"We Will Rise Again"

On a day when the whole of the Christian world is thinking about the resurrection (from the grave) of our Lord, it is good that we think of it, as well. Most likely, today is not the anniversary of the day that Jesus' resurrection occurred, but...is there a bad time to think about Christ and the great sacrifice he made for us?

When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, in his first epistle, we can see that he was responding to them regarding several subjects. It is apparent that someone was teaching that there would be no general resurrection at the second coming of our Lord. Paul addressed this erroneous teaching in a very powerful way. "For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished." (2 Corinthians 15:16-17)

We all know of so many who, during the good years of their lives, had a wonderful existence. Good fortune and good health marked the great pleasure in life they enjoyed. However, in their final years of life, they did not fare so well, heath wise. Some have struggled for years in pain, depression, loss of senses, the need for around-the-clock care and too many other ailments to enumerate here. How sad it would be to say to these, "this is all that there is." Paul said it best when he said, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable."

The risen Savior is one of the most central tenets of the Christian faith. The fact of "the empty tomb", alone, sets Christianity apart from the other world religions. The resurrection of our Lord is to stand as a memorial to the fact the we, too will rise at the second coming of Jesus. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and the with the trumpet of God. and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

Let us celebrate the fact of the Lord's resurrection!