I love this particular season. Easter holds with me a special place. There is just something about this particular time, and what it means to Christianity, that somehow seems to excite me.
One thing that is normal for Easter is that you get a lot of visitors to come to church. That can be exciting when you think about it. It means that you get to meet them, make them feel welcome, and invite them to come back. That is an enjoyable thing about Easter.
Usually, Easter is a time when people buy a new outfit. This time of year, people want to get something new and wear the best thing possible to church. There is nothing wrong with that. I believe when we come to church, it is good to look the best that you possible can. Easter can be enjoyable because of that.
It is always fun to watch the children hunt Easter eggs. When you think about it, it can be quite comical to see. Have you ever seen 10 children converge on one Easter egg?
Something else that is enjoyable about Easter is getting to come together for a sunrise service, just what we are doing this morning. It has a special place with me to be able to get up early, and come to a place of worship to celebrate Easter as the sun begins to come up. It ought to bring us joy when we can do that, and reflect upon the meaning of Easter.
In the Gospel accounts of the coming to the tomb happened early in the morning. It was the dawning of a new day when my Lord and Savior rose from the grave.
We also read in the Gospels how that some that came to the tomb were afraid, some were confused, and others had trouble believing. There can be little doubt as to the fact that the very ones who walked with Jesus, talked with Him, ate with Him, fellowshipped with Him, did not really understand what it all meant. In fact, John 20:9 clearly tells us that they did not yet know the scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
Listen, that one particular verse in John’s account of the resurrection contains a very significant word. “They did not know that He MUST.” He MUST rise again. He MUST come back from the dead. He MUST come out of the tomb. One key element that is essential to the Christian faith is that He MUST.
Down through the ages following the resurrection of our Lord, man has made feeble attempts to explain away the resurrection. Man has derived plans and theories to discredit this historical event. No matter what theory man has concocted, they all fall short of truth because of the overwhelming evidence to the truth. The evidence of the resurrection crushes every lie constructed by man to explain it away, and the evidence points to the one unchangeable fact that we are celebrating this morning. He has risen! Jesus Christ, the Son of God is alive! Why do you think that preacher? It is because He MUST! He MUST rise from the grave. He MUST come back to life! He MUST!
John Warrick Montgomery, a Christian Lawyer and Apologist, wrote a book entitled, “Faith Founded on Fact.” In that book he carefully laid out all of the evidence for the resurrection. Upon presenting the facts he said that there is no competent jury who would rule that the resurrection did not happen. Why? It is because the resurrection is a very well documented historical event. It happened. Jesus arose from the dead. The resurrection was not an accident. It didn’t happen by chance and happenstance. He arose from the tomb for a definite purpose. What was that? He MUST! He MUST rise again!
But what if He didn’t? What would it do if Christ did not arise from the dead? I would like for you to notice with me this morning four implications that Paul gave to us, if Christ did not arise.
First of all, if Christ didn’t rise again, God’s Word would be worth nothing. Look at verse 14, “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching in vain.” Without Christ being raised from the dead, our preaching becomes meaningless. Looking back at verse 1 notice what Paul says. “Moreover I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which ye received, and wherein ye stand.” What was that message? Notice verse 3 and 4. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
What is Paul saying? The scriptures, the very Word f God, which we proclaim before men encompasses the resurrection of Christ. Without the resurrection, then God’s message becomes of no effect.
Oh, but wait preacher. We still have the Old Testament.
Psalm 16:9-10 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
Isaiah 25:8 he swallowed up death in victory.
All throughout the Old Testament, testimony is given of the Lord Jesus Christ. As early as Genesis 3:15 we see the promises of the Messiah. That verse tells us that the serpent will bruise his heel, but that he, the Messiah, will bruise the serpent’s head. It was this very event that transpired at Calvary, when Jesus was crucified, it was the bruise to the heel of the redeemer. But just three days after that, He arose from the grave, delivering the fatal blow to Satan. Scripture from the very earliest accounts points toward the resurrection.
Were Jesus to have not risen again then all of God’s word must be considered unreliable. But thanks be to God, the very promise given us that even though heaven and earth would pass away, but God’s Word shall never pass hold true. Because God cannot lie, then Jesus MUST, He Must rise again!
If Jesus didn’t rise again, not only would God’s word be worthless, but your faith would also be worthless. Notice verse 14. “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching in vain, and your faith is also vain.”
It is a natural progression that if the very thing you trust to be true is worthless, then the very faith you have placed in it is worthless as well. All through Scripture, time and time again, you can notice case after case where someone put faith in god and His Word. “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Joshua believed God, Moses believed God. David believed God. Samuel believed God. Nathan believed God. Josiah believed God. Case after case we see men and women throughout scripture that believed God.
