The resurrection of Jesus is the center of the Christian faith. Without the resurrection, Jesus would be just another failed Messiah and the early Christian movement would have faded quickly. As the Apostle Paul said, "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (I Corinthians 15:14). ~
The resurrection of Jesus is not simply a happy ending to an otherwise tragic story, but rather is the beginning of a new age, the age of the kingdom of God. The resurrection is a foretaste of God's new creation. As Christians, it is imperative that we understand the implications of the resurrection of Jesus. Our future hope is not simply that we will "go to heaven when we die," but rather our hope is that we will one day be raised with Christ in order to inhabit God's new creation.
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There is so much more I could say, but I am running short on time this morning. Please take a moment to watch the videos I have posted in the sidebar. These are short clips featuring Bishop N.T.Wright, in which Bishop Wright explains his views on the resurrection and the Christian hope. I will write more about resurrection later this weekend and on Monday when we read about the Ascension of Jesus. Have a blessed day!
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Hello! Can you clear up the day Mary went to the tomb and found it empty? I've always thought it was on (Easter)Sunday and am surprised to read in John 20 and Luke 24 both begin with "the first day of the week"...meaning Sunday or Monday? I'm clarifying because I've heard of the term "Easter Monday".
ReplyDeleteAgain it is important to understand the Jewish context. For first century Jews, the last/seventh day of the week was Saturday, the Sabbath. This follows the creation account in Genesis...on the seventh day God rested. The first day of the week was Sunday. So the women went to the tomb on Sunday morning, which is why we worship on Sundays...the first day of the week. There are a few Christian denominations that continue to honor the seventh day (the Sabbath), such as the Seventh Day Adventist.
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