The resurrection of Jesus back to life from death after 3 days in a tomb was the greatest miracle this world has ever witnessed. Not only that, but this event is the very bedrock of our Christian faith. The apostle Paul said this: “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty.” (1 Corinthians 15:13-14). Thankfully, Jesus’s resurrection is not only biblical fact, but historical fact, provable on many levels. No, our faith is not empty. In fact, our own coming resurrection is based on His resurrection. “But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christs at His coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:20,23)
The apostle Paul made attaining his personal resurrection paramount in his earthly struggle. Everything else in his life gained through his own work, he considered rubbish and loss. “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ…that I might gain Christ…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…if by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:8-11).
Like Paul, our goal should and must be the same, attainment of resurrection from the dead. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3). If we’re truly “in Christ”, belonging to Him, it’s a sure promise of life eternal. Jesus was and is our prototype. We’re promised a resurrection body just like His. We have a glorious and fantastic future ahead of us. I hope you are all as excited as I am as we close in on that time. Let’s focus on these things instead of what the god of this world is doing as we celebrate what Jesus did for us this Passover weekend.
Happy Resurrection Day, Jim