This article is not written to prove to you whether or not Jesus actually rose from the grave. There are plenty of others that do justice to that. What we have are four gospels—four accounts yet one message: Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected on the third day. The news of the empty tomb is not just a story, it is a declaration of hope for every believer. Hope that what dies can live again. Hope that those who die in Christ will surely live again. The purpose of this article is to reveal to you why it is so special to Christians that Jesus rose from the dead.
First of all, if Jesus did not rise from the dead, we might as well call Him a liar and disregard every other thing He said about Himself. Jesus’ prediction of His death and resurrection was one of the boldest claims He made. Even if we say He knew exactly what to say to provoke His crucifixion, resurrection is another thing entirely. That Jesus rose from the grave validates everything He said about Himself. It assures His followers that they’re not caught up in a hoax or following a con man. It confirms every other claim Jesus made—including His claim to be God.
How hopeless would Christians round the world be if there was no resurrection Sunday! The entire foundation of Christianity would collapse if Jesus had stayed in the grave. It would mean our sins were never fully washed away. It would mean those who died believing in Christ died in vain. It would mean the gospel is empty, and Jesus Christ Himself a fraud. It would mean our only “hope” is for this life—and how pitiful that would be. How miserable.
But thanks be to God—Jesus did rise from the dead. Our hope is not futile. Our suffering for the faith is not pointless. We have a hope that stretches beyond this life, and that hope is found in the risen Christ.
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 of all people most to be pitied.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:13-22 NIV
I find it very profound that exactly one week to when Jesus Himself would resurrect, He raised Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 11). In Jewish tradition, it is believed that the spirit still hovers around the body up until the third day, after which, all hope is lost. On the fourth day, Jesus arrived Lazarus’ home and his sisters went on about how he had been dead for four days (Jn. 11:39). In essence, they were saying that hope is gone and the best they could do now was to mourn the young man properly and look forward to seeing him again on the resurrection day (Jn 11:24). But then Jesus looks at them and tells them, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live…” (Jn. 11:25 ESV). He calls Lazarus forth and Lazarus comes back to life (Jn. 11:44).
No one knows when the resurrection day will come. Till then, and like Martha, all we can do is hold on dearly to the hope that it will come someday and we will be reunited with our loved ones. But to be honest, it’s easy to lose hope while waiting. I believe Jesus used the resurrection of Lazarus to tell us that even if the wait is long and seems hopeless, we should not abandon hope. There is a resurrection day to look forward to. Jesus who raised Lazarus and also raised Himself from the dead has promised us that the one who believes will live. And even in death, it’s not the end. It’s only a transitionary phase to the more hopeful and better life.
For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:14 ESV
Jesus rose from the dead and by our faith in this event, we have shared in the first resurrection. For this reason, we will be saved from the second death. That is the meaning of what Jesus says “though he die, yet shall he live… and shall never die” (Jn. 11:25.26 ESV). By identifying with Jesus’ sacrifice, we have made an appeal to God for a good conscience (1 Pet. 3:21). Our baptism into His death was not just about washing our sins away. It was also a matter of our justification. It is one thing to be pardoned but another to be treated as though you have never been guilty of offense. By faith, we received justification through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Romans 4:25 ESV
Through faith in Jesus, we identify with His sacrifice. We could not endure all that Jesus did so God made it easy for us by telling us to just believe in the work He already completed. By this faith, we were baptised into the death of Christ, as though we died and paid for our own sins and when He was raised to life, we were raised along with Him to walk in newness of life. The term “born again” became a reality for us because we received a new life upon our resurrection by association. In this new life, we can live above sin, we can walk in God’s grace and live as the one whom God has justified. (Romans 6:4-6)
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6:5-6 ESV)
There is an afterlife. Let no man deceive you. Each person will be judged and treated accordingly. Acts 17:31 tells us that the proof that this said judgment will happen is seen in the ressurected Christ. Jesus died, resurrected, and ascended into heaven. But He will be back again. He will come back to rescue His saints—those who have believed, and to judge the world that so arrogantly rejected Him.
This is the hope of every believer. Jesus died but He rose again to life. Death didn’t have Him. He conquered death, the grave, and everything in between. Best of all, He gave us that victory. How gob-smacking wonderful is that!
Faith+blog 