The significance that a single tomb had on history...

This week, we are addressing a common question and objection surrounding Easter, which is "How do we know that the resurrection is a historical reality and not just mythology or fiction? After all, what if the tomb wasn’t empty? What if what we celebrate on Easter is just one big lie?” In a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of 1 Corinthians, we see a man named Paul, who persecuted early followers of Jesus until he had an encounter with Jesus after He was raised from the dead, address these very questions.

Paul addressed these questions and objections by providing four results that would be the natural result if the message of a resurrected Jesus and an empty tomb was a lie. First, Paul states that if Jesus was not raised from the dead; if the tomb was not empty, then the message of the gospel and Christianity in general is devoid of value and meaning. Second, Paul explained that if the tomb was not empty, Paul and other early followers of Jesus would be revealed as liars and twisted manipulators who misrepresented the nature and character of God by saying that He raised Christ from the dead when He really didn’t. They were liars and manipulators because if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Jesus is still dead.

Paul’s point was that you can’t have one without the other; either there is a resurrection of the dead for everyone, or there is no resurrection of the dead for anyone, even Jesus Christ as God-in-a-bod who was 100% God and 100% human. Today, we see Paul reveal a third result that would be the natural result if the message of a resurrected Jesus and an empty tomb was a lie in 1 Corinthians 15:17:

and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

In this single verse, we see Paul reveal for us the reality that if Jesus has not been raised from the dead, then your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Paul’s point here is that if Jesus was not raised from the dead, if that single tomb was not empty that first Easter Sunday, if there is no such thing as resurrection, then all of humanity is still separated from God as a result of their selfishness, rebellion, and sin.

Now a natural question that could arise here is “But why would that be?” You see, the resurrection from the dead provides the proof that God accepted Jesus willingness to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful lives so that He could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life. The reality is that if Jesus was not raised from the dead, then we have not been rescued from our selfishness and sin. For while there have been other people who were brought back to life in the Bible, Jesus is different for two reasons.

First, Jesus is the only person in the Bible who predicted that he would die and be raised from the dead before the event actually happened. The resurrection proves that Jesus said who He said He was as our Lord and Leader. Second, while other people in the Bible were brought back to life, they eventually died again. Jesus, however, was raised from the dead never to die again.

The Christian faith and our forgiveness is centered on the resurrection; without the resurrection Christianity and our faith is devoid of any value to rescue and restore us to relationship with God and one another. Paul then reveals a fourth result that would be the natural result if the message of a resurrected Jesus and an empty tomb was a lie in verse 18-19:

Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

Paul explained that that if Jesus was not raised from the dead, if that single tomb was not empty that first Easter Sunday, if there is no such thing as resurrection, then those who have believed, trusted, and followed Jesus throughout history and who have died physically will only experience eternal separation from God and an eternal sentence to hell. And because of that reality, Paul explains in verse 19 that if we have placed our confident trust in Jesus without the reality of the resurrection, then we are of all men most to be pitied. Now the word pitied here, in the language that this letter was originally written in, refers to one deserving of sympathy for ones pathetic condition.

Paul’s point here is that if Jesus was not raised from the dead, if there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead, we are pathetic. We are pathetic because we have leveraged our lives for a lie. So Paul has basically argued that if the tomb wasn’t empty; if what we celebrate on Easter is just one big lie, then followers of Jesus are pathetic people who have either been deceived or are knowingly deceiving others. But this morning is that the case? Are followers of Jesus pathetic people who have either fallen for a lie or who willingly perpetuate a lie? We see Paul provide the answer to those questions in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28:

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, "All things are put in subjection," it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.

Paul begins verse 20 by stating that while some may reject that Jesus was raised from the dead, while some may reject that this single tomb was empty on that first Easter Sunday, while some may reject that there is such thing as resurrection, the truth is that Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. When Paul uses the phrase first fruits here, this phrase refers to the first of a kind or a portion. Paul’s point here is that rejecting the reality of the resurrection results in a denial of our future. In these verses, Paul unpacks exactly what our future looks like as followers of Jesus as a result of Christ’s resurrection and a single empty tomb.

