Resurrection: The Crucifixion is Meaningless Without It

So much of our teaching focuses on the death of Jesus because we have often been more caught up on the “spiritual” problem (sin) rather than the physical problem (death and decay/corruption).

However, without the resurrection…the crucifixion is meaningless. Many people ended up on Roman crosses claiming to be the Christ/Messiah. But only one of them rose from the grave to never die again.

Jesus predicted that he would go to Jerusalem, be arrested, die and rise again in three days. If that doesn’t happen his entire ministry would be called into question. The disciples wouldn’t have carried on the message. There would be no forgiveness of sin. Our sin and death problem would go unresolved…if Jesus hadn’t risen.

We need to drop the gnosticism…the platonism…the division between physical and spiritual and recognize that it all goes together. Read 1 Corinthians 6 – what you do in the body has an effect on the spiritual. Notice Jesus, post-resurrection where he made great pains to show he was not a ghost but was alive in the body. The resurrection of Jesus’ physical body matters a great deal!

Once you understand that resurrection is the raising of the body, back to life, like Jesus…that we will live in eternity in raised body form…it makes the resurrection all the more important. Yes we have a sin problem. But overcoming that isn’t enough…we also have to resolve our death problem in order to live again. Otherwise we end up as the forgiven dead! Actually, that might be a generous statement…we wouldn’t be forgiven at all

“¹⁷ And 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. ” – 1 Cor 15:17-19

Praise God for the empty tomb. Praise God for new life in Christ. Happy Easter!