EMPTY: The Resurrection Hope Baptist Church Podcast

Now Is Christ Risen



1 Corinthians 15:12–26



12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 



20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.



What a difference a week makes. 



If there was ever a time in your life of a week that has both its highs and lows we might wonder how it could compare with the week that had seen the Lord Jesus Christ go from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, to his murder at Golgotha and his resurrection three days and three nights later. 



John 12:12–13



12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.



Is the record of John, the beloved apostle.



Mark 11:9–10



9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: 10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.



Is the record of John Mark, apostle and company-man of Bananas and Paul for the ministry of the Gospel of Christ.



Matthew 27:22–25



22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. 24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.



Is the record of Matthew a few days later, with similar accounts in Mark, Luke and John.



In a matter of a few days the testimony of Christ went from exaltation to condemnation in the eyes of the people. From Veneration to detestation, from being worshipped and adored to being demonised and abhorred, and all this in but a few days.



What happened?



When you look at the account in its best chronological order as seen in Matthews Gospel, we see that after Jesus presents himself as King on the very day prophesied by Daniel (9:25-27) and in the very manner spoken of some 500 years earlier by Zechariah (9:9), the zeal of Christ for the temple of his father consumed him after his entering into the city and he overthrew the tables of the merchandisers. 



Chapters 22 to 25 of Matthews Gospel was the next day where he condemned the leaders of the people with great clarity against their sin, no sooner had he done so that Matthew 26