SNT 0805 He Is Risen
He Is Risen
Tells the importance of Christ’s resurrection, which is shown by the power in that work which God did for us.
SNT – 805
April 18, 1976
Format: audio
Publication Date: 04-18-1976
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
Mat 26:31-33; 27:40, 43
Mat 27:43, 54; 28:1, 2, 4, 5
Mat 28:5-7; Rom 8:34; 1Co 15:12-20
1Co 15:20; Act 2:33; Rom 10:9; Col 3:1; Joh 3:16
“He is Risen”
Victor Paul Wierwille
— Sunday Night Teaching 0805 Transcript —
Take your Bibles tonight, please, and go to the Gospel of Matthew.
Do you know that the most monumental event in all history was the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ? Great men have lived and died, but only one in all the history of mankind ever rose again from the dead.
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ has always been a stumbling block for the unbelievers, and will continue to be so. But for those of us who know him and the great reality of his divine presence, the resurrection is still the most monumental event in the history of all times.
In the Gospel of Matthew, in the 26th chapter, and in the 31st verse,
Matthew 26:31-33:
31Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
32But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
33Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I [not] . . . be offended.
That usage in the Word regarding the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is singularly significant. Jesus had just told them that the shepherd would be smitten and that the sheep, Israel, the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, would be scattered abroad. And that, after he was risen, he’d go into Galilee.
But that didn’t ring a bell with Peter whatsoever. He could understand the smiting, but he couldn’t understand the resurrection; the risen again. That’s why he said, “Though all men shall be offended,” he said, “I will not be offended.” He never discussed the resurrection. He only discussed the matter of the shepherd being smitten. Because it was so far even beyond their minds that God would raise him from the dead. That . . . it was just so far out. That, somehow or other, men like Peter who had been with him over the period of time as an apostle just could not see the greatness of that risen Lord.
It is interesting that, also in the 27th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, at the time of the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the people who passed by and watched him hanging said, according to verse 40,
Matthew 27:40a:
. . . Thou that destroyest the temple, . . .
This is some of the stuff they cast into the teeth of Jesus, “Thou who destroyest the temple . . .” And you going to build it in three days.[1] Yeah. What a counterfeit you are. What a bunch of blow. What a bunch of hot air. Here you are, hanging on the cross. Huh! You said you’d destroy the temple. You know, after all, it took hundreds and hundreds of years to build it.
They were thinking of the physical temple in Jerusalem. When Jesus spoke, he had spoken about his body. And they said, “Well, you said you’re gonna destroy the temple and in three days you’re going to build it? Huh!”
Matthew 27:40b:
. . . save thyself. [Save yourself] If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
What a tremendous thing. You see, he could have walked off of that cross, free and postpaid. He was God’s only begotten Son. It says, he who knew no sin became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. God so loved that God gave. Jesus Christ so loved God that he gave.
And when he was hanging on that cross, just imagine his critics. The deprogrammers around, pushing that stuff into his teeth. Hoo! You said you’re going to build a temple, huh? Yeah! Who do you think you are? If thou be the Son of God, come down from what? The cross.
Now, they may have been very inaccurate and very devilish, but they were right about one thing; he was the Son of God. They knew he wasn’t God. Oh, Lord, if they’d ever thought about God, hey, he’d have never made it to the cross. They’d have jerked his fingernails off his toes, and his toenails off his fingers. They’d have pulled his hair out by the roots. Chopped his throat.
But they said, “You’re . . . you said, ‘you’re the Son of God.’ If you’re the Son of God, you ought to be able to save yourself, if you’re the Son of God. Come down off of that cross.” Huh-haa!
Look at verse 43. The priests, the scribes, top brass, verse 43.
Matthew 27:43a:
[He trusted in God] He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: . . .
Why? Because it was a disgrace to be crucified. An absolute disgrace to hang on a cross. He said he was the Son of God, now they say, “Okay, if God will have you, come on, get off of that cross. Come on. Let Him deliver. Let God deliver you now. You’re talking about God all the time; God your Father, you’re His son. You’re talking about God. God’ll take of you. Here you are, hanging on a cross. Where is your God? Where is your God? Ha-ha.”
Since I came home, they tell me they had it up on the bulletin board here on Good Friday, “God is dead.” Holy smoke. That’s pretty close to headquarters. I thank God, He’s dead over there, He ain’t dead here, baby. That’s right. He may be dead two miles from here, I don’t know. But I want to tell you, He’s not dead at The Way International Headquarters. Our God is a living reality, and our God is the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s right.
And they said unto him,
Matthew 27:43b
. . . for he said, I am the Son of what? {God.}
These were the scribes, the elders, the high priests, the rest of them. Again, they knew he was not God; they knew he was what? {The Son of God.} They didn’t believe it, but that’s what he had said he was – he was the Son of God. Had he ever said he was God – oh, my goodness! Oh, that’s so far out, you’d have to be stupid to even think about it.
