RESURRECTION MATTERS!!

 APRIL 20, 2022

Pictured above are a wonderful tradition in the UKRAINE and among Ukrainians here in Canada of Painted  Eggs called PYSANKA. 

They are rich in symbols of Creation, New Life, Blessing and Hope. 

1 Corinthians 15:17-19 

“if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

 

If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, we’d have no reason to celebrate Easter. Without the resurrection, as Paul points out in our reading from 1 Corinthians, our faith is pointless, “futile”, that we are to be pitied for believing what amounts to “fake news”.

If Jesus wasn't resurrected, we would not have hope. If Jesus wasn't resurrected, we’d have no way to be liberated from the sins that hold us captive (1 Corinthians 15:16-19).

Jesus did rise. He is alive. So, Resurrection Matters!!

Let's look briefly at three reasons the Resurrection matters:

1. The resurrection proved God’s faithfulness.

Because Jesus conquered death, we have hope. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! 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. (1 Peter 1:3). Because Jesus rose from the dead, we have proof that God keeps His word and provides a better future for us than we could ever plan. Jesus fulfilled Old Testament promises by connecting people to God. We are reminded through story, account and statement that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. God kept His word then, which means we can place complete confidence in Him to keep His word now.

2. The resurrection confirmed Jesus’ words.

Everything Jesus said would have been discredited if He hadn’t been resurrected. His credibility was on the line, and Jesus’s resurrection proved what He said was true. The post-resurrection appearances of Jesus confirm the reliability of his word and promises. If Jesus has power over the “last enemy” death, then his promises and words can be trusted. Do you remember the gathering of Jesus followers near the end of Matthew where Jesus commissioned the disciples and us? “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).

3. The resurrection provided evidence of Jesus’ power.

Jesus was resurrected, and we too experience resurrection in our lives. Jesus resurrects us, too. We don’t just believe that HE IS RISEN, we get to experience His resurrection in our own lives. New Life, transformational change, astonishing healing, a loving disposition are all outcomes of the resurrection life. The resurrection allows us to move forward in life with Christ in us and with us (Romans 6:6-8) The gospel underscore Jesus’ power and love over sin, nature, and disease and death. Jesus power breaks the chains that hold us back, and He gives us the new life experience that we could never accomplish on our own.

The resurrection matters because it’s the most significant demonstration of who Jesus is. The resurrection matters because Jesus is still alive and at work in us, and our world today.

Where do you see resurrection today?