“And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty…But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:12-20)
If He is not risen…
The story of Jesus’ life does not end with His death on the cross. But if it had really ended there, then, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “our preaching is empty,” for the main proof of Christianity is: “He lives!” And the wonderful thing is that everyone can personally experience this. In fact, it is absolutely necessary to experience it, because otherwise we are missing the essentials. Paul goes on to say: “If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile.” What then can make our hearts glad; what do we have in our hands? What can comfort us when we depart from this life? Then no one could exclaim: “for I know that my Redeemer lives!” (Job 19:25)
That Jesus died and rose again is the great truth of the gospel. That is why Paul emphasizes this so explicitly: “If He is not risen…!” Then our death would be a loss, and we would still be in our sins and would have to carry this burden with us forever.
Paul also points out that our hope would then be a deception. Why take on so much struggle, suffering, persecution, and tears if death really is the end? What would be the point of everything that is important to us? That is why we want to hold on to this: Jesus’ resurrection is the great reality of faith. If there were no resurrection, we would be the most miserable of all people. But now we may confess:
Death is conquered!
We can believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ because: “Death is swallowed up in victory!” (1 Corinthians 15:54) The church of Jesus knows it, believes it, and experiences it: Jesus’ tomb is empty! We are always in contact with the living Lord!
The Holy Scriptures say: Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of the Father after He had taken our sins to the cross and our death with Him to the grave. But now He cries out: “I live, and you shall live too!” The realm of the dead could not hold Him because He was without sin. Although He took our sins upon Himself, there was no sin in Him. It was on Golgotha that death was swallowed up by victory, and Jesus’ resurrection is the guarantee that we too will be resurrected. We can also hold on to this for ourselves personally: I will rise again!
Life has triumphed!
When Jesus speaks victoriously: “I live!”, we want to become very reflective. He lives despite the cross, despite death, despite the grave. All those weeping and mourning, all those struggling, doubting, and weary may hold on to this for time and eternity. The miracle of Jesus’ resurrection has become truth for us all. We are called to life. “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” the angel asked the grieving women at the empty tomb. “He is not here!” So we too may turn away from the tomb of the old self. Let us press through in faith to live with Him!
Those who seek the Crucified One will find the Risen One. “If then you have been raised with Christ,” writes Paul in Colossians 3:1, “seek those things which are above.” Seek what pleases the Prince of Life. Do not remain stuck in sin, doubt, and self-accusation! The miracle of the resurrection is for everyone. Peter also testifies to this effective power of the resurrection: “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).
The earth shook when the Son of God cried out: “It is finished!” and it shook again when the sun rose on Easter morning. The stone has been rolled away, the tomb is empty, the Risen One is the Prince of Life and Peace for a world that has fallen into sin and death. We want to hold on to this fact of Easter in faith. The miracle of the resurrection applies to us: no matter where we are, no matter what responsibilities we bear, no matter what worries we have, we can lead a life of victory if we have fellowship with the Risen One.
Rejoice!
Where there is this new life from God, there is joy. That is why we want to walk in the light that Easter brought us. We read about the disciples that they were glad when they saw the Lord (see John 20:20). Where there is life, there is joy; and where there is joy, there is strength; and where there is strength, there is victory: I believe in the resurrection of Jesus!
An Easter hymn says: “My Jesus is risen, there is no one to take Him from me.” This living Lord intervenes in my everyday life, in the life of my family, in my profession. Great things happen – and many small things – when people reckon with the Risen Lord.
The miracle of the resurrection is:
- the greatest event in world history
- the greatest proof of Christianity
- the greatest revelation of God’s power
- the greatest truth of the gospel
- the greatest reality of faith
- the greatest impulse to live in the light
So rise up and follow Jesus! He lives!
O. L. Ham
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