Easter

1 Cor 15:1-22

Part 1: Did the Resurrection Really Happen?

Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1–11

“I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins… that he was buried… that he was raised…”

— 1 Corinthians 15:3–4

1. The Timing of the Testimonies

“You can get away with writing a story about a historical event after the lifetime of the eyewitnesses—but it is nearly impossible while they are still alive.”

Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 15 roughly 15–20 years after the Resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:6 – “…most of whom are still alive…”

He publicly invites fact-checking.

Matthew wrote his Gospel around 30 years later—still within reach of firsthand sources.

📌 Point: Fabricating a hoax this soon would’ve been instantly discredited.

2. Women Were the First Witnesses

In 1st-century Jewish and Roman culture, women’s testimony was inadmissible in court.

The disciples “did not believe the women” because it “seemed to them like nonsense.”

Luke 24:10–11 “Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.”

If this story were fabricated, women would not be the first ones at the tomb.

📌 Point: The Gospels preserve embarrassing details because they’re telling the truth.

3. The “Gullibility” of the Witnesses

The disciples weren’t predisposed to believe a resurrection:

“…but some doubted.”

Matthew 28:17 “And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.”

Jesus offers physical evidence: “Touch me and see…”

Luke 24:36–43 “As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.”

Even after seeing Him, they struggled to believe.

📌 Point: These were not desperate dreamers—they were doubters turned disciples.

4. Cultural Context: No One Expected This

Jews believed in a resurrection at the end of time—not in the middle of history.

A crucified Messiah? Offensive.

A resurrected body now, not later? Unthinkable.

📌 Point: This wasn’t myth-making—it was history-interrupting.

Greeks rejected bodily resurrection—matter was considered corrupt.

This claim didn’t fit anyone’s framework for faith or hope.

📚 Support: N.T. Wright – “The early Christians did not invent the empty tomb and the meetings or sightings of the risen Jesus… nobody was expecting this kind of thing.”

📌 Point: The resurrection wasn’t wish fulfillment—it was worldview-breaking.

5. 500 Eyewitnesses at Once

1 Corinthians 15:6 – “He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time.”

Paul challenges his readers: “Most are still alive—go ask them.”

📌 Point: Mass hallucinations don’t happen—and collective fabrication at that scale would collapse.

7. The Impact on the Eyewitnesses

“What kind of evidence would you need to believe someone rose from the dead?”

Acts 1:3 – Jesus presented Himself “alive… by many proofs.”

The disciples went from fearful and hiding to boldly proclaiming Christ.

Acts 4:13 – “…they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

James (Zebedee) – Executed by sword (Acts 12:2)

Peter – Crucified upside down

Thomas – Speared in India

Paul – Beheaded in Rome

Andrew, Bartholomew, Matthew, etc. – Martyred in various places

“People will die for what they believe is true. No one dies for what they know is a lie.”

Thomas:

He doubted, and God was not offended, but gave him exactly what he needed. He dealt graciously with him.

I’m sure many of us can relate to how Thomas was feeling, so I’ll ask you, what evidence would you need to believe the resurrection to be true?

While you may never get to touch Jesus’ body the way Thomas did, see here that Thomas did. While you may never get the physical evidence you desire, Thomas did, and his response is what we can trust in.

John 20:26–29 “Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.””

Part 2: If the Resurrection Really Did Happen… How are we to respond?

vv. 12–21 – “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile… But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead…”

Repent and believe

Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.””

God: Holy and Righteous

v. 1 – “The gospel I preached to you…”

God created us to know Him and worship Him.

How could a Holy God, who created the universe, make mankind in His image as the crown jewel of His creation?

How could that same God want a personal relationship with us…

Man: Sinful and Rebellious

v. 17 – “You are still in your sins.”

Sinners. We read in

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

1 Cor 22, we were all dead in Adam, and fractured the relationship that we were created to have with Him in the Garden. How could we v.22 be made alive in Christ?

