The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the hinge on which history turns. It’s the pivotal event of all time.
From heaven’s perspective, Christ’s movement from “death on a cross” to his being “exalted to the highest place” (Philippians 2:8-9) is precisely the resurrection: in it the Son of God was catapulted from lowest humiliation to highest honor. Makes me imagine that perhaps, in the same way the angels cheer each time someone comes to faith in Christ (Luke 15:7, 10), so too all the angelic hosts bowed in riveted wonder and shouted with explosive praise at the sight of God’s grand victory that first Easter Sunday!
From the human vantage point, it’s also clear that the resurrection is the main event of history and the ground of Christian life and hope. 1 Corinthians 15 emphasizes the historical certainty of the Jesus’ bodily resurrection. Among other things, Paul points out how the risen Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at once (15:6—Acts 1:3 says these appearances took place over a period of forty days). So it didn’t happen “in a corner” (Acts 26:26).
Paul goes on to stake the validity of Christian faith on the fact of Jesus’ resurrection: And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 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 first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Cor 15:17-20—“fallen asleep” is a euphemism for “died”).
So Jesus’ resurrection is everything; without it, Christianity implodes and Christians are nothing but pitiful. Of course, Paul can’t stop there: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.” And what’s more, that event is the “first-fruits,” the early ear of grain, giving proof that a huge resurrection-harvest is sure to come: his resurrection gives solid hope that we, who trust in Christ for eternal life, are not still in our sins but are forgiven and adopted into God’s forever family! Have you embraced Jesus and do you have the hope of resurrection?
From heaven’s perspective, Christ’s movement from “death on a cross” to his being “exalted to the highest place” (Philippians 2:8-9) is precisely the resurrection: in it the Son of God was catapulted from lowest humiliation to highest honor. Makes me imagine that perhaps, in the same way the angels cheer each time someone comes to faith in Christ (Luke 15:7, 10), so too all the angelic hosts bowed in riveted wonder and shouted with explosive praise at the sight of God’s grand victory that first Easter Sunday!
From the human vantage point, it’s also clear that the resurrection is the main event of history and the ground of Christian life and hope. 1 Corinthians 15 emphasizes the historical certainty of the Jesus’ bodily resurrection. Among other things, Paul points out how the risen Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at once (15:6—Acts 1:3 says these appearances took place over a period of forty days). So it didn’t happen “in a corner” (Acts 26:26).
Paul goes on to stake the validity of Christian faith on the fact of Jesus’ resurrection: And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 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 first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Cor 15:17-20—“fallen asleep” is a euphemism for “died”).
So Jesus’ resurrection is everything; without it, Christianity implodes and Christians are nothing but pitiful. Of course, Paul can’t stop there: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.” And what’s more, that event is the “first-fruits,” the early ear of grain, giving proof that a huge resurrection-harvest is sure to come: his resurrection gives solid hope that we, who trust in Christ for eternal life, are not still in our sins but are forgiven and adopted into God’s forever family! Have you embraced Jesus and do you have the hope of resurrection?
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