The importance of the resurrection to the truth claims of Christianity cannot be overstated. If the resurrection of Jesus Christ truly happened as the Bible says it did than each and every one of Jesus’ teachings are vindicated and they demand the earnest attention of every human being. If, however, it did not truly happen as the Bible says it did then Jesus can be written off as a delusional crazy person or, worse, a con man. In 1 Corinthians 15:14, Paul puts it bluntly when he says that if Christ has not been raised then our preaching is in vain, and our faith is in vain. And in 15:17, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” And then he goes on to add that if Christ has not been raised then we, “of all people are most to be pitied.”

All of Christianity is built on this one truth-claim- That Jesus was raised from the dead— and if that’s not true—if that’s not a fact— then our faith is in vain, and all of our cherished hopes as Christians are just fairy tales and make believe.

However, if it did really happen…if Jesus really was raised from the dead…then our faith and our hopes are not in vain, our labor is not in vain, and to live any other way would be to make a complete and utter waste of our lives.