And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:14 (ESV)
It is common for the church to focus on the happenings of Good Friday in our sermons. It is, after all, the time that Jesus declared, “It is finished.” Scripture, however, does not “finish” there. Easter Sunday is the promise that all that we hoped in and all we hope for are true. Scripture gives us some reasons that the resurrection is important. I have decided to include those this month to help you understand why Paul says, “without the resurrection, all our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”
1. The resurrection of Jesus Christ means that believers are justified before God.
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25). The resurrection of Jesus confirms that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice for sin on the cross and gives us access to a right relationship with Him.
2. The resurrection of Jesus Christ shows that Jesus defeated death.
We no longer have to fear death because Christ has triumphed over it, “O death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’” (1 Cor. 15:55-57)
3. The resurrection of Jesus Christ means that believers are united with Christ.
When we believe in Christ, we are united to Him in faith (2 Corinthians 4:14). It means that we have died with Him and will also live with Him (Romans 6:8).
4. The resurrection of Jesus Christ confirms the truth of Scripture.
The book of Job (oldest book in the Bible) is one of many examples in the OT that prophesied about the resurrection of Jesus: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.” (Job 19:25)
5. The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves that Jesus is the Son of God.
…[Christ] was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead. (Romans 1:4)
6. The resurrection of Jesus Christ means that God the Father gave His Holy Spirit to believers.
Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing (Acts 2:33). After Christ had risen and ascended, He sent the promised Holy Spirit to continue His work on earth.
7. The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives Christians a living hope.
According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you… (1 Peter 1:3-4)
8. The resurrection of Jesus Christ means that we will be raised like Him.
Believers in Jesus Christ will enjoy resurrection life just like Christ did, with glorified bodies raised in power (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). We may suffer in this life with pains and illnesses, but we will not suffer in the life to come.
9. The resurrection of Jesus Christ means that Christ will judge the world in righteousness.
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31)