Resurrection: The Reason We Preach
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Introduction: Today, I’ll be staring with a rather long introduction to this 3 week study. It’s a lofty one and one that needs a bit of a running start. So bear with me on this.
Let’s begin by reading our passage 1 Corinthians 15:1-19
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 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. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
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. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
Reminder of the Gospel...
What is the Gospel....
On this Gospel, Paul says the Corinthians received, have taken their stand, and are being saved. Which if I understand this Greek work tense correctly, it’s present indicative (ongoing) tense, thus referring to not only the moment they were born again but also to the day by day sanctification of their salvation. Continuing to be saved in the sense of becoming more like their savior and less like the world and the sin and corruption found there.
Paul also warned though that they were being saved only “if they hold fast to the Word of God.” Some read this verse and think it makes reference to the idea that we can let go of our faith, we can abandon the truth, and reject the gospel. I simply cannot believe that this is true otherwise Jesus’ words and promises do not make sense.
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
Jesus further says that you can have a knowing faith but not a saving faith.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Just as the demons do. They believe in God but they do not put their trust in God and receive Him in saving faith. God doesn’t desire just a knowledge of Him. He desires our true worship and allegiance. He desires our hearts. A saving faith demands that, our humble recognition and willing worship of a Holy God with our whole lives.
That’s why Paul tells the Corinthians in his later letter (2 Corinthians) to test themselves.
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
Why would they need to test themselves if they already all believed and received Christ. As Paul says to them, they needed to know if they were actually in the faith or not.
It wasn’t a matter for them of defecting from the truth, it was a matter of knowing the truth but never truly receiving Christ. That’s what Paul is talking about here in chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians.
These true believers have received and are standing upon the truth of the Gospel, holding fast to the Word. Those that did not truly do so have “believed” in vain.
So let me pause their, for already a brief moment and say this. It’s very possible that there may be a few of you even in this room that don’t truly know God in salvation. You believe his death and resurrection but nothing separates your believe from the belief of the demons opposed to Christ. Their is no true love of Christ in your hearts. There is no true receiving Him as Lord and Savior. If your struggling to believe that is true than perhaps it may very well be you that needs to examine your own faith.
One of the tests to know if we do indeed have saving faith involves how much you value and hold to the word of God.
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
But simple obedience isn’t all their is either. Where is our heart in the obedience to Scripture? You may be a great “rule follower” (similiar to the Pharisees), but a follower of Christ that does not make you.
Don’t get me wrong here. A changed heart,and true repentance will follow with a truly changed life (there will be outward difference). And that is seen in one that joyfully serves Jesus. Will there be times when our attitudes don’t line up with our actions? Sure, many times as we battle the flesh for control of our life. That’s being faithful. But overall, a life transformed by Jesus will continue to more earnestly desire to spend time with Him and serve Him and take part in the things that He values most.
And that’s a perfect segway to what Paul says next. Notice what Paul says next in verse 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,
AS OF FIRST IMPORTANCE!!!! It’s fitting that Paul began his letter to the Corinthians speaking about the gospel and now finishing his letter about the Gospel.
How dominant was the message of the Gospel in Paul’s sermons to the people of Corinth. Chapter 2 verse 2 gives us an answer.
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Obviously Paul shared the whole counsel of the Word of God with the believers in Corinth but his primary focus early in the churches history was so predominantly about Jesus Christ who paid the penalty for our sins. And it makes sense that it should focus there. Until unbelievers know the truth about Jesus and why He came and the need for their salvation until the Holy Spirit of God draws their hearts to Him, there really isn’t anything more that you can tell an unbeliever about God or the Bible. Without the Holy Spirt, these other doctrines will be far too much of a mystery to them, far to spiritually discerning. They cannot reason with the infinite with their very limited human minds. We need the Spirit of God who is infinite to grant us these truths.
So much was Paul’s preaching focused on the cross that as John MacArthur points out that many in the community of Corinth criticized the believers of the church there of worshipping a dead man.
Now is that all their is to the Gospel? Believe that Jesus died for our sins. No absolutely not. In fact, it’s essential, is imperative, it’s as Paul put it, of first importance that the gospel is more than just Christ’s death, but also hes resurrection. And so as we really begin our this topic of discussion from chapter 15, we are going to find that resurrection is what Paul is most concerned that these people understand. The unbeliever, that they understand his power over death, and we serve a risen Savior. For the christian, that they understand the full ramifications of Christ’s resurrection. It doesn’t just affect Christ but also infinitely affects us as well.
