As a pastor (and I believe I am in good company), I find myself somewhat uncomfortable during the high points of the Christian calendar, namely Christmas and Easter. Don't misunderstand, I love these holidays and cling to the Scriptures that describe them. My angst comes from the notion that my listeners might embrace the attitude that they have "heard it all before." Familiar passages have a way of producing that thinking.
I love the doctrine of the bodily resurrection of Christ. The older I get, the more I anticipate its reality. Like all Christians, I long to worship and serve the Lord with Jesus. Furthermore, with every ache and pain, I look to the day when the perishable will put on the imperishable (1 Corinthians 15: 51-53). Paul speaks at length about our blessed hope of the resurrection of the body. Sadly, throughout history, people have had strange notions about what this teaching means or rejected it outright. The Greek philosophers denied such a thing as they viewed the body as evil and the spirit as the only redeemable part of man. The Corinthian Church, steeped in Greek culture, was also greatly confused about this doctrine. Despite the Apostle Paul having spent 18 months in the city, discipling believers, they weren't quite sure about its reality.
But Paul was emphatic about this cardinal teaching of the Christian confession. He chided the Corinthians that denying the resurrection would do great violence to the Gospel. He related that if Christ is not raised, our preaching is in vain (κενὸν). It is empty, purposeless, and useless. Without the event's validity, the Christian message is not only a lie, but those participating in the movement were wasting their lives. They were, of all men, most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:19).
However, the Bible teaches that Christ has risen from the dead! This is the uniform teaching of the New Testament corpus. Paul relates that Jesus is the "first fruits" of those who have died. This term is a beautiful promise that was familiar to Jewish listeners. The First Fruits offering in the Old Testament (Leviticus 23:10) followed the initial part of the harvest. The offering was given to God in anticipation of a tremendous future harvest! What farmer doesn't want a bumper crop? Likewise, Jesus' bodily resurrection was a promise of a bountiful harvest of glorified bodies in the future of the Church.
The bodily resurrection of Jesus is indeed foundational to our faith. How I long to be with Him in my glorified state for all eternity. We should look forward with great anticipation to this event which will occur at His return for His bride.
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