The “Concrete” Core of Christianity

Have you ever had the chance to observe a skyscraper as it is being built?  There are, of course, different ways in which those great buildings are put together. But, generally speaking, a big skyscraper has at its core a concrete structure – surrounded by a much wider steel frame which contains most of the habitable area of the building.  It is becoming more common for the concrete core to be constructed first – and so you can see the core rising and the steel frame construction playing catch-up.  You would never know it from the finished building, but a great glass tower, glimmering in the sunshine, has a core of concrete that provides much of its lateral strength and integrity.  Take out the concrete core, and a great gust of wind or an earthquake could topple the building.

The Christian faith has a concrete core as well.  That core is the resurrection.  This is the historical reality – the central truth – the great miracle – that provides rigidity, strength and integrity to everything else.  Easter Sunday is make or break for the Christian faith. Everything hangs on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If you remove it or deny it – the rest of the faith collapses in rubble all around it.

Over recent decades, we have become very good at developing modular approaches to building things and doing things. We like our education to be modular – you can pick and choose certain modules , exclude others, and design your own course.  We like modular furniture – the office set or the sofa set where you pick and choose the pieces you want and stick them together.   When it comes to matters of faith, many would prefer a modular approach there too.  We choose the pieces we want, we set others aside, and we construct a belief system that suits our tastes.  We might like elements of Christian truth:  the kindness of Jesus, the opportunity to be accepted and forgiven, the chance to go to heaven.  There are aspects of the truth we might warm to.  But, at the same time, many might say:  the resurrection seems a little far-fetched and a little too supernatural or miraculous for our liking.   

The historical resurrection of Jesus Christ is not a module that we can add on to our faith – a bolt-on we can take or leave.  That is the point that the Apostle Paul wants to drive home in a key passage on the theme of the resurrection (1 Cor. 15).  Evidently, there were those in Corinth who were denying the resurrection of Jesus.  But Paul makes clear that the resurrection is the great vindication and confirmation of the work of Jesus at the cross. And so, without the resurrection, we would have to assume that the cross did not, in fact deal with our sin. That’s what Paul says – verse 17:  “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”  If Jesus went to the cross on Good Friday with the intention of paying for our sins, but then was left in the grave with no resurrection – no vindication from the Father – we would have no way of knowing if the sacrifice was accepted.  If Jesus has not been raised, then there is little hope that his followers could be.  And that would lead us to the unavoidable conclusion that we are pathetic and pitiable people – a people who have been living a delusion, duped by a very grand lie – verse 19: “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”  But indeed the resurrection is a historical reality.  As Paul declares in verse 20, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep….”  This reality is the “concrete” core of Christianity.  It is our source of hope and joy.  Thanks be to God!