But why is the resurrection of first importance. Next three weeks we are going to unpack why it’s so important and as we see it’s truth, we will understand that the resurrection is the reason we preach, the reason we hope, & the reason we labor as Paul wrote in the book of 1 Corinthains 15.
I. Reason We Preach
I. Reason We Preach
As you look at these verses 1-19, notice how many times the word preached or proclaimed passed on comes up. 5-6 times. Will discuss this in more detail as we work through the passage, but let’s go back to our questions, why is the resurrection so important and why then does it become our reason to preach...
A. It’s Irrefutably True (v.3-11)
A. It’s Irrefutably True (v.3-11)
Just how important is this doctrine. Very. In fact so important is it that many atheists target it’s validity. Because if there’s a doctrine that if proven false can unravel most if not all of the truth and power of Christianity, it’s the doctrine of the resurrection. But the thing is, God has also given us so many evidences that prove the resurrection really did occur. And that is what Paul is going to share with his readers.
From this point, you could say that Paul would make a pretty good christian apologist today if he were alive.
So what are the evidences that Paul provides to the people of Corinth.
Evidence of Resurrection:
Evidence of Resurrection:
The Scriptures
You’ll notice that not once what twice he said that these events of the Gospel happened “according to the Scriptures”. Just as scripture said they were to happen, they did.
And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
And these scriptures didn’t just foretell about the death of Christ but also about the resurrection and many of the apostles were quick to use these Old Testament prophecies in their evangelism to the Jews.
One of my favorites is from Peters Sermon in Acts 2.
For David says concerning him,
“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.
If you want a collection of other verses that speak to the prophecies of Christ’s death and resurrection, check out Ps.22, Is.53, Ps.16:10, Matt.12:39-40, Acts 13:30-37)
The Eyewitnesses
Next, there is the evidence of the people that saw him alive and had real experiences with one whom they believed was the risen Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Paul records an what is actually an ancient creed concerning Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection appearances that is much earlier than the letter that Paul wrote:
and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
It is generally agreed by critical scholars that Paul receive this creed from Peter and James between 3-5 years after the crucifixion. Now, Peter and James are listed in this creed as having seen the risen Christ. Since they are the ones who gave this creed to Paul, this is therefore a statement of their own testimony.
Quick note about Peter’s own testimony of seeing the risen Christ. Why is it significant that Jesus went to Peter first.
1 Corinthians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Jesus’ Appearance to Peter
In going to Peter first, Jesus emphasized His grace. Peter had forsaken the Lord, but the Lord had not forsaken him
Now, many atheists today (whom really do believe because history really does show that men followed a man named Jesus and claimed he rose) bring up the point that just because the disciples think they saw Jesus doesn't automatically mean that they really did. Just as there were skeptics then (some of the 500 eye witnesses of Jesus resurrected bodies still alive to the day and people even then did not believe it) make all the more sense why we still have skeptics now.
So now we are gonna take a quick detour from the text to talk about this so we too may be sound of faith and ready to give an answer to those who about about the hope that is within us. There are three possible options that could have occured revolving around the people who claimed to see the risen Lord.
They were lying
They hallucinated
They really saw the risen Christ
Which of these is most likely? Were they lying? In this view if you believe this, the disciples knew that Jesus had not really risen, and they made up this story about the resurrection. But the question then is, why did 10 of the disciples willingly die as martyrs for their belief in the resurrection? People will often die for a lie that they believe is the truth. If Jesus did not rise, the disciples would have known it. Thus, they wouldn't have just been dying for a lie that they mistakenly believed was true. They would have been dying for a lie that they knew was a lie. Ten people would not all give their lives for something they know to be a lie. Furthermore, after witnessing events such as Watergate, can we reasonably believe that the disciples could have covered up such a lie?
Because of the absurdity of the theory that the disciples were lying, we can see why almost all scholars today admit that, if nothing else, the disciples at least believed that Jesus appeared to them. But we know that just believing something to be true doesn't make it true. Perhaps the disciples were wrong and had been deceived by a hallucination?
