Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” - John 11:25-26
Paul followed a rather standard format in most of his letters. He usually began them with a brief introduction, followed by a section on theological issues, then a section on practical issues, and finally a brief benediction. By “theological issues” I mean things that we as Christians are to believe and by “practical issues” I mean ways that we as Christians are to behave. However, in this particular letter, Paul addressed several questions and concerns about the Corinthians’ behavior (or perhaps I should say misbehavior) first. He dealt with theology second.
As we learned in the opening sermon of this series, 1 Corinthians was written approximately 25 years after Jesus’ ascension into Heaven. By this point, many repentant sinners who had believed in Him and come to salvation had already died. However, unlike Jesus, these deceased Christians had not physically risen from the dead or been visibly carried away into Heaven. This concerned many believers, including those at Corinth, who wondered if and when their dearly departed loved ones would be resurrected. They asked Paul about it…
In order to ease their anxiety, Paul answered the Corinthians’ questions about the doctrine of resurrection. His theological explanation (found in chapter 15) can be broken down into 3 parts. In today’s message we will focus on the fact of Christ’s resurrection. Next week we will discuss the order of resurrection and in 2 weeks we will talk about the mystery of resurrection.
I. PREACHED (1 Cor. 15:1-4)
Paul began this chapter by stating that he was going to make the gospel known to them. Really? They didn't know it already? Obviously, he had preached it to them in person a few years earlier when he was in Corinth (likely on numerous occasions). Nevertheless, he was now going to share it with them again as there were apparently some misunderstandings and doubts. It never hurts to start with or repeat the gospel!
Those who had already heard and wholeheartedly received the gospel had been saved. They held fast to the good news of salvation and stood firmly on its solid foundation. However, those who had believed it in vain - whose faith wasn’t genuine - were not truly saved. These inauthentic believers did not hold fast to the gospel and were standing on shifting sand. They needed to hear the life saving message again.
Paul stated that the gospel message was of first importance, taking precedence over all other teachings. Seeing that he was approaching the end of this letter, you might say that Paul saved the best for last. He recited the gospel just as he had received it from others. “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, and He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures”. Beloved, this is the premiere message of Christianity - the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! May we never stop preaching the gospel.
II. PROVEN (1 Cor. 15:5-11)
The account of Jesus’ brutal death, hasty burial, and glorious resurrection was not a myth, legend, or tall-tale. There were numerous eyewitnesses, most of whom were still living when this letter was written, who could give first hand testimony that all 3 of these events actually happened. They were verifiable facts. Paul provided a partial list of these witnesses.
On the same morning that He rose from the grave, Jesus appeared to the apostle Peter. Later that night in the Upper Room, and then on several subsequent occasions in various locations, Jesus appeared to some or all of the disciples. On another occasion, Jesus appeared to a crowd of more than 500 brethren at once - perhaps on a mountain in Galilee when delivering the Great Commission. He appeared to His half-brother James, who up to that point had not been a believer. He appeared to the apostles again, along with many others, at His ascension into heaven. Finally, He appeared to Paul personally and physically on the Damascus Road around 5 years later.
Paul described Himself as the least of the apostles and felt unfit to share their title because he had persecuted the church and tormented believers as a young man. He was a zealous Pharisee before his saving encounter with Jesus. As Saul, he had done everything he could to stamp out Christianity. But God had bestowed His amazing grace upon Paul - and not in vain. He now labored tirelessly, by God’s strength, to spread the message of salvation and to grow the Christian church. So then, whether it had been preached by him or another of the apostles, the Corinthians had received the gospel and believed.
III. PITIED (1 Cor. 15:12-19)
Paul asked why, if they truly believed that Jesus had physically risen from the dead, some were doubting the resurrection of deceased Christians. He stated that if bodily resurrection was not possible then Jesus Himself was not raised either. In other words, these 2 things go inseparably together. Either both Jesus and those who trust in Him for salvation are resurrected or neither of them are. It cannot be just 1 or the other.
Paul made 2 observations regarding the hypothetical scenario that Christ was not raised. First, his preaching would be in vain or useless. This would encompass all Christian preaching, including that of the previously mentioned apostles. In this instance, they would be false witnesses of God for preaching against Him something that wasn’t true. Second, the Corinthians’ faith would be in vain or worthless. They would still be in their sins and their deceased loved ones would be dead and gone forever - never to rise again. This dismal condition would apply to all Christians.
Without resurrection, Paul reasoned that the gospel wasn’t that great. If our hope in Christ is limited to the few years we have on this earth and there is nothing else after we die, our religion is pretty pathetic. If this were the case, both those who foolishly preached the gospel and those who naively believed it should be the most pitied of all people.
CONCLUSION
Paul clearly defined the gospel as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In His death, Jesus paid the price for humanity’s sin. He endured the penalty that we as sinners deserved, bearing our sin on the cross that we might be forgiven. In His resurrection, Jesus defeated death and conquered the grave. He rose victoriously so that we as redeemed believers would receive the gift of eternal life.
If Jesus did not rise from the grave, the gospel is incomplete and untrue. Fortunately, there is ample evidence that He did. There are numerous first hand accounts and all of them are extremely credible and reliable. Besides these, there are several other proofs that He arose, which despite rigorous efforts, have never been successfully debunked or refuted. Did you know that there is more evidence supporting the resurrection of Jesus Christ than the existence of many well-known historical figures?
My friends, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not fiction, fantasy, or fairy-tale. It is a fact. He is risen, alive, and seated at the right hand of the Father. And because He lives, all born-again believers will live also. Resurrection is real. Hallelujah!
