1 Corinthians 15:16-19, “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.”
I don’t know anyone who wants to be pitied. In a way, when you are pitied, you are being looked down on by others. They see you in distress or suffering and just feel bad for you, but this does not actually help. If you are to be pitied, there is no hope and nothing that anyone can do to help you.
We should not want to be pitied, but the Apostle Paul says that being pitied would be appropriate for every Christian out there if there is no resurrection. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, if He did not physically walk out of the tomb and conquer death, then all Christians should be pitied. All people would be without hope, and there would be nothing anyone could do to help.
After all, that is what the Christian faith, the only saving faith, is built on, Christ’s death and resurrection. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on a cross for the sins of the world. He died on the cross for your sins and buried them deep in the grave. This is great news for those who have faith that Jesus died for them, but if that were the end of the story, there would be no hope. If Jesus remained in the cold tomb with your sins, if there is no resurrection, then that is where all of our stories would end. In a cold, dark tomb with our sins, deserving of all pity.
But that is not where the story ends. “20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead.” (1 Cor 15:20). There is a resurrection. Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, did rise from the dead to life everlasting. This is no fairy tale or work of fiction; this is the very real reality we all live in. Death has been defeated, and all those who trust in Jesus share in this victory.
There are some lies out there being spoken that say, “It does not matter if Jesus rose or not. We can still live a good life and have hope even if Jesus remained dead.” This is a lie; it matters that Jesus rose. It matters that the grave was ripped open on Resurrection Morning. If Christ did not rise, there is no hope, and we are all to be pitied. But Christ did rise, which means there is hope and salvation.
Christ died for you… and rose again to life everlasting. This is our hope. As surely as Christ rose from the dead, God forgives. This is the joy of the Easter season! We are not to be pitied, we are to celebrate Christ’s resurrection and the promise that as sure as Christ walked out of His tomb, He will call all those in faith to rise to life everlasting with Him… Amen
Word in Faith is a collaboration of Wayne Association of Congregations and Ministers (WACAM), an organization partially funded by the Wayne Community Chest.
