The Power of Christ’s Resurrection—

  1. As a miracle attesting His Divine mission.
  2. As an evidence of His Divinity.—Resurrection does not always prove Divinity, but in these circumstances (Rom. i. 3, 4).
  3. As an indication of the acceptance of His sacrifice.
  4. As an incentive to the pursuit of holiness.—Risen with Christ; risen in Him, sharing His life.
  5. As an instrument of social amelioration.—The Gospel has civilised where it has not Christianised, has repressed and refined where it has not renewed or regenerated.
  6. As a pledge and preassurance of the glorious resurrection of His people.—G. Brooks.

The Fellowship of Christ’s Sufferings.

  1. We have fellowship with Christ in His sufferings in the pain caused by coming in contact with sin.
  2. In having our motives misinterpreted and our conduct misjudged.
  3. In the purifying influence of suffering.

Ver. 11. The Resurrection of the Dead as an Object to aim at.

I. The object which Paul contemplated.—1. The resurrection as the proof of final escape from all evil. 2. The resurrection as the occasion of public recognition by the Saviour-Judge. 3. The resurrection as the pledge of eternal happiness in heaven.

II. His desire for that object.—It supplies—1. A high appreciation of its value. 2. A deep sense of its difficulty. 3. A persuasion that it may be attained in various degrees. 4. A submission to all the Divine arrangements in reference to it.—G. Brooks.

The Resurrection of the Just.

I. What is that entire satisfaction and climax for which we are to long and labour?

II. What are the scriptural representations of its accompaniments and consequences?—1. The power of recognising all those whom they have known in holy fellowship on earth. 2. The resemblance of our nature to Christ. 3. High honour is destined for Christians.