Why The Christian Faith Is Not Built On Feelings & Spiritual Vibes

Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11    

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

The Easter Reading from 1 Corinthians clearly declares that the person and work of Jesus Christ are of first importance. Not second. Not something optional. Not an add-on to a good and moral life. No, Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is the heartbeat of this church’s liturgy, hymns, sermons, and Bible Studies. The message of Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected is the center and foundation of your Christian faith. 

And so, in days of health and days of illness, in times of celebration and in times of mourning, in prosperity and in poverty, and yes, even in life and in death, Christ remains central. He is not merely a helpful example or an inspirational figure. He is your Savior in life. He is your Savior in death. And He is your Savior of your resurrection.

You see, the Christian faith is not built on religious feelings or spiritual vibes. It is not grounded in human effort or speculation. It is built on a historical reality: that Jesus Christ was crucified under Pontius Pilate, died, was buried, and on the third day rose again from the dead. And so, this Gospel is not advice—it is news. It is a proclamation. It is the joyous declaration that your greatest enemies—sin, death, and the devil—have been defeated by a crucified and risen Savior. 

Let us be clear: this Gospel message is not about a vague sense of hope or a symbolic resurrection. No, it is about blood and a body. It is about a cross planted in the ground and a tomb with a stone rolled away. The Lord Jesus Christ truly died, and the Lord Jesus Christ truly lives today.

* * *

And so, the question before us this Easter morning is not merely, 

“Isn’t the empty tomb nice?” 

Or,  

“Doesn’t Easter feel uplifting?” 

No, the question is: 

“Does this Gospel message of Jesus Christ crucified and risen matter when death comes to our doorstep?” 

“Can the resurrection speak into the darkness of a grave?”

“Can the resurrection carry us through the valley of the shadow of death?”

To answer this, we must go back to Good Friday — to Mount Calvary — where our Lord Jesus Christ hung upon the cross and spoke those final words: 

“It is finished.” 

You see, when Jesus said those words, He did not say them in defeat. He did not whisper them as a sigh of resignation. He proclaimed them as the victory cry of the Kingdom of God: 

“It is finished!”

But what was finished? The answer is simple but profound! Listen to this, Baptized Saints, in Christ and by Christ’s death: 

Your debt—paid. 

God’s wrath—satisfied. 

The curse of the Law—broken. 

The accusations of the Evil One—silenced. 

The punishment for your sin—satisfied. 

Jesus bore it all. Every sin. Every shame. Every burden. He bore it in His body on the tree. And because He bore it all, every promise of God is now true for you. Forgiveness is no longer a maybe. It is a certainty. Eternal life is no longer a wish, it is yours. Peace with God is no longer out of reach. It has been given freely to you by the blood of the cross.

But again, what of the resurrection? What of this day — Easter Sunday? 

Dear friends, the resurrection of Jesus is not an afterthought. It is not the “happily ever after” tacked on to the end of the story. No, the resurrection is the validation of the cross. It is the vindication of the crucified Christ. It is the Amen of God the Father to the finished work of God the Son. And because the tomb is empty, because Jesus lives, death is undone. The teeth of death have been knocked out. The sting of death is gone. The boasting of death is silenced. The grave no longer holds dominion over the Lord — and hear this loud and clear… the grave no longer holds dominion over those who belong to Jesus.

You, dear Christians, were buried with Christ in your Baptism. You were united with Jesus in His death. And so, just as Christ has been raised from the dead, you too shall be raised. The grave will not hold you. It cannot because it could not hold Jesus. 

This is the great paradox of the Christian life: though we die, we live. Though our bodies return to the dust, they are not abandoned. Though our hearts stop beating, our souls are taken into the presence of Christ. And even more—even more—on the Last Day, these very bodies will rise again.

This is not wishful thinking. This is not sentimental poetry. This is the promise of the Risen Lord. You will be raised—bodily, physically, gloriously at the great eschaton. Your body, once broken by sin and disease and death, will be raised incorruptible on the last day. No more pain. No more sorrow. No more decay. No more death. Christ has redeemed you—all of you. Know this: Jesus is not content to save just a part of you. He has purchased you entirely with His blood. He has sanctified your body with His Spirit. And He will raise you up—whole and holy—on the Last Day.

And so, when we look at the grave — whether it be the grave of a loved one or the grave that awaits each of us — we do not look as those graves without hope. We look at those graves knowing the end of the story. We look as those already in the grave as those who have been given the victory in Christ. 

Furthermore, dear Baptized Saints, we also live our days in hope — not a fragile hope based on human strength or optimism, but a sure and certain hope grounded in the empty tomb of Christ. And so, mark this: in every moment, both joyful and sorrowful, the resurrection speaks its truth clearly into our lives. The empty tomb proclaims that darkness will not have the final word, suffering will not define us, and death will not defeat us.

Finally, and certainly not least, the resurrection of Christ transforms not only our view of eternity but also our view of the present. It fills our lives with purpose, clarity, and confidence. It allows us to live each day knowing that the One who overcame death walks with us, guides us, and holds us fast. 

This, dear Baptized Saints, is why Easter matters. This is why Easter Sunday is one of the crowns of the Church Year. This is why we gather — not just today, but every Sunday. We come to hear again and again the same message: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again – for you.

And when He comes again in glory, He will call you by name. Indeed, the dead in Christ will rise. The trumpet will sound. And mortality will put on immortality. You will see your Redeemer with your own eyes. You will stand in the presence of the Lamb who was slain — and you will live.

So today, rejoice. Today, believe. Today, sing with the whole Church of God:

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.