On April 15, 1912 the RMS Titanic sunk in the North Atlantic Ocean. It was the largest and most luxurious ship in the world at the time. This Saturday will be the 111th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Mr. William Stead was aboard the Titanic for a visit to the United States to take part in a peace assembly at Carnegie Hall. This was at the request of then President William Taft. Stead was an innovative and famous English journalist and newspaper editor at the turn of the 20th century. Two of the articles he had published addressed the danger of ships operating with a deficient ratio of lifeboats to passengers. It is ironic that he was a passenger aboard the Titanic when it struck an iceberg. According to one report, after helping women and children into lifeboats, Stead sacrificed his own life by giving up his life vest and a place in the lifeboats so others could be rescued. Stead lay down his life for a few however Jesus laid His life down for all. The creator of all died for all and gave the power to all over death. Jesus said, in John 15:13” Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Today I want us to examine the Power of Christ Resurrection. First,

I. The Power to Resurrect the Dead – Mt. 27: 50-53

1. Old Testament saints who had died were raised up to testified of his resurrection and power. And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose- The Greek πολύς (paw’ loos), occurs 367 times in 331 verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV conveys a great multitude. The Bible says the earthquake opened their graves (a sepulchre, a tomb) at the exact time of Christ death on the cross… The O.T. saints were awakened by the power of the Lord’s awesome resurrection, it was prophetic however that “the Prince of Life” should be the First that should rise from the dead. Jesus appeared unto His disciples alive but so did these O.T. saints appear unto many–that there might be undeniable evidence of their own resurrection first, and testify of the Lord Jesus Christ victory over death. Image if this was a relative of your?

2. In our text we see an exceptionally important and impressive truth of the resurrection – a cemetery filled with tombs in which the Jews were unable to close up because of the Sabbath days that followed. Remember that the Passover Sabbath was always on the same date, the 14th of Nisan. The second Sabbath – the Feast of Unleavened Bread was on the 15th of Nisan and the weekly Sabbath followed that. —Leviticus – Chapter 23: 3-7.

3. The location of Calvary was near the north wall of Jerusalem, a Sabbath’s day journey (3000 ft. about a half-mile) from the city. The restrictions of the Sabbath prohibiting manual labor would insure that the open sepulchers would not be closed up. These graves were opened at the time that Jesus died; but those inside the tombs would not come out until after His resurrection. Why would God allow such a thing? Follow this thinking…

4. It is strangely significant that the only closed tomb was the tomb of Jesus Christ. Loved ones may have guarded those open tombs, and Roman soldiers guarded the closed one! In Matthew 27:62-66 note: They sealed the stone, which means they stretched a strong cord across the mouth of the sepulchre, over the stone that had been placed at the door, and then with sealing wax or clay they fastened the ends of the cord to the solid rock on either side of the door. The wax or clay used this way was then stamped with Pilate’s official seal. God was using this situation to make sure there will be no grounds for believing that His disciples came by night, and stole him away Mat. 28:12-13. However, the guards are bride to lie.

5. In this we see that God wrote conclusive proof of the resurrection and victory of Jesus Christ in the hearts of people as well as on the pages of Scripture.
We are to live here and now by the power of the resurrection and never fear life after death because Christ victory over death in his resurrection gives all believers…

II The Power over Death Itself

1. Folks, the power of the Christ’s resurrection insure that death has been defeated. Paul said. “the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. — ( I Co.15:26 and verses 55, 56)” It is no longer the impregnable enemy. Christ conquered death completely and he assures His followers that we too will share in His victory. Death does not own us nor can it claim us and we need not fear death. It cannot hold us in its darkness nor can it keep us. In fact death becomes the vehicle that enables believers to experience God’s glory. The promises are your— claim them.

Death has no power over you. I am a child of God and the Lord is my Shepherd….
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalms 23:4

You never stop being the person you were created. Death cannot take away who you are because you belong to God who is your guide unto heaven.
For this God [is] our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide [even] unto death. Psalms 48:14

Death has no darkness for you because God awaits His children to come home.
Precious in the sight of the LORD [is] the death of his saints. Psalms 116:15

You will be with God and where He is there is no darkness.
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light [are] both alike [to thee]. Psalm 139:12

You will not fear the place that God’s son has prepared in heaven because Jesus said,
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also. —John 14:1-3

You will have a new body and will live on forever, death cannot end you nor can it keep you. …we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them (those that have died) in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. I Thess. 4:17

III The Power of a Future Resurrection

1. The apostle Paul tells of this great Resurrection in I Corinthians 15:51-58. — Why is this called a mystery? A mystery in the scriptures is a previously hidden truth now revealed by God. When Paul speaks of sleep he means death… we shall not all die! There is a generation that shall not die but shall be changed “Metalasso’ to be changed where we get our words metaphorsis.
b) This mystery is what the world will try to resolve at the resurrection or Rapture of the church. It will be not only be the rising of the dead but the mysterious disappearance of countless millions. We will be taken to be with Jesus and enjoy in the power of his resurrection …
c) Note with me verse #52… It will all happen so very quickly.. in a moment; Paul said in an twinkling of an eye! That is incredibly fast. G.E. corporation device electronic equipment that is able to measure just speed. There timing equals 11/100 of a second! Light travels at 186,000 miles per second yet in far less than that we’ll be with Jesus…

d) We note that the “corruptible” meaning our moral bodies, have been changed to immoral bodies like that of the resurrected Lord.

The glorious news is we are resurrected with our Saviour and Lord the Bride groom of the church. Those who have not accepted Christ shall be left behind. The power of His resurrection gives us a new life in the here and now and a wonderful life in the hereafter not to mention the hell on earth that we will be deliver some. The hereafter for us will be unspeakable, remember Paul’s saying..
I Co.2[9] But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him

e) Jesus is alive and you can know His presence today. Because of His atoning death and the empty tomb, One day, Jesus will again be “at the cemetery.” And when He gives the command, all the dead who believed in Him will “come forth” (John 5:28-29; 1 Thessalonians 4:16). What a day that will be! —- How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; Heb. 2:3 / Acts :4:12

Conclusion:

Jesus said that He came to give us an abundant life (John 10:10). And when we know His mind, feel His heart, and experience the power of His resurrection, we will truly live before we die. – Will your resurrection be one of joy or one of judgment?

What a God we have! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven – and the future starts now!
Because of the resurrection you can have a new identity and a new life that outshines anything in the past. That’s the power of the resurrection! But there is a limit to that power. God will not force himself on anyone. Won’t you decide today that you are going to let the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead have an impact on your life?