The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is fabulously rich in meaning, for which reason it occupied a central place in the apostolic preaching. We can see this richness in the way it points back, points ahead, and speaks to us of things to come.

The Resurrection points back to Christ’s righteous life and atoning death on the Cross, through which, by his active obedience in life and his passive obedience in death, he fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law in behalf of His people, and therefore secured, once and for all, the forgiveness of sins, the imputation of righteousness, and God’s gift of eternal life to all who trust in the risen Lord.

It points ahead to what Christ’s life and death purchased: the effusion of divine life out of heaven and into the fallen world-system. This effusion began on the Day of Pentecost, and has continued right up to the present time, as sinners hear the Gospel, believe its message, call upon Christ for salvation, and receive the Spirit Living One into their hearts, where Christ henceforth reigns as Lord.

It also points ahead to the Consummation of God’s plan of salvation, when Christ will come again to raise the dead, judge the world in righteousness, turn the unrepentant and unbelieving into Gehenna, and create glorious new heavens and a new earth, the eternal home of the triune God, all the holy angels, and all the saints. In that world, the glorified bodies of the saints will be perfectly conformed to the body of the glorified Christ. As it is written, “When we see Him, we will be like Him.” And that will be glorious!

The Resurrection also speaks to us, telling us that the curse which fell upon man and nature at Adam’s fall, and also the curse that falls upon all who break God’s holy Law, have both been broken, once and for all, for all who believe. Jesus Christ bore both of these curses for us so that, through faith in Him, we shall never bear them again.

Finally, the Resurrection also tells us that the ruler of the present fallen world-system—who is Satan and his evil angels—has been cast out of his former place of authority, and is henceforth giving place to the world’s rightful Ruler: the High King of Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ. As the gospel goes forth, as God gathers in His elect, and as his people grow in grace, Christ rules more and more, in more and more hearts. And one day soon, at His return, He will cast out all evil, and bring in glory, once and for all, world without end.

“Father, may You enable us so to look and so to hear that we may truly behold the Resurrection of your Son and rise to all the newness of life that is found in Him, in whose name we pray.” Amen.