But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20)
Christ has indeed been raised from the dead! He is the first of those who are raised from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead tells us that our resurrection is possible as well. If we will be raised from the dead, then it should affect how we live each day.
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? (1 Corinthians 15:12)
If the resurrection isn’t true, what difference would it make? If Christ hasn’t been raised from the dead, why do say that he did? If we don’t believe in the resurrection, does it really matter?
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. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
We’re spending a few weeks in Easter looking at the resurrection of Jesus. Is it true? Why does it matter? What does it mean for us today?
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. … Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’). (John 20:1, 16)
Mary Magdalene is the first person John records as having seen the empty tomb, and the first to see the risen Jesus. She is invited to believe that Jesus is alive, and invited to tell Jesus' other disciples.
But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants for ever; his kingdom will never end.’ (Luke 1:30-33)
This Sunday is usually called ‘Palm Sunday’, and it is the day we recall Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. He arrives riding on a donkey, with people declaring that he is the king. This is nothing new to his mother, Mary, this is what had been promised would happen before Jesus was born. Is this it? Is this the moment where Jesus starts his reign on earth?