The best definition of Christianity I know is that we are a
resurrection people. Augustine said, "Our faith has been established on the resurrection of Christ." Some would say "then it is built on a myth." Not at all, I like the way Brooke Foss Westcott put it. "Taking all the evidence together, it is not too much to say that there is no historic incident better or more variously supported than the resurrection of Christ."
And yet, in many churches, the resurrection story is but a footnote on the annual church calendar. Listen to this rather extensive quote from C. S. Lewis. "The Resurrection is the central theme of every sermon recorded in the book of Acts. The Resurrection and its consequences were the "gospel" or good news which the Christians brought: what we call the "gospels," the narratives of our Lord's life and death, were composed later for the benefit of those who had already accepted the gospel. They were in no sense the basis of Christianity: they were written for those already converted.
The miracle of the resurrection, and the theology of that miracle, comes first: the biography comes later as a comment on it. The first fact in the history of Christianity is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection." He's right you know. The oldest chapter in the New Testament is I Cor. 15, and what is that? It is an account of the resurrection of Christ and a discussion about the implications of denying its reality.
We are a resurrection people! The resurrection is the foundation of our faith. But what do resurrection people look like? How do they behave? What distinguishes them from other people?
It was my intent to take twenty minutes to sketch out a personality profile of a resurrection people this morning. I wanted to start with the fact that resurrection people are people of power. Silly me! After several hours of study I was still stuck on power. I struggled to condense my material. Then "when I had ceased from my struggles" I knew God was reprimanding me. I too tried to reduce the resurrection to a footnote in my preaching plan. I felt sure God was saying, "you have a five point sermon on the resurrection, and your heart is bursting. Forget it!" I'm a little dull, but I finally got the message. So I want to introduce a series of five sermons entitled, "Resurrection People." A people of power, purpose, principle, passion, and purity.
RESURRECTION PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE OF POWER
(Acts 1:8) "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." I found three Greek words used for power in the New Testament: Dynamis, Dynamai, and dynamoo. Hence my three points. This is one time you will be able to say that the Major had a dynamic message this morning. The word "dynamis" is used 119 times in the New Testament. It was a favorite word used by Luke and Paul especially.
GOD'S DYNAMIS
Root for our word DYNAMITE, in the Old Testament God's power is seen primarily in his creative activity as he speaks order into the chaos and the cosmos is born. The power of his Word is a central theme. You also see his power displayed as he protects and chastises his people, Israel, and as he empowers his prophets and seers to do his will. The two great examples of the power of God in the New Testament are the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of the saints. 2 Cor.13:4 "For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power." I Cor. 6:14, "By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also." God's power is resurrection power.
It is also saving power: Eph.3:7, "I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power." Remember how that power worked for him on the Road to Damascus?
It is protecting power: I Peter 1:5, "Who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the last time." To a suffering people Peter speaks about the power of God. It is also power to punish: Rom.9:17: "For the scripture says to Pharaoh, 'I raised you up for this purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."
There are also many references to the power of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. His birth is attributed to the power of God, he has power to overcome Satan on the Mount of Temptation, he defeats demons and casts them out, he has power over sickness and even death. His own resurrection is also the greatest demonstration of his power but close behind that demonstration is his ability to bring new life to all who call on his name.
GOD'S POWER IS SHARED WITH JESUS AND JESUS SHARES IT WITH HIS FOLLOWERS
In Luke 9 you see him giving the disciples power over demons and illnesses so they can heal the sick. He promised them power to become his witnesses. But, from a human perspective, the power of God is best described as weakness. Sounds contradictory doesn't it? What could be weaker than a dying Christ? Yet, there is the power of God unto salvation. Listen to Paul quoting the words of Jesus in 2 Cor. 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." We are the strong weak people. God has taken his great power and placed it in fragile, weak vessels like you and me. He does this so that the world may know that the power that comes from us is obviously not our own, but God's.
From our relationship with Christ who was crucified in weakness but raised by the power of God, despite our weakness, we can live a victorious Christian life, and we can be joyful in the process. Why, because greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. The power of darkness can have no power over me because the love of God in Jesus Christ is stronger than the powers that oppose my relationship with God.
God's power is unlimited. It is creation power, it is resurrection power, it is recreation power.
