EMPTY PROOF

EMPTY PROOF

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. (1 Corinthians15:1-8)

In the days after the French Revolution, a man tried to start a new religion that he believed was superior to Christianity. But he was disappointed at his lack of success. He revealed his frustrations to a clergyman and asked awhat he could do.
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The clergyman replied that it was no easy task to begin a new religion - so difficult that he had nothing to suggest. But after a moment's reflection, he said," There's one plan that you might want to consider. Why don't you get yourself crucified and rise again on the third day?"
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The firm foundation of the Christian faith is an empty tomb. The New Testament declares that the death of Jesus paid the penalty for our sin. But how can anyone know for sure that Christ's crucifixion was acceptable to God? It doesn't matter much what we think of the death of Jesus; what matters is what God thinks about it.
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God's approval of Christ's sacrifice is proven by the resurrection. It stands as God's signed receipt that He is completely satisfied. Without the resurrection, Christianity has nothing much to offer the world. But the fact that Christ died and then rose from the grave "is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16)
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Written by Haddon Robinson for Our Daily Bread

Thinking it over

Some have said that Christianity is a relationship,

not a religion. Do you have that relationship?

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Because of Christ's empty tomb,

we can be full of hope.