If Jesus Were Still In The Grave
Introduction: We are all familiar with the truth of the saying, "Of all the words of tongue and pen, the saddest are, it might have been." Have you ever considered what might have been if Jesus Christ had not been raised from the dead? If His shattered and sorrowing followers seeking to anoint a dead body that first Easter had found the lifeless body of Jesus of Nazareth? If the angel had not truly said, "Why seek ye the living among the dead, He is not here, He is risen!" If Peter, who denied Him, had not experienced His loving forgiveness at the "Lord’s breakfast" on the shores of Galilee? If the two puzzled and perplexed disciples on the road to Emmaus, had not known the sweet fellowship of their resurrected and living Saviour that day? If Mary had Martha had learned that His promise of resurrection power to all who truly believe had been but a vain boast? If those who loved and served Him had faced a reality that His analogies about Jonah in the belly of the whale and the destruction and rebuilding of the temple were mere empty words? If the doubts of doubting Thomas had proven to be well founded?
Paul in his resurrection chapter proposes a set of suppositional propositions that would be true if Jesus were still in the grave. If that tomb in the garden outside Jerusalem still contained the body of a carpenter from Nazareth, the whole world would be radically different today. Let us look at of these terrible suppositions and possibilities, if Christ is still in the grave.
IF CHRIST IS STILL IN THE GRAVE, THERE IS NO SAVIOUR OR SALVATION. All the prophecies and promises of a coming Messiah and a Kinsman Redeemer found in the Old Testament would be null and void. Isaiah’s promises of a Virgin born Son of God, his prediction of His enthronement upon the throne of David and his graphic description of His sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, would be patently false and the validity and authenticity of the Old Testament would come into question. Of course, the New Testament then would have no foundation upon which to stand.
The riddle of immortality would yet be unsolved. Man would still be seeking an elixir of eternal life and searching for a mythical fountain of youth. The answer and assurance given 4,000 years ago by Job would be a mere mockery. (See Job 19:25-27)
My editorial article just published in the Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper could even subject me to prosecution for making a proven fraudulent claim. In case you did not read it, I will share it with you:
"Shall We Live Again?
"The Easter Season is the time when we are once again called to face the reality of our mortality. A time when we are brought face to face with the age-old question Job asked four thousand years ago in the oldest book in the Bible, “If a man dies, shall he live again?”
The stark reality of man’s mortality is made evident in the life of even the most sceptical. The spectre of death stalks his every step. From the friendly and familiar corridors of our hospitals and hospices, to the far-flung, foreign fields of conflict, death, the common denominator of man’s existence, constantly and continually crashes into our consciousness. The resurrection story insists man face the issue squarely. In it, God urges man to come to grips with the implications of his mortal existence and admit the hopelessness of his dilemma; unless an answer comes from a higher source.
Does the resurrection story give us the real answer to Job’s proposition? Some scoff at such a proposition as a ridiculous paradox. Some shudder at it as a dreadful possibility. Some, not as wise as Job, turn to history outside God’s Word and are led only to the grave and left there. Because secular history is merely mute about the matter. It neither confirms nor denies the prospect of an afterlife. Some turn to science, but find no laboratory, apparatus or technique for analyzing life or death or discovering the fate of a soul. Some rely upon philosophy and find themselves free to speculate and posit theories, but in the end find their hypotheses unreliable, for philosophy has no reliable means of testing its conclusions.
Some of us turn to the only true and reliable source, the Word of God, and find there the only authoritative and satisfying answer to man’s perpetual quest for immortality. We cherish this hope as the established answer. Our hearts vibrate within us as we contemplate Paul’s climatic cry in his resurrection chapter, "O death where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" Our souls are then thrilled by the words of Jesus: “Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never, never die!”
If Jesus were still in the grave, the hope of David would remain forever unfulfilled. You remember the gist of the story I am sure. David’s infant son was critically ill. His love for the son was so strong and intense that he turned his head to the wall and, in spite of the best efforts of his servants, he seemed to be ready to starve himself to death. Then came this" "But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed [himself], and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants unto him, What thing [is] this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, [while it was] alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell [whether] GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." (II Sam. 12:19-23)
Here David states the blessed hope of every believer who has ever said good-bye to a loved on this earth. If Christ is still in the grave, this hope is vain and we are of all people most miserable.
