Jesus Rose From The Grave
Lessons From 1 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Over the last several weeks we have been examining Paul’s writings here on miracles and how the church should properly be using them and the lessons we can gain from what Paul wrote even though miracles do not exist today.
Having finished up that section of 1 Corinthians 12-14 we now find ourselves in chapter 15.
1 Corinthians 15 is one of the most important chapters in all the bible concerning the doctrine of “resurrection.”
Apparently some there in Corinth were doubting that there will be a resurrection of the dead.
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
Paul begins by defending Christ’s resurrection because, as we just read, it is vital proof that we will be resurrected.
So let us read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.
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.
Having read this it is clear there are is a progression of thought being described by Paul that begins with…
The Gospel Of Christ
The Gospel Of Christ
The Death, Burial, & Resurrection.
The Death, Burial, & Resurrection.
Paul begins by “reminding them of the gospel.”
The most important thing anyone can learn of God today is that of the sacrifice of the only begotten Son of God.
Not just that Jesus the Christ died, was buried, and was raised but that it was done according to the scriptures.
1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (ESV)
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
The reality is what Paul preached to them could be verified easily from a scriptural point of view.
The Internal Evidence.
The Internal Evidence.
The preponderance of prophecies concerning Jesus in the Old Testament that were completely fulfilled is staggering.
Over three hundred prophecies concerning the Messiah and his time here on earth can be found throughout the Old Testament.
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”
39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
Summary
Summary
It’s important to understand that everything that happened to Jesus can be truly scrutinized and examined every which way because what is written in scripture is truth.
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
It’s not just the “internal evidence” that proves that there was a man named Jesus that lived and has impacted the world.
We can also, as Paul points out, go to…
The External Evidence
The External Evidence
The Eyewitnesses.
The Eyewitnesses.
Remember what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8.
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.
The ability to read from and/or talk to those that had witness Jesus first hand and where therefore “eyewitnesses” is power proof.
This is why Luke used eyewitness accounts for Luke and Acts.
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
This is why John establishes his personal and the other apostles eyewitness account in 1 John 1.
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
Eyewitness accounts are powerful for those that can talk with and listen to those eyewitnesses.
However, for those of us today there needs to be some other evidence as well.
That brings us to other external evidence…
Secular History.
Secular History.
Secular history is replete with writings about a man named Jesus.
Tacitus who lived circa 56-117 AD wrote a history of Rome called Annals in 15.44…
Therefore, to scotch the rumour, Nero substituted as culprits, and punished with the utmost refinements of cruelty, a class of men, loathed for their vices, whom the crowd styled Christians. Christus, the founder of the name, had undergone the death penalty in the reign of Tiberius, by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilatus, and the pernicious superstition was checked for a moment, only to break out once more, not merely in Judaea, the home of the disease, but in the capital itself
Notice the Christians existed in the time of Nero.
Notice that Christ was their creator or their leader.
Notice Christ was killed during Tiberius’ reign and by governor Pontius Pilatus.
Seutonius who is said to have relied on “eyewitnesses” himself for his history book titled Life of Claudius we find in 25.4…
“Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, 75 he expelled them from Rome.”
2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them,
Notice that Christ is given the credit for all the disturbances in Rome with this “new movement” turning the world upside down.
Acts 17:6 (ESV)
6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also”
Josephus, a Jewish historian, in his book Antiquities in 18.3.3 wrote…
The Works of Josephus: New Updated Edition Chapter 3: Sedition of the Jews against Pontius Pilate; Concerning Christ, and What Befell Paulina and the Jews at Home
Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works—a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; (64) and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.
This doesn’t even count all the “Christian Historians” such as…
Polycarp who lived from 65-155 AD is is said to have served at the feet of the apostle John.
Justin Martyr who lived 100-165 AD.
Clement of Alexandria who lived from 150-215 AD.
Summary
Summary
We could go on and on proving both through the written eyewitness accounts and the secular writings that Jesus was not only a real historical person but one that is who he claimed to be, the only begotten Son of God and mankind’s savior.
Conclusion
Conclusion
v There is no one that has had more written about him and therefore more scrutiny than Jesus.
And yet it can be proven over and over that Jesus not only lived here on earth, but was crucified, buried, and resurrected on the third day.
That fact that each apostle was willing to die to teach this is proof enough as no one dies for a lie but for the truth people are willing.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
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,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.