“And if Christ has not raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” 1 Corinthians 15:14 NIV
If Jesus Christ did not really die, then our faith is empty, vain, and without substance. The events of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection are so central to the Christian faith, so foundational, that to remove them is to leave Christianity hollow and untrue. Stop and think about Paul’s words for a moment. This is a radical statement, wouldn’t you agree? But it is a true statement! It is a helpful statement. It helps us to put our finger upon what is at the core of our faith. At the core is Jesus Christ crucified, and Jesus Christ risen. The actual and historical death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. The earliest creeds of the church emphasize the centrality of the historical life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Take the Apostles Creed for example, and the section about the Lord Jesus Christ. “I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended to hell [that is to say, He experienced death in full]. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.” The belief that Jesus lived, died, was buried, and that He rose again is at the heart of our faith. He did this in obedience to the Father. He did this to defeat the power of evil, death and the effects of sin. To remove it is to leave us with nothing!
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord Jesus, we celebrate that You are alive and alive for evermore.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord Jesus, we celebrate the fact that You lived, died, was buried, and that You rose again, in obedience to the Father. You did this to defeat the power of evil, death and the effects of sin. Hallelujah! AMEN
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)
Matthew 28:1-20
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