Sermon: The Promise Remains Because God Raises the Dead: A Biblical Theology of Promise and Resurrection
Romans 4:18-25; Hebrews 11:17-19; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Truth Taught-God’s promise remains throughout the generations because God raises the dead.
Introduction
The primary model of faith in the New Testament is not Peter, Paul or James but the primary model of faith in the New Testament is an Old Testament figure. Abraham is the case study in faith that Jesus, Paul and James highlight in the NT to show what faith really is. What was it that Abraham believed? Abraham believed what God told him. He believed God’s Word so strongly that even in trials his faith grew.
We’ll discover that Abraham’s faith, while being genuine and saving was also a faith that continued to grow. As he had encounters with God more revelation was given and Abraham believed even more. He believed all God revealed to him.
Abraham had direct revelation from God…
Genesis 12:1–3 (ESV)
12 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Abraham believed what God told him and God counted that to him as righteousness. Abraham was Justified by faith.
God’s promise given to Abraham by direct proclamation also includes all of Abraham’s seed which are those who believe and who would believe by direct proclamation of God the Promise that through Abraham’s offspring who is Christ that the families of the world would be blessed.
In Romans 4, Paul teaches us by using Abraham as an example of being Justified by Faith and not works of the Law. Much of what he teaches is what we’ve been learning in the Book of Galatians. He continues through Chapter 4 by explaining that his faith was counted as righteousness. He further explains that God’s original Promise made to Abraham of an offspring coming through his line to bless the families of the earth would be realized as we too believe what God promised Abraham. The last section of Romans 4 goes even further to teach us something else Abraham believed…Abraham believed God’s Promise made to him which included the Resurrection.
Romans 4:18–25 (ESV)
18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Hebrews 11:17-19 (ESV)
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
1. Abraham Believed, by Direct Revelation, God’s Promise Which Included the Resurrection (Romans 4:18-25)
A. Abraham Believed in the Resurrection: He and Sarah Were as Good as Dead (4:18-22)
18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
God made the Promise to Abraham and Sarah when they were as good as dead. They had no children when they were younger. They could not have children when they were younger. It was to Abraham and Sarah that God wanted not only to make His Promise of the coming Savior known but to show the world His power…God can raise the dead.
God made the promise to Abraham and Sarah when Abraham was 75 years old. They had no children then or anytime before. The Promise would echo in Abraham’s mind for another 25 years. Now he’s 100 years old and Sarah is still barren. What we witness is amazing. In those 25 years of waiting, Abraham’s faith did not diminish when he considered his old age or when he considered Sarah’s barrenness, but by God’s grace, it increased.
20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
In order for the Promise to move forward; the Promise that God would bring the Savior, God would have to take matters into His own hands which is exactly what He desired to do in the first place. He would, as it were, raise Abraham and Sarah from the dead.
19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.
They were as good as dead, Paul tells us. So, if they were to have a baby which they had to if God’s Promise was to move forward then God would need to raise them from the dead so that they can have a baby. This is the picture Paul paints for us when he uses the term, as good as dead.
18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”
Abraham looked at the situation and considered that God’s Promise far outweighed the human condition of old age and barrenness. So, while he waited on God even though things looked bad, his faith began to grow!!
Believing God, Abraham’s faith was counted as righteousness.
21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
Faith moves us forward in Christian growth. Faith looks to God for promises fulfilled not to man. Faith lifts its eyes to heaven when things on earth are falling apart. Faith looks for a better home, one not built with human hands. Faith is steadfast in trials.
Abraham and Sarah had Isaac, the son of Promise. God’s Promise continued because God can raise the dead, just like He said.
So initially, Abraham’s faith included resurrection…God is going to have to bring our old bodies to life if we are to have children.
Then Paul tells us that faith like this, believing in all God told him by direct revelation was credited to him as righteousness.
22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
Let’s watch as Abraham’s faith moves forward…
B. Abraham Believed in the Resurrection: Isaac was as Good as Dead (Hebrews 11:17-19)
Hebrews 11:17-19 (ESV)
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
He who received the Promise was going to offer up Isaac, the Son of Promise. Isaac was as good as dead, Abraham’s faith was tested by God. We must remember this is also true for us, our faith will be tested.
