Mission Venture Ministries

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19) 

The resurrection of Jesus is at the heart of the Christian message and culminates the passion narrative in all four Gospels because it is at the center of redemption itself. One must stand in awe of the exalted Messiah, the Son of the living God, who gave His life as a ransom for many, who presently reigns at God’s right hand, and who will one day return in glory to redeem the believers. 

Paul openly stated that apart from the resurrection our faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). Thinking about how absolutely bleak and pointless any so-called “Christian” life would be without the resurrection should urge us to ponder it all the more since: 

Without the resurrection, Jesus’ death would have no meaning to the Christian life. The resurrection amounts to the Father’s clear signal that Jesus is the powerful Son of God who has conquered death and reigns as Lord of all (Romans 1:4; 4:25). The resurrection demonstrates that Jesus’ “blood of the new covenant” saves His people from their sins. Apart from the resurrection, there would be no reason for celebrating communion in memory of the Last Supper because there would be no reason to anticipate the cup that Jesus promised to share with the believer in the Father’s Kingdom (Matthew 26:28). 

Without the resurrection, none of Jesus’ promises would be trustworthy. If Jesus did not rise from the dead after promising many times that He would do so (Matthew 12:40; 16:21; 17:9, 23, 20:19; 26:32), we would have no hope (1 Corinthians 15:16-19). If that were the case Jesus would have been a deceiver. Instead His most amazing promise has come true. So how can we not depend on Him and live by trusting Him in all the rest of His promises? 

Without the resurrection, there would be no apostolic foundation for the church (Matthew 16:18). Jesus’ resurrection turned those who had scattered back into faithful followers (Matthew 26:31-32). The astonishing news brought to them by the women who first discovered the empty tomb and later were met by the risen Lord Jesus Himself brought the scattered disciples back into the fold and emboldened them for witness (Matthew 28:7, 10, 16-20).  That same resurrection message is still powerful to transform doubters into disciples today. 

Without the resurrection, there would be no model of sacrificial living. Jesus embodied and demonstrated the crucified life, that a self-centered life is a lost life, and that genuinely abundant living occur only when one dies to self-interest (Matthew 10:38-39; 16:24-28; 20:26-28; 23:12). Paul expounded on this further, teaching us that Jesus’ followers died with Him to the old life and arose with Him to new life (Romans 6:1-11). 

Paul’s basis for teaching the Philippians to live in humility and unity is simply to tell the story of Jesus, centering on how His past humility led to His future exaltation (Philippians 2:1-13). 

We know the resurrection is a biblical fact. How? Because 11 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for many years, never once denying it. They were beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison, and would not have endured that if Christ’s resurrection hadn’t truly occurred. 

Therefore, since Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that He said; if He didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what He said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like Jesus’ teaching but whether or not you believe that He rose from the dead. 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the single greatest event in the history of the world. It is so foundational to Christianity that no one who denies it can be a true Christian. A person who believes in a Christ who was not resurrected believes in a powerless and dead Christ. If Christ did not rise from the dead, then no redemption was accomplished at the cross, as Paul states: “your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). If Christ was not raised, His death was in vain, your faith in Him would be pointless and your sins would still be counted against you with no hope of spiritual life. 

We need to understand that there is a resurrection after death. The life that we live here in the flesh is not all, there is more. All is not over when the last breath is drawn, and men and women are carried to their grave. The trumpet shall one day sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible. One day everyone in their graves shall hear Christ’s voice and come forth–those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of damnation. This is one of the great foundation truths of the Christian religion. 

The resurrection of Christ is one of the foundations of Christianity. It was the seal of the great work that Jesus came on earth to do. It was the crowning proof that the ransom He paid for sinners was accepted, the atonement for sin accomplished and the victory won. 

The great gift of Resurrection Day is hope, which makes us have that confidence in God, in His ultimate triumph, and in His goodness and love, which no one can shake from us. As was true of those women who found an empty tomb, our hope is real. We have been “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). Knowing this, we can’t help but be encouraged, today and every day hereafter. 

Wishing you a blessed Resurrection Day! 

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