And the climax of that whole thing; there was one man there. There was a man there who had to be there because of his position with the army, and he was nobody’s fool. He was a centurion. A man who was the head of a hundred topnotch men. And he was a Roman. The Romans didn’t believe in the true God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was his job to see that the execution was accomplished. And this centurion stood there while they were crucifying the Lord Jesus Christ, and he stayed around – until verse 54 has this fantastic truth.
Matthew 27:54:
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, [the other soldiers] watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of [what?] {God}.
Boy, oh boy! What a record! They did not for one minute say God, because had it been God, then God would have died on the cross. God did not die, but it was His wonderful Son. And that centurion, class, had to have a . . . Boy, he had to get hit right between the eyeballs with a ball bat almost to see that. That centurion!
Now, if Peter would have said that, it wouldn’t have been so fantastic. But for that centurion – and for that centurion, class, to say what he said, that took a lot more guts than for any of you, to say that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and not God. And some of you haven’t had the audacity to even believe it yourself. You ought to be a centurion. Maybe you’d get around to it, huh? That’s right.
The centurion man said, “Truly, truly he was . . . this was the Son of what? {God.}” What a fantastic thing.
Yesterday, I couldn’t be at the Limb meeting of the State of Florida. As you know, I was in Kansas. But boy, my heart goes out to our believers in Florida. So, this International, or someone, had arranged for my calling Florida and speak to the people publicly, like I’m speaking to you, only on telephone. And I taught them for about a half hour by telephone. And I took them through the same scripture and showed them that greatness of that centurion.
Boy, you see you can read that Word and it never hits you sometimes, until somebody shows it to you. That centurion, for he to say that this was truly the Son of God – boy, oh boy, what a stand he took!
Three days later, God raised him. And that’s where the 28th chapter becomes so dynamically real.
Matthew 28:1-2a:
1[After the Sabbath] . . . In the end of [the text reads, “after”] the sabbath, [after the weekly Sabbath] as it began to dawn toward the first . . . of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the [what?] sepulchre.
2 . . . behold, there was a great earthquake: . . .
One of the oldest texts reads, “for there had been a great earthquake.” So we have a couple of them. One back there that sort of affected the centurion, and another one that affected the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:2b:
. . . for the angel of the Lord [the angel of the Lord] descended from heaven, and [he] came and [came and] rolled back the stone from the door, and [he] sat upon it.
Ha-ha-ha-ha! Isn't that something? A big stone wore him out so he had to sit down and rest. No. The stone was never in front of the door like this – the stone was on top of the opening. The sepulcher was covered with the stone.
And this record reads in the original exactly like in the English, only sometimes it’s difficult for you to understand what it says in English. And that is, this angel of the Lord came down, and . . . Here’s the sepulcher, here’s the stone. And the angel of Lord came and r-o-o-o-o-lled the stone from the door. He just didn’t just roll it off so Jesus could squeeze up and out. Heh-heh-heh-hah! When he moved, he moved! He rolled that stone away. That all the critics that came there that day couldn’t say, “Man had rolled it away.” God, by His angel, had rolled it awayyyy! And in addition to it, he sat on it.
Now, who’s going to move that stone? Because that’s a very heavy sitting on it. And pretty heavy stone to begin with.
Sat on it. Sat on it, because as far as God was concerned, the stone was rolled away. The resurrection was all done. Because with the rolling of the stone, Christ arose. That’s why the angel sat on it. It’s finished. The resurrection is done! Christ has risen!
Yeah! Sat there all night. The next morning when the women came, it says in verse 4,
Matthew 28:4:
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead . . . .
They should. Verse 5,
Matthew 28:5a:
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: . . .
Boy, what a record. Look at that again. The first message to the women was, “Fear not.”
We do a class Power for Abundant Living, and in that first session of that class we get to the ‘fear not’. It’s in the Word so many, many times.
The one thing the adversary always wants to do is to get you full of fear. That’s right. Fear about tomorrow, fear about the job, fear about the world situation, fear about everything. Just get you full of fear, so that you no longer can believe that God is your sufficiency. That he came that we might have life and have it more than abundantly. That in Christ Jesus, I am more than a conqueror.
Jesus Christ had been crucified, and the adversary had done everything he could to bring fear to those people. And when those women got there on what we refer to as Easter Sunday morning, the angel, the first thing he said to those beautiful women was fear what? Not. Be not what? {Afraid.} Boy, oh boy. What a message.
Matthew 28:5b:
. . . for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was [or who was, past tense, what?] {crucified}.
Right.
Matthew 28:6a:
He is not here: [there it is] for he is risen, . . .
