Sisters and brothers, the hope of the believer is this--though we die, we shall live again. It is no more remarkable that we should live again than that we should live at all! We just need to think of the bewildering complexity of the human body and the even more intricate workings of the human personality to see that we are indeed "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Ps. 139:14). The God who could make us once can certainly make us again. What is of utmost importance to the Christian faith is that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. It is a fundamental, factual, and fervent belief. It gives us hope for the future. Because Jesus died and rose again on the third day, we too, by faith shall be raised in our mortal bodies to put on immortality to spend eternity with the Lord.
Our belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a fundamental belief. In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth to remind them of the gospel he had preached to them stating, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...." (1 Corinthians 15: 3-4). This is the eu angelion, the Gospel which means "Good News." Apart from the Gospel, the Word of God is a false, the work of Christ is a failure, and the witness of the Spirit is a farce.
The Resurrection is a factual belief. The Apostle Paul referenced the Scriptures, used logic and factual evidence to refute the false teaching of those claiming there was no resurrection of the dead. He provided proof of the resurrection of Christ. Paul stated, ...he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve, then to 500 brothers and sisters at the same time...He then appeared to James and to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me...." (vv5-8). Paul put icing on the list of witnesses to the resurrection stating, "and.. he appeared to me". In other words, I am not telling you what I heard or what I think I know. I am telling you what I know. Paul had a personal encounter with Jesus later on the road to Damascus as he was persecuting the saints. Do you have a "know-so" faith? Have you had a personal encounter with Jesus on your own "Damascus Road"? Then you ought to tell somebody about the Lord!
The resurrection of Jesus Christ --as wonderous as it is, as marvelous and as game-changing as it is-- it is not the end of God's display of power! Just as Jesus was raised from the dead, believers shall be raised from the dead also. Our resurrected bodies will be the same bodies but perfected. A startled Mary Magdalene abruptly grabbed Jesus at the tomb. Thomas would not believe unless he felt Jesus' wounds. Jesus proved this to Peter, John and the disciples whom he called from their boat to have breakfast with him along sea shore before he ascended. Paul told the church at Corinth as with Jesus, "So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power, it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body (vv 42-44). Our bodies, will be splendid bodies -- the mortal shall put on immortality. Our bodies will be spirit bodies, incorruptible like Jesus' glorious body. This is our inheritance, the hope of the bodily resurrection of the believer. We praise God for it!
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