Based on the sermon:

The Empty Tomb: What If Jesus Didn’t Rise?

The greeting “He is risen! He is risen indeed!” has echoed through churches for nearly two thousand years. This Easter Sunday, as millions around the world celebrate the resurrection, it’s worth considering a profound question posed in a recent sermon: What if the skeptics are right? What if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead?

The Big “Ifs” of Easter

The Apostle Paul addressed this very question around 52 AD when writing to the church in Corinth. Some members, influenced by Greek philosophical thinking that rejected physical resurrection, were questioning this fundamental Christian belief. Paul’s response in 1 Corinthians 15 methodically explores what would follow if Jesus had not risen.

If There Is No Resurrection…

First, Christianity would collapse like a house of cards. The resurrection isn’t just one doctrine among many—it’s foundational. If Jesus didn’t rise, He would be exposed as a false teacher who failed to fulfill His own prophecy. His ministers would be false witnesses against God, and the entire gospel message would be nothing but a cruel joke.

Second, we would be eternally lost. As Paul wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” A dead savior cannot save anyone. The cross represents Christ’s offering for humanity’s sins, but the resurrection represents God’s acceptance of that sacrifice. Without resurrection, there’s no salvation.

Paul’s stark conclusion? “If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Without resurrection, nothing ultimately matters.

From “What If” to “What Is”

Thankfully, Paul doesn’t leave us in hypothetical territory. He declares with certainty: “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.”

This isn’t blind faith but belief rooted in historical evidence. Lee Strobel, once an atheist journalist who set out to disprove Christianity, discovered what he called the “four Es” that made the resurrection undeniable:

1. Execution: Jesus truly died by Roman crucifixion, a method with a 100% fatality rate.
2. Early Reports: The confession that Jesus died and rose again emerged within months of the event—far too quickly for a legend to develop.
3. Empty Tomb: Even Christianity’s earliest opponents didn’t dispute that the tomb was empty.
4. Eyewitnesses: Over 500 people claimed to have seen the risen Christ, most still alive when Paul wrote his letter.

From Adam to Christ

The resurrection represents a fundamental shift in human destiny. Paul explains, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”

We’re all born “in Adam”—inheritors of sin and death. Romans 3:23 reminds us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and Romans 6:23 adds that “the wages of sin is death.” Our natural birth places us in Adam’s lineage of sin and death.

But Jesus offers a second birth—a spiritual one that transfers us from being “in Adam” to being “in Christ.” This transfer from death to life requires two things: repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. We must let go of sin and embrace the Savior.

The Tale of Two Thieves

The crucifixion scene powerfully illustrates our choice. Jesus hung between two criminals traditionally named Guestus and Dismas. Both were sinners facing death. Both recognized Jesus as special. But their responses couldn’t have been more different.

Guestus wanted Jesus to save him from his circumstances—”Save yourself and us!” But he never acknowledged his sin or his need for spiritual salvation.

Dismas, however, confessed his guilt: “We are dying justly for what we did.” He recognized Jesus’ innocence and asked, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus promised him, “Today you shall be with me in paradise.”

One died in sin. One died freed from sin. The difference? Confession, repentance, and faith.

Easter’s Personal Question

This Easter, the resurrection confronts each of us with a question. We’re all sinners, but which thief do we resemble? Are we like Guestus, wanting Jesus to fix our problems while clinging to our sin? Or are we like Dismas, honestly confronting our guilt and trusting Christ for forgiveness?

More fundamentally: Are we in Adam or in Christ? The answer determines our eternal destiny.

The empty tomb isn’t just ancient history—it’s the pivotal moment that can transform your story. Because Jesus lives, you too can experience new life. As millions declare today: He is risen! He is risen indeed!