If Jesus had not risen, millions would still follow His teachings (think of Buddha, Mohammed, and many others whom people follow though they never rose from the dead). His teachings, if followed, would still change lives and make the world a better place.

But without the resurrection (see 1 Corinthians 15), our sins would not be forgiven, loved ones who have died would be gone from us forever, much of the Bible would never have been written or would necessarily have been revised, edited out (think of all the prophecies of the resurrection and Jesus’ own repeated assertion that He would rise after three days), or recognized as well-meaning falsehoods. Jesus would be no different than many “holy men” whose teachings still have many followers who can visit their graves.

Without Jesus’ resurrection, we would have no certain and wonderful confident hope of our own resurrections and eternal life in heaven/the new earth. We would have no reason to believe that someday Jesus will return, that His kingdom of love and peace will fill the earth, that wrongs will be judged and righteousness rewarded, that the whole creation will be returned to its original perfection.