Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became believers because you trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how can you let people say that there is no such thing as a resurrection? If there’s no resurrection, there’s no living Christ. And face it—if there’s no resurrection for Christ, everything we’ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you’ve staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ—sheer fabrications, if there’s no resurrection.
If corpses can’t be raised, then Christ wasn’t, because he was indeed dead. And if Christ weren’t raised, then all you’re doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever. It’s even worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because they’re already in their graves. If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we’re a pretty sorry lot. But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries.
1 Corinthians 15:12-20, The Message Version
If the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a myth then a bunch of people are living in false hope and a bunch of people have died for no reason. If Jesus Christ is not who he says he is then we, those who believe, are living in delusion. But. Whether *you* like it or not, Jesus Christ walked this earth, did what has been reported, died, rose again, and paid the price for our life so that we would not have to pay it. The physical death that many have experienced in his name is not the price paid. The price paid was the spiritual death we each are in danger of experiencing without atonement for our sins. That is what Jesus Christ did, he provided that payment. He provided atonement for us. Nobody would willingly die for a lie. Nobody would gladly give their life for a man who claimed to be something he wasn't. This is one bit of proof that leads us to the truth about Jesus Christ. For more about that click here.
Jesus Christ is the firstfruits of the harvest. The nation of Israel was familiar with the concept of firstfruits or the firstborn. The firstfruits were always the choicest, the foremost, the first, the best, the preeminent of all that was to follow. They were holy to the Lord. The concept of firstfruits or firstborn is a major theme in the Bible. This can be seen by the following Scriptures: Exodus 34:26, Leviticus 23:20, Numbers 18:12-15, Deuteronomy 18:1-5, 26:2-4, and Proverbs 3:9. The harvest represents all who would put their faith, trust, and confidence in the Messiah (Matthew 13:39).
Today we celebrate the firstfruits, Jesus Christ. We celebrate his offering of life. He is our firstfruits.
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