On Good Friday, we remember the death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. His death on the cross secures our redemption and complete forgiveness of our sins. All our sins are washed away by His precious blood. So the sinless Christ died for us in order that we might be saved. He was then taken down from the cross and buried in a new garden tomb. But He did not remain dead in the tomb. On the third day, He rose again bodily from the dead. And today we remember the tomb is empty because our Saviour is still living and not remain dead.

How should Christ’s bodily resurrection impact the way we live our life? We must realize that if Christ did not rise bodily from the dead, it would mean that all that He could benefit us is only within this lifetime. His teachings may teach us to be good and enable us to please God according to His Word and will. His works may help us to believe that indeed God has empowered Him to do all those signs and wonders that confirmed His deity. But that would be all the hope Christ gives us in this life if He did not rise from the dead. Apostle Paul wrote:“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Cor 15:19). The words “most miserable” mean pity to the highest degree. In other words, nothing else could be more worse than this if Christ did not rise from the dead. Christians would then not have any form of assurance beyond the grave and beyond this life. That would make Christianity no different from any other religion of the world. The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the distinct mark that makes Christianity stands out among all the religions in the world. Not only does it stands out as the truth, it stands out as the true religion that lasts for eternity. Some religions may provide and teach about afterlife (such as reincarnation, immortality attainment, higher spirituality etc), but none showed like Christianity did that Christ rose again from the dead bodily. No matter how great and holy a man is, once he is dead, he remains dead. He may be said to rise again but only spiritually, even though there is nothing that proves that rising is true. But Christ rose again from the dead bodily and was seen by His own disciples and more than 500 men. Moreover the Bible has recorded for us how the Lord Jesus rose again from the dead bodily. This divine record itself can be trusted since it is God’s Word. By faith we believe this is true.

Christ’s resurrection must impact the way we live on this earth because our hope is not in this life, but in the life to come. God has promised us eternal life with Him in a glorified body. This is our blessed hope. As we go through this life with all the failings and weaknesses of the flesh, let us know that one day we shall be changed and end in eternal glory. Let us therefore press on and not give up for our Saviour's sake. It will be worth it all! The resurrection of Christ ensures it. May God help us. Amen.