What would it all mean if Jesus hadn’t risen?
If the resurrection of Jesus Christ were just a myth or a metaphor, then everything we do as Christians would collapse. Our worship, our hope, our sacraments, even our belief in the authority of Scripture—all of it hinges on the historical, bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
The apostle Paul puts it bluntly: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile” (1 Cor. 15:17). But thank God—He has been raised. And because of that, everything is different.
A New Creation Has Begun
Matthew 28 begins with a timestamp: “Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week…” (v. 1). This is not a throwaway detail. Jesus rose on Sunday—the first day of the week—not just to mark a new day but to launch a new creation. Just as the first creation began with “Let there be light,” the new creation begins with the dawning of Resurrection light.
This is why Christians worship on Sunday, not Saturday. The early church quickly shifted their worship from the seventh day (the Sabbath) to the first day of the week, calling it “the Lord’s Day” (Rev. 1:10), because it was the day Jesus conquered death. Sunday worship isn’t a break from tradition—it’s a bold declaration that God has begun something new.
The Resurrection at the Heart of Worship
Everything about Christian worship centers on the resurrection. The songs we sing echo the joy of heaven in Revelation, where saints and angels proclaim a new song. The largest book of the Bible—Psalms—is, at its core, a hymnal. Singing is how the people of God respond to the reality of resurrection.
But more than just singing, the resurrection gives meaning to the sacraments. Communion is not a memorial to a dead man. We eat the bread and drink the cup because Jesus is alive—and by partaking, His risen life animates ours. Baptism isn’t just ritual cleansing; it’s identification with Jesus’s death and resurrection (Rom. 6:4). If He did not rise, the sacraments are empty. But He did—and so they overflow with power and grace.
Resurrection and the Word
Here’s a provocative question: Why do we believe the Bible is the Word of God and not, say, the Qur’an? The answer is simple: the resurrection. Jesus claimed to be the divine Son of God, and His resurrection validates those claims. If He hadn’t risen, we’d have no reason to trust His words—or the Scriptures that testify about Him. But since He did rise, we trust the Bible as God’s authoritative, living Word.
And how do we know the resurrection actually happened? The testimony of the first witnesses matters. In the ancient world, no one would fabricate a story and place women—whose testimony was not even admissible in court—as the first witnesses to an earth-shaking event. Yet the Gospel writers do exactly that. Why? Because it’s what really happened.
Redefining Power
One of the most striking moments in Matthew’s resurrection account is the angel who sits on the rolled-away stone. He doesn’t stand ready for battle, sword in hand. He sits—because the work is finished. It’s a scene of quiet, victorious authority. Jesus didn’t defeat death through force but through submission, humility, and sacrificial love. And that’s the kind of power that truly changes the world.
This is the message of Easter: Jesus is alive, and the world is not the same. Death has been defeated. Sin no longer defines us. We are not doomed to repeat our past mistakes. In Christ, we are made new.
Resurrection Power, Resurrection People
The resurrection isn’t just a moment to remember—it’s a reality to live. It’s the reason we gather, the power behind our witness, and the hope that carries us through suffering, sorrow, and even death itself.
Because He lives, we have the strength to love our enemies. Because He lives, we can preach with boldness. Because He lives, we face the grave with confidence. Because He lives, we too shall live.
Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.
Scripture Reference: Matthew 28:1–10
Key Themes: Resurrection, Worship, Sacraments, Power, New Creation
Reflection Questions:
What would your faith look like if you truly lived every day in light of the resurrection?
How does the resurrection change the way you understand worship, Scripture, and the sacraments?
What are some “stones” in your life that the risen Christ wants to roll away?
