12-15Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became believers because you trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how can you let people say that there is no such thing as a resurrection? If there's no resurrection, there's no living Christ. And face it—if there's no resurrection for Christ, everything we've told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you've staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ—sheer fabrications, if there's no resurrection. (The Message)
I have to admit that I have spent a lot of the time that I have been a believer ignoring the resurrection. I wouldn't say that it was something I did or didn't believe in it was just that I never really gave it much thought. I believed in Jesus and the connection with God that we were invited to experience through him but the resurrection just never seemed like it was that big of deal. It was something for later not for now. Over the last several years though I have spent more and more time pondering the resurrection and when I read Paul's words here it reminds me that without the resurrection we really don't have much except a nice philosophy.
Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:
- Why do you think Paul found it necessary to reaffirm the resurrection both of Jesus and those who believe?
- What did you learn about the resurrection of believers when you were growing up?
- What difference does the resurrection mean to you today?
- How does the resurrection of those who believe in Jesus impact the way you live today?
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