Mark 16:1-8
One of my favorite preachers loves the Charles Wesley hymn “And Are We Yet Alive.” In the past, and sometimes still today, conference and district meetings begin with singing: “And are we yet alive, and see each other’s face? Glory and thanks to Jesus give for His almighty grace.”
And are we yet alive? That’s the question I’d like for us to think about today. Do we have a new life in Christ or are we mired down in our old sinful and selfish ways?
You’ve heard the story of the resurrection. The question is so what? What difference does it make?The Apostle Paul would be quick to say, “Everything!” The resurrection of Jesus makes all the difference in the world.
In his 1st Letter to the Corinthians, he says, 1 Corinthians 15:14–22 (NIV) 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. The resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith. It’s what separates us from all the other religions of the world. It’s what gives us purpose and direction when we’re perplexed, confidence when the storms of life threaten to overpower us, hope when all seems to be lost. And that’s why Paul is quick to go on and say, 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
Can people tell from looking at your life that the resurrection makes a difference to you?