This is an easy-to-understand Bible study in the “Who is Jesus Christ?” series.

3 pages.

Bible Study 13: His Life and my Life

13.1 Key themes⤒🔗

There are three reasons why Jesus’ resurrection is important:
1. His resurrection is his victory over sin and death.
- God raised Jesus from the dead, to show that he had accepted Jesus’ payment for our sins.
- Because Jesus is alive, he can continue to save us until the end.
2. He shares his life with us.
- Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus shares his life with us.
- His life is a life full of love, peace, joy, faith, and hope. It is a life with God.
3. His resurrection is a promise of our resurrection.
- Jesus is the “firstfruits”–he was raised first.
- When Jesus comes back, our bodies will also be raised in glory.

13.2 John 5:24←⤒🔗

^24. I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears my message and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, but has crossed over from death to life.

13.3 – 1 Corinthians 15:17-23←⤒🔗

^17. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is useless; you are still in your sins.

^18. Furthermore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished.

^19. For if only in this life we have hope in Christ, we should be pitied more than anyone.

²⁰. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

^21. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also came through a man.

^22. For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

^23. But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to him.

13.4 Why so important?←⤒🔗

In the previous lesson, we said that the day of Jesus’ resurrection is the greatest day in history. Did you know that this is why the church comes together on a Sunday? Jesus was raised on a Sunday (the first day of the week). Every Sunday, when the church comes together, we are celebrating the resurrection.

But why is the resurrection so important? What difference does it make to you and me? That is what we will discuss in this lesson. We will look at three reasons why the resurrection is important:

The resurrection is Jesus’ victory over sin and death.
Jesus shares his life with us.
The resurrection is a promise of our resurrection.

13.5 Victory over sin and death←⤒🔗

In our passage from 1 Corinthians 15, we read these words: “If Christ has not been raised…you are still in your sins” (verse 17). Imagine if Jesus had remained dead. Then it would mean that:

Our sins had been “too much” for Jesus.
God did not accept Jesus’ payment for our sins.
The punishment of death and hell is still waiting for us.

But God did raise Jesus from the dead. In this way God said, “The payment is accepted!” Our sins are gone. They have been thrown “into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). Jesus has achieved victory over sin and death.

Because Jesus is alive, he can continue to save us. Every time when we sin, Jesus is standing before his Father. He reminds his Father that he has already paid for our sins. He prays for us. He also continues to give us faith, so that we will hold on to him until the end (Hebrews 12:2).

On the day you die, Jesus will be there with you. Your life and your death are in his hands. Jesus said to his apostle John, “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last, and the one who lives! I was dead, but look, now I am alive—forever and ever—and I hold the keys of death and of Hades!” (Revelation 1:17-18).

13.6 Jesus shares his life with us←⤒🔗

What do you think about, when you hear the words “eternal life”? Many of us think that “eternal life” is the life that we will have in heaven. But in John 5:24 Jesus says that believers already have eternal life. If you believe in Jesus, you have “crossed over from death to life.”

This is because of the unity that we have with Jesus Christ. Jesus shares his life with us, through his Holy Spirit. The life of Jesus is a life of love, joy, peace, faith, and hope. It is a life with God. This is what the Bible calls “eternal life” (John 17:3).

When you think of Jesus’ resurrection, remember that it is also your resurrection! The same Spirit who has raised Jesus from the dead, is working in you (Ephesians 1:19-20). You have been “raised with Christ” (Colossians 3:1). You can already enjoy a life with God.

13.7 A promise of our resurrection←⤒🔗

For now, we are only enjoying the beginnings of eternal life. Our lives are still full of suffering and sin. Our bodies are weak and on their way to death. That is why Paul says, “if only in this life we have hope in Christ, we should be pitied more than anyone” (1 Corinthians 15:19).

Paul is saying that the Christian hope is a future hope. Our hope is not in this life. Our hope is in the life that we will have, when Jesus comes again. On that day our bodies will be raised from the grave (1 Corinthians 15:42).

A farmer is glad when he sees the firstfruits (the first ripe plants) on his land. Then he knows that the rest of the fruit is coming soon! Paul says that Jesus is the “firstfruits” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Jesus was raised first. But his resurrection shows that our resurrection is coming soon.

Think about the resurrection body of Jesus. It was not a completely different body. People could still recognise him. On his hands you could still see the marks of the cross (John 20:27). He could still eat and drink (Luke 24:42-43).

But his body was new and strong. His body was able to go anywhere–even to heaven (Luke 24:51). His body was free from suffering and death.

That is the kind of body that Jesus will give us when he comes again. We will have real bodies: bodies that can walk, talk, eat, and drink. We will recognise each other. But our bodies will be glorified, just like the resurrected body of Jesus (Philippians 3:21). Our bodies will be free from sin, suffering, and death. With these new bodies, we will be able to worship and serve God forever!

13.8 Past, present, and future←⤒🔗

Can you see why the resurrection of Jesus is so important? His resurrection makes a difference to your past, your present, and your future.

Your past: Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has taken away all your sins.

Your present: Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is sharing his life with you. It is a life of love, peace, joy, faith, and hope.

Your future: When Jesus comes back, your body will also be raised.

If you are one with Jesus, then death has no power over you anymore. With Paul you can say, “thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 15:57).