Bible Study with the Cincottis – I Am The Resurrection – 04/06/2026
Today’s Bible Study, Authored by Arthur Cincotti.
Listen to our Bible Study Discussion at: I am the Resurrection Audio Podcast
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I Am The Resurrection
“For if we have been untied together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. Rm. 6:5
“Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” was the mantra of the early church. Today, around the world that He created, we who believe, celebrate this event, this truth, and this principle. Today, we are going to study the resurrection as a historic event, as a personal reality, and as a kingdom principle. All three aspects have significant relevance to our identity in and relationship with Christ.
Unfortunately, for those of us who live in the present, historic events and future expectations have only a marginal impact. Martha is a great example of this. “Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again,’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’” Jn. 11:23-24. It’s not much of a stretch to read a tinge of disappointment in her response. She is contending with a here-and-now reality; the pain and grief of the loss of a loved one and all the emotions that come along with it. Her beloved brother is no longer a part of her tangible world. “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this.?’” vrs 25, 26
Have you ever quoted that Scripture at a funeral? Jesus is trying to bring her into a present tense reality, but she, and the others, and us, only partially get it. We are so shackled to time. She [politely] said, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” The point is that He was about to come crashing into her world in a very dramatic way, much the same as He wants to do with us.
We have the same attitude about the resurrection when we think about it as a distant past, one time event. It’s really cool that Jesus rose from the dead, demonstrating power over death, hell, and the grave. You don’t have to convince many Christians. We even know, intellectually, that this one time event in history has impacted all of human history and especially those who believe by taking the fear of death off the landscape for us. Jesus is our Elder brother and our “forerunner” Heb. 6:20. His resurrection sets the precedent for us and our resurrection. But what will that look like?
It’s a point of interest that the disciples didn’t really recognize the resurrected Jesus. Scholars have speculated on these passages, suggesting that the last time they saw Jesus He was so maimed and disfigured that the image of Him fully restored was incomprehensible. Remember, they were in shock. This was a traumatic event. They were the poster children for PTSD. I’m not fully convinced by this explanation, though. Perhaps Jesus’ resurrection body resembled something they had never seen before. Paul gives us a glimpse of this. The church in Corinth had a good question when they asked, “How are the dead raised? And with what body do they come?” I Co. 15:35. He goes on to say, “So also is the resurrection of the dead, the body I sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body…” This is important information because this will be our future experience. “certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.” Rm. 6:5
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” Prov. 13:12
The resurrection is our personal experience
because Jesus is our personal experience!
Paul spends much of his time in the book of Acts preaching the resurrection. It is the watershed event for mankind, and because of Jesus resurrection, the Christian faith has an exclusive apologetic and hope. We have some awesome prospects. We will dwell forever in a “new heaven and new earth…” Rev. 21:1-2. We will see Jesus face to face; “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” I Cor. 13:12. We will judge angels, I Co. 6:3.
We shall hear “inexpressible words, which it is not lawful [presently] for a man to utter.” II Co. 12:4. “God Himself will be with them [us] and be their [our] God. And wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Rev. 21:4-5. But much of this, as we have already discussed, is a future hope. What about the here and now?
We also live in a present-tense resurrection reality. “If then you were raised with Christ seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Col. 3:1-4. This sounds a little poetic, but we embrace it by faith and not always by sight. So there is an element of mystery involved. It’s more than just mental assent, but is, in fact, a submission to the truth of God’s word, which says that such is true. This is what makes us “more than conquerors”, precipitated through Him that loved us.” Rm. 8:37
These are the truths that invigorate us, and sustain us, and drive us forward toward perfection, and compel us to share the gospel out of compassion.
But this is not the only present reality that encompasses the resurrection. As we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, we are mindful of what it took to get here. We are mindful of the cross. We haven’t spoken yet of the cross because, why ruin the celebration, but the truth principle is that there can’t be a resurrection without a death. This is a kingdom dynamic that holds true for many aspects, vexations, and sufferings of this present dispensation. Seasoned believers know this all too well. You may have had a dream, or a gift, or a talent, or a passion, and you may have had some moderate success trafficking in what you have honed, polished, and perhaps even perfected. But there lies the stumbling block of pride in that. And so, God will often crush that thing in order to raise it up in resurrection power. This is where the anointing is. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Col. 1:27 Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” Lk. 9:23-25
The other substantial truth that separates the Christian faith from all other systems, religions, and philosophies is that it gives purpose to suffering. Because Christ suffered, we gain Christ-likeness when we endure through suffering. Jesus tried to warn the disciples beforehand, “the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Mk. 8:31. “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” Jn. 15:20. Any believer who has suffered unjust contempt, persecution, rejection, or loss and has maintained their witness, confessing, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” is walking in Christ-likeness. And that is a good place to be because, “for the joy that was set before Him [He] endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb. 12:2
Notice how Jesus was pretty laid back after the resurrection. No more confrontations with the Pharisees. No more traipsing all over the Promised Land on foot. “It is finished,” mission accomplished, Sabbath rest. This can be and is our resurrection experience in Christ. He’s inviting us!
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