TEXAS GOSPEL VOLUNTEER
Some people try to soften the resurrection of Jesus by saying he lives on in the hearts and minds of his followers, or in the ongoing work of the church, but the Bible does not allow us to replace a real, physical resurrection with a kind of warm remembrance. Even in the early church, some people in Corinth were doing exactly that, and Paul pushed back firmly in 1 Corinthians 15:12, asking how anyone who claims Christ was raised could then deny that the dead are raised at all.
Jesus was not kept alive by the thoughts or devotion of his followers. He physically left the tomb. He was seen by people, touched by people, and worshipped as the living Lord. He is not a memory or an idea. He is alive in actual fact, having defeated death in a way that is real and historical. Reducing the resurrection to sentiment may feel more comfortable, but it strips the gospel of its power and leaves us with something far less than what the scriptures actually teach.
He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.
Matthew 28:6
