The Tomb is Empty

What If There Is No Resurrection?

 

Today’s Bible Text 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

 

Notes from Today’s Scriptures

On a warm August afternoon, I sat under a green tent with my grandmother’s coffin in front of me. I have stood in cemeteries, offering comfort and the Word of God to friends who had lost loved ones. But this was my first experience of being on the other side of the casket. This was my first experience of losing a love one. As I sat there, a shocking thought suddenly popped into my head: Suppose there is no resurrection!

This idea was quickly driven away by my faith and confidence in Christ. But it had lasted just long enough for me to feel the despair and hopelessness of such a belief.

To help us appreciate Christ’s victory over the grave, let’s consider what the outcome of life and death would be without resurrection. First of all, Jesus would still be dead. That means our faith in Him would be worthless, and our message to the world would be a lie. Not only that; but Jesus Himself would be proved a liar since He claimed that He would rise from the dead.

There would be no forgiveness of sins, no possibility of reconciliation with God, and no hope of heaven. Even the believers who have died throughout history would have perished, and we would have no hope of reunion with our loved ones. Without the resurrection, everyone’s destiny after death would be hell.

Thank God, none of these scenarios are true.

Our Savior lives, our sins can be forgiven, death has been defeated, and believers in Christ have assurance of eternity in heaven.

After considering how hopeless we would be without a resurrection, let’s rejoice all the more in the greatness of our salvation.

"He has risen from dead and He is not here"