The hallucination theory is unthinkable for many reasons. 1st because it cannot explain the physical nature of the appearances. The disciples record eating and drinking with Jesus, as well as touching him. This cannot be done with hallucinations. Second, it is highly unlikely that they would all have had the same hallucination. Hallucinations are highly individual, and not group projections. Imagine if I came in here and said to you, "wasn't that a great dream I had last night?" Hallucinations, like dreams, generally don't transfer like that. 3rd, the hallucination theory cannot explain the conversion of Paul, three years later. Was Paul, the persecutor of Christians, so hoping to see the resurrected Jesus that his mind invented an appearance as well? And perhaps most significantly, the hallucination theory cannot even deal with the evidence for the empty tomb.
Since the disciples could not have been lying or hallucinating, we have only one possible explanation left: the disciples believed that they had seen the risen Jesus because they really had seen the risen Jesus.
Not only did they see and testify about the risen Savior but their lives indicated it as well. Because of the truth of the resurrection, the once heart-broken followers of the crucified Rabbi were turned into the courageous witnesses and martyrs who, in a few years, spread the gospel across the Roman empire and beyond
The eyewitnesses are a strong evidence that the resurrection indeed is true.
***A quick work about Paul the least of the apostle as he calls himself
The Common Message
What is further proof of Christ’s resurrection is the fact that the Gospel message remained consistent among those who saw the risen savior. Their message never changed. Their writings remained true to each other. And the same gospel spread even though many of the eyewitnesses ministered all around the known world.
So the importance of the resurrection lies partially in the fact that’s its irrefutably true, and if it is certainly true, we must also understand that it is also Essential to our Faith.
B. It’s Essential to our Faith - v.12-19
B. It’s Essential to our Faith - v.12-19
Now before we dive into this next point, as some have pointed out, if verses 1-11 are the historical proof that the Resurrection is real, then verses 12-19 are the logical proof that the resurrection is real.
And this is where the Christians had become confused. They had to have believed Christ arose to be saved (Romans 10:9).... “believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved....” BUT they were struggling to believe in the resurrection of the dead. Some of their confusion again was a result of their experiences with pagan religions. One such philosophy was dualism, which in a nutshell taught that everything physical was evil so it would have been astrocious to thsoe who followed this philosophy to believe that our physical bodies would be resurrected. We also know that the Sadducess, a sect of the Jewish sanhedrin, rejected anything pretty well most supernatural things. Such as the afterlife, or the resurrection from the dead, rejected the idea of a spiritual unseen world. Thus when Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, he mentioned the resurrection of the dead in the midst of a trial before the Pharisees and Sanducees causing a major uproar. Acts 23.
So there were plenty of opportunities for the Corinthian believer to be swayed by unbiblical beliefs about the resurrection of the dead. But what we will find is that as Paul says here, Christ’s resurrection is linked to the believers resurrection. So much so that they stand or fall together. What Paul presents to them is a “double-edged argument” being if Christ was raised, resurrection from the dead is then also possible and true.
knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.
As a believer, they should have been well aware of the teaching on the resurrection of the dead because Christ taught on it extensively.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
It was also the foundation of the apostles teachings.
And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
Maybe your confused about what it is? Well, let’s examine for a moment Jesus teaching on it, and find out what the resurrection of the dead is.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
So if we get this wrong. If we fail to believe in the resurrection of the dead, it also means we fail to believe that Jesus has power in himself to raise us up, and if we question his power to raise us up, we question his own words and his our resurrection as well.
And If Christ had not risen, as Paul’s logic continues it follows that so many other things are also not true, making it the consequences of not believing the resurrection of the dead so powerful. So Paul lists off at least 6 reasons why it’s essential to our faith and our life as a Christian. And I would say these go from general to more specific...
If there was no Resurrection...
If there was no Resurrection...
Preaching Christ would be vain -v.14
vain- empty, devoid of truth, of no purpose
that would mean all this time together here would be wasted, the preaching and the preparation it takes to put together would be senseless.
