“If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you.” (Romans 8:11 NIV)
No doubt the resurrection was the catalyst that created the church. Without it the followers of Jesus might well have returned to their jobs and homes with only pleasant memories of inspirational times together. They were already in transit, fleeing the cross in despair. There is no evidence that any of them knew the meaning of the Crucifixion, and their theology and ministry were yet to be discovered.
The Resurrection changed everything. The knowledge that Jesus lived again revived the flagging spirits of the disciples, and His appearances gave direction to their efforts. They learned what they were to do and how to go about it.
So the Resurrection is the central fact of the church. That is why we worship on Sunday instead of on Saturday, the Sabbath of the Hebrew faith. The Resurrection allows us to look to the future with confidence.
-- William Carter in “Good News for God’s People: A Study of Romans” published by Abington Press
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