DYNAMAI
The verb is found 210 times in the New Testament. It means can, be able. The verb suggests that in order to be able to do something, you must first want it. Talking about the poor, Jesus said, "Whenever you will, you can do good to them," (Mark 14:7). Because the will is the source of ability, the leper turns to Jesus, "If you will, you can make me clean," (Mark 1:40). Because willing and being able comes so close together, ability comes close in meaning to being willing. When the neighbor says, "I cannot get up and give you bread" the statement means, "I don't want to." When Jesus tells the parable about the guests invited to dinner, the guests reply "I cannot come." What they meant was, I don't want to come. The resurrection power of God is available to you, you are able to receive it because God offers it to you, do you want it? If you want it, it's yours.
What we're talking about is will power versus won't power. Isn't it amazing to think that we are surrounded by great power and yet have not exercised our right to us it? It's like complaining about the darkness when all we have to do is switch on the light, but we won't. Or like sitting in our vehicle, cap and coat on, hand on the ignition, knowing what comes next, but not wanting to do it. Sounds ludicrous, doesn't it? What did Jesus say to the lame man? Do you want to be healed? What a silly question! Of course I want to be healed. Then take up your bed and walk. Had he not exercised his will, he would have remained lame. Think about it, he could have been lying there in the presence of his healer, with all the power of God at his disposal because of the presence of Jesus, yet he could have been untouched, unaffected by that power.
It's no different for you and me. God does not always take away our problems, but if he doesn't take them away, he gives coping grace enough to bear them.
He does not heal all our diseases, but he gives us a quiet confidence that we are in his will and therefore all will be well.
He does not shield us from all turmoil, but he gives us peace in the storms of life, a peace that the world does not understand nor can it take away.
My heart is heavy for some of you. Sure you carry heavy burdens, you suffer great adversity, the storm clouds have gathered around you. That doesn't surprise me, God's Word tells us to expect no different, in fact, it tells me that because our faith is such a contradiction of the world around us, we should expect more problems and burdens than the people of the world.
But some of you are not experiencing the peace of God. You have allowed yourself to become intimidated by the storm clouds. You are looking at the waves and can't see the footprints of your Master on the crest of the waves.
Our forefathers sang the praises of God and counted it an honor to die at the stake or to be thrown to the lions for their faith. It was no front, no façade, their faith was such that they defied evil, that they dared to die rather than lose the hope that was within them. That same power is within you, but you must will to use it. You can, but will you? Do you want to?
DYNAMOO
That's not a strong Greek Cow. Colosians 1:11 "Strengthened with all power_" Where there were weak, they were strengthened.
Ephesians 6:10 "Be strong in the Lord and in his might power." It is the root of our word, dynamo, a generator producing electric current.
Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. Who is it that is in you? Remember what Jesus said to his disciples in John 16. "I am going to the Father, you will see me no more. But I will send you the Comforter, he will dwell within you." Did you get that? He will dwell within you. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world! The Holy Spirit is in you and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is like a dynamo, a generator, in the life of the Christian. Everything you need is available within you, because the Holy Spirit is within you.
He produces joy when sorrow threatens to overwhelm you. He produces peace when turmoil invades you. He produces hope when despair comes knocking on the door. He gives meaning to life when we wonder "what's the use of going on?" He reminds us that this life is just the tip of the iceberg, or as my great grandfather used to say, "just a dressing room for eternity."
With the generating power of the Holy Spirit within us, it is an affront to God that our lives remain "joyless and useless for years".
I'm not advocating a false, phony, plastic smile, when on the inside our hearts are breaking and all hope is gone. Remember it is in our weakness that the power of God is best demonstrated. No, the greater demonstration of the power of God is in our attitude toward the circumstances, the curves, the knuckleballs, the beam balls that life throws at us.
When life goes wrong, that's when faith in the power of God is most essential for you and I and most effective in witnessing to others. If we have the power of God through the indwelling Holy Spirit, what we do with in times of crisis is of paramount importance.
But listen friends, the power of God within you needs to be nurtured and understood before it can be accessed and utilized. When you buy a power tool, don't you get an instruction manual? Doesn't it say that it's dangerous to use the tool without reading the manual? Some of us are trying to use God's power without reading the manual. We need to read the Word so we can understand how God wants to work his mighty power in our lives. Then we need to spend time with God in prayer, not just praying but listening, so that God can personalize his Word for us and make his power available in our lives.
Some of us are amazed at what God is doing in our lives. God is moving in our corps. In our Bible studies and Saturday morning prayer meetings we are sensing the power of God. Oh, friends, both at home and at the corps, let's be resurrection people, let's be people of power, the power of God coming to us through prayer and study of the Word.
God is all-powerful. His power is available to us. We must will to use that power. If we will, the Holy Spirit will generate the power of God in all the circumstances of our lives.