He is what? Risen. He is risen. And I can see their eyeballs getting like hen’s eggs. Ha-ha. Real big.
“Huh-huh, what! What do you mean? Huh, risen. Whadya . . . rrra! . . . what do you mean?”
He said, “Come on, come on over here! See the place where he lay. Come on. Come on. Let’s go look.”
They look, and what they saw blew their minds. That wrapping was all intact, still laying there. A little spot for the nose, mouth. The napkin that had covered it had been neatly folded, laid up in a corner of the sepulcher. There it was, nothing in it.
Boy, there are no descriptive words in any man’s vocabulary to describe that, because it was an experience that none of us have had; and therefore, it is just not as real to us, as it would be had we seen the wrappings with the napkin, and no body in the wrappings.
Show you something. It’s so simple. I got a casket. Has a man in it – closed. You come next morning, I open it – the night guard’s there, everybody there – I open it, you look in. Nothing in it. I think it’d send you, wouldn’t it? Boy, and those people were as human as you are. Just imagine the electrifying reality of that occasion, people, with the best of your ability to think it through.
He said,
Matthew 28:6a:
He is not here: . . . he is risen, . . .
He’s risen! He’s risen!
Matthew 28:6b:
. . . see the place where [they’ve what? Laid him.]
Matthew 28:7a:
And go quickly, and tell his disciples [tell his disciples] that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, . . . goeth [forth] before you into Galilee; there shall ye [what?] see him: . . .
What a tremendous reality! You know, in the book of Romans in Chapter 8 – Romans Chapter 8, it says in verse 34,
Romans 8:34:
Who is he that condemneth? [Shall] . . . Christ [who] died, yea rather, that is [what?] risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also [who also makes what?] . . . intercession for us.
The risen, ascended Jesus Christ makes intercession for the believer. Us, the born again believer, the Church. Golly, that’s wonderful to have somebody like that interceding for us.
Then why you feel so badly day after day when you need a little intercession? It tells you in God’s Word he’s already what? Interceding for you. Accept his intercession. Walk with the greatness of God’s Word, in the great love of God in Christ Jesus.
In 1 Corinthians, Chapter 15, look at verse 12.
1 Corinthians 15:12:
Now if Christ be preached that he [a]rose from [among] the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of [what?] {the dead}?
They had the problem then, back in the time when Paul, by divine revelation, wrote to the Church that had sort of messed up in Corinth. Some of the people were saying that Jesus Christ never rose from the dead.
Sounds like God had this written this afternoon. Some people still say it. I think . . . wasn’t it a year or so ago, when we had a periodical that gave the analysis of ministers across the United States who believed in the return of Christ? Was it 90% did not believe he’d ever come back? I forget the fact. Well, if even 1% believed he wouldn’t come back, the 1% at least shouldn’t stand in the pulpit. But if 90% or more believe he’s not coming back, what do you think the people going to believe? That’s what they’re going to believe.
Well I’ll tell you, they can all believe what they want to believe. I’ll believe what the Word says. And the Word says he’s coming back. That settles it. If he doesn’t come back, I’ll be the happiest man that ever lived. But if you don’t believe, and he comes back, you going to be miserable. Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! That’s right! And he’s coming back. He’s coming back.
And some cataclysmic things are going to occur as they have through the centuries. Because man does not retard God’s action, nor does man facilitate it. When the fullness of time was come, God sent His son in the beginning. When the fullness of time comes again, sir, he’s coming back. And you haven’t got a thing to do with it; I haven’t got a thing to do with it. Your believing doesn’t substantiate it, nor would my unbelief terminate it. He’s coming when God’s good and ready. Man hasn’t got a lousy thing to say about it. That’s right.
And whether they preach and believe, makes no difference. He’s still coming.
In Corinth that day, he said in verse 13,
1 Corinthians 15:13-20:
13… if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching [is] vain, and your [believing or] faith is also vain.
15Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
[verse 16] 16For if the dead rise not, then is . . . Christ [not] raised:
17And if Christ be not raised, your [believing] is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20But now [but now, but now] is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that [have fallen asleep]. . ..
He is risen, and any man or woman can have the proof of the resurrected Christ in his life if he wants to. If he or she does not want to, they can just go dillydally, do as they please. But there is no reason for any man or woman not having the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in their life, and the evidence and the manifestation in concretion, which proves the resurrection.
He is risen. Not because you have changed your life – because I know a lot of people who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who changed their life, who changed their way of living. I know a lot of people who have never accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, do not even believe in him as God’s only begotten Son. Some who believe he was a fine prophet. Some who believe he was just one prophet among some of the rest of the prophets. They’ve changed their lives. They walk, sense knowledge-wise, real nicely. But that’s not what makes you a Christian.
