The Power of His Resurrection

"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Rom.8:11).

The resurrection of Jesus brought strength and unity to the Early Church. Following the crucifixion, the disciples were as dead men. All that they had toiled and hoped for had suddenly vanished and they were plunged into gloom and despair. He whom they had trusted to restore the glories of Israel, lay dead in the tomb, crucified as a criminal.

When Christ rose from the dead, He gave to his followers new life which they had never known before. From being frightened, ignorant and powerless, they became happy, full of spiritual vitality and imbued with a faith which weathered many a storm of persecution. They were, in the words of Peter in Acts 1:22, witnesses of his resurrection. The change which took place in the early disciples is perhaps the strongest historical evidence for the resurrection. The power which had wrought so great a miracle as the raising from the dead of the Son of God became available for the spread of the Gospel by his followers. As we trace the story of the Church, as recorded by Luke in Acts of the Apostles, the effect of the power upon individual disciples and the Christian communion as a whole is often quite striking. There had not been or ever could be a "religious faith" anything like that which surrounded the Gospel of Christ. It was quite different from the philosophies of men and religions of the east. They were based upon intellectual knowledge, argument, and ethics. Even the members of Jewish religion never enjoyed the personal relationship with God which they should have done. In the church of Jesus Christ, however, there was a faith based on revelation and power from God. Whence came these things and why? What was it that was so different in these men and women that the eternal Creator of the Universe should confer so great a privilege?

God was able to work in and through the early Christians because they had learned from Jesus the doctrine of self‑denial and complete dependence upon God. The teaching of men, whether scientific, philosophical, or religious, have always advanced the doctrine of "self." Self‑culture, self‑esteem and self‑expression are the modern counterparts of the same idea. Jesus had taught his disciples to be meek and contrite in heart, trusting God for everything, whether it was their daily bodily needs or the virtues to be developed by their characters.

Such a condition of mind is the result of a new relationship with God, based on redemption through Jesus, and maintained by constant prayer with God. By these things, the resurrection power of Jesus Christ was given to his first followers, and to every true disciple from then until now. Prayer played a very big part in the Master’s life, and He frequently resorted to communion with his Father in order that He might know God’s will. When faced with a crisis, He resorted to fellowship with his Father and therein lay the success of his ministry. (Luke 6:12; 9:28‑29; Mark 9:29)

The history of the activities of the Early Church reveals a group of people who had learned to apply the lessons of prayer taught by Jesus. From the first chapter we learn that they, "all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication...." (Acts 1:14). After Pentecost, the same attitude is reflected in chapter two, "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." (v.42). In chapter three we catch a glimpse of Peter and John going up to worship at the Temple at "the hour of prayer." (v.1) In chapter four we are given considerable information about a prayer meeting in the Early Church, and so great was their intercession that the very building where they met was shaken. The passage concludes with these words, "The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." (vv.32,33) Later, deacons were chosen in order that the apostles might give themselves "to prayer, and to the ministry of the word." (Acts 6:4) Still further, Luke relates how Peter was released from prison as the result of a prayer meeting in John Mark’s home.

All these examples of the early Christians at prayer, after the Holy Spirit was outpoured at Pentecost, were accompanied by a display of Divine power operating through God’s people. On some occasions it was the power of the Gospel unto salvation and at others, the ministry of healing. It was not the educated, wealthy, and influential in Israel through whom God worked, although He did not despise their gifts. Thus when men of learning like Paul and Luke gave themselves to his service, God used their abilities to the furtherance of his Kingdom. Throughout his epistles Paul repeatedly exhorted those to whom he wrote to "pray without ceasing." (1 Thess.5:17)

Coupled with this power through prayer came a unity of purpose and action hitherto unknown among the disciples. They were men of different upbringing and outlook; some were rugged, others polished but God had not looked at the outward appearance when selecting the foundation stones of the Church. Rapidly these men and women from all walks of life were welded into a united band by a common purpose and energised by a single source of power. They preached the same gospel of Jesus, crucified, and resurrected. This was the "oneness" for which Jesus had so earnestly prayed before his death recorded in John 17. It was an exhibition of the love in action about which he had so often taught them. It was the love which showed that they had passed "from death unto life." (1 John 3:14).

