On Good Friday, many Christian believers commemorated the death of Jesus? On Easter Sunday, we remember His resurrection. But what if there had been no resurrection? What if Jesus had remained dead?
1 Corinthians 15:12-19 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up — if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
IF Jesus had remained dead, THEN …
- the apostle’s preaching was empty …
- our faith is empty …
- we are false witnesses of God (by saying God raised up Christ when He didn’t) …
- our faith is futile …
- we are still in our sins …
- those believers who have died are dead forever … and have no hope …
- we are suffering for no good reason.
IF Jesus had remained dead, THEN what evidence could we have that we have been justified? How could Jesus have delivered us from death … if He couldn’t deliver Himself or had not been delivered?
IF there is no resurrection, THEN death is the end of the story.
IF Jesus Christ was not resurrected, THEN …
- Jesus is a liar … because He predicted that He would be resurrected … and if He lied about His resurrection, then He probably lied about other things, as well.
- ESUS IS A LIAR, BECAUSE HE PREDICTED THAT HE WOULD, AND IF HE LIED ABOUT HIS RESURRECTION, THEN HE WOULD PROBABLY LIE ABOUT OTHER THINGS.
- His ministry ended at His death … and we have no High Priest, Advocate, Intercessor or Head for the Church.
- He is not able to live His life in us … so there is no Church.
- there is no Gospel … because the Gospel is not only about the death of Jesus, but also about His resurrection.
- our witness, our testimony, almost everything we believe in is false.
- we have no real hope … because our faith is meaningless … our future is meaningless.
IF Jesus is resurrected, however, THEN …
- our faith rests on a solid foundation, safe and secure
- our hope well-founded and our future is assured.
1 Corinthians 15:20-29
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.
26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. 29 Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?
Romans 8:18-23 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was a key moment in the greatest story of all time. Jesus is risen. He has been victorious … and we participate in that victory. We know that the tomb is empty … our Redeemer lives … the battle has been won.