1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Date: April 20, 2025

Title: The Resurrection of Christ

Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Chapter devoted to the resurrection!

New series.

Eight sermons - 58 verses.

Writes to a worldly church.

Content of this chapter differs considerably from previous chapters.

Addressed moral, cultural, ecclesiastical problems.

Here he addresses the doctrinal question of the resurrection.

Many different aspects of the resurrection.

Resurrection from a historical, theological, redemptive standpoint.

Teases out the ethical implications of the resurrection as well.

Read 1 Cor 15:1-11

INTRODUCTION

As Paul begins this crash course on the resurrection.

V. 1-11 = Lays the foundations.

Writing about the fundamentals.

Emphasizes the significance of the resurrection of Christ as an essential doctrine that must be believed, because to believe otherwise is to believe a lie.

Our faith isn’t a blind faith.

It’s based upon the historical facts of history.

Before he gets into a detailed discussion on this matter, he first sets the stage by showing how the resurrection is intricately tied to the good news of the Gospel.

The resurrection isn’t an isolated event detached from the only saving message of salvation!

It is the summative event that cystalizes the gospel— it’s part and parcel to the message of salvation, and for that reason it is to be viewed as one of the primary truths to be believed, alongside of the death and burial of Christ.

1 - The Proclamation of the Gospel is of First Importance: V. 1-4

That’s what Paul highlights in the first three verses.

Issues of first importance are things we need to be reminded of frequently!

Paul believed so: “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you…”

Reminding them of the gospel.

Refreshing their memory.

Rehearsing the same old sermon.

Reiterating the same message he had already preached.

The reason why he does so is because he wants their faith to be refortified in the gospel, because the gospel is the only thing that can uphold them.

It’s the power of God unto salvation!

Paul underscores this reality when, speaking of the gospel they had received, says, “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.”

Recognizes they’re are false professors.

People whose faith is dead.

May have been true for some of the Corinthians.

Might not have been truly saved.

If they didn’t continue in the faith, it would’ve been proof they believed in vain.

Their original profession was insincere.

But for those whose faith was alive, true, and active, the gospel—the message to which their faith was clinging, was putting them on a right footing.

It gave them a right standing with God.

It provided a stable foundation upon which their lives could be built, so that they could grow up into salvation.

“Being saved” = I thought thos ewho believe the gospel are already saved?

That’s true… But the gospel also continues to sanctify those who walk by faith.

Have been saved = Justification.

Will be saved = Glorification.

Being saved (present tense) = Sanctification.

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation in the fullest sense of that term!

That’s why it is the cardinal doctrine upon which the church stands or falls.

Read V. 3a.

Some truths are more important than others.

We have to do theological triage.

Distinguish what must be believed, what should be believed, what may be believed.

All issues are important, but not all issues are equally important.

There are levels of importance.

End times, “sons of God”, Romans 11, etc… Secondary.

The gospel is primary! It’s of outmost importance.

It’s a first rank issue.

It’s a non-negotiable.

If you don’t believe this, you’re not a Christian!

And what is that? What must be believed?

Read V. 3b-4 = The Gospel!

The content of which is the death, burial, resurrection!

“Died for our sins” = We gave special attention to this on friday!

You cannot be saved unless you understand the purpose for which Jesus came.

You are a sinner who needs saving.

You need to understand that.

To believe that He died, not for his own sins, but for ours!

That He paid the ultimate price by giving up His life as a vicarious, sustitutionary sacrifice on the cross.

Died for our sins.

“Buried” = He was really dead! Burial demonstrates the finality of death.

“Raised on the third day” = The tomb wherein Jesus lay was emptied three days later.

Defeated death.

Conquered the grave.

Overcame man’s greatest enemy.

He was physically resurrected to life on a new plane (more on that later in 1 Cor 15)!

Arose from the dead in bodily form.

Raised to newness of life — “in accordance with the scriptures.”

He is the Messianic King who fulfills all the types, shadows, and prophecies of old:

“Just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

The Servant of the Lord who bore our iniquities (Isa 53).

