Why is the RESURRECTION of Jesus so important?
Luke 24:5-7
The RESURRECTION of Jesus from the dead is the central fact of Christian history. On it, the Church is built; without it, there would be no Christian Church today. Jesus' RESURRECTION is unique. Other religions have strong ethical systems, concepts about paradise and afterlife, and various holy scriptures. Only Christianity has a God who became human, literally died for his people, and was raised again in power and glory to rule His Church forever.
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Because Christ was raised from the dead, Christians know that the Kingdom of Heaven has broken into earth's history. The world is now headed for redemption, not disaster. God's mighty power is at work destroying sin, creating new lives, and preparing believers for Jesus' Second Coming.
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Because of the RESURRECTION, Christians know that death has been conquered and that they, too, will be raised from the dead to live forever with Christ.
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The RESURRECTION gives authority to the Church's witness in the world. Look at the early evangelistic sermons in the Book of Acts: the apostles' most important message was the proclamation that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead!
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The RESURRECTION gives meaning to the Church's regular feast, the Lord's Supper. Like the disciples on the Emmaus Road, believers break bread with their risen Lord; who comes in power to save them.
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The RESURRECTION helps Christians find meaning even in great tragedy. No matter what happens in their walk with the Lord, the RESURRECTION gives them hope for the future.
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The RESURRECTION assures Christians that Christ is alive and ruling His Kingdom. He is not legend; He is alive and real.
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God's power that brought Jesus back from the dead is available to believers, so that they can live for Him in an evil world.
Christians can look very different from one another, and they can hold widely varying believes about politics, lifestyle, and even theology. But one central belief unites and inspires all true Christians—Jesus Christ rose from the dead! (For more on the importance of the RESURRECTION, see I Corinthians 15:12-58)
