More Than a Christmas Story

The resurrection of Jesus is more than a Christmas story—it’s the foundation of our faith and the power behind every promise of new life. Without it, Christianity would be little more than a moral tale … but because Christ lives, our faith has power, purpose, and a future.

The song might say to “be good for goodness’ sake,” but only the risen Christ gives us a faith with power, purpose, and a future.

“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” is a classic Christmas song. It is charming, entertaining, and even has a good moral lesson. Santa knows when you’ve been bad or good, the song claims, “so be good for goodness’ sake.” However, the song is simply not true. Little boys and girls who work hard to maintain good behavior will not be showered with gifts from Santa. Sorry, Virginia, the Santa Claus of that song simply does not exist. The song may be entertaining and have some moral value, but it is definitely not good news. In fact, it is a rather useless message on which to build one’s life.

Unfortunately, some folks treat the resurrection of Jesus like the idea of Santa Claus coming to town. In the first century, there was a group of people in the church in ancient Corinth who did not believe in a bodily resurrection. They did not agree that Jesus or anyone else could be raised to life. If they are right, says Paul, there are serious implications for our faith and our preaching. He argues: “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:14 NIV). The term useless means empty. So without the resurrection, the Christian faith —and our preaching of that faith—has no substance. It is as useless as a snowblower in Jamaica or a screen door on a submarine.

When Faith Loses Its Power Without the Resurrection

Sometimes people claim that Christianity is still worth following even if it is not completely true. After all, it teaches people good morals that lead to a safer, peaceful, stable society. But Paul will have none of this. The usefulness of our faith and preaching rises or falls with the resurrection. He develops this in more detail in 1 Corinthians 15:14–19 (NIV). In verse 15, he argues that without the resurrection, the Christian faith has no credibility. If Christ has not been raised, “we are then found to be false witnesses about God.” By “we,” Paul is referring to the apostles. They were to the church what the founding fathers—Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Franklin—were to the United States of America. If the apostles are wrong about the resurrection, then their overall message cannot be trusted.

Furthermore, Paul argues that without the resurrection, the Christian faith has no victory. Here the consequences start to get more personal. Paul puts it bluntly in verse 17 (NIV): “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” If you are still in your sins, then there is no possibility of the life change described throughout the New Testament and even in 1 Corinthians 6:9–11.

The Resurrection: Our Source of Power, Purpose, and Victory

Without the resurrection, there would be no power available for life transformation (Philippians 3:10). Finally, Paul argues that without the resurrection, the Christian faith has no future. In 1 Corinthians 15:18 (NIV), he says: “Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.” “Fallen asleep” is simply a euphemism for death—just like the expression “passed away” is a softer way to refer to death in our culture. Paul does not buy into the idea that at death the soul sheds the body and is, in effect, released from prison. Human beings were meant for bodily existence. Without the resurrection, the dead in Christ are lost. They have no future.

Why the Gospel Is More Than a Christmas Story

Incredibly, some preachers are content to preach about the resurrection of Christ while denying that it actually happened in history. They view the gospel accounts as simply describing a spiritual event of some kind in which “the ‘stone’ of legalism has been rolled away, and the ‘risen body,’ the true spark of life and identity hidden inside each of us, can burst forth.”

Such preaching, though, is not worthwhile. If the story is fiction rather than fact, then we have no reason to preach it as good news. But keep preaching. Keep believing. “Christ indeed has been raised from the dead,” affirms Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:20 (NIV). Our preaching and our faith have substance, credibility, victory, and a glorious future!

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Excerpted from Risen: 50 Reasons Why the Resurrection Changed Everything by Steven D. Mathewson, ©2013 published by Baker Books. Used with permission.

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