First, Paul reveals for us the reality that we have a future relationship with God as a result of the resurrection. In verse 21-22, Paul explains that while all humanity received the divine punishment of physical death and spiritual and eternal separation from God as a result of our selfishness and sin, that through Jesus life, death, and resurrection, we have the opportunity to experience the eternal relationship with God that we were created for. Then, in verse 23, Paul revealed to the church at Corinth and to followers of Jesus throughout history, the order of our future bodily resurrection. Paul begins by explaining that Jesus, as the first of a kind that we will follow, has already been raised from the dead. Paul then states that at the end of God’s story on earth, when Jesus returns to earth, those who are alive will be caught up to meet Him in the air and will receive their resurrection bodies in the process.

Paul then explains in verse 24-28 that upon Jesus return to earth to establish His kingdom and judge all of humanity, those who died as followers of Jesus throughout history will be raised from the dead and receive their resurrection bodies. Upon Jesus return to earth He will bring to an end those spiritual beings who oppose God and place themselves in opposition to God and His kingdom. And in the process, through Christ’s resurrection, we see the culmination of God’s work of rescue and repair as He achieves total victory in the cosmic conflict by bringing to an end selfishness, sin and even death itself.

After Jesus brings all of creation into submission under God’s kingdom rule, which was predicted in Psalm 8:6, Jesus will place Himself under God the Father’s loving leadership as the first among equals. The glorious future that we have as followers of Jesus is directly related the significance that a single city, a single cross, and a single tomb have had on history. And it is the reality of the resurrection; it is the reality of that single empty tomb that first Easter, that provides us the opportunity to experience forgiveness and the relationship with God that we were created for. 

You see, we do not believe that the tomb was empty because the of what the Bible says. It's way better than that. We believe that the tomb was empty because of what Matthew, a man who went from being a tax collector that was hated and despised by his fellow countrymen to being a disciple said. We believe that the tomb was empty because of what Peter, who was a man who denied Jesus three time after being arrested, said. 

We believe that the tomb was empty because of what Luke, who is regarding as a scrupulously accurate historian, upon doing extensive research and investigation said. We believe that the tomb was empty because of what James, who was the half brother of Jesus said. Think of it this way; what would it take to convince you that your half brother was God? We believe that the tomb was empty because of what Paul, who went from persecuting and killing earlier followers of Jesus to being that chief missionary for Jesus said.

What would cause people to experience such a change in perspective? A single tomb, and empty tomb, that once contained a man who had been killed on a single cross after entering a single city claiming to be God.  Now if you are not a Christian, you still may find yourself wondering “what makes any of this good news? Why is Easter Sunday so significant?”

What makes Easter Sunday so significant and such good news is that while all of humanity was created for a relationship with God and one another, all of humanity selfishly chose to reject that relationship, instead choosing to love our selves over God and others. And it is out of our selfishness that we do things that hurt God and those around us, which the Bible calls sin. And it the events of that first Easter Sunday that reveals how God responded to our selfish rebellion. On Easter Sunday, we see God provide the means that could rescue rebellious humanity by raising His Son Jesus from the dead, who came to earth and allowed Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful lives so God the Father could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life. And what makes the message of the gospel; what makes Easter Sunday such good news is how simple the events of that first Easter Sunday make it to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Receiving the forgiveness for sin and entering into the relationship with God that you were created for can summarized in three simple words: believe, trust, and follow.

First, you need to believe that you have done selfish things that have hurt God and others and are in need of forgiveness and that Jesus was who He said He was; that Jesus was God in a bod, who entered into humanity and allowed Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful lives so that God the Father could treat us as though we lived His perfect life. Second, you need to trust that Jesus life, death, and resurrection provides forgiveness of sin and the relationship with God you were created for. And third, you need to follow Jesus as Lord and Leader.

 

It’s as simple as that...