February 28, 2008 1 Corinthians 15:19

02/28/2008

1 Corinthians 15:19 - 22 (HCSB)

¹⁹If we have placed our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone. ²⁰But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. ²²For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

The Dan Brown book (and movie) “The DaVinci Code” suggested that Jesus did not die on the cross – which by logical extension, would mean that He was not buried in the tomb and raised on the third day. In Brown’s book (which is based on speculation by Michael Baegent) Jesus and Mary Magdalene ran off to the south of France where they raised a family and that bloodline was “the holy grail” that was then protected by the secret society: the Priori de Sion.

Before Dan Brown, there were a handful of theories regarding the empty tomb, including “the swoon theory” which states that Jesus didn’t really die on the cross but merely went comatose and after being laid in the cool tomb, regained his strength and moved the stone away himself. Still yet another theory states that it was Judas on the cross (he and Jesus switched places at the last minute).

In Paul’s time, there was a religious group called the Sadducees who did not believe there was a physical resurrection. In this passage, Paul is speaking directly to the Sadducees, but I think we can apply the same passage to today’s skeptics.

If we believe in a Christ who died and was buried and that was then end, then we are a pitiful lot. Jesus taught about a Kingdom of God and about life and peace through Him. If our king is dead, then where is the kingdom? Where is our hope if there is no kingdom? If this life is truly all there is, then why bother to be Christ-like? What is the benefit to humbling ourselves in this life? If this life is all there is, then what hope is there for the future?

But the good news is that Christ is not dead. He rose physically from the dead. There is an empty tomb. And since Christ has resurrected from the dead, we also have a hope of a new life in Him. We know that Jesus died on the cross; the Romans were experts at execution. We know that He was placed in a tomb and on the third day, He was raised.

Our hope lies in a living Christ. For in Him, we too will live.

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