He is Risen
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Handout
Title: Is the Resurrection One Big April Fool’s Joke?
Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1–11
OPENING: STORY
Happy Easter.
Let me start with something that may feel a little uncomfortable…
Every year around this time, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
But let me ask you an honest question:
What if it’s not true?
What if the resurrection is just… the greatest April Fool’s joke ever told?
I mean, think about it…
People have believed things before that weren’t true.
Crowds have followed movements that turned out to be built on nothing.
So how do we know?
How do we know that what we celebrate today is not just tradition… not just emotion… not just wishful thinking?
Here’s the question I want to answer today:
Is the resurrection real—or are we fooling ourselves?
BIG IDEA
The resurrection of Jesus is not a myth to be admired—it is a reality to be believed, because it is the foundation, the proof, and the transforming power of the gospel.
TEXT SETUP / CONTEXT
In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul is addressing a real issue.
Some people in the church had begun to doubt the resurrection.
Not necessarily Jesus’ resurrection—but their own future resurrection.
And Paul understands something critical:
If you lose the resurrection, you lose everything.
So in this chapter, he builds one of the most powerful arguments in all of Scripture.
And he begins where we must begin…
DIVISION 1: THE RESURRECTION PROVES THE GOSPEL (v.1–4)
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,
“Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the gospel I preached to you…”
Explanation
Paul says, “Let me take you back to what matters most—the gospel.”
That word gospel means “good news.”
In the ancient world, it was used to announce:
A king had taken the throne
A battle had been won
It was not advice—it was a declaration of victory.
And Paul says: This gospel…
You received
You now stand in
You are being saved by
This isn’t casual. This is foundational.
Then he explains the content:
“Christ died for our sins… He was buried… He was raised on the third day…”
This is the gospel in its simplest form.
The Gospel Explained
Christ died for our sins Not just died—but died for us. Substitution.
Every other religious leader says:“Follow me and I’ll show you the way.”
Jesus says: “You can’t make your way—so I will die in your place.”
This confirms He really died. He was buried
This is the turning point. He was raised on the third day
Argumentation
Here’s the question:
How do we know His death was accepted by God?
Because if there’s no resurrection:
Was His sacrifice enough?
Was His life truly perfect?
Did He actually defeat sin?
The resurrection is God’s stamp of approval.
who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Without the resurrection:
There is no assurance
No confidence
No salvation
But because He rose…
We know:
The payment was accepted
The debt was canceled
The victory was won
Illustration
Imagine someone tells you:
“I just hit the most impossible golf shot ever.”
You’d say, “Prove it.”
Or someone says:
“I saw Bigfoot.”
You’d say, “I need evidence.”
Or someone cooks a meal and says:
“This is the best dish you’ve ever had.”
You’d say, “Let me taste it.”
Claims demand proof.
Transition
So here’s where we’ve landed—
If the resurrection is real, it changes everything, but if it’s not, then everything we’re doing today is empty.
Which means before we ask, ‘Did it happen?’ we have to ask, ‘What exactly is it supposed to prove?’
Because you cannot evaluate the resurrection correctly until you understand the message it was meant to confirm.
And that’s exactly where Paul begins—with the gospel itself
And that leads us to the next movement.
DIVISION 2: THE RESURRECTION IS VERIFIED BY WITNESSES (v.5–8)
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.
Paul says:
“He appeared…”
And then he starts listing witnesses.
Explanation
Cephas (Peter)
The Twelve
Over 500 brothers at one time
James
All the apostles
Lastly, Paul himself
And Paul adds something powerful:
“Most of whom are still alive.”
In other words: “Go ask them.”
Argumentation
Let’s be honest…
You might be able to get a few people to go along with a prank.
Maybe 10… maybe 12…
But 500?
And not just casually…
These witnesses:
Were persecuted
Were rejected
Many were tortured and killed
And they all held to the same claim:
We saw Him alive.
People may die for something they think is true.
But people do not die for something they know is false.
Historical Weight
These appearances happened over a 40-day period (Acts 1:3).
This wasn’t a hallucination.
This wasn’t a moment of emotional confusion.
This was repeated, physical, visible encounters.
Transition
So now we have:
A message (the gospel)
Proof (the resurrection)
Verification (the witnesses)
But Paul doesn’t stop there.
Because
The greatest evidence is not just what happened then… It’s what happens now.
DIVISION 3: THE RESURRECTION TRANSFORMS LIVES (v.9–11)
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.
Paul turns the focus to himself.
“By the grace of God I am what I am…”
Explanation
Paul was not a neutral observer.
