February 13, 2019
For full passage click: 1 Corinthians 15:12-15 …“and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.” vs. 14
Paul had had an encounter with the resurrected Christ. It was the realest thing he had ever experienced and he couldn’t believe that there were some who insisted that there was no such thing as resurrection! When he heard that some such folks were tickling the ears of the Corinthians with their speculations, he battled back. It was true that within Judaism there had been many who didn’t believe in resurrection but for Paul it wasn’t even a debating point. He knew Christ was alive. To deny the resurrection would have destroyed the heart of the gospel. It would have undermined his proclamation and been a stumbling block to faith. Today, followers of Jesus continue to proclaim the resurrection with confidence and to celebrate Easter with gusto. We won’t always agree on the meaning of resurrection and that’s okay. Describing the indescribable is always a challenge. Even the stories of the early witnesses have significant differences. But we are one in proclaiming that the Christ is alive, and we look forward to our own resurrections. While it is true that our calling and work is to engage in kingdom living in the present, we are grateful that when the end comes and death comes, we will know new life. For some that’s the one hope that keeps them going through tough times!
Thought for the Day: How important is resurrection to me?
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