The Good News of Christ’s Resurrection
By Dr. James Yu
The greatness of God is expressed through selfless love. Have you ever wondered: if the sun ceased to shine, what kind of world would that be? Man has only recently thought of utilizing free solar energy. In truth, there are other things we are accustomed to enjoying without perceiving them as God’s grace.
Many years ago, a young man envisioned something God would never do: “If it were His intention and He withdrew His spirit and breath, all humanity would perish together, and mankind would return to the dust.” (Job 34:14-15).
If we lost free air, no one could live. Regardless of status, wealth, age, or strength, those who cannot breathe will return to death. However, everyone can rest assured that God would not do such a thing. That is a contrast to human nature. Man fell into sin and became selfish. When a child is born and life begins, they first think of "I," then "mine," grasping with small hands and refusing to let go.
God is love. The reality of love is giving. God is a God who is willing to give. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Why is this so? “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).
Sin is the failure to reach God’s standard, and after death comes judgment. All have sinned and man cannot save himself, nor can he help others. God loves man, and to save the world from perishing, He sent His only begotten Son to become man. The most glorious and honorable God, who Himself had no sin and could not die, took the likeness of a sinner to die in man's place.
In ancient times, capital punishment was divided into different grades. Nobility could be beheaded; commoners were hanged; only slaves were crucified. That was a miserable and lowly death, something Romans preferred not even to contemplate. Yet, the Son of God, Christ Jesus, to redeem man’s sin, willingly endured such shame and was crucified on the cross. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). Grace is receiving what we do not deserve. Mercy is not receiving the punishment we do deserve. Recognizing the grace of Christ Jesus must begin at the cross.
However, the death of Jesus was not the end. After He died, He was buried in a tomb, and on the third day, He rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father; He will come again on the last day to judge all people. The Bible says: “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” (Romans 4:25).
That such a thing could happen! Jesus, the Son of God, was delivered into the hands of men for our sins to accomplish redemption—redeeming us from sin and the penalty of sin; He Himself had no sin. He rose to justify us and give us new life, so that we are no longer counted as sinful before God but can become children of God. We are no longer strangers or enemies, but members of God’s household with eternal life. What grace!
Resurrection is news. But the fact that Christ Jesus rose for you is the Good News.
Athens was the centre of Greek culture. When the Apostle Paul arrived there, he preached the message of Christ’s resurrection. Like other ancient cultures, they had concepts of immortality of the spirit or achieving immortality through "merit, virtue, and words". There were also anecdotes of people coming back to life. People at that time listened with curiosity but did not take it seriously, treating it merely as news stories. (Acts 17:21).
Paul went further to say that in the last days, Christ will return, and all people, whether good or evil, will be resurrected to stand in judgment before the Lord Christ. “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31).
The Bible declares: “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) Everyone knows this and there is no exception.
Judgment is not good news, but having a righteous Judge is good news. A righteous Judge is not good news, being judged "not guilty" is the good news.
Those who believe in the Lord are not condemned and will surely enter the Heavenly Kingdom to share eternal glory with the Lord Jesus Christ, and you can believe in Him right now.