“But now Christ has been raised from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:20).
What is the purpose of your life?
We look for purpose in many places—our spouse, our work, our church, our happiness, and our money—some good, some not. Yet none of these things last forever. In fact, Ecclesiastes shows us that life “under the sun” is vanity. Life without God is ultimately futile—because everything fades away.
But Jesus Christ changed everything. By dying for our sins and rising from the dead, He gives us a purpose that death itself cannot take away—to know Him, worship Him, and live for Him forever. The Resurrection proves He is the Son of God, the victorious King—and that we can share in His life forever.
The Resurrection Is Real
By being raised from the dead, Jesus separated Himself from the rest of humanity (Rom. 1:4). Jesus claimed to be God (John 10:30–33; 14:9), and the Resurrection proves that He is indeed God. As my Bible teacher used to say, “If you can bring yourself back from the dead, you don’t need to do anything else for an encore.”
Some critics claim the Resurrection never happened, but Paul writes that Jesus Christ died for us, was buried, and rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). After His Resurrection, He appeared to many witnesses: Peter, the disciples, five hundred people at once, the apostles, and finally Paul himself (1 Corinthians 15:5–8). Paul emphasizes that with so many witnesses, including over five hundred at once, the Resurrection is historically undeniable.
Therefore, we can trust that Jesus truly is the Son of God, and His power was displayed through His death, burial, and Resurrection. Christ’s Resurrection is a historical event, not a metaphor, and our faith rests on this reality.
The Resurrection Changes Everything
Some of the Corinthians thought there is no believer’s resurrection from the dead. However, Paul argues that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then our faith is in vain (1 Cor. 15:12–14).
In what follows, Paul lists six disastrous consequences of what reality would look like for a Christian without the Resurrection (1 Cor. 15:14–19). Twice he mentions that if the Resurrection never happened, then our faith is in vain (vv. 14, 17). Furthermore, if Christ was not raised, then Christians are to be pitied above all (v. 19).
Naturally, we might think that an obedient Christian—even if God were not real—would still live better than most people. The Bible teaches us to be joyful, wise, loving, and hardworking—qualities that lead to a satisfying life. Yet Paul was beaten, shipwrecked, and unjustly imprisoned as he gave his life for the gospel. What a fool he would be to make such sacrifices if there were no heaven! Indeed, it would be better to “eat, drink, and be merry” if there were no heaven (v. 32).
The mark of the Christian is to live in light of eternity—a mark that would be vanity if Christ had not been raised from the dead.
After a bleak backdrop, Paul writes of the abounding hope we have in Jesus. He writes, “But now Christ has been raised from the dead…in Christ all will be made alive” (vv. 20, 22). By His death, He gave us life, and this life is ours when we put our faith in Him.
The Resurrection Demands a Response
In light of these glorious truths, how should the believer respond?
In Paul’s conclusion of 1 Corinthians 15, he writes, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Life can feel heavy and meaningless at times, especially when we see suffering all around us. In my work speaking with older adults about Medicare, I encounter this reality daily. Many carry deep burdens—physical pain, loneliness, and regrets over the paths they’ve taken. Some even question the value of their lives as they near the end. Their voices often carry the same unspoken question we all wrestle with at times: ‘What was the point of my life?’”
When we are young, we can be so focused on the temporary, but being elderly provides a sense of clarity about life. Ultimately, life is vanity without the Resurrection.
Yet, there is good news for the Christian. No matter what you have done, how old you are, or how much you are suffering, if you work for the Lord, nothing you do will ever be in vain. Once you trust Christ as Savior, every moment of your life is designed to fulfill a godly purpose beyond your imagination.
Therefore, because Jesus is raised from the dead, we should labor for Him. We have the freedom to act as He did—to love, to serve, to be merciful, and to share the hope of the gospel with others. We can do this knowing that no matter what we may face, we have a home in heaven, and every good deed will be rewarded there.
Celebrating Easter
We are so easily distracted, focused on the here and now. Too often, Christmas becomes about Santa and gifts, and Easter becomes about chocolate and family. Yet the Bible clearly demonstrates that Christians are to be heavenly minded, celebrating the cross and Resurrection during these special times.
What a blessing it is to remember what Christ has done for us—to rejoice that He has defeated death, forgiven our sins, and now sits in heaven, where we will enjoy Him forever.
Let us make Jesus our priority this Easter.
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