21 Jun 2022
Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15: 12-14
Just under 500 people gathered across CERC’s English and Chinese congregation to hear the risen Lord proclaimed on Resurrection Sunday. The morning gatherings were conducted in both languages and held in different locations, owing to the growth in CERC’s Chinese-speaking visitors. The evening gatherings also attracted a fair number of students on that day.
Left: CERC’s Chinese congregation; right: decor symbolising wealth and affluence, with the words in Chinese “what does it mean to truly live?”
The morning English congregation listening to a gospel account of Jesus’ resurrection from Matthew 27.
While Easter is known as a “religious holiday”, CERC celebrates it not as a “religious festival” but as a historical occasion – a day that marks the inbreaking rule of Christ into our world and the assurance of His second coming to judge the world.
“The resurrection was a public event, it’s not a private revelation given to a few people. Christianity isn’t first of all, a set of philosophical ideas that one can hold to in private via specialised knowledge. It’s a public message about a public person: Jesus of Nazareth – who was dead and now lives,” said David Kuok, in the opening of his sermon to CERC’s evening congregation (David has completed the Church Minister’s Apprenticeship and will be heading to seminary in 2023). He then proceeded to give a short explanation of why Jesus’ resurrection was true, disproving alternative theories that Jesus fainted and later revived, or the theory that His followers experienced mass hallucinations.
Towards the end of the sermon, David called on all to reflect on their attitudes towards Christ’s resurrection. He explained that the main reason for rejection of Christianity is usually not a lack of evidence or proof – but rather unbelief. “The resurrection affects your status quo in life and just like the religious leaders of the time, you have an agenda of keeping your life the way you want it,” he said. The congregation was then exhorted to trust in the resurrected Lord and to live for Him.
“Without the facts of the resurrection, I wouldn’t have become Christian. I would still be suppressing the truth about Jesus being Lord. I’m really glad that someone explained the resurrection to me clearly and I want to be able to do that for my friends as I evangelise”, said Michelle Kuah, who recently came to believe the gospel.
Guests engage in discussion after the sermon
Resurrection Sunday was an important day for the church to proclaim the Lord’s rule to the world. It also served as a reminder for believers to look forward to the Lord’s return and hold fast to the reality of the Christian faith.