Faith would also be in vain-v.14
pointless… nothing to live for… Because had Christ not risen from the grave, then He would not also raise us up from the grave either, and what we put our trust in would all fail us
All witnesses and preachers of the resurrection would be liars- v.15
and misrepresented God, and furthermore make them no different than the devil himself. Further, if these preachers have lied, then we could carry that even further to say that God lied because He sent many to preach the Gospel to the many places and people throughout the world and sent His only Son to be the incarnate Word of God, the Living breathing word of God. So that mankind would not just hear what God has said through messengers, but literally would hear the truth about God from God HIMSELF. And he was a preacher of the gospel and the resurrection as well. To say the resurrection did not take place is to call God Himself a liar and this is completely against His character. If one aspect of God’s character falls into question, so does the rest of his character. But that will never happen because he is always perfect and always will be. No part of His character will ever fall into question. If it does, it is only because our corrupt human minds have a wrapped sense of what is true and the blame then does not fall on God but on us.
No one would be redeemed from sin - v.17
Christ payment on the cross wasn’t all that was needed to deliver us from our sins. The resurrection was needed as well.
who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
The Resurrection was God’s validation that the redemption paid by Christ on the cross was accepted. Without the Resurrection there could be no certainly of atonement and the Corinthians as well as you and I would remain in a state of alienation and sin.
All former believers would be gone for good - v.18
a very big concern.
If Christ did not live past the grave, those who trust in Him surely cannot hope to do so.
Think of all the loved ones we have already mourned the loss of. Yet even though the loss of them is difficult now, we don’t mourn as though who don’t have hope. Funeral’s for the believers of God have often been referred to as a going home party. It’s not a simply memory of the life on earth, but funeral’s are often the celebration that life for the Christian does not end at the grave, but rather it is the transition into something far greater. It’s the moment that believers have their faith fully rewarded, it’s the moment that the chapter of eternal rest begins, and never ending time with the one they love and the one who loves them the most, Jesus Christ. So because of the resurrection and because of the resurrection of the dead, funeral lose some of their sting because we have something to look forward to! But if the resurrection did not occur and there is no resurrection of the dead, then all those believers we have said good bye too have gone on for no reason.
Christians would be the most pitiful people on Earth -v.19
How different would your day to day life be different if there really was no resurrection?
Why is this the case.... Paul will elaborate on this more… but we would be the most pitiful people on earth because everything we have done for the Lord would be wasted time, wasted money, wasted thought, and wasted space. All the sacrifice and the kind deeds, all the gospel news, all the time spent with God’s people, all for nothing.
Conclusion:
How important is the resurrection? Just as the heart pumps life-giving blood to every part of the body, so the truth of the resurrection gives life to every other area of gospel truth. If the resurrection is eliminated, the life-giving power of the gospel is eliminated, the deity of Christ is eliminated, salvation from sin is eliminated, and eternal life is eliminated.
How important is it that we preach and hold to this truth, critical!!!!
And now by word of application, if the Resurrection is that essential, what place does it play in your life? What priority do you give it? For Paul, it was of FIRST IMPORTANCE. He determined that nothing else mattered until they knew and believed and received the risen Lord. The Gospel mattered to Him. It governed his first and his last thought. It was his waking motivation and his final breath. It’s was what he lived for because it was what he was most grateful for. And now the constant opportunity to share that with others is the goal.
I’m like you possibly. Not a superb evangelist. I’m not the most gifted and most natural in that place. But what I know is this, when I am most aware and thankful and convicted and in tune with God, that’s when I’m most concerned with what he is concerned about. And for me, through the teaching of the Word of God I’m foreward pressed to share that wonderful truth with my neighbors. It’s increasingly become the burden I carry and the joy I share with Christ. You can pray for me and my family this week. This Thursday, we invited our neighbors over to watch the first NFL game and to hang out and socialize. God’s growing that burden to where I’m looking for opportunities. I’m trusting the Lord that in His time He’ll use me to share the truth. But He’s pressing me to make time for the FIRST IMPORTANCE things! What about you? If you’ve been redeemed by God, if you are grateful for His salvation, have you made the Gospel of FIRST IMPORTANCE? Are you placing priority on it in your home, with your co-workers, with your busy time and with your leisure?
I trust that if you truly are a follower of Christ, that God is doing what He does best, making old things new, changing your very hearts to act upon what you heard. This week make a game plan. Figure out the who? If not, pray for a who? Then figure out how you can get a who. Look for ways to incorporate them into your life. Be passion. Be serving. Be Grateful and live for Him because He died and rose again in part for us.