He is the Christ whose soul would not be abadoned to Sheol (Psa 16).

The corruption of the grave would be overcome by the power of His indestructible life.

This is what must be believed by those who claim Christ as their own.

As far as Paul was concerned, that’s what he wanted for the Corinthians.

Trust in the power of the gospel.

Recognize the primacy of the gospel.

Holdfast to the content of the gospel.

To subtantiate the content of the gospel, particularly as it relates to the resurrection.

Paul reminds them that the evidence is on their side!

2 - The Proof of the Resurrection was Verified through Eyewitnesses: V. 5-9

V. 5-8: Appearances of Christ.

Showed up to various individuals in resurrected/glorified form.

Did this, not just to one person but to multiple.

Paul lists more than one guy here!

Not an exhaustive list.

Skips the women.

Though, not an exaustive list.

The examples provided do give us a general chronological sequence concerning the postresurrection appearances.

“Then…” “Then…” “Then…”

a) “Cephas” (Aramaic) = Peter

First Easter morning.

Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women...

Told the disciples about the empty tomb, they were in disbelief.

Thought it was an idle tale.

But Peter didn’t allow the suspicious nature of the women’s claims to keep him from looking into it for himself.

(Anxiety and adrenaline) ran to the tomb, only to discover that the women were actually right (who would have thought)!

John was the first to see the empty tomb, but according to Luke 24:34 Peter was the first apostolic witness to the resurrected Christ.

b) “Twelve” = Disciples Jesus chose to be a part of His earthly ministry.

Technically, at the time when Jesus appeared to them, there wasn’t twelve.

Judas committed suicide.

Thomas refused to meet with the others that first Sunday evening.

But Paul is using the term in a collective sense.

The “twelve” was a way of referring to the group as a whole, whether or not each individual member was present.

The point is that “the twelve,” which was the name attached to the original ‘Jesus clan,’ got to witness the resurrection.

c) “Five hundred brothers at one time”

Not recorded in the Gospels.

Perhaps this happened in Galilee.

Wherever it happened, the focus is on the number of people Jesus appeared to.

500 people!

In Jewish court of law, 2 or 3 witnesses were needed to verify the veracity of an event.

Jesus provided overwhelming evidence that He had risen.

V. 6, “Most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.”

If anyone doubts Paul’s word, they can go talk to the witnesses themselves!

Most of them are still alive.

If your skeptical, consult them yourself.

d) “James” = Who is this?

James the son of Alpheaus.

James the son of Zebedee.

This James, is the brother of Christ.

The Gospels make clear Jesus had brothers and sisters.

Interestingly - His brothers didn’t believe him.

At some point (maybe the resurrection appearnace itself?) James became a believer.

Had a significant role in the early church.

Presided over the Jerusalem council (known to be a pillar).

Must have been an honor to serve his half-brother in this way.

e) Apostles = People speculate about what apostles are in view.

The NT uses the word in a broad sense and a narrow sense (twelve).

Some think he has the broader category in mind otherwise he’s repeating himself.

I think he has the twelve in view here also.

The twelve—apostles called by Christ and sent out by Christ, got to witness Christ’ postresurrection body on more than one occasion.

“The twelve” = Appearance on Easter Sunday.

“The apostles” = Appearance just before ascending to heaven (Acts 1).

The reference regarding the manifestation of His presence to the apostles in V. 5 & V. 7, mark the first days and last days of His appearances during that 40 day span of time, between His resurrection and ascension.

BUT… Even after ascending to heaven, there was still one last appearance that happened years later! Paul was the man!

f) “Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me.”

Last in line.

Resurrection appearances conclude with Paul.

Paul’s position—privilege, was a unique one.

Unlike all the other disciples who saw Christ before His ascension, Paul saw Him afterwards.

Came to realize he was utterly unworthy of this!

That’s what he means by “one untimely born.”

To be “untimely born” = Miscarriage - Abortion - A stillborn child who was prematurely birthed into the world even though they were already reckoned to be dead.

