Monday, April 19, 2010
1 Corinthians 15:12-14 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection from the dead? But if there is no resurrection from the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.
THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION
In the game of Jenga, a tower of wooden blocks is constructed and the participants pull out one block at a time. The game ends when a block is pulled out that caused the tower to fall.
Without the resurrection of Jesus, the Christian faith would fall down. Christ's resurrection is so critical to the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life that the lack of it would set in motion a situation so desperate that it would destroy all hope for believers in Jesus.
In 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, the apostle Paul explores the question "What if Jesus did not rise?" The series of consequences is frightening. However, there is the little word "but." "But now is Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." Since it is a fact that Christ did rise from the dead, we can go back and view the blessings beyond compare that Jesus' glorious resurrection grants us.
It is an exercise well worth the effort as even in a few weeks after the celebration of Easter we are tempted to live and act as if Christ were still in the tomb. He lives! He gives concrete hope for the future and joy in the present.
