By Pastor Jeff,
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? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 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. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”
If this is true then we have any miserable people in this world for many religions do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ or any other type of resurrection. The Muslims, Orthodox Jewish faith, of course we have Hinduism, Buddhism, and others as well fall into this category. Non-Christians as a whole do not believe in a literal resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
However a 2017 poll in the UK found that ½ of the population doesn’t believe in the Resurrection and 23% of so-called Christians don’t believe it neither.
In America a 2013 poll said that only 64% believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ so that would mean 36% either have no view or don’t believe in the resurrection either.
There is a movement out there that are infiltrating many churches called Progressive Christianity which believe this,
1. Believe that following the path and teachings of Jesus can lead to an awareness and experience of the Sacred and the Oneness and Unity of all life;
2. Affirm that the teachings of Jesus provide but one of many ways to experience the Sacredness and Oneness of life, and that we can draw from diverse sources of wisdom in our spiritual journey;
People most miserable!
1 Corinthians 15:20-23, “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” There is actually 3 parts of the first resurrection, two mentioned here and another in Revelations. 20:4-6, “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
If we examine the bible we have ample evidence of a resurrected Jesus Christ as
Jesus over and over told His disciples of the coming trial, death and resurrection, Matthew 20:18-19, Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.””
So, let’s look at some of the reasons some claim that Jesus was not resurrected, the body was stolen, Matthew 28:11-15, “Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.” So, you are telling me that these disciples who ran at the arrest of Jesus, were hiding in a room, could of snuck in and rolled a massive stone away quietly so as to not awake these soldiers (who would of been condemned to death from sleeping on the job) and carried Jesus body away somewhere.
The Swoon theory which states Jesus did not die on the cross but lapsed into some kind of comatose state and later revived-John 19:31-35, “Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.”
It was an Hallucination, right!
That the resurrection and even the death of Jesus was just a non-literal, Myth, I ask you,what person would endure torture, suffering, rejection, and death for a myth?
The resurrection is an integral part of the Christian faith and I contend you can’t call yourself a Christian if you do not believing in the biblical account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Romans 10:9, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
I wholeheartedly believe in the miraculous birth, the life, the teachings, the betrayal, suffering of Jesus Christ. But if ended there, I would be most miserable for I have had dear friends and family that have passed on that If I didn’t believe in the resurrection I would just eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow I die. But I have the hope of seeing my dear friends and loved ones again because the resurrection is true and Jesus has put His Spirit in me so one day I also will be resurrected!
picture care of: heartlight.org
By Pastor Mike