Abraham’s faith was tested as he waited for Isaac to be born. His faith was tested when God told him to sacrifice Isaac, the Son of Promise. In both cases, Abraham considered God was able to do what man could not do. His faith in God was stronger than his logic. He trusted God.
So, the Promise rested on a couple who were as good as dead. Now, the Promise rested on a son who was as good as dead.
Here in Hebrews 11, he considered God could raise up Isaac so that His promise could continue. Death of his line could not stop the promise because God could raise Isaac back from the dead and the Promise would continue.
Through these faith trials, Abraham grew and his trust in God increased. His faith submitted and knelt before God. He trusted God over and above anything else.
How will we respond when our faith is tested? Will we move forward with God or will we move backwards?
The Israelites when tested wanted to go back to Egypt. When Abraham was tested, he moved forward to the Promised Land…the place God would show him.
2. Our Faith Rests on God Who Raises the Dead (Romans 4:23-25)
23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Do you believe all God has told you? Do you believe in the Resurrection like Abraham did?
All who trust in God, who has the power to raise the dead, will also be Justified by faith.
The Promise that a Savior was to come is the same Promise we believe…the Savior did come.
Abraham anticipated the Savior and believed God could raise the dead and we are called to believe in the Savior whom God has raised from the dead.
John 3:16–18 (ESV)
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
When we believe, we too are Justified before God just like Abraham was.
23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,
The death of Jesus had a wonderful purpose for us. The Promise did not die when Jesus died. The Promise was made effectual when Jesus died. If God is going to bless a people through the offspring of Abraham, those people must have their sins atoned for. So, the death of the Son of Promise, Jesus Christ, on the cross would pay for the sins of His people.
Jesus was delivered up
25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Jesus was delivered up, literally turned over to be punished. He took on our sin and was delivered up to pay for all our trespasses. He paid our criminal debt for us. By His stripes we were healed.
He was raised up from the dead for our justification. His resurrection shows that His death does provide justification for His people.
He was delivered up and raised up…one paid our sin debt the other proves that God has accepted His payment and faith in Christ takes us from being sinners under God’s wrath to being saints under God’s grace.
If Jesus would have stayed dead, there would not be any Justification for us. God the Father accepts Jesus’ perfect life lived and His death for our sins as payment. Now we who believe are Justified by faith. The resurrection is God’s endorsement of all Jesus said and did.
3. We are Called to Believe, by Direct Revelation, the Resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:12-20)
1 Corinthians 15:12–20 (ESV)
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
God has given us direct revelation, like He did Abraham. When Paul writes, that he has proclaimed Christ has been raised from the dead, he intends us to equate that proclamation as God’s infallible Word. We too have direct revelation from God, just like Abraham did.
None of those Gentiles in Corinth and none of us here witnessed the resurrection. They were no better than us. They had to rely on authoritative revelation from God concerning what they were to believe. The same is true for us.
Praise God that He has given us His Word which testifies to the Promise made to Abraham. Paul’s primary argument for faith in Christ and in His resurrection was Apostolic Preaching of those facts and then later the written Word.
What we have in the Bible is the infallible Word of God telling us of the Promise that first came to Abraham then through all the Patriarchs, through David and his descendants and finding it’s fulfillment in Jesus Christ, His life, death and resurrection.
God is telling us that the Promise of a Savior has been fulfilled in His Son Jesus Christ.
Do you believe the Promise that God would bring a Savior to save His people?
Do you believe the Resurrection of Jesus Christ…He wasn’t as good as dead but He was dead three days. Beloved, death is not death to God. Just as Jesus was raised so too will all who have faith in Christ. We too will be raised.
Benediction
May He who has the power over death and makes promises to those who are as good as dead, bring about a growing faith in us. May He who has raised Jesus from the dead also raise us from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:50–58 (ESV)
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Resources Used:
Systematic Theology by John Frame
Romans by Gordon Fee
Romans by John MacArthur
Hebrews by Phillips
Hebrews by John MacArthur