What makes you a Christian is the acceptance of the resurrected Christ. God raised him. He’s seated at the right hand of the Father. And on the day of Pentecost, it says in Acts, He sent forth this which you now see in here which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. The Christ could not ever be in you, the hope of glory, unless God had raised him.
And Romans 10:9 said,
Romans 10:9-10:
. . . if thou [will] shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord [what?] {Jesus}, and . . . believe in thine heart that God hath [what?] raised him from the dead, thou shalt…
So you see how central the resurrection is?
On top of most religious places in America, we have a cross. On most religious places on the inside, the cross. The cross is symbolic of death. The open tomb is symbolic of the resurrected Christ. And we are not saved in his death, we are saved in his resurrection. Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe God did what? Raised him from the dead.
You see why the resurrection has always been the laughing stock of the unbeliever? Why does the most monumental event in all history? And when you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe God raised him from the dead, you’re saved. You have Christ in you, the hope of glory. You couldn’t have the Christ in you, the hope of glory, if God hadn’t raised him. And if he hadn’t ascended into heaven, sent forth this which you now see and hear, you couldn’t have it.
But if He did what He said He did, then you can have it. And the way to find out if you’ve gotten the Easter lily is come on over here and take it. The way to find out if you have Christ in you, the hope of glory, is believe what the Word of God says and speak in tongues. And when you speak in tongues, it says in Acts, that’s the external manifestation in the senses world of the internal reality and presence of Christ in you, the hope of glory! And that can only be because God raised him.
Ma’am, what a day! What a time to be alive! What a wonderful era to live! To have the freedom this week to hold forth the greatness of God’s Word. To talk about that resurrected Christ; the power that’s in it, for there is power in that name.
Fear not. Just walk.
I think it says in Colossians – maybe we ought to take a look at it. I know it’s there. I looked it up earlier today. Knew it was there all the time anyways, because I read it.
Chapter 3, verse 1.
Colossians 3:1a:
If ye then be risen with Christ, . . .
Because he arose. We already, according to Colossians, are guaranteed the rising up. Corinthians gave it to us a little while ago. Here, it’s a reality of truth again in Colossians. We’re already risen in Christ. Already seated in the heavenlies, it says, if you’re born again. If we are, it says,
Colossians 3:1b:
. . . seek those things which are [what?] above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God. Seek those things above.
They have a new, they have a new children’s puppet show for our kids they’re developing in at The Way College of Emporia – the Corps kids that are involved in the children’s activity work. And they got a new song. You know, the W.O.R.D. song. So they have a new one and that puppet show that goes with it. And they got this verse, they use this verse where Jesus Christ is seated on the right hand of God. And one of the puppets says to the other one, “My goodness, if Jesus Christ is God, God must be beside himself.” {Laughter}
If ye then be risen with Christ… Risen with him. Risen with him. Risen with… Seek these things which are above. Seek the things which are above where Christ sitteth where? On the right hand of God.
Every man has his own mind, has his own freedom. Man can make up his mind to do what the Word says, or he can make up his mind not to do it. One gets the results of the Word, the other gets the consequences of unbelief.
And many of you have heard me quote this little old poem:
[THE WAYS]
To every man there openeth
A Way, and Ways, and a Way,
And the high soul climbs the High Way,
And the low soul gropes the low.
And in between, on the misty flats,
The rest drift to and fro.
But to every man there openeth
A High Way and a Low;
And every man decideth
[Which] Way his soul shall go.
[John Oxenham]
For those of us who believe God’s Word, it’s the high road of all life. And what a difference it makes. Why? For God so loved that He what? Gave. And as John sang tonight,
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Was every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the oceans dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.[2]
Yes, he is risen. For there are a lot of things I don’t know about life, but there’s one thing I know; he is risen. He is risen! That I know beyond a shadow of a doubt! He is risen!
Boy, what a message to share in our day and time! He is what? {Risen.} Let me hear you say it. He is what? {Risen.} He is risen! There. Say it. He… {He is risen.}
Oh, come on. One, two, three. {He is risen!} Good! Wonderful.
Do you believe it? {Yes.} Then walk like it. Seek those things which are above where Christ sits upon the right hand of God, and be not entangled again in that yoke of bondage. Walk in the greatness of that deliverance. Be not afraid, for I am the Lord thy God that will succor thee and strengthen thee. Isn’t that wonderful?
Father, I thank you for the greatness of your Word tonight. Thank you for your love. Thank you for the dynamic reality of your divine presence. Thank you, Father, for just so beautifully and simply teaching your Word to your people. That they’ll really know that it’s your Word, and that through that Word you can have a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Father. Thank you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the privilege of sharing my heart from the Word with your people this night. Through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
[1] Matthew 27:40: And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest [it] in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
[2] Lehman, Frederick M., 1917, “The Love of God is Greater Far,” Public Domain.