The Reality of the Risen Christ

Welcome

Call to Worship

Isaiah 52:7–10 ESV

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Prayer.

Stand for Worship.

Introduction

Who: The Apostle Paul (also known as Saul).

When: c. AD 53-55 (about 1,970 years ago).

Where: Written in Ephesus to the Christians in the city of Corinth.

English Standard Version Chapter 15

15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,

2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

God Saves Those Who Believe

Paul received and believed the gospel.

Paul received and believed the gospel.

Paul passed on what he had learned.

Paul received and believed the gospel.

Paul passed on what he had learned.

Some of the Corinthians struggled to believe.

Paul received and believed the gospel.

Paul passed on what he had learned.

Some of the Corinthians struggled to believe.

Genuine faith is necessary for salvation.

Paul received and believed the gospel.

Paul passed on what he had learned.

Some of the Corinthians struggled to believe.

Genuine faith is necessary for salvation.

God Provides Evidence of the Resurrection

Paul received eyewitness accounts.

Paul received eyewitness accounts.

Scripture foretold of Christ’s death

Paul received eyewitness accounts.

Scripture foretold of Christ’s death

Scripture foretold of Christ’s resurrection

Paul received eyewitness accounts.

Scripture foretold of Christ’s death

Scripture foretold of Christ’s resurrection

The Risen Jesus appeared to many.

Paul received eyewitness accounts.

Scripture foretold of Christ’s death

(Isa. 53; Dan. 9:26; Zec. 13:7).

Scripture foretold of Christ’s resurrection

(Isa. 53:10; Psa. 16:10; Hos. 6:2; Jon. 1:17).

The Risen Jesus appeared to many.

Cephas/Peter (Acts 2; Epistles)

The Twelve (Matthew & John’s Gospels, Acts)

James (Epistle)

Paul (Epistles)

God Gives Grace to All

Paul persecuted the Church.

Paul persecuted the Church.

God works through grace.

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Paul persecuted the Church.

God works through grace.

Anyone can preach the gospel.

Romans 10:14–15 ESV

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Romans 10:17 ESV

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Paul persecuted the Church.

God works through grace.

Anyone can preach the gospel.

Conclusion

Closing Prayer.

Stand for Worship.

God Bless You