Easter Saturday // Waiting

Holy Week // Day 7

Scripture - 1 Corinthians 15:12-19, NIV

“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

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Devotional

Pop-out Scripture - 1 Corinthians 15:13-14

13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

Across this week, we have followed Mark’s account of the week prior to Jesus’ resurrection. It is interesting to note that Mark skips from the crucifixion on Friday to the resurrection on Sunday, with no description of what happened on the Sabbath day in between. As good Jewish people, we can imagine that the disciples did no work that day. As friends of Jesus, we can imagine that they mourned Him and prayed many “now what?” prayers. This day is a literal pause between an exhale (Jesus’ last) and an inhale (Jesus’ first in His resurrection body). Pause today and consider how different the world would be now, if there had been a crucifixion but no resurrection. You see, the resurrection made all the difference.