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“Does it Really Matter?”
I have heard these words on many occasions from a myriad of people concerning various doctrines and teachings of the Bible for many years, including the resurrection. Today, I want to give you three quick thoughts about why the resurrection matters.
1. Reveals that God is satisfied with the payment for sin. The foundation of Christianity is the cross. Without the cross of Christ there would be no resurrection. But without a physical, bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus there would be no salvation. The resurrection is the proof, the witness, the declaration from God almighty that He accepted the payment Christ made on the cross. When Jesus cried out on the cross “It is finished” that meant all Jesus had suffered paid the sin debt of all of humanity, including you and me. God accepted the payment for the sin and was satisfied because three days later Jesus walked out of the grave. Had the payment not been accepted, the body of Jesus would still be in that borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. The rising of Jesus from the dead separates Christians from every other religious group on this planet. Every other religion had a founder just like we Christians do. Their founder died and was buried. Our founder died and was buried. Their founder is still in the grave in which he was entombed. Our founder is alive and seated at the right hand of God the Father in the glories of heaven surrounded by an innumerable number of angelic beings. Let me share a couple of quotes about the resurrection. “But what appeared to be a defeat was actually the greatest victory of all. In his death, Jesus defeated sin. On Easter morning, death too was defeated” (Eugene H. Peterson). “Our old history ends with the cross and our new history begins with the resurrection” (Watchman Nee). Read these powerful verses from the Bible and have your faith strengthened. Each of these celebrate our salvation because God’s justice was satisfied.
• II Corinthians 5:14-17 – “For the love of Christ constraineth (moves with force) us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
• Ephesians 2:4-6 – “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
• Romans 5:8-11 – “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
• I John 2:2 – “And he is the propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

2. Reveals that there is life after death. I Corinthians 15:19-22 is a wonderful passage you would do well to think on often. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. I Thessalonians 4:16 declares, “The dead in Christ shall rise first.” It is my personal belief that humans are hard-wired to believe there’s something beyond the here and now.
3. Reveals the honesty of Christ. He is Lord not a lunatic or liar. Jesus claimed He was the “resurrection and the life” in John 11:25. Mark 9:31, “For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.” Many charlatans have hoodwinked the multitude throughout history. False messiahs have come and gone. Jesus is the only one that walked out of a grave. Eyewitnesses by the hundreds saw Him as He walked in and around Israel for 40 days after the resurrection. You can see the list in I Corinthians 15:3-8.
Does it matter? You bet it matters. Without it we are of all men most miserable. Resurrection Sunday is the best day of the year. It is a reminder that heaven is our final destination because God reconciled us to Himself, making us His children and not His enemies any longer.