Why The Resurrection of Jesus Matters
[1 Corinthians 15:13-14] But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain.
More than 3000 years ago there were a lot of religious egos running around pounding their chest as they stared down their nose at everyone else.
No question these religious elites could cite scripture all day long. They prayed in public out in the synagogue. Everyone knew they were committed to praying.
When it came to being obedient, nobody was pushing rules and regulations like they were. Good luck trying to be more righteous than these religious men.
But then the very prophecy of the Scriptures they claimed to believe in was fulfilled.
JESUS WAS BORN!!
We discover that the men people thought were the godliest people, were frauds. They look amazing on the outside, but on the inside they were dead.
Jesus’s ministry through a wrench in all their efforts to control people with their religious talk. Imagine their relief when Jesus finally was put to death on the cross.
But then something unexpected happened. Three days later Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Even with such a miracle, these unbelieving Jewish people still refused to believe that Jesus was the son of God.
You see, Just because somebody can regurgitate a bunch of scriptures, and runs around telling everybody they need to be ‘obedient, doesn’t make them true followers of Jesus. On the outside these people were really good at counting their chats and making sure you knew how awesome they were, while at the same time making everyone else feel inferior in unqualified.
The apostle Paul often Pretended to know nothing except Jesus crucified. He avoided fancy speech. He knew there was no gain in trying to be a show-off. You see it doesn’t matter how many scriptures you can quote. It doesn’t matter how much money you give. I’m gonna come to salvation, it doesn’t matter how perfectly you perform. Because the goal is actually knowing Jesus, and recognizing that he is indeed the son of God he was resurrected from the dead, and has the authority and power to give us the same life.
So why is the resurrection so important? The answer is simple. Our hope is that when we die, we will indeed still live. Our hope is that when we depart from this body, we will be alive with Christ the very next moment. But if Jesus himself was not resurrected from the dead, then neither will we be. That’s what separates Christianity from every other religion. If Jesus had just died then we would have no hope. But we know that Jesus indeed is risen.
Happy Easter. Happy Resurrection Day. Celebrate that Jesus is alive!
[1 Corinthians 15:13-14] But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain.
Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar was raised in a church setting where he frequently noticed that many attendees would eventually drift away. The church labeled these individuals as ‘back sliders’ or ‘fake Christians’ just looking for ‘fire insurance’. However, Mike realized the issue was rarely with these individuals but instead with the church’s message itself. The teachings heavily emphasized behavior improvement and one’s flaws, with only a fleeting mention of one’s identity in Christ. It felt as though every sermon was tailored to the church of Corinth, who as we know or committing sins that even unbelievers don’t partake in. This trend was noticeable not just in one denomination, but across Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and many other churches. Upon understanding the true essence of the gospel – that our righteousness comes from Jesus’ actions, not our own – Mike was inspired to liberate believers from lifeless sermons and reconnect them with the genuine teachings of Jesus. He believes that one can nurture a vibrant and growing bond with Jesus, unhindered by rigid religious practices. And thus, “Jesus Without Religion” was born.
It turns out that it is grace that leads to repentance. And if our heart is to get others to walk in the Spirit and live a godly life, then the best approach is not a beat down sermon, but rather to remind other that it is only when we understand our true identity in Christ that we will live it out. Yes, it’s true, if you’re convinced that God thinks you’re a dirty sinner, you will ultimately continue a lifestyle that mirrors that view, but if you truly believe that even on your worst day, you are called holy, sanctified, justified, and will be presented blameless in the end, well, it turns out this is the secret to living out on the outside what has been worked in to the inside.
