Resurrection is no doubt the central truth of the Christian faith. Its importance cannot be overemphasized. Without the resurrection there is no Christianity. It is the central teaching of the apostles and the subject of every sermon we find in the book of acts. Today, we celebrate Easter. Alleluia! Christ is risen! Alleluia!
I am amazed by people who truly do not believe Jesus rose from the dead, and yet are still convinced Christianity is a wonderful religion. These people believe that Jesus came and walked the earth about social and moral ways of life and if people will choose to follow those principles and teachings, the world indeed would be a much better place. But Jesus’ view on charity, compassion, and society’s obligation to the poor was not his main message—nor was it a new message, as many philosophies before and after the time of Jesus had “love your neighbor” as the basis of social morality.
Jesus’ main message was himself. Specifically, that he alone could forgive our sins; he alone could pay the price for our transgressions by dying on the cross; and he alone—pay close attention here—could conquer death once and for all by rising from the grave.
Apostle Paul makes it abundantly clear that without the resurrection, Christianity is nothing special. In his first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15, Paul wrote: “if there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty, too, is our preaching….if only for this life have we hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.”
That really says it all: if Jesus did not in fact rise from the grave, our Christian faith is pitiful, pathetic, and ultimately useless.
If Jesus’ body remained dead and rotting in the tomb, then in the grand scheme of things, our faith is worthless. Oh sure, this brand of Christianity might make people feel good for a while, but it is powerless over mankind’s biggest problem: death.
It is unfortunate to note that there are people out there who have not allowed the great event to influence their lives at all. There are those who say they are Christian, they are baptized, and they believe Jesus rose from the dead, I go to church regularly as a worker, I pay my tithe and offering and all of that. It is high time we stop talking about religion and rather focus on the
essence of our salvation and the power that lies therein so that Christ’s resurrection will not be in vain in our lives.
we have many people who call themselves Christian who do not believe the central claim of Christianity: the actual, physical resurrection of Jesus. And we have many other people who at least claim to believe in the resurrection, but completely ignore the fact that Jesus calls his followers to live holy and righteous lives.
So this day, as we celebrate the most important date on the Christian calendar, Easter Sunday, maybe we need to focus on these to two crucial components of the faith: 1) Jesus really, truly did indeed rise from the dead; no doubt about it. And 2) because the resurrection is true, we must live our lives according to the lord’s will, not our own sinful, selfish will.
the historical fact of the resurrection is the very foundation for the Christian faith. The resurrection of Jesus Christ and Christianity stand or fall together. One cannot be true without the other. Belief in the truth of Christianity is not merely faith in faith ours or someone else’s but rather faith in the resurrection of Christ. Without the resurrection, we might as well forget God, church and following moral rules and “feast and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Cor. 15:32) but all glory to God, Jesus is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Happy Easter to you and all yours. It is my prayer that the resurrection power that brought Jesus out of the closed grace will work wonders in your lives in Jesus name.
Your Brother, Friend, Pastor & Archdeacon
‘Seyi Pirisola.