The Resurrection and the Lordship of Christ

More Than a Miracle

The Resurrection is not just one miracle among many. It is the center of Christian faith—the turning point of all history.

If Jesus had remained in the tomb, Christianity would have ended at the cross. But He did not.He rose.Bodily.Gloriously.Forever.

The Resurrection is God’s great “Yes” to the life, teaching, sacrifice, and divinity of Christ.It is not the reversal of the cross. It is the revelation of its power.

The Resurrection: What Happened?

The Gospels do not describe the moment of Resurrection itself. What they describe is the aftermath: the empty tomb, the encounters with the risen Jesus, the fear that turned to joy, and the broken disciples who became bold witnesses.

What they saw and experienced changed everything:

• Jesus was not a ghost. He ate with them. He showed His wounds. He could be touched.

• Yet He was not exactly as He was before. He passed through doors. He appeared and vanished.

• He was the same—but glorified.

As St. Paul says, He is “the firstborn from the dead” (Colossians 1:18), the beginning of a new creation.

A Concrete Event in History

The Resurrection is not a vague spiritual awakening or an abstract theological claim.It is a specific, concrete, historical event that took place in a particular place, at a particular time.

Jesus of Nazareth, who had been publicly executed under Pontius Pilate, was buried in a known tomb. On the third day, that tomb was found empty. The same Jesus was seen, touched, spoken to, and eaten with by His followers. These encounters were so compelling that they were willing to die for their testimony.

This did not happen “long ago in a land far away” in the way fairy tales do.It happened in Jerusalem, in the first century, in full view of hostile witnesses who would have gladly disproved it if they could.

“He presented Himself alive to them by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days.” —Acts 1:3

The Resurrection is the best-attested fact of the early Church. It is not only the foundation of faith—it is the vindication of everything Jesus said about Himself.

Vindication and Victory

The Resurrection is the Father’s vindication of everything Jesus claimed:

• That He is the Son of God

• That His sacrifice was accepted

• That sin and death are truly defeated

• That the promises of Scripture are fulfilled in Him

Without the Resurrection, Jesus would be a tragic figure.With the Resurrection, He is the risen Lord, triumphant over death and enthroned at the right hand of the Father.

What Does It Mean to Say “Jesus Is Lord”?

We often hear the phrase “Jesus is Lord,” but its full meaning is easy to miss.

In the Old Testament, the divine name YHWH was considered so sacred that Jews did not pronounce it. Instead, they would say Adonai—“Lord.” The Greek word used in the Septuagint to translate the divine name was Kyrios—Lord.

So when the early Christians declared that “Jesus is Lord,” they weren’t just calling Him master or king.They were calling Him God.

“Every knee shall bow… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” —Philippians 2:10–11(echoing Isaiah 45:23, where the same is said of YHWH)

The Lord of the Living and the Dead

The Resurrection does not just prove something about Jesus. It changes something about us.

Because Christ is risen:

• Death is no longer the end.

• Sin is no longer victorious.

• Suffering is no longer meaningless.

He is not just Lord of history. He is Lord of the future.He is not just Lord of the Church. He is Lord of creation.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” —Matthew 28:18

The Firstfruits of the New Creation

Jesus' rising from the dead is not an isolated event. It is the beginning of a new kind of life—a glorified, embodied, eternal life that will be shared by all who are united to Him.

In the Resurrection, God begins the renewal of all things:

• The old creation was marked by sin and death.

• The new creation begins with Christ, the New Adam, who brings life and immortality to light.

This is why Easter is not just about hope for the soul—it is about hope for the body, for the world, for everything touched by the curse of sin.

Why This Matters

The Resurrection means that hope is real.It means that death is not final.It means that Jesus is not just a good teacher who died a noble death, but the Lord of life, who defeated death itself.

It also means that our faith is not just a philosophy or a moral code. It is a relationship with the living Christ.

If Jesus is risen, then:

• He is still present, still acting, still calling.

• He is not a memory. He is a person.

• And He is the Lord, to whom we owe our lives, our worship, and our love.

“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”—Luke 24:5