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THEME: FOUNDATIONS FOR SPIRITUAL RENEWAL
By Rt. Rev Emmanuel Egbunu
Topic 7. The Resurrection Of Christ As Bedrock of The Christian Faith
Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 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 to be pitied more than all men.
The historicity of the resurrection event holds the Christian faith together and binds all believers of all ages and in all places into one family of faith. What we believe about the resurrection of Christ says a lot about our faith whether as individuals or as congregations or even as denominations.
How did the Apostles understand the resurrection event? And how did they interpret it to the believers? In what is popularly known today as the Apostles’ Creed – a summary of what they believed and taught (dating back to about 150 A.D but not necessarily composed by the apostles themselves), the confession is made: “He [Christ] suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; On the third day He rose again…”
If Christ had not risen from the dead, Christianity would only be the story of a beautiful life that ended up in the grave. Like the life of the Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Apostles. From the passage above, we can glean some fundamental truths to strengthen our faith this Easter season.
“If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless” (v14). Right from the day of Pentecost, Preaching has remained a great activity in Christianity. It is the avenue for proclaiming the Christian message to unbelievers, and it is the means of nurturing believers on the truths of the faith. There is hardly any Christian gathering where some form of preaching or exhortation does not take place. In the ministry of the Apostle Paul who himself wrote these words of 1 Corinthians 15, the resurrection of Christ is a central theme. The entire New Testament teaching gives the subject of the resurrection of Christ and Christians a pivotal place. If Jesus was not raised from the dead, then our preaching will only relate to living well and dying well in this life, and the story ends there. The great importance of preaching is highlighted by Apostle Paul when he says, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14). If Christ has not been raised, our preaching would be at best like the feeling of the disciples on the road to Emmaus: "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place…” (Luke 24:19-21). The Apostle Paul too would not have had any Damascus road experience or indeed anything to say about the power of His resurrection.
“and so is your faith.” Christian faith rests on the reliability of God and His word. The Scripture promise was Isaiah 53:11 “After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.” The Psalms also present these prophetic words about the resurrection: “I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:8-11). Faith that does not have the reliability of God’s words as an anchor cannot be biblical faith, whatever else it may be. If after all the prophecies, and the words of Christ Himself, He still did not rise from the dead, then there would hardly be a good reason to believe anything else about Him. All the great and precious promises of the Bible that comfort us in the times of bereavement will crumble like a pack of cards. John 3:16, 11:25-26, 14:1-6, 19 would all be meaningless.
“False witnesses about God”
If Christ is not risen, not only will the preaching be useless, the integrity of preachers would be at stake for they will be preachers of fiction rather than truth: More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised (v15). Christian preachers would be deceivers. In that case, Christian preaching that is not based on truth, and therefore without integrity, would be the greatest tragedy of Christianity.
“Your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (v17). The resurrection of Christ confirms that heaven was satisfied with His atoning death on the cross. Christian preaching proclaims forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ. Because of the great importance of this to our faith, we will look at a few passages to make clear the emphasis of apostolic preaching as commanded by the Lord Jesus Himself after His resurrection:
Luke 24:47 - repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Acts 2:38 - Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 10:43 - All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
Acts 26:18 - to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
At every celebration of Holy Communion, these words are recalled to strengthen the faith of God’s people: “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). How eternally devastating it would be to get to the end of our lives and be told that all we ever believed about the forgiveness of sins was a lie! As the apostle further says, “Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.”
Death is not the last word
The resurrection of Christ proves that death is not the last word as far as God’s relationship with man is concerned. Death came into the Garden of Eden, but immediately a picture of redemption followed with the clothing of Adam and Eve with garments of skin (Gen. 3:21). As the Bible says in Romans 5:17; “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.” The Lord Jesus assures us that because He lives, we will live also. The greatest consolation for Christians in the hour of death and bereavement is that death is not the last word in God’s dealing with man. By the resurrection of Christ, death has been swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:54). We must let Paul say the last words: “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:19-22).
Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son
Endless is the victory, Thou o’er death hast won
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away
Kept the folded grave clothes where Thy body lay
Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son
Endless is the victory, Thou o’er death hast won
No more we doubt Thee, glorious Prince of life
Life is nought without Thee, aid us in our strife
Make us more than conquerors through Thy deathless love
Bring us safe through Jordan to Thy home above
Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son
Endless is the victory, Thou o’er death hast won.
Collect for Easter
Lord of all life and power,
who through the mighty resurrection of your Son
overcame the old order of sin and death
to make all things new in him;
grant that we, being dead to sin
and alive to You in Jesus Christ,
may reign with him in glory;
to whom with You and the Holy Spirit
be praise and honour, glory and might,
now and in all eternity, Amen.