The Most Important Moment in Human History
Everything hinges on the resurrection of Jesus. Two-thousand years ago, a Jewish man walked the earth, claimed to be God, died on a Roman cross, and then returned to life. All of humanity must grapple with the gravity of this most important moment in human history. Without the resurrection, Christianity does not exist. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, our faith would be a sham. The apostle Paul says as much when he’s speaking to the Church at Corinth about the resurrection of Christ:
And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. - I Corinthians 15:14
It’s not just that the resurrection is an important doctrine. It’s not just that we should include it in a list of beliefs. Without a risen Savior, our faith is in vain. Pointless. Meaningless. A waste of time. All of our pursuit of God, all of our prayers, all of our serving, all of our church activities, all of our attempts to impact the world around us — none of this matters if Jesus did not get up out of that tomb.
But He did, didn’t He? The apostles and disciples of this Man testified of this truth. Many early Christians, including Jesus’ own brother, gave their lives as martyrs because they would not flinch from their insistence that Jesus is the resurrected Son of God. These faithful believers had no reason to make up this story. They did not make money or profit from a fabricated resurrection narrative. They stood firm because it really happened. Jesus — fully God and fully man — rose from the grave. This historic fact matters more than we can imagine.
For the early Christians, Easter was not just a time of remembrance. It was a prophetic promise that gave them hope for the future. The reason many of them laid down their life for the Gospel was because they believed that they would be resurrected just like Jesus.
The apostle Paul goes on to say:
If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. - I Corinthians 15:19-20
Easter is not only a time to look back but a moment to look forward with hope. We all face challenges, trials, and pain in our lives. We may or may not have to literally lay down our lives for following Jesus, but we can rest assured that any “light and moment affliction” of this life is nothing compared to what is in store for us.
Jesus’ resurrection assures us that we will be with God for all eternity. Heaven will come to earth, all things will be made new, and we will reign with Christ forever. Just as Christ was resurrected, we will be resurrected with brand new bodies that do not decay or grow old. Every spiritual enemy will be destroyed. Every pain will be alleviated. Perfect peace, justice, and righteousness will reign in the new heavens and the new earth.
This is our hope! This Easter, let’s proclaim with faith the same truth that the early Church proclaimed: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Journal: Take a few minutes to close your eyes and imagine heaven. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you hope. Think about eternity with Jesus and journal what you see and imagine.
Activation: Grab coffee with a fellow believer and have a conversation about the resurrection of Jesus and the hope of heaven. Encourage each other as you think about the glorious future we have in Christ.
And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. - I Corinthians 15:14
It’s not just that the resurrection is an important doctrine. It’s not just that we should include it in a list of beliefs. Without a risen Savior, our faith is in vain. Pointless. Meaningless. A waste of time. All of our pursuit of God, all of our prayers, all of our serving, all of our church activities, all of our attempts to impact the world around us — none of this matters if Jesus did not get up out of that tomb.
But He did, didn’t He? The apostles and disciples of this Man testified of this truth. Many early Christians, including Jesus’ own brother, gave their lives as martyrs because they would not flinch from their insistence that Jesus is the resurrected Son of God. These faithful believers had no reason to make up this story. They did not make money or profit from a fabricated resurrection narrative. They stood firm because it really happened. Jesus — fully God and fully man — rose from the grave. This historic fact matters more than we can imagine.
For the early Christians, Easter was not just a time of remembrance. It was a prophetic promise that gave them hope for the future. The reason many of them laid down their life for the Gospel was because they believed that they would be resurrected just like Jesus.
The apostle Paul goes on to say:
If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. - I Corinthians 15:19-20
Easter is not only a time to look back but a moment to look forward with hope. We all face challenges, trials, and pain in our lives. We may or may not have to literally lay down our lives for following Jesus, but we can rest assured that any “light and moment affliction” of this life is nothing compared to what is in store for us.
Jesus’ resurrection assures us that we will be with God for all eternity. Heaven will come to earth, all things will be made new, and we will reign with Christ forever. Just as Christ was resurrected, we will be resurrected with brand new bodies that do not decay or grow old. Every spiritual enemy will be destroyed. Every pain will be alleviated. Perfect peace, justice, and righteousness will reign in the new heavens and the new earth.
This is our hope! This Easter, let’s proclaim with faith the same truth that the early Church proclaimed: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Journal: Take a few minutes to close your eyes and imagine heaven. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you hope. Think about eternity with Jesus and journal what you see and imagine.
Activation: Grab coffee with a fellow believer and have a conversation about the resurrection of Jesus and the hope of heaven. Encourage each other as you think about the glorious future we have in Christ.
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