What is the Point of the Resurrection? Understanding Jesus’ Victory Over Death

Date: 5 March 2026

Preacher: Benedict

Place: Trinity Baptist Church, Charlesworth, near Glossop

Text: Mark 16:1-8

Listen below:

What is the Point of the Resurrection

34:13

What is the Point of the Resurrection? Why It Matters for Every Person

The point of the resurrection of Jesus is that all he says and claims is validated by God. The resurrection of Jesus proves that his claims are true and confirmed by God. This is because rising from the dead is beyond human power, and so the resurrection stands as God’s decisive proof that Jesus has come from him.

Introduction

Around 2000 years ago, a Jewish man was brutally executed by the Romans. He was scourged, nailed to a cross, and left to die.

This, in itself, was not unusual. The Romans were experts in execution, and crucifixion was one of their most severe methods. Many suffered this fate.

But this case was different. This man had publicly claimed that he would rise from the dead. He declared that death itself would not be able to hold him, but that by the power of God he would rise again.

Three days after his burial, women came to his tomb to anoint his body. Instead of finding a corpse, they found an empty tomb. Angels told them plainly: he is risen.

From that moment on, something remarkable stands in history: no one ever produced the body of Jesus Christ.

And this leads us to the central question:

What is the point of the Resurrection? What does it prove?

The Compelling Evidence

Before elaborating on what it proves, we must recognise that the resurrection is not a vague idea, but is a real event in history.

Jesus was certainly killed. Roman execution was thorough. He was scourged, crucified, and pierced through the side. There was no doubt about his death.

Yet on the third day, the tomb was empty. This was not a rumour developed centuries later, but something recorded early and consistently.

There were also eyewitnesses. Not one or two, but many. At one point, over 500 people are said to have seen him alive.

Even more compelling is what happened to those witnesses. A number of them suffered and died because they insisted that Jesus had risen. Yet they did not withdraw their claims. They held to them even in the face of death.

All of this forms strong historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. If the event were not supernatural, it would likely be accepted without hesitation as historical fact.

Yet because it is supernatural, many reject it, not due to lack of evidence, but because of what it implies.

For further and deeper exploration of the evidence, listen to our Easter sermon from 2025, He’s Alive. 

The Resurrection as God’s Confirmation

In Acts 17:30–31, we are told that God has given assurance to all people of the Second Coming by raising Jesus from the dead. This means the resurrection is not just a miracle. It is a confirmation. It is God’s public declaration that Jesus is from God and all he says is true.

To understand this, we need to consider how the world works. God has established order in creation. There are natural laws that govern life, and these laws are consistent. That is why science is possible.

But while humanity must operate within these laws, God is not bound by them. As creator, he can act beyond them.

And that is exactly what the resurrection is. Dead men do not rise. Not after three days. The body decays, and life cannot be restored by human power.

So if a man truly rises from the dead, it must be the work of God.

This is what makes the resurrection so significant. It is not merely unusual. It is divine confirmation.

Jesus made extraordinary claims, and the resurrection is the proof that those claims are true.

What the Resurrection Proves About Jesus

When we ask what does the resurrection prove, we are really asking what it confirms about Jesus himself.

Throughout his life, Jesus made claims that were bold, even shocking. The resurrection stands as the validation of those claims.

Four claims of Jesus

i.               He claimed to be God

In John 8:56–58, Jesus declared, “Before Abraham was, I am.”

This was not simply a statement about age. It was a claim to divinity. In Exodus 3:14, God revealed himself as “I AM”, the eternal one.

By using this language, Jesus was identifying himself with God.

If the resurrection is true, then this claim cannot be dismissed. It means he truly is who he said he is.

ii.              He claimed that all people face judgment

Jesus taught that unless people repent, they will face judgment (Luke 13:1–3; Matthew 13:40–42).

He pointed to the reality of sin in every human life. Not just outward actions, but inward motives, pride, greed, and impurity.

He said plainly, “No one is good except God alone” (Luke 18:19b).

This means that no one meets the standard required. Without forgiveness, all stand under judgment.

If the resurrection is real, then this warning is also real.

iii.            He claimed to offer forgiveness through his death

In Matthew 26:27–28, Jesus taught that his death would bring forgiveness of sins. This is an extraordinary claim.

It means that guilt can be removed, that judgment can be cancelled and that a person can stand before God as clean.

The image is like standing in a courtroom, fully guilty, yet hearing the verdict declared: not guilty.

If Jesus truly rose from the dead, then his death was not a failure. It was effective. It accomplished what he said it would.

iv.            He claimed to give eternal life

In John 3:16, Jesus offers eternal life to all who believe in him.

This is not merely an extension of life, but a completely restored and perfect existence with God.

Everything good we experience now is only a faint reflection of what that life will be.

If the resurrection is true, then eternal life is not just an idea. It is a promise grounded in reality.

The Resurrection and the Defeat of Death

At its heart, the resurrection is a victory.

Death is the one reality no one escapes. It takes everyone. It ends every life. And yet, Jesus overcame it.

He did not merely survive death. He defeated it. What no human power could do, he did.

This is why the resurrection is described as triumph. It shows that death itself is not the final authority.

Conclusion: The Answer to the Question

So, what is the point of the resurrection?

• It proves that Jesus is the Son of God.

• It proves that his warnings about judgment are true.

• It proves that forgiveness is truly available through him.

• It proves that eternal life is real and offered to those who believe.

But this is not just information. It leads to a personal response. Each person must decide what they will do with this.

Will you ignore it, or will you take it seriously? The resurrection stands as God’s proof.

And in the end, there are only two responses:

a.     To believe, bow and receive life

b.     Not to believe, not to bow and be doomed.

These are not small matters. They carry eternal consequences.

So, the point of the resurrection is that it proves all this. But the most important question of all is:

What will you do with that proof?

We gather each Sunday in Charlesworth, near Glossop. If you would like to visit our Sunday worship services, or midweek Bible study, you would be more than welcome. Please see our Events Page.