Resurrection Power (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)
Notes
Transcript
Pictures
Pictures
Garden Tomb
2 Imperatives of Resurrection
2 Imperatives of Resurrection
Come and see
God and tell
But, I add 1 more
Let your Livin’ Match your Tellin’
The Passage
The Passage
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
Logic
Logic
Christ’s Resurrection = OUR BODILY Resurrection
This seems contested in Corinth
Paul deals with this with the eye witness accounts mentioned at the beginning of 1 Cor 15
Christ’s resurrection is the DOWN PAYMENT of our Bodily Resurrection
Feast of First Fruits (Lev. 23)
First Barley Harvest
Sheaves would be brought in to the priests and offered unto God
It was a way of saying that God who brought the 1st would see to it that the rest would be harvested also.
This feast was the day AFTER the Sabbath that culminated Passover and Unleavened Bread - the Day Christ was Resurrected was the Feast of Firstfruits...
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
If we fail to believe in our bodily resurrection, then we fail to believe in the resurrection of Christ
If we fail to believe in our bodily resurrection, then we fail to believe in the resurrection of Christ
Then, those who preach Christ resurrected are false witnesses and all die with NO HOPE.
BUT ALSO, you are still in YOUR SINS
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
Christ HAD to deal with Sin and it’s consequences - DEATH
The Resurrection PROVES that what Christ did on the cross was efficacious - powerful enough to save us and TRANSFORM us with NEW LIVES
the Gospel has at its rout that we can be forgiven, BUT IT CONTAINS SO MUCH MORE THAN FORGIVENESS - IT’s GOAL IS OUR TRANSFORMATION!
Here’s the Stinging Part of the Sermon...
Here’s the Stinging Part of the Sermon...
Many of you DO NOT believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ
I know this by how you live your lives. You are STILL in your sin!
Your Livin’ doesn’t match your tellin’
You do NOT believe in resurrection. You are Still in your sin
I’m not talking about falling into a temptation here and there and seeking forgiveness
I am TALKING about WALKING AND LIVING IN SIN
YOU KNOW IT’S WRONG - and yet do it anyway
YOU KNOW your attitude should change
YOU KNOW you should allow Christ to transform you and wake you up
YOU KNOW...
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
The purpose of the cross and resurrection is not SIMPLY to forgive you of your sin, but to PULL YOU OUT OF YOUR SIN....
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.
11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
It is not simply a transaction where righteousness is imparted to us. Yes, there is a moment for that (like the thief on the cross).
But, it is also that Christ’s power is IMPUTED upon us, allowing the righteousness of Christ to work in us and through us. THUS, we are not only DECLARED to be RIGHTEOUS, we are ACTUALLY MADE RIGHTEOUS!!
This is the Power of the Resurrection. It is not SIMPLY a hope for what happens when we take a dirt nap. It is HOPE for us to live transformed, holy lives with the power of Christ that is made available through resurrection.
If Christ has been raised from the dead, and we believe this, we SHOULD NOT BE IN OUR SIN ANY LONGER!
So, if Paul says that if Christ is not resurrected, we are still in our sin, and that is true, then LOGICALLY, this next statement must also be true...
IF YOU ARE STILL IN YOUR SIN, YOU PROVE THAT YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST - AND THEREFORE YOUR FAITH IS NOT FAITH!
You might SAY you believe in the resurrection, but your lack of faith in the resurrection is seen in your continued rebellion against the power that is made available through resurrection. You are still a sinner.
GOOD NEWS
GOOD NEWS
But, I have good news
TODAY that can change. The same power that plucked Christ from the grave can come and pluck YOU from the grave of your sinfulness. You can be forgiven, but even better than that, the power of Christ is GREAT ENOUGH to Transform YOU.
May this be the continued story of the resurrection. Yes, that we are forgiven, but more than that, we are transformed by the resurrected Christ. AMEN!
COMMUNION
COMMUNION
Receive as Believers who have been TRANSFORMED by the Resurrected Christ
Responsive Reading #257 - Pastor Jim
BENEDICTION
BENEDICTION
20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