This was Paul’s state when Christ appeared to him.

He wasn’t like the other disciples who were already followers of Christ…

He was hostile to Christ, lost in sin, spiritually dead.

There was something abnormal about him.

He reckoned that to be so.

He understood that when Christ appeared to him, God had graciously chose to give life to someone who was dead in the womb of sin.

He knew how unworthy he was… because he knew how bad his sin was. He spells that out in V. 10.

Never forget that one of the greatest heros of the faith—preachers of the gospel—devoted followers of Christ was someone who once tried to destroy the faith.

Good reminder to always remember that by the grace, stillborn children can become newborn children.

So it was for Paul!

As he was literally in the process of making plans to kill more Christians, Christ showed up in power and glory, raised Him to newness of life, and called Him to a life of service.

Interesting thought: God set Paul apart for apostleship before he was born and when he was born again!

Greatly humbled the man.

Couldn’t believe how gracious God was to call him to such a high calling!

He was astounded by the wonder of God’s grace.

Celebrated this and testified to it in V. 10-11:

Look at those verses as we consider:

3 - The Power of God’s Grace is Life Transforming

Read V. 10

As Paul reviews the course of his life—days as a student under Gamaliliel—actions as a persecuter—his mission as an apostle to the Gentiles—all the rest, he exclaimed that by the grace of God, “I am what I am.”

‘I might not be the person I want to be; but I’m not the person I once was…. Had I been left to myself, I would have continued on as a blasphemous, self-deceived, proud, persecuter of the church, but by the grace of God, “I am what I am.”’

‘And I will praise God for it!

Now I’m now a disciple of Christ with meaning—purpose—mission to fulfill.

Redeemed me from the miry bog and set my feet upon the rock.

I will serve Him.

God has been so gracious!’

God transformed His life.

His grace toward him wasn’t in vain.

It effected change.

It made him work harder than all the other apostles.

He lived, traveled, worked, preached, persevered, discipled, shepherded churches, advance the kingdom of God, which was all a result of the power of divine grace working in him both to will and to work for God’s good pleasure.

(Note) He’s not elevating himself by calling attention to all his labours.

Thanking God for His incredible mercy.

Highlighting the grace of God.

Made evident in V. 11 when he sums everything up, saying: “Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.”

The gospel he preached wasn’t any different than the other apostles.

One and the same message!

Whether they believed the message when it was preached by Paul or Peter is besides the point.

The point is that they believed it and that’s what’s important!

The message is more important than the messenger.

But by the grace of God, Paul got to preach that message.

Got to see the fruit it bore.

He was committed to it’s proclamation because he knew it was the only saving remedy for sinners.

He knew that by experience.

This wasn’t some kind of abstract message divorced from reality.

This was real.

The gospel transformed him through and through.

Knew that if the Corinthian church was going to get back on track, they’re going to need to re-evaluate their priorities as a church…

CONCLUSION

You know what Paul is saying?

How about you start with the gospel? How about you make that a priority?

That’ll make a difference.

If it’s preached and rightly appropriated, it’ll make a difference.

The gospel isn’t just to be of first importance in the doctrinal statement of the church.

It’s to be of first importance in the practice of the church.

We never graduate from the gospel to go on to greater things.

The gospel must always remain central in the life of any church.

That’s what we learn from today’s passage:

1 - The gospel is # 1. It is to be prioritized.

2 - The climatic event that makes the gospel such good news, namely, the resurrection, was an event verified by multiple eyewitnesses, which thus makes it an event to be trusted and believed.

3 - That apart from the grace of God, there go I.

The grace of God is life transforming.

It’s powerful enough to save the chief of sinners.

That’s something worth rejocing in because we’re all sinners who need grace.

So rejoice in it.

Don’t rejoice in who you used to be.

Don’t rejoice in failing to be the person you aspire to be.

But in terms of what God has already made you by His powerful grace, in that you can rejoice.

I may not be who I want to be.

I’m not the same person I once was.

Praise God for His grace in making you who you are today!