“He Died, He Rose, He Changed Me”

Illustration: The Courtroom Exchange

Setup:

Imagine standing in a courtroom—guilty, no defense, no excuse. The evidence is overwhelming. The verdict is certain.

The judge says, “You are guilty.”

Just before sentencing, someone steps forward.

He says, “I’ll take his punishment.”

The judge looks at you and says, “You’re free—but only because someone else paid your penalty.”

Connect It:

→ Jesus took your sentence He Died

→ The payment was accepted He Rose

→ You walk out not just free—but different He Changed Me

Line to Land It:

“You walked in guilty—but you walked out changed.”

Argument

When Paul penned this first letter to the Corinthian Church, the church was dealing with some difficulties. Such as, people who claimed to be Christians but were living lives out of alignment of God. The church also had to deal with division, and they struggled with sexual immorality, and disorder in worship. In 1 Corinthians 2:2 “2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Now Paul here in chapter 15 is reemphasizing the benefits of standing strong on the message they had received about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Life that God created in the Garden of Eden was one big beautiful picture but sin shattered that picture into several pieces of a puzzle. Jesus was the only one who could put the puzzle back together again. That is why He died one Friday, He rose one Sunday Morning, and changed our lives for ever.

Easter is the most important day in the life of a christian. Easter comes during the season of Spring, and it is symbolic of the return of life and promises of hope. I understand Christmas receives a lot of fanfare but if Jesus was just born only then what we preach and teach would be in vain. Because without the resurrection there would be no Gospel, no hope for the future, and there would be no church. When Peter preached the first sermon after Jesus’ resurrection during the Day of Pentecost, and souls were added to the church. There is power in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

He Died (Substitution, took our place) v.3-4a

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 KJV 1900

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

The Heart of the Gospel is that Christ died for our sins and that He rose three days later.

Jesus says to His Father before. John 17:4–5 “4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

John 19:30 “30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

Jesus didn’t take a nap or faint on the cross.

Jesus death was the final piece of the puzzle. Since the sin in the Garden of Eden, many pegs (square, rectangle, circles) have come such as Moses, David, John the Baptist but Jesus coming in the form of a Man, who walked this earth for 33 and a half years, then He went to Calvary one Friday morning during Holy Week, and His death was the final and most important piece of the puzzle to our salvation.

Romans 5:6–8 KJV 1900

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus didn’t just die on the cross for nothing - He gave His life so that you and I could live. (Will you let His death be in vain?)

He Rose (Victory, power) v.4b-8

1 Corinthians 15:4–8 KJV 1900

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

Proclamation: He rose...this is the preached message of Paul. When ever someone dies, they have to be bury.

In the bible, we had people who died and were resuscitated.

The Widow Woman of Nain, was having a funeral processional of her only son, when Jesus stopped and touch the casket and her son sat up in the coffin

Jairus daughter died, and Jesus stopped by his home and touched the little girl body and she came to life

The Saturday Night before Palm Sunday according to John 12, Jesus was visiting Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. This was the same Lazarus just a few days earlier, Jesus raised him from the grave after four days

All of these people were resuscitated. They all eventually faced death again.

Jesus was resurrected and still lives today. It is “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.”

People: Paul shares his personal list of folk that have seen the Risen Christ including himself. He saw the Risen Christ years after on the Damascus Road while persecuting the church.

Not only does Paul share that Jesus died and rose again according to the scripture but having the support of others to witness a risen Christ is a powerful testimony.

Support the Evidence

There was no body after three days

Several people witness the risen Christ

Jesus said he was going to rise.

Matthew 16:21 “21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

John 2:19–22 “19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.”

John 10:17–18 “17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.””

Jesus cannot lie - John 18:37 “37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.””

Proof: The cross paid it- but the resurrection is the receipt that I am paid for.

He Changed Me (Transformation) v.9-11

1 Corinthians 15:9–11 KJV 1900

9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet 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 which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

Grace - means God’s gift, favor, thankfulness. Notice that Paul did not say that grace was in him but he says that Grace was with him. That tells us that grace is a guidance in our life. Grace is the glue that keeps you and I connected to the transforming power of God.

Paul speaks with humility. He shares that it is the grace of God that he is what and where he is now.

He was a persecutor of the church of God now he is a preacher and defender of the Church of God.

He was least of the apostles now he is a Laborer for the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Paul says it was Jesus death, burial and resurrection that changed and transformed his life.

Jesus death, burial, and resurrection is not the end of Jesus story. People lives have been changed, some are with God in glory, some are like Paul on the battlefield right now, and some have not been born yet. This is how powerful what Jesus did for us, and why I know it was His blood that saved me.

Ron was a wretch undone, now I am a nobody trying to tell somebody about a Man who can save anybody.

Conclusion

Just like Barabbas was guilty. He was a known criminal, and we are crooks too. As Jesus and Barabbas was there in front of Pilate in the judgement hall. Jesus took Barabbas place on the cross. Because Jesus knew that the only way Barabbas would stop being a criminal was that He had to take his place to give Barabbas a chance to get life right and have eternal life. If Barabbas had been taken to the cross, then the thief on the right would not have had a chance. Barabbas blood could not have transformed your life. Jesus took his place, Jesus took our place, and he was wounded for our sins, he was bruised for our iniquities. And the stripes that He bore we are healed, we are transformed today. I Thank God for Jesus. Amen!!!!

Isaiah 53:5 KJV 1900

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed.

I think about Jesus

Scourged (whip or lash) - The soldiers braided leather thongs into a whip and wove metal balls and sharp bone fragments into it. The victim was stripped and tied in a bending position to a pillar or stretched on a frame, while the scourge—made of leather thongs weighted with sharp pieces of bone or lead—tore the flesh of both the back and the breast.

Matthew 27:26–31 ESV

26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged (whip or lash) Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

Matthew 27:52–53 ESV

52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.