He was:
A persecutor of the church
A violent opponent of Christianity
And yet he says:
“I saw Him… and everything changed.”
What Changed?
New Humility “I am the least…” When you realize God died for you, pride collapses.
Recognition of Guilt“I persecuted the church…”He owns his sin.
New Identity“By the grace of God I am what I am…”Not what I’ve done.Not what I’ve earned.Grace defines me.
New Purpose“His grace toward me was not in vain…”His life now has direction, mission, meaning.
Application (Our Town)
And here’s where this lands for us.
In our culture:
The resurrection is seen as foolish
Outdated
Irrelevant
But Paul says in verse 12–20:
If Christ has not been raised—your faith is worthless.
But if He has…
It changes everything.
The Problem
Many people try to fix their lives on their own.
Self-improvement
Discipline
Moral effort
But it leads nowhere, Why?
Because the issue is not behavior—it’s the heart.
The Turning Point
Until you:
Humble yourself
Acknowledge your sin
Admit your need
The resurrection has no work in your life.
You must come to the place where you say:
“God, I cannot do this—but You can.”
ARGUMENTATION (CLEAR AND DIRECT)
Let me make this plain:
Without the resurrection you cannot be saved
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.
Without the resurrection—Scripture is false
Without the resurrection—Jesus is not who He claimed to be
But…
If He did rise
He is God
And Salvation is real
That means Heaven is open
CALL TO RESPONSE
So here’s the question:
Do you believe in the resurrection?
Not intellectually…
But personally.
Has Jesus revealed Himself to you?
Has your life been changed?
Is there evidence of His work in you?
Because if not…
Then the resurrection has not yet done its work in your life.
CLOSING
The world says:
“This is foolish.”
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.
Jesus claimed to be God.
And He proved it:
By rising from the dead
By appearing to hundreds
By transforming millions
And He is still transforming lives today.
Final Appeal
So let me ask you one last time:
Is that true of you?
Or…
Are you just going through the motions?
Are you celebrating something you’ve never actually experienced?
Are you… fooling yourself?
Invitation
“Did Jesus rise from the dead?”
You’ve seen the message.
You’ve seen the witnesses.
You’ve seen the transformation.
The question now is:
What are you going to do with Him?
Let me speak to you personally for just a moment.
Because in a room like this, there are really only two types of people.
There are those who have experienced the power of the resurrection…
And there are those who have only heard about it.
You may know the story.
You may believe it happened.
You may even celebrate it once a year.
But listen carefully:
You can believe the resurrection is true… and still not be saved.
Because salvation is not just believing that it happened…
It’s trusting in why it happened.
Jesus did not rise from the dead to impress you. He rose from the dead to save you.
To save you from your sin.
To save you from judgment.
To bring you into a relationship with God.
And here’s the reality:
You cannot fix yourself. You cannot outwork your past.
You cannot clean yourself up enough for God.
You cannot earn your way into heaven.
And deep down—you know that.
You’ve tried.
You’ve tried to be better.
You’ve tried to do right.
You’ve tried to carry the weight of your own life.
And it’s exhausting.
That’s why Jesus came.
He lived the life you could not live.
He died the death you deserved to die.
And He rose again to offer you new life.
But here’s the turning point:
You must respond.
Not later.
Not someday.
Today.
The Bible says in Romans 10:9:
“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.”
That is not complicated.
But it is costly.
Because it means surrender.
It means you stop being the authority of your life…
…and you trust Him as Lord.
So let me ask you plainly:
Have you ever done that?
Not gone to church…
Not tried to be good…
But truly surrendered your life to Jesus Christ?
And if the answer is no…
Then don’t leave here the same way you came in.
Because this is why you’re here today.
Not by accident.
Not by routine.
But because God, in His grace, has brought you to this moment.
So here’s what I want to invite you to do.
Right where you are…
I want you to stop striving…
And start surrendering.
You can pray something like this in your heart:
“God, I know I am a sinner.
I know I cannot save myself.
But I believe Jesus died for me…
And I believe He rose again.
Forgive me.
Save me.
Take my life.
I trust You.”
And the Bible says:
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Not improved.
Not managed.
Saved.
What is the significance of the resurrection according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 15?
How does the resurrection serve as proof of the gospel?
In what ways does the resurrection transform an individual's life?
What steps can you take today to acknowledge the power of the resurrection in your life?
Why does Paul state that if Christ hasn’t been raised, our faith is worthless?
What is the significance of the witnesses that Paul mentions in relation to the resurrection?
