Because He Lives 

 

My question–that which at the age of fifty brought me to the verge of suicide–was the simplest of questions, lying in the soul of every man from the foolish child to the wisest elder: it was a question without an answer to which one cannot live, as I had found by experience. It was: “What will come of what I am doing today or shall do tomorrow? What will come of my whole life?” Differently expressed, the question is: “Why should I live, why wish for anything, or do anything?” It can also be expressed thus: “Is there any meaning in my life that the inevitable death awaiting me does not destroy?”

--Leo Tolstoy (A Confession) 

1. The Fact of the Resurrection 
2. The Fruit of the Resurrection 
3. The Fortitude of the Resurrection 

The Fact of the Resurrection

Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is moderately important. --C.S. Lewis

If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn't rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead. --Tim Keller

1 Corinthians 15:3-7  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

The Fruit of the Resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:20-23 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

Romans 5:12 Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.

Romans 4:25b …delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

1 Corinthians 15:24-26 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 

The Fortitude of the Resurrection 

Merriam-Webster: (Fortitude) Strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage.

Cambridge Dictionary: (Fortitude) Bravery when dealing with pain or difficulty, especially over a long period of time.

1 Corinthians 15:16-19 If the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

 1 Corinthians 15:30-32 Why are we in danger every hour? I die every day. What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

ACTS 7:60b Lord, do not hold this sin against them.

So we had won after all…We had won the war…No doubt it would take a long time…Many disasters, immeasurable cost and tribulation lay ahead, but there was no more doubt about the end…Being saturated and satiated with emotion and sensation, I went to bed and slept the sleep of the saved and thankful. --Winston Churchill

You and I can be certain of our salvation, and our future victory over death, even though we are still waiting for all things to be put under Christ’s feet. We can sleep the sleep of the saved and thankful. --Andrew Wilson 

Do we actually believe this, and does it show in how we live?