How do you feel—how should you feel—about the resurrection of Christ? I hope you appreciate what a strange question that is to ask. First, it feels a little too contemporary. I say that because most everybody in our postmodern age is too concerned about their feelings and how they feel about things. May I say something that may surprise you? How you feel about things is really not the most important thing in the universe! The question (How do you feel about the resurrection of Christ?) is a little strange because, of course, the main thing and the first thing and the most important thing about the resurrection of Christ is not how you feel about it! What is important is that it actually and really happened regardless of how you feel about it.
So why do I ask such a question? Why do I ask how you feel about the resurrection of Christ? It is because how you feel about the resurrection of Christ is still actually and really very important for you, personally. But when I say that I have to tell you something about your feelings. It is this. Properly understood, your feelings are and should be connected to your thinking and your willing. Why? Because they are all connected to your heart! It is one and the same heart that thinks, feels, and wills. When I say feelings, I am not saying feelings as opposed to thinking and feeling. I am saying feelings as an aspect of your heart. And as I just implied, how you think, feel, and will concerning the resurrection of Christ—while not the most important thing—is a very important thing for you personally. Here is the reason for that. It is stated by the Apostle Paul himself. Romans 10:9-10 records what he said about this: “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” You see that for Paul, your heart response to the resurrection of Christ determines whether you are saved or not!
Thus, while in one sense it is not the most important thing, it is personally crucial for you to consider how you feel in your heart about the resurrection of Christ. That is why I think it is important to focus on the question, how do you feel—how should you feel—about the resurrection of Christ? But just to make sure we do not fall into our contemporary mistake of over-rating feelings, I shall also speak of what you should think about the resurrection of Christ. Thinking should always control feeling and then willing!
