“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:17
One of the main doctrines of the early church was the truth of the Resurrection. Why was it so critical? The week before the crucifixion of Jesus began with Palm Sunday and ended with the Empty Tomb. For the disciples, Sunday morning was gloomy, terrible, and painful. The One they had put their hopes in was dead, crucified like a common criminal! They watched the mockery of the crowd, the beating, the crown of thorns, the flogging, the crucifixion and the abandonment by God! They could not forget that awful cry from the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” It continued to ring in their ears. Jesus was dead and the awful realization was just beginning to sink in!
After all his boasting, Peter was overwhelmed with shame and grief at his denial! Mary Magdalene, who had seven demons cast out of her, saw Him die and could not comprehend it! All the disciples fled for their lives! Would they be next? Depression and hopelessness set in. It was the death of a dream! They had sacrificed jobs, reputations and families. Was it all in vain? They had been slow to believe all that Jesus had told them about the fact of his death and His resurrection after three days. When He told them about His coming crucifixion and explained how to serve one another, they argued about who would be the greatest in the Kingdom! When He asked them to stay with Him for an all-night prayer vigil before His betrayal, they fell asleep! The night Jesus was arrested, the disciples ran for their lives! They didn’t seem like the bold men of action needed to change the world! So what transformed them?
The critical question was: Did Jesus really rise from the dead? The Apostle Paul said, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins,” 1 Corinthians 15:17. If Christ had not risen from the dead, the Scriptures were not true, they were relying on fables and Christianity was a hoax! If Christ had not been raised, they were still in their sins! Those who had fallen asleep in Christ were lost! They had no future, no Savior, no Bible, no church, no hope! Everything rested upon the truth of the resurrection! It was the foundation of their faith!
Jesus foretold with amazing details and publicly announced He would be crucified and rise again:
- By His own power: John 10:18
- He would be mocked, mistreated, spit upon and whipped – Luke 18:32-33
- He would be rejected by the elders and chief priests – Mark 8:31, Psalm 118
- Events would take place in Jerusalem–Luke 18:31
- His death/resurrection would fulfill ALL Old Testament prophecies — Luke 18:31-33
- He would die by crucifixion — Matthew 26:2
- He would rise on the third day — Luke 18:33
The Jewish and Roman authorities couldn’t explain the empty tomb, but never denied it. In the forty days after the resurrection, Jesus appeared to a variety of people. Over 500 believers on 12 separate occasions were eye-witnesses to His resurrected body. First was Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18); Mary, Salome and Joanna at the empty tomb (Matthew 28:1-10); Two Emmaus disciples (Luke 24:13-35); He appeared to the 11 in the upper room(Luke 24:36); He appeared to more than 500 at the same time (1 Cor. 15:6); He appeared to James, His brother (1 Cor. 15:7); then to Paul as one abnormally born (1 Cor. 15:8). With great power the Apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,” Acts 4:33. All were “eye-witnesses of His majesty.”
He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed!
Your friend, Jean (taken from a Easter Sunday sermon by Terry)