Pulpit Today

        How important is Christ’s resurrection?  Without it Christianity is reduced to the equivalent of all other religions of the world.  Like other religions, Christians would be without hope, and our faith would be vain. That’s why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:17, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”  But through the testimony of 500 first century eyewitnesses to the resurrection, including the apostles that were willing to suffer martyrdom for their resurrection testimony, Christianity becomes the supreme religion!

        But the resurrection also confirms that Jesus triumphed over man’s greatest enemy—death!  Acts 2:24 says, “God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”  There’s no need for Christians to fear death and what lies beyond the grave because Christ has conquered it!

        Finally, the resurrection proclaims that Jesus Christ is the Son of God!  Romans 1:4 says, Jesus was “declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead.”  No other major world religion even claims to worship a risen savior.  That’s due to their own testimony:

Buddha’s tomb – occupied.

Confucius’ tomb – occupied.

Mohammed’s tomb – occupied.

Jesus’ tomb – empty!

The great boast of Christianity isn’t what lies in the tomb, it’s what doesn’t lie in the tomb!  “He is not here, He is risen!”