Father kept His word. He raised His Son. And because He
did, we can trust every promise He has made to us.
4. The Resurrection Is the Father’s Declaration of Our Justification
But the resurrection is not only about what happened to The
Lord Jesus—it’s also about what the Father declares about us.
St. Paul tells us: “He was delivered over because of our transgressions
and was raised because of our justification” (Romans 4:25). At the cross,
the penalty for sin was paid. But at the resurrection, the Father issued His
verdict: Not guilty! Righteous! Justified!
The prophet Isaiah foresaw this day: “By His knowledge the
Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many” (Isaiah 53:11).
So, when we see the empty tomb, we must hear more than the
echo of resurrection—we must hear the Father’s voice declaring that we have
been made right through His Risen Son.
5. The Father Gives Us New Life through the Resurrection
And justification leads to transformation.
The Father not only forgives us—He makes us new. He
raises us with Christ to live a different kind of life: holy, joyful, and free.
St. Paul declares: “Just as Christ was raised from the dead
through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life”
(Romans 6:4). This is not just a metaphor. It is resurrection life—infused with
the glory of God.
And again, he writes: “If then you have been raised with
Christ, seek the things above…” (Colossians 3:1). “If anyone is in Christ, he
is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2
Corinthians 5:17).
My friends, this is the life the Father offers us: a
resurrection life, even now.
6. The Resurrection Is the Father’s Pledge of Our Future Resurrection
But this life is not the end. It’s only the beginning.
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus is the first fruit,
a divine down payment on what the Father has promised to all who are in Christ.
St. Paul reminds us: “For as in Adam all die, so also in
Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). And again: “He who raised
Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through
His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).
And what will that glory look like? St. Paul answers: “[He]
will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of
His glory” (Philippians 3:20–21).
The resurrection is the Father’s assurance that death is
not our destination—glory is.
7. The Resurrection Is the Father’s Source of Hope and Bold Witness
So, how should we live in the light of this truth?
In the light of this truth, we should live with hope and
boldness. The resurrection fills us with a living, unshakable hope. Peter
praises God, saying, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who… has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).
This hope empowered the early Church: “With great power, the
apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and
abundant grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33).
The Father raised the Son, and now, through that same power,
He emboldens us to preach, witness, serve, and live unafraid.
8. The Resurrection Confirms the Father’s Appointment of Christ as Lord and Judge
Finally, the resurrection is not only about the past or the
present—it points us to the future.
The Father has enthroned the risen Christ as Lord and
appointed Him as Judge. Peter declared boldly: “God has made Him both Lord and
Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36).
St. Paul affirms: “For He must reign until He has put all
His enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25).
And the Lord Jesus Himself says: “Behold, I am coming
quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves”
(Revelation 22:12).
Indeed, the Father has “fixed a day on which He will judge
the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having
furnished proof to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).
Let us be ready to meet the Risen One—not only as Savior but
as Lord and Judge.
9. The Resurrection Is Celebrated in the Liturgy and the Eucharist
Beloved, if the resurrection
is the heart of the Gospel, then it must also be the heart of our worship.
We do not only proclaim the
resurrection—we partake in it. Every time we gather around the altar, we
celebrate the victory of the Risen Christ. In the Divine Liturgy, the Church
becomes the Upper Room, the Road to Emmaus, and the Empty Tomb—all at once.
As St. Paul writes, “The cup
of blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The
bread which we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?” (1
Corinthians 10:16). And again, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink
this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).
But more than a proclamation,
this is participation. In the Eucharist, we are united with the Risen Christ—spiritually
and sacramentally—by the power of His resurrection. As the priest proclaims, “The
Holy is given for the holy,” and we draw near to receive the One who
conquered death.
In this mystery, the Father
makes us partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). He lifts us from death
to life. He renews us, strengthens us, and fills us with resurrection power.
So, let every liturgy be a
feast of victory and every Communion a resurrection encounter. We rise with
Christ, not only in doctrine but in worship.
Conclusion
Dear brothers and sisters,
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the mighty
act of God the Father—the confirmation of His covenant, the assurance of
our salvation, and the guarantee of eternal life.
The resurrection of Christ is not merely doctrine—it is the
heartbeat of the Gospel.
Because the Father raised His Son, we too shall rise.
We shall reign with Him. And until that day, we live in the power of the resurrection—walking
by faith, filled with hope, and proclaiming Christ with boldness.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
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