The unity of the early Christians broke down sectarian and social cliques; it ignored national and racial barriers. Within the community of the first believers were Jews and Gentiles, rulers and slaves, scholars, and peasants. They regarded each other not by their former associations but as fellow disciples, and thereby received strength through their common bond. Repeated exhortations to love each other as brethren in Christ were necessary and even then occasional failure in their unity is reflected by such passages as 1 CorinthiansIn his second letter to the same church Paul wrote, "For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view." (2 Cor.5:14‑16 RSV) Today, that lesson in the Christian Church still needs to be learned. The spirit of Christ, given free course in the lives of his brethren must completely abolish all feelings of hurt pride and retaliation. Personal opinion and ambition must be subordinate to the common good, "in honour preferring one another." (Rom.12:10) Natural interests are crucified in order that Christ might live within us. Such an attitude towards other Christians and our fellow men in the world, is not developed by trying to be virtuous, for that just cannot be done. Human nature breaks down under the strain of inner selfishness and outward circumstances. It is only as Christ is given control of our hearts, to provide us with the guidance and strength for each daily experience, that we can be "more than conquerors" (Rom.8:37) over our weaknesses and desires. So the apostle Paul learned from the Lord, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore was Paul able to say, "Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Cor.12:9). Our bodily weakness should not hinder us from obeying the Divine will, for we have a reservoir of energy in Heaven which is sufficient for every service for God.

Perhaps there are few more outstanding examples of this than Peter on the day of Pentecost when he stood up as spokesman on behalf of the rest of the disciples. He had been a coward, thrice denying his Master on the day of the Trial. However in the power of the Spirit, he became a new man who many times faced persecution and death for Jesus. The outward manifestation of the Holy Spirit through the first disciples was in their witness to the world. By their preaching and healing they continued the work which Jesus began. That power has never changed, and the God that lived in the apostles’ day is still the same today. The only alteration has been in the faith of the believers. It still requires men and women to venture forth, with implicit trust, so that the Lord will honour his promises "even unto the end of the world." (Matt.28:20).

"Christian;" the name bespeaks of one who follows the Lord Jesus. Jesus trod a pathway wherein He preached the Gospel. He did not just do it now and again in the convenient phrase "as He had opportunity." His whole life was bound up in the announcement of the Good News of the Kingdom of Heaven. The first Christian community did the same thing. The apostles were hardly eager to go to the Samaritans and Gentiles, but by various means the Lord led them forth from Jerusalem unto the uttermost parts of the earth. Generation after generation through the ages their labours have continued often at the cost of martyrdom. Many have been inspired to leave the comfort and security of their homes in order to blaze the trail overseas. No less have been those remaining in their normal home and work who have sought to let their light shine. We, of this generation, must ask ourselves, what are we doing to maintain the faithful witness of the ages? Are we exempt from this service in this day and age? Can we run for the prize according to a new set of rules?

The power of his resurrection is at present confined to the immediate associates of Jesus, those who long to know him and share his sufferings. Their resurrection now is pictured for us in the words of the father in the parable of the prodigal son when that son returned to his family, "this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." (Luke 15:24) Such is the love of God for those who repent from their sin and become his children. The same thought was expressed by Jesus as recorded in John 5:25, "The hour is coming…when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live." He went on to speak of an age yet to come when the power which was to bring him from death, and which was to empower his disciples, would bring everyone back from death; for He said, "…the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth." (vv.28‑29) It was a wonderful moment to which Jesus looked forward, to the day when all the conditions brought about by sin, through accident, disease and war would be removed for ever, and the mighty power of God would be exerted to give life to all who had ever fallen asleep. So writes the apostle once more, "But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." (Eph.2:4‑7 RSV).

AS