Who Were the First Fruits of the Resurrection?

Who Were the First Fruits of the Resurrection?

By Pastor Gary Boyd

April 4 2021

Who were the first fruits of the resurrection after Christ died on the cross? What did they do? Did they die again? Were they a precursor to what is to come in the rapture and the second coming?

MATTHEW 27:45 – 53, Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (The sins of the world were now on Jesus and God cannot look upon sin, so he turned his face away from his son for that moment and in the next moment he was gone).

47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

49 The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

1. you hear what was just spoken in scripture? After Christ gave up the spirit many dead saints’ bodies were then raised up to life again. They went into Jerusalem to be seen by over a million people for it was Passover and the city was full. Many marveled at this in astonishment as a miracle of the resurrection for they ate and drank as everyone else alive was doing.

Look at it again, (Matthew 27:50–53): Now remember the saints had been dead a long time, this then did not happen at their time of their death. This is mysterious in itself because it was just not one saint, but scripture says many saints (vs52).

When Jesus gave up His spirit (i.e. Jesus died). “The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split” (Mat 27:50-51). Then the “graves were opened,” from which “many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised” (Mat 27:52), “and coming out of the graves after [Jesus’] resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” (Mat 27:53) These saints then were bodily transformed from death to life. They then became witnesses to the power of the resurrection as they gave testimony to the crowd in Jerusalem.

18. then Jesus is the Name above all names because of his resurrection to everlasting life as an eternal. Remember then the ones who came back into life lived again. They also had to die again.

Who was it then who conquered death?

Who was sinless then and did not deserve to die?

Who was it then who rose from the grave never to see death again?

Who took on the sins of the whole world then on the cross? The answer to all the above is Jesus Christ the Son of God did and he sits now at the right hand of God preparing a place for his true church when he comes for us at the rapture. Remember he died so we would have everlasting life in eternity with him. We are the bride of Christ who is now preparing mansions for all who follow him. We are to forever to be with the Lord in eternity where we never grow old, to be forever young.

Bob Dylan was saved and born again back in the day. Here are the lyrics to his monster hit FOREVER YOUNG:

May God bless and keep you always

May your wishes all come true

May you always do for others

And let others do for you

May you build a ladder to the stars

And climb on every rung

And may you stay

Forever young

May you grow up to be righteous

May you grow up to be true

May you always know the truth

And see the lights surrounding you

May you always be courageous

Stand upright and be strong

And may you stay

Forever young

May your hands always be busy

May your feet always be swift

May you have a strong foundation

When the winds of changes shift

May your heart always be joyful

May your song always be sung

And may you stay

Forever young

Forever young