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We are still basking in the glow of our Easter services last week end— the Good Friday drama and Sunrise Service on Resurrection Sunday. We experienced such a wonderful sense of God’s presence and decisions were made for eternity. We must remember that these special services are more than just events to be celebrated once a year. They have a significance that reaches to the very core of our faith. Let’s look at a few of the miracles that we have because of the Resurrection.

The miracle of the Church.

The Church has existed for almost 2,000 years in spite of every effort of Satan and satanically-inspired men to destroy it. Even until today persecution against the church continues unabated around the world—and right here at home. Its enemies are still baffled that despite all their efforts, the church keeps growing. What is the explanation? It is simply this: Jesus Christ is building His church. Jesus said it: “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Man apart from God could never duplicate the miracle of the Church.

The foundational doctrine of the indestructible Church is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The importance of this was emphasized by the Bishop Talley-Rand during the French Revolution. Someone said, “The Christian religion—what is it? It would be easy to start a religion like that.” To which the Bishop replied, “One would only have to getcrucified and rise again on the third day.” The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the miracle no one can duplicate. Founders of religions have lived and died, but none have ever risen from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is in itself an astounding miracle, but there are other miracles growing out of His resurrection as well.

The miracle of fulfilled prophecy.

The death and resurrection of Jesus were not surprise events to God. They were prophesied many years before they happened. Every scriptural promise, from Genesis 3:15 (that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head) to the first Christmas carol (“For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”), would have meant nothing without a risen Christ.

Was the fulfillment of these prophecies just a coincidence? Or were they another evidence of the supernatural nature of the Bible? Students of Bible prophecy tell us that there are at least 333 details prophesied concerning Christ. The fact that every single prophecy has been fulfilled certainly constitutes a miracle.

The miracle of justification.

Paul wrote that Jesus was “delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25). Justification is the act of pronouncing a person righteous—literally “just-as-if-I’d” never sinned. Justification calls for more than mercy and love. It demands absolute justice; the penalty for sin must be paid. This is where the death and resurrection of Jesus result in another miracle. In this miracle of God’s grace, our guilt was transferred to Jesus on the cross. Paul wrote, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). When Jesus died, our sins were atoned for; Jesus paid it all! Believers are not only forgiven, because of His resurrection, God looks on us just as if we had never sinned. Christ’s righteousness is transferred to us. We are “accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). This is a miracle!

The miracle of victory over the power of sin.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees to Believers victory over the power of sin in their daily lives. Our union with Christ is complete. The waters of baptism symbolize this fact. As believers we are buried with Him and then raised with Him to new life. Our proper position today is in heavenly places in Christ.

Beloved, at this present moment we are living on resurrection ground! No child of God need live a defeated life. “It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.” Through the power of Christ’s resurrection we can face the challenges of life in a hostile world. This means we can be “more than conquerors through Him who loves us” (Romans 8:37). Let’s live our lives in the miracle of His resurrection!