If Christ is still in the grave, Christ’s promise to the thief on the cross was a cruel hoax and he is not in paradise. Neither will we be. Because His promises to His followers on the night before His crucifixion would be equally deceitful. How different life would be for you and me if these words were the words of a charlatan rather the Words of a LIVING SAVIOUR: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also." (John 14:1-3)
If Christ is still in the grave, the comfort Paul offered to those in the church at Thessalonia, who had seen their friends and loved ones die, would be like sounding brass and tinkling cymbals. Not only to them, but to we also who look for the glorious appearance of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Who at His appearing has made this promise: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." (See I Thess. 4:13-18)
If Christ is still in the grave, the tremendous triumph of the Cross would be turned into a terrible tragedy. The mighty victory claimed there over death, hell and the grave, would be but a mere myth and our adversary would win in the end. "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;" (Col. 2:14)
IF CHRIST IS STILL IN THE GRAVE, THEN IT WOULD SEEM THAT GOD IS SURELY DEAD. Some may be old enough to recall the uproar caused by a so-called theologian a few years back when he wrote a book entitled, "God Is Dead." I really liked the response of one evangelical leader who said something to this effect: "If God were to be dead, I do not believe this author is sufficiently acquainted with corpse to be able to pronounce his demise nor mourn his passing."
If Jesus is still in the grave, God’s eternal purpose for mankind has been repealed and the Sovereign is not sovereign in His own universe. Paul’s beautiful and inspired statement setting out His eternal purpose would seem to be but wistful thinking; "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ." (Eph. 1:3-12)
If Christ is still in the grave, the wages of sin would be overdue and the gift of eternal life would be as a black box filled with ashes wrapped and tied with a gray ribbon. Every man would have to accept the absolute and eternal responsibility for his own sin and be prepared to suffer the consequences in a hell prepared for the devil and his angels. (See Jer. 17:9, Isa. 64:6, Ro. 3:23, 6:23) Evil would ultimately triumph, selfishness would eternally prevail and man would be doomed to never know the true and lasting peace that will ensue when the risen King of Kings sits upon His throne.
IF CHRIST IS STILL IN THE GRAVE, WE HAVE NO MESSAGE OR MISSION. If Christ is still in the grave, the gospel message is mere pretence without any promise of power to change the hearts of men. (See I Cor. 15:1-4, Ro. 1:!6, II Cor. 5:17) Our mission is deliberate deception and a falsity and fantasy. We are perpetrators of a cruel hoax and consummate liars. The message and mission we have been given could then very well described as a "Mission Impossible."
Some have expressed some wonder that after fifty years in the gospel ministry, I still strongly believe in door knocking evangelism and still try to personally participate. (After all, I not only believe in it, but, as I often say, I see no effective alternative. First, I can see no scripture that tells a lost sinner he has any responsibility to go to church to hear how to be saved. But the scriptures are replete with commands that tell us we are responsible to go where lost sinners dwell with the message of reconciliation in Christ Jesus. In a culture where some 95% of the population do not attend any church and only one child of 100 goes to a Sunday School, how are they going to hear and be saved unless we go where they are? - See Ro. 10:13-17),
As I was engaged in this God ordained and blessed activity a few days back, it occurred to me, upon reflection, that I had devoted hundreds and hundreds of hours to this endeavor over the years. It also came to mind: "If THEY are right, and I am just looking for pie in the sky by and by and all I have believed in my heart for lo all these many years is just a figment of man’s fertile imagination, what an absolute waste of time! Not only for me, but for those hundreds who I have "persuaded" through the years. For if this is not true, then I have perpetrated a terrible fraud upon so many people!"
IF CHRIST IS STILL IN THE GRAVE, OUR SINS ARE UNFORGIVEN. Christ’s cry to the Father on the cross to forgive those who crucified Him (and we are certainly guilty) would be false and futile. The sea of God’s forgiveness would cough up the whole of all men’s sins and they would be remembered forever. The wonderful promise expressed by Psalmist would be mere poetic hyperbole: "He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, [so] great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:10-12)
If Christ is still in the grave, we are still unforgiven, unjustified and condemned eternally. (See Ro. 5:1, 8:1) The basis for our walk and eternal fellowship with God is negated and we are doomed to an eternal loneliness.
IF CHRIST IS STILL IN THE GRAVE, THE DEAD STAY DEAD. Those of us who thrill at the prospect of an eternal existence with God, are then doomed to disappointment. Those who long for His coming, will find their yearning unfulfilled. Those whose hearts vibrate in anticipation of the promise John made to eternal sons of God would never know Him face to face: "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (I John 3:1-2) Not only would this be so, but we would never see again all those loved ones who have gone before us.
IF CHRIST IS STILL IN THE GRAVE, OUR LIFE IS BUT VANITY. Our very spiritual existence depends upon the resurrected Christ. It is only those who have been made new in Christ Jesus who are in the position to live life to the fullest as God meant it to be lived. (See II Cor. 5:17, Phil. 1:21) The purpose, priorities and productivity of the Christian life finds focus in the fact of the resurrection. Without it, the abundant life of which Jesus spoke would be empty and vain.
BUT PRAISE BE UNTO GOD:
"I serve a risen Saviour, He’s in the world today,
I know that He is living, whatever men may say:
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him, He’s always near.
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today,
He walks with me, and talks with me, along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart,
You ask me how I know he lives? HE LIVES WITHIN MY HEART.