What would it be if that faith, demonstrated by so many, were vain? What kind of influence would an empty faith have on a lost and dying world? Could you take a worthless faith and use it to bring someone to believe the same worthless thing you believe? Faith like that would have no real influence on others.
If Christ didn’t rise from the grave, everything that you believe about Him is worth nothing. Everything you have held on to in your Christian walk has been worthless. There would be no reason for you to continue in your faith. Why? It is because an empty faith has no real value. An empty faith cannot satisfy your innermost longing. An empty faith cannot calm your fears. An empty faith cannot bring you comfort. An empty faith cannot bring you peace. An empty faith cannot do anything for you, but it sure can do a lot of things against you.
Empty faith opens the doors to doubt. It opens the doors to fear. It opens the doors to confusion. It will leave emptiness inside of you. Empty faith leaves you with a life that has no meaning.
What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. So if your faith is empty because Christ didn’t rise from the dead, then all that you are, and all that you aspired to be in Him means absolutely nothing.
Listen, there is but one way you can please God. Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith is the only means whereby you can please a Holy God.
When Jesus came into this world, He came for the purpose of laying His life down for sinful people just like you and I. As He constructed redemptions plan, He looked down through the future, from before the foundations of the world, and He saw the old rugged cross of Calvary. He knew it was the only means to offer a way for man to approach God. But friend, he also saw a tomb. Christ realized that any faith that could be pleasing to God would be worthless without a resurrection. He realized that His very purpose would mean nothing. The sacrifice on the cross of Calvary would be worthless. The faith placed in Him by sinful men would mean nothing without the resurrection. The very means by which fallen humanity could have to be pleasing before God would mean absolutely nothing without the very event of which we celebrate today.
Were He to have remained in the tomb, the purpose of His death would mean nothing. So it was important. You see, He MUST! He MUST rise again!
Not only would your faith be vain, ad not only would God’s Word be worthless, but you would still be in your sins. Notice verse 17. “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain; ye are yet in your sins.”
The very redemption of mankind hinges upon the event of Easter. It is the gospel message. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Without the resurrection, there can be no salvation.
Were He to have not risen from the dead, then the death of Jesus would be marked as the death of just another man. His death holds no saving merit apart from the resurrection. Why? It is because there would have been no sustenance to it. Without God’s Word being valid, and without valid faith, there can be no valid salvation.
Jesus said, “I am come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly.” How could you have abundant life through one that is dead? Simply friend, you can’t.
When you look at all other religions, it becomes clear that there are numerous tombs containing the bodies of those that other people worship. Their death means nothing friend, because there is no life offered by it. You cannot approach God by the means of Buddha. You cannot approach God by the means of Mohammad. You cannot come to God in the name of Confucius. Gandhi cannot forgive you of your sins. Why? It is because there is nothing sustaining by these men. All that remains of them is the fact that they have all died, and they are still in the grave. There is no way they can give you life and deliverance from sin.
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead was the stamp of approval by God on the redemptive work of Christ on the cruel cross. Were that work to be less than satisfactory, then Jesus would still be in the tomb today. For salvation to be effective for all who believe, then it is a necessity for the resurrection to have occurred.
The truth remains. Jesus’ purpose was to save sinners. It was part of that plan that He rise again. It is by the resurrection that the authority has been given to Christ to claim; “There is no other name given under heaven among men, whereby you must be saved.”
The resurrection placed the seal of approval on salvations plan. So it was necessary for Him to rise again. He MUST! He MUST rise again!
Not only would you be dead in your sins without the resurrection, and not only would God’s word be worthless, and your faith empty without if Christ didn’t rise again, you would also have no hope of eternity without the resurrection. Look at verses 18 and 19. “Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope of Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”
One of the greatest fears that has plagued men throughout history has been that of facing death. I’m not so sure tat it is death itself, but really it is what lies on the other side of death. There is a judgment waiting. There is eternity to face, and without the resurrection, that eternity spells the only hope as being Hell.
If Christ did not rise from the dead, the best we could hope for is Hell. The love that God has shown for this lost and dying world would mean absolutely nothing. Eternal life in heaven would only be a fleeting thought. But, because God’s love is perfect, He extended a hope beyond this present life. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have eternal life.”
It is because God’s love for man is perfect, that Jesus had to rise from the grave. Without the resurrection, we would have no hope. That is why He MUST rise again.
Look with me in closing at the first part of verse 20. “But now is Christ risen from the dead.” Every thing we have in Him, we must say that we have because of one unchangeable fact. All that we have in Him, we have because He lives. He is alive.
Because He lives, God’s Word remains as absolute truth.
Because He lives, our faith can have value.
Because He lives, we have forgiveness of sin.
Because He lives, we have a hope of eternity in heaven.
He MUST! He MUST rise again!
Heads are bowed, and eyes are closed.
