“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.” 1 Corinthians 15:17-20 (NRSV)
What if the resurrection was a hoax? What if God never raised Jesus from the dead? What if Jesus’ bones were buried in a grave in the Holy Land? These questions have been raised recently by a Discovery Channel documentary concerning a tomb that was discovered in Jerusalem. The tomb contained ossuaries (bone boxes) that were inscribed with the following names: Jesus son of Joseph, Mary, James the brother of Jesus, and one name that has been attributed to Mary Magdalene.
Several weeks ago when the program aired, I watched every minute of it along with the program that followed during which the creators of the documentary and other scholars debated the validity of the ossuaries. As I watched the program, I must say that my faith was not shaken in the least bit. While there are scholastic reasons which explain how the ossuaries are likely not those of the family of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, my personal experience of the living Christ and the truth of God’s Word are more than enough proof that Jesus is indeed alive.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is at the very core of our faith. The Apostle Paul explains clearly that if Jesus was never raised from the dead we are fools for wasting our time following a dead savior. If Jesus was never raised from the dead, we are still sinners doomed for Hell. If Jesus was never raised from the dead, our ancestors in the faith are also perishing in Hell. But the truth of the matter is that “Christ has been raised from the dead.” It is not for this life only that we have hope in Christ, but our eternity rests upon the power of the resurrection now at work in our lives.
The Christian message is unlike any other. We are saved by grace through faith in the living Christ. Through Jesus the living Savior, we have hope for tomorrow no matter what tomorrow brings. Through Jesus the living Savior, we will share as heirs with Christ in His eternal kingdom. Through Jesus the living Savior, the sting of death has been removed. Are you sharing this message of hope? Are you letting your neighbors know of your own experiences of the resurrected Christ?
As for those who believe that Jesus’ bones are in a grave and that the resurrection is a hoax, Paul also provides us with a clear explanation: For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18
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