Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live. (John 11:25)
Yesterday, on the Sabbath, we had a brief discussion on “Abiding In Christ,” and how that pertains to God’s law NOT being done away with on the cross. Unfortunately, there is another reason that many believers say the law has been done away with. This reason is more specific in trying to say the seventh-day Sabbath is “no longer applicable” because the law was done away with on the cross. Many people make the erroneous claim that “SUNDAY” is a memorial to the RESURRECTION. (still meaning that the Bible Sabbath is not needed) But is this what the Bible says? The answer is a resounding NO!
So what is the memorial of the resurrection for Christians? Baptism by immersion, and the Lord’s supper are the only things in Scripture that are to serve as a memorial of Christ’s death and resurrection. (Rom 6:4, Col 2:12, 1 Cor 11:23-30). No where is Sunday named in Scripture as a memorial to anything, especially of the resurrection.
Why Is The Resurrection So Important?
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.” (1 Cor 15:17-18, NIV)
Resurrection Power Today
Today is “Easter Sunday.” This message will reflect on one of the most central truths of our Christian faith—the resurrection of the dead. As we look at 1 Corinthians 15, among other places, Paul offers us not just a doctrine, but a living hope that transforms our lives, our understanding of death, and our future with Christ. This passage reminds us that the resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith, the guarantee of our salvation, and the very reason we have hope in the face of death.
The Resurrection as the Foundation of Our Faith
Let us begin by turning to 1 Corinthians 15:14. Paul writes
“If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”
This verse tells us something crucial: without the resurrection, everything we believe, everything we teach, and everything we hope for would be in vain. The resurrection is the very foundation of our Christian faith. If Christ had not risen from the dead, then our faith would lack substance and hope. The victory over death that Jesus achieved when He rose from the grave is what validates our faith. It proves that Christ is the Son of God, that He has power over sin, and that He has secured eternal life for us.
Jesus as the Firstfruits of the Resurrection
In 1 Corinthians 15:20, Paul states, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
Here, Paul calls Jesus the “firstfruits” of those who have died, a term that signifies that Jesus is the first to be raised to eternal life, and His resurrection guarantees that others will follow. This is not just a future hope, but a reality that shapes our present lives. Just as the firstfruits of a harvest give us the assurance that more fruit will come, so too does Christ’s resurrection assure us that all who belong to Him will also be raised. We, too, will be resurrected, the same way as Christ was. Jesus did not go to Heaven as soon as he died and so it follows, from the Bible that neither will we. His experience is to be our’s. (see Rom 5:18-19, and many others)
Victory Over Death
In 1 Corinthians 15:26, Paul writes, “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” Obviously, death would be “destroyed” as soon as the believer goes to Heaven, so if we did go to Heaven as soon as we die, then death would be the first enemy to be destroyed, not the last. The timing of all this is important.
Death is often seen as the final and inescapable reality, yet the resurrection teaches us that death is not the end. Jesus’ victory over the grave is a decisive blow to the power of death. In Christ’s resurrection, we see the first fruit of victory, a victory that will be fully realized when He returns. This is why the resurrection is so important—it assures us that death no longer has the last word. Death has been defeated through Christ, and one day, when He returns, death will be completely destroyed.
The Transformation of Our Bodies
In 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, Paul writes, “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.”
Here, Paul gives us a vision of the resurrection that is both comforting and transformative. He tells us that our mortal, weak, and perishable bodies will be changed—transformed into bodies that are imperishable, glorious, and powerful. This transformation is not just symbolic; it is real. Our physical bodies, though subject to decay and death, will be raised in a glorified state, perfectly suited for eternal life with God. The resurrection is not merely about the continuation of life; it is about the complete restoration of what God intended for us. It is the ultimate fulfillment of His promise that we would experience the fullness of life, body and soul.
The Timing of the Resurrection
In 1 Corinthians 15:22-23, Paul writes, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.”
This passage clearly teaches that the resurrection of the righteous will occur at the second coming of Christ. Paul teaches us that there is a future resurrection that will involve both the dead and the living. When Jesus returns, those who have died in Christ will be raised, and those who are still alive will be transformed. The resurrection is not something that happens immediately after death, it didn’t even happen that way with Jesus. Jesus did not go to Heaven as soon as He died. His experience is to be ours. Christ came to this world to show us what God can do and what we can do in cooperation with God. In human flesh He went into the wilderness to be tempted by the enemy. He knows what it is to hunger and thirst. He knows the weakness and the infirmities of the flesh. He was tempted in all points like as we are tempted.
The resurrection will take place at the return of Christ. No resurrection would be needed if we are already in Heaven. This truth gives us hope and comfort in the face of death, that non-believers do not have; just knowing that our loved ones who have passed away in Christ will be resurrected at the glorious appearing of our Savior, and that we will “rise together” to meet our Lord.
Our Resurrection
But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not grieved, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him all those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. For we say this to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thes 4:13-18)
The Defeat of Death Signalled Through Christ’s Resurrection
In 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, Paul writes, “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ Where, O death, is your sting?’”
Paul here quotes from the Old Testament, emphasizing that the resurrection of the dead will culminate in the complete defeat of death. Through Christ’s resurrection, death has lost its sting; it no longer has power over us. This victory is not just a future promise but a present reality for the believer. Because of Christ’s resurrection, we can face death without fear, knowing that it is temporary and that our ultimate victory has already been secured in Christ.
“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” “What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are you not in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ AT HIS COMING? For you are our glory and joy.” {AA 257.2}
How “Easter” Shows Us What Love Is
What is love?
It’s one of the deepest questions of the human experience. And the world’s answers can be confusing. Is it a feeling? An obligation? How much is enough? With so many opinions, where do we find the truth about love?
1 John 3:16 gives us a clear answer: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” This verse doesn’t just define real love, it gives us the ultimate example of it: Love is sacrifice. And God showed the full expression of that love when Jesus died on the cross to atone for our sins.
Easter Saturday adds weight to this truth. It’s a day that sits in the quiet between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. On this day, the tomb was still sealed. There was no celebration yet. Just silence, waiting, and the cost of the cross still hanging in the air.
This gave the disciples time to sit in the reality of what had happened. It wasn’t a close call. It wasn’t an almost-sacrifice. Jesus truly died. He truly gave everything. And this emphasizes a powerful truth: Love costs something. Love is sacrifice.
Then John turns the spotlight onto us: “And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” Most of us won’t be asked to die for someone. But we all face everyday moments where choosing to love like Jesus could cost us something. Showing up for someone in crisis when you’re already stretched. Covering someone’s need when it hits your budget. Sharing Jesus when it could cost you your comfort or reputation.
This is the truth of God’s love for us: Christ poured Himself out for us first, and from that love, we’re moved to love others the same way. And when you love like that, people don’t just hear about God’s love, they experience it for themselves.