Peace and Resurrection - Pt 1

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19 ESV).

I hope you have let the last verse of our reading really impact you. It is the heart of our hope and peace in this world. The apostle recognized this incredible truth. So he says, “If, in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” There are many voices who would simply declare without thought or basis that whether there is a God or not, whether Jesus and the resurrection are fact, a life of love and labor and sacrifice is a good life. They would tell us that today’s reward is enough, even in the face of significant trial. Paul didn’t think so. He calls that belief foolish and those people fools. For all of us who are Christians in the wealthy west, especially America, who some have dubbed “the Disneyland of the world,” this is the central question. It seems like in evangelicalism today we are prone to offer Christianity to people and persuade them with the earthly benefits that it will bring them. We hear the prosperity preachers boasting the benefits of peace of mind or relational benefits. They tout the immediate transformation of our situation if we but have enough faith. Their message is to be a Christian and all will come together. It will go better for you. And honestly, it’s not a good sell for Christianity to tell the truth of this new life which is often filled with hardship and heartache. Paul knew that following in the steps of Jesus was a life of freely chosen risk and suffering in the cause of love for other people in great need. It would be far from easy. It would be juxtaposed to that which is so easily preached and believed today in many churches of America. And that’s where we begin today. You may be tempted to skip the next few days as morose and bleak. After all, who needs more bad news? Well, please don’t; this is the beginning of real good news. Paul was the preacher of joy, unspeakable joy. But that joy, according to the Apostle, was the joy of hope. That joy streams back into this world, but it’s a joy rooted in hope. Paul is saying here, that this hope of resurrection, and what would come with Christ beyond the resurrection, freed him to embrace suffering that he never would have chosen if he did not believe in the resurrection from the dead. “The life I have chosen is a fool’s life,” he said, “if there is no resurrection from the dead for me and for those for whom I am suffering.” This is the root of his peace; and, should be ours as well. Rejoice! He is risen! And so shall we be!