Paul followed a rather standard format in most of his letters. He usually began them with a brief introduction, followed by a section on theological issues, then a section on practical issues, and finally a brief benediction. By “theological issues” I mean things that we as Christians are to believe and by “practical issues” I mean ways that we as Christians are to behave. However, in this particular letter, Paul addressed several questions and concerns about the Corinthians’ behavior (or perhaps I should say misbehavior) first. He dealt with theology second.
As we learned in the opening sermon of this series, 1 Corinthians was written approximately 25 years after Jesus’ ascension into Heaven. By this point, many repentant sinners who had believed in Him and come to salvation had already died. However, unlike Jesus, these deceased Christians had not physically risen from the dead or been visibly carried away into Heaven. This concerned many believers, including those at Corinth, who wondered if and when their dearly departed loved ones would be resurrected. They asked Paul about it…
In order to ease their anxiety, Paul answered the Corinthians’ questions about the doctrine of resurrection. His theological explanation (found in chapter 15) can be broken down into 3 parts. In today’s message we will focus on the fact of Christ’s resurrection. Next week we will discuss the order of resurrection and in 2 weeks we will talk about the mystery of resurrection.
I. PREACHED (1 Cor. 15:1-4)
Paul began this chapter by stating that he was going to make the gospel known to them. Really? They didn't know it already? Obviously, he had preached it to them in person a few years earlier when he was in Corinth (likely on numerous occasions). Nevertheless, he was now going to share it with them again as there were apparently some misunderstandings and doubts. It never hurts to start with or repeat the gospel!
Those who had already heard and wholeheartedly received the gospel had been saved. They held fast to the good news of salvation and stood firmly on its solid foundation. However, those who had believed it in vain - whose faith wasn’t genuine - were not truly saved. These inauthentic believers did not hold fast to the gospel and were standing on shifting sand. They needed to hear the life saving message again.
Paul stated that the gospel message was of first importance, taking precedence over all other teachings. Seeing that he was approaching the end of this letter, you might say that Paul saved the best for last. He recited the gospel just as he had received it from others. “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, and He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures”. Beloved, this is the premiere message of Christianity - the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! May we never stop preaching the gospel.
II. PROVEN (1 Cor. 15:5-11)
The account of Jesus’ brutal death, hasty burial, and glorious resurrection was not a myth, legend, or tall-tale. There were numerous eyewitnesses, most of whom were still living when this letter was written, who could give first hand testimony that all 3 of these events actually happened. They were verifiable facts. Paul provided a partial list of these witnesses.
On the same morning that He rose from the grave, Jesus appeared to the apostle Peter. Later that night in the Upper Room, and then on several subsequent occasions in various locations, Jesus appeared to some or all of the disciples. On another occasion, Jesus appeared to a crowd of more than 500 brethren at once - perhaps on a mountain in Galilee when delivering the Great Commission. He appeared to His half-brother James, who up to that point had not been a believer. He appeared to the apostles again, along with many others, at His ascension into heaven. Finally, He appeared to Paul personally and physically on the Damascus Road around 5 years later.
Paul described Himself as the least of the apostles and felt unfit to share their title because he had persecuted the church and tormented believers as a young man. He was a zealous Pharisee before his saving encounter with Jesus. As Saul, he had done everything he could to stamp out Christianity. But God had bestowed His amazing grace upon Paul - and not in vain. He now labored tirelessly, by God’s strength, to spread the message of salvation and to grow the Christian church. So then, whether it had been preached by him or another of the apostles, the Corinthians had received the gospel and believed.
III. PITIED (1 Cor. 15:12-19)
Paul asked why, if they truly believed that Jesus had physically risen from the dead, some were doubting the resurrection of deceased Christians. He stated that if bodily resurrection was not possible then Jesus Himself was not raised either. In other words, these 2 things go inseparably together. Either both Jesus and those who trust in Him for salvation are resurrected or neither of them are. It cannot be just 1 or the other.
Paul made 2 observations regarding the hypothetical scenario that Christ was not raised. First, his preaching would be in vain or useless. This would encompass all Christian preaching, including that of the previously mentioned apostles. In this instance, they would be false witnesses of God for preaching against Him something that wasn’t true. Second, the Corinthians’ faith would be in vain or worthless. They would still be in their sins and their deceased loved ones would be dead and gone forever - never to rise again. This dismal condition would apply to all Christians.
Without resurrection, Paul reasoned that the gospel wasn’t that great. If our hope in Christ is limited to the few years we have on this earth and there is nothing else after we die, our religion is pretty pathetic. If this were the case, both those who foolishly preached the gospel and those who naively believed it should be the most pitied of all people.
CONCLUSION
Paul clearly defined the gospel as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In His death, Jesus paid the price for humanity’s sin. He endured the penalty that we as sinners deserved, bearing our sin on the cross that we might be forgiven. In His resurrection, Jesus defeated death and conquered the grave. He rose victoriously so that we as redeemed believers would receive the gift of eternal life.
If Jesus did not rise from the grave, the gospel is incomplete and untrue. Fortunately, there is ample evidence that He did. There are numerous first hand accounts and all of them are extremely credible and reliable. Besides these, there are several other proofs that He arose, which despite rigorous efforts, have never been successfully debunked or refuted. Did you know that there is more evidence supporting the resurrection of Jesus Christ than the existence of many well-known historical figures?
My friends, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not fiction, fantasy, or fairy-tale. It is a fact. He is risen, alive, and seated at the right hand of the Father. And because He lives, all born-again believers will live also. Resurrection is real. Hallelujah!