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1 Corinthians 15:20
Memorise Hebrews 12:2
"...the author and finisher of our faith."

Consider these facts:

• Christ’s death, burial and resurrection on the 3rd day is according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). It had been prophesied and fulfilled in Christ.
• The disciples and Paul (and others) testified to seeing the resurrected Christ (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). Were they mistaken? Or worse still, are they liars?
• If Christ our Lord, the Son of God did not have power over death, what of those who have already died in the faith? Have they perished for all eternity? (1 Corinthians 15:18)
• Christ Himself said He would rise again (Matthew 16:21, Luke 24:7). Can we not trust the very words spoken by our Lord?
• If Christ is not raised, we are still dead in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:7).

If Christ is not risen, our faith is vain! It is futile. Christianity leads nowhere. Do you believe the Bible is true and that Christ indeed is risen? The firstfruits are, as the name suggests, the first fruits of the harvest that were offered to God by His people. Christ is the first who has risen from the dead with the glorified body, and in so doing paves the way for that same resurrection to be had in all who believe in Him. If Christ had not risen from the dead, then what hope do we have that we too can have eternal life, and that glorified body?

Today, medical and scientific knowledge have and continue to advance in leaps and bounds. People are living healthier and longer lives. There are cures for diseases that would have killed countless in the past. Man thinks he is so clever, so powerful. Whilst these can be used for good, they are to be viewed with discernment by Christians. We must realize that such medical treatments only postpone the inevitable – death, whether you are rich, poor, young, old, wise or simple. As Christians our only hope is in the risen Christ. We are most blessed to have a faith that is not in vain, but rests on a risen Christ.

Thought: What is your perspective on life and death?
Prayer: May I not become preoccupied and obsessed about prolonging my physical life here on earth.