The Hope of the Ressurection

The Hope of the Ressurection

I Cor. 15:12- 20

It’s great to be with you in this Lent Season Revival.  Lent season leading up to Easter reminds us of the hope and promise of the Savior – Jesus said in John chapter 14, “I’m going away to prepare a place for you & if I go I’ll come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there you may be also.”  Now I don’t know about you but I want to be ready when He comes again so that I can spend eternity in that prepared place called “HEAVEN”.  Paul had to deal with a lot of skeptics in his day; some even said that there was no resurrection from the dead!  It prompted the apostle Paul to write extensively about the resurrection in chapter 15 about the Hope of the Resurrection:

( A reading of the text )

Notice tonight, three points Paul makes about our hope of the resurrection:

1. ALL PREACHING IS IN VAIN:   

Just think about all the great preaching that has taken place over the centuries.  Great preachers like John Wesley, Charles Wesley, DL Moody, ML King, Billy Graham, the list goes on and on.  But if Christ is not risen; these men and many more have nothing to preach about!  The truth is it’s not the preacher that’s great it’s what is being preached!  It’s the gospel that is God’s power to save!  It’s the gospel that is quick & powerful, sharper than a two edged sword!  It’s the gospel, (engrafted word of God), that is able to save your soul.  But if Christ be not raised, all the wonderful sermons are in vain! 

                                   ( cf. Rms. 1:16,  Heb. 4:12, Jms. 1:21 )

2. FAITH IS IN VAIN:

Paul says that if Christ is not risen then our faith is vain and we are false witnesses!  Now understand that the Jews took false testimony very seriously, Perjury is still a serious offense in today’s legal world!  Not only that but he says that with out saving faith, we are still in our sins!  Paul says our testimony to the whole world is based on the good news that “HE ROSE!”  Death couldn’t hold our Savior, the grave is not victorious and because He lives I can face tomorrow; because He lives all fear is gone!

                                    ( cf. I Cor., 6:9-11, I Cor. 15:54-55 )

3. OF ALL MEN WE’RE THE MOST MISREABLE:

Think about this word “misery” for a moment.  Webster defines it as: “a state of suffering and want; circumstances or situations that cause great unhappiness and distress”  Some people live that way today – even in a land of plenty, their souls are starving for spiritual nourishment!  Misery is what you are when you don’t have Christ!   

                                                        ( cf. Eph. 2:12 )

Tonight, the good news is that the hope of the resurrection can be yours by simple obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ H-B-R-C-B as we together stand and sing!