Christ: Crucified and Risen

vv. 3–4 – “Christ died for our sins… he was buried… he was raised…”

How could the one and only true God, Yahweh, the God of the Bible send His only begotten Son to live a perfect life, then die on the cross for our sin?

And now, what we’re celebrating today on Easter, God accepted Jesus’ willful submission and payment on the cross. Then 40 days later he ascended not to an earthly throne, but an eternal heavenly throne, at the right hand of God Almighty.

The only way we can respond to that truth is to do just that.

Response: Repent and Believe

v. 2 – “By which you are being saved, if you hold fast…”

Mark 1:15 “and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.””

– “Repent and believe the gospel.”

Repent doesn’t mean confess your sins, it means turn from your sins. Turn from your life of seeking worldly passions and pleasures, leave them behind and run to the cross. Run into the loving embrace of the Voice that is calling you home. The voice of King Jesus.

Romans 10:9–10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

“If the tomb is empty, the throne is occupied.”

“If Jesus is alive, then He isn’t just Savior—He is King.”

➡️ To the unbeliever: Turn from sin. Come to the risen Christ.

➡️ To the believer: Stop living like Jesus is still in the tomb. You’ve been raised to walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4).

Closing Verse:

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead…” (1 Cor 15:20)

The resurrection is not advice. It’s not myth. It’s not a metaphor.

It’s news. And news demands a response.

As we meditate on the truth that scripture gives us, and we will take Communion shortly, I want to ask the Elders to stand with their spouses around the room. I want to invite each of you to be prayed for, or with, or over by one of the Elders. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by your doubts, worries, fears, or anxieties. Or if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the goodness of Jesus and His love for us. Or if something that you heard today has clicked for you in a special or powerful way that it never has before, I want to welcome you to silently at your table, or if you’d like, alongside one of the Elders, be prayed with if you are ready to accept Jesus as your Lord and your God. As we sit here in awe and adoration of the Lord and what He’s done, let’s do so prayerfully as this song is sung over us. Let’s respond.

Notes

Apostolic Deaths

James (son of Zebedee)

– Killed by Herod with the sword (Acts 12:2)

– Only apostolic death recorded in Scripture

Peter

– Crucified upside down in Rome

– Church tradition affirms he requested it, feeling unworthy to die like Jesus

Paul

– Beheaded in Rome under Nero

– Referenced by early sources like Clement of Rome

John

– Exiled to Patmos, later died of old age in Ephesus

– The only apostle believed to die a natural death

Andrew

– Crucified in Greece on an X-shaped cross

– Preached for days while hanging

Thomas

– Speared to death in India

– Honored by the Mar Thoma Church as founder of Indian Christianity

Matthew

– Killed in Ethiopia (traditions vary—sword, spear, or burning)

Bartholomew

– Believed to have been flayed and then beheaded in Armenia

James (son of Alphaeus)

– Thrown from the temple, then stoned and beaten

– Possibly the same James known as “James the Just”

Simon the Zealot

– Martyred in Persia or Syria (accounts vary)

Did the Resurrection really happen?

You can get away with writing a story about a historical even after the lifetime of the eye witnesses, but it is nearly impossible while the eye witnesses are still alive. Mattew writing 30 years later, and Paul writing 15 years later. Paul says most of those people are still alive, and you can go ask them if you want.

Existence of the Women eye witnesses

Testimony of women were inadmissable in court

Gullibility of the eye witnesses

The Apostles who saw the risen Jesus saw Him teaching doubted that it was truly Him

The ANE was more comfortable with miracles, but Jews did not believe in a walking, talking, resurrected body

The impact on the eye witnesses

What kind of evidence would you have needed to believe? Those who saw the risen Jesus received such evidence

500 saw Jesus at the same time

what if it was a hoax?

what if they just wanted to believe it?

1st century Jews did not believe this was possible