Because He Lives

Because He Lives

I. OPENING ILLUSTRATION:

When It Was Dark

I’m not quite sure how to say this. Many in the church have said that our faith is based on verifiable historical facts. It was a faith built upon evidence. Scholars like Josh McDowell wrote books like "Evidence That Demands A Verdict."

Something came to light a while ago that is out now in academic journals and will be out shortly in magazines and newspapers, I’m sure. As a pastor and member of the clergy I felt it best that it come from me. At least I may make some consolatory comments with it. Let me simply read the announcement.

I quote: “Archaeologists have made a startling and remarkable discovery. They have found recently, in a newly unearthed tomb in the suburbs of Jerusalem, the remains of an ancient man who quite evidently died of crucifixion. On the walls of that tomb they found also a plaque written in ancient Hebrew, which translated reads thusly, ‘Here lies Jesus of Nazareth, the great and good teacher. We secreted his body away in order to place him beyond the reach and rage of his enemies. He was the best of men. May he rest in peace.’ ”

That is a scene from a novel published in England in 1902. It is, I’m happy to say, pure fiction. I hope, however, that it had its impact in your heart this morning, that it captured your attention. The author of "When It Was Dark," Guy Thorne, portrays an alternate reality in which a wealthy atheist, a skeptic, an unbeliever, plots to destroy Christianity. In the fictional world of the book he hires a venal archaeologist to create this fraudulent find in Israel, to bring to light this contrived discovery of supposedly the remains of Christ.

The result in the novel is catastrophic. It seems as if a new Ice Age has descended upon the earth. The spirits of women and men flag like the branches of a willow tree. Hope goes out like a candle in the wind. Joy disappears from life. Men seek for mirth, saying, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” It is all a lie. In this dark world where Christ is found still in a tomb thousands upon thousands of missionaries return to their native lands. The lights in the churches go out, and the doors are locked for good. The Law of Sinai is exchanged for the law of the jungle. The Sermon on the Mount gives way to savagery in the street. The hand of every man is raised against his neighbor. Soon nation rises against nation, and in a while the whole world is one huge, blackened, smoldering ruin—because a few bones were discovered in a tomb in Jerusalem, and with that discovery, hope died.*

*Adapted from Christianity Today, Today’s Best Sermons: 52 Sermons on Holidays & Special Events, vol. 3, Today’s Best Sermons (Christianity Today, 1988).

It is the resurrection of Jesus that is the basis for the Christian religion and for all that we know to be true and good... and Jesus is alive. The tomb is empty and our hearts and lives are full...

II. TEXT:

The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:1-9 (ESV):

"Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am..."

"...if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied..."