Without the resurrection...

Early last month, the Discovery Channel broadcast a James Cameron documentary, “The Lost Tomb of Jesus,” which used reenactments and expert testimony to “prove” that “Christ was buried in Jerusalem with his mother, father, wife (Mary Magdalene), and son, Judah.” (“Truth Wins Out,” WORLD, March 17, 2007)

The show created quite a stir on Christian radio. I heard Dick Bott and Hank Hanegraff both talking about it.

Thankfully, Mr. Cameron’s claims not withstanding, there is little credible evidence that this particular burial cave holds the remains of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Completely secular scientists, experts in archaeology, came out against the program’s assertions. Let me read a short excerpt from the March 17, 2007, WORLD magazine article, “Truth Wins Out.”

“William Dever, considered by many the leading U.S. scholar on biblical archeology, told The Washington Post, ‘I’m not a Christian. I’m not a believer. I don’t have a dog in this fight. I’ve known about these ossuaries for many years and so have many other archaeologists, and none of us thought it was much of a story, because these are rather common Jewish names from that period.’ Others noted that the ossuary was the resting place for a middle-class Jewish family – a description that everyone agrees does not fit that of Jesus’ family. Still others dispute whether the names at the grave are even fully readable. Practically every archeologist outside of the ones Cameron interviewed dismissed the film as shoddy science at best and willful manipulation with a profit motive at worst.”

Some of you may be thinking, “So what? What if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead? Does it really matter? Why worry about someone claiming to have found the tomb of Jesus? Who cares?”

I do. And every believer ought to. If the tomb of Jesus were actually discovered, it would mean the death of Christianity. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:14. “...if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (NIV)

The resurrection matters. We lose everything, but that’s such a vague statement. Let’s get specific. What exactly do we lose if the resurrection is disproved?

We lose is our salvation.

The blood of Jesus takes away our sin. We say that, but it’s only true if Jesus is, in fact, the sinless Son of God. If he’s just a man, his death is pointless. Only a perfect sacrifice would satisfy God’s wrath.

And how do we know Jesus is more than just a man? We know it by his resurrection. Look at what Paul writes at the beginning of Romans. “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God – the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 1:1-4, NIV)
Did you see it? Jesus’ resurrection from the dead proves he’s God’s Son.

If Jesus was not raised from the dead he is not the Son of God. If he is not the Son of God, we have no salvation. Salvation is the first thing we lose if there is no resurrection.

We lose our intercessor, our advocate.

Paul writes in Romans 8:33-34. “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (NIV)

Jesus is at the right had of God interceding for us. When Satan accuses, Jesus, our attorney, counters his charges. “Forgiven. Taken care of. Blood-covered. Cleansed.” We are not condemned because Jesus is alive in heaven pleading our case day-in and day-out.

If Jesus was not raised from the dead we have no intercessor. We are condemned, separated from the love of God.

We lose the Holy Spirit.

On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus spoke some of the most powerful and comforting words. John recorded them for us. John 16:5-7, “Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” (NIV)

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, if his bones are still in some tomb somewhere, he is not in heaven and the Holy Spirit is not here to help us. We are alone. We cannot discern truth. We are without counsel or comfort. We cannot convince others to believe. We are deaf to God’s voice. We are blind to his will. We cannot obey God. We have no power over sin. We are pitiful.

If Jesus was not raised from the dead, the Holy Spirit is not here. We are without help.

We lose hope.

Jesus spoke these words of comfort to his disciples long ago. They are for us today. John 14:1-3, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (NIV)

Jesus is interceding for us in heaven – we covered that earlier – but he’s doing more. He’s making a perfect eternal dwelling place for every believer. He’s getting heaven ready for you and me.

Friends, this life is stinky at times. It’s full of pain and trouble. But something better is coming.

In Revelation 21:1-4, we find John’s description of what God showed him. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” (NIV)

If Jesus was not raised from the dead, heaven is just a fanciful place we dreamed up. If Jesus is still dead, we will not rise.

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!’” (Luke 24:1-6, NIV)

Jesus is alive, my friends. We who believe have salvation, forgiveness, mercy. We who believe have an intercessor before God’s throne. We are not condemned. We who believe have a Counselor, the Holy Spirit of God who lives in us and guides and empowers us. We who believe have hope. We will live eternally in heaven.

The resurrection has taken place. The women were not the only ones who saw Jesus alive. The twelve saw him – Thomas after doubting. Hundreds of others were witnesses of his resurrection as well. Paul reveals these truths in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” (NIV)

So it all comes down to this: do you believe? Since Jesus has been raised from the dead, we know he is the Son of God. All must turn to him for salvation. “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:18, NIV)

Those are Jesus’ words, the words of God’s one and only Son. He urges you, I urge you, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved...” (Acts 16:31, NIV) Hear God’s voice as he speaks through his word! Acts 2:21, “...everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (NIV) Acts 4:12, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (NIV)

There’s no way around it. You must believe. It’s God’s command to you. Will you obey today and be saved? Or will you walk away ignoring God’s great gift of salvation from your sin? If you do that, you will be condemned forever. Believe!

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