This Is What We Preach!

            It was exactly one year ago today that Dad went into the hospital for the last time.  Seven days later, he died.  In that final week, when he knew that he was dying, he asked me whether the message was still there.  “What message, Dad?” I asked. “The message on the sign at the church: “Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!” he answered.  “Yes,“ I said, “It’s still there.” (Even though we had celebrated Easter several weeks earlier, we hadn’t found time to change the marquee yet.) “Good,” he answered… and he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and relaxed. As I sat there by his bedside holding his hand, with tears streaming down my face, I realized that he had no fear of death… for he had the reassurance, once again, that Christ had been raised from the dead.

This is what we preach… the Apostle Paul says… and this is what you have come to believe.  For if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching has been in vain… and your faith has been in vain.  This is the core of the gospel message – not that Christ died for you… for we can all share stories of people who have died so that others might live… but that Christ has been raised from the dead… and that his victory over death has secured for you… and for me… and for all who believe… life… life everlasting.  And that this comes to us, not as a reward for good works… charitable gifts… mission service… or any kind of merit we can accrue… but as a gift… a gift of love from our Father in Heaven.

Do you understand what sets Christianity apart from every other major religion in the world?  It is the life… death… and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God… God Incarnate.  No other religion has this… or anything comparable to it.  But the crux of it all is the resurrection.  You can’t take the rest of it… the baby born in a stable in Bethlehem… the itinerant preacher who healed the sick… and the innocent man who died on a cross… and leave this part out.  For as the Apostle Paul states very clearly: “If Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.”

But how can we believe this fantastic story?   How can you and I… today… know that the story is real?  Listen to Paul again… beginning at verse five…  “and that he appeared to Cephas (another name for Peter)… then to the twelve… then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time… most of whom are still alive, though some have died…then he appeared to James… then to all the apostles… and last of all… he appeared also to me.”   “So, what?,” you think. The disciples saw something and they agreed that it must be Jesus… or the spirit of Jesus… so the story spread.  

The truth is that the historical record shows that plenty of people did not believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead… including Jesus' own disciples. To me, the doubt of Jesus' closest followers… and the disbelief of many of their contemporaries give more authenticity to the story than any polished or professional propaganda could.  After the crucifixion, the reality is that the followers of Jesus responded in fear… confusion… ignorance… and disbelief. The women who took spices and perfumes to the tomb that first Sunday morning went to anoint a corpse… not to witness a resurrection.  When Mary Magdalene saw the empty tomb, she thought someone had stolen the body… not that Christ had been raised from the dead.  When she and several other women subsequently told the disciples that they had seen the risen Christ, the disciples did not believe them. Later, when two witnesses reported their encounter with Jesus on the road to Emmaus, the disciples did not believe them either. The risen Christ himself rebuked them for their lack of faith… and their stubborn refusal to believe. Thomas remains the most famous doubter, of course, but even in Jesus’ last resurrection appearance, while many believed… some doubted.

The Historical Jesus Society has set standards about the sayings of Jesus in order to determine which are probably valid sayings versus something contrived.  Of course, the more people who validate a saying, the more likely it is that it is valid.  But two other standards seem, at first glance, to be counter-intuitive.  Shorter sayings and less believable sayings are more likely to be historically valid than longer ones and more believable ones.  Shorter sayings are considered more valid because no effort is being made to make the saying more palatable.  Less believable sayings are considered more valid simply because they are so fantastic that one must ask the question, “Why would someone make this up?”   All the stories of the resurrection appearances of Jesus are both very concise… and describe fantastic acts… such as Mary Magdalene touching the risen Christ… the risen Jesus coming to the disciples despite locked doors… the risen Christ appearing to more than five hundred at one time… and the risen Jesus eating with his followers.   

Along the way, something happens that changes what the disciples believe. Luke writes that after Jesus suffered, "he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive." Somehow… some way… the confusion of these "unschooled and ordinary men" gave way to bold conviction: "God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact." When commanded by the religious authorities to stop preaching, Peter and John replied, "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

What difference does it make to us today?   It makes all the difference in the world.  If Christ has been raised from the dead, then we, too, shall be raised from the dead, as he has promised.  That was what my father knew… and what gave him peace and hope as he faced his own death.  “Is the message still there?” he asked. “What message, Dad?” I asked. “Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!” he answered.  “Yes,“ I said, “It’s still there.” “Good,” he said… and it is good.  Good for him… good for you… good for me.

Look at the sermon text again… because I can’t say it any better than the Apostle Paul did… “Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I preached to you, which you in turn received… in which you stand… through which you are being saved… that Christ died for our sins… and that he was buried… and that he was raised on the third day.   This is what we preach… and this is what you have come to believe.  Since December 1st, 2008, I have written seventeen messages to inform you that someone who is known to us has entered the Church Triumphant: John Darby, Jr… Chester Taylor… Dorothy Johnston… Lesley Martin… Liz Brauner… Bobby Schuler… Ama Lee Taylor… Dorothy Cameron… Lelia Surber… H.C. Arendt… Carl Saunders… Margaret Thompson… Wayne Thiebaud… Anita Cisler… Margaret Tarr… Ernest Dimaline… and Karen Keith.    They have died… and yet… they will be raised incorruptible… and we shall be changed.  This is what we preach… and this is what you have come to believe.  For if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching has been in vain… and your faith has been in vain.  This is the core of the gospel message… that Christ has been raised from the dead… and that his victory over death has secured for you… and for me… and for all who believe… and for all the saints who have gone before us… life… life everlasting.  Behold, I tell you… Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!  Amen.

1 Corinthians 15:1-15