Sermon Tone Analysis

I Cor.

#47

Breaking News!

Dateline Jerusalem—On the eve of the annual celebration of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the 1 million inhabitants of this city were shocked by the announcement that a body, identified as that of Jesus, was found in a long-neglected tomb just outside the boundary of the city.

Rumors had been circulating the last week that a very important discovery was about to be announced.

The news, however, far outstrips all of our wildest guesses.

The initial reaction of Christians here and around the world has been one of astonishment, bewilderment, and defensive disbelief.

We will have to wait and see just what effect this discovery will have on the 2,000-year-old religion.

To the mind of this unbelieving writer, it appears that Christianity will have to take its place on the same level with the other religions of the world.

No longer can its followers claim that, unlike other religions, the tomb of its founder is empty.

Evidently a 2,000-year-old lie has come to an end.

Sad to say…(pause for effect)...but there are many in our culture today that await a news story like that…to be able to look every Christian in the eye and mockingly tell them that their faith is a sham…you’ve wasted your life perpetuating a lie...

- tonight we're going to be beginning the last major section

If this story were to be printed we could truly look them in the eye and shout Fake News!…the great reality is Jesus is alive and lives forevermore!

Did you think for any moment that while I read that, that it could be true?

We shout “hallelujah” because we are convinced He lives again, but have you ever paused long enough to consider whether or not the way you live practically is consistent with that belief?

In other words, how does our belief in the resurrection impact the way we choose to live everyday?

Is the resurrection something we only consider and celebrate one time a year on Easter Sunday or does it affect my daily operations?

With all that in mind please turn to .

It’s Easter Everyday!

in the book of I Corinthians--

This is Paul's famous discussion of the resurrection and it's by far the most comprehensive treatment of this subject anywhere in God's Word.

- this is Paul's famous discussion of the resurrection and it's by far the most comprehensive treatment of this

subject anywhere in God's Word.

Our faith is centered on the fact that our Savior conquered death and is alive.

resurrection now for at least two reasons.

1) it's appropriate because of where we are in our

calendar.

- you may remember that about 5 months ago, at Easter

time, I was saying that I'd hoped we would be at

chapter 15 by Easter because it would be so natural

to study these ideas at Easter.

- of course that date came and went, and even though

we peaked ahead for one message at chapter 15:58,

we've had a lot of other important material in the

book to cover before we could get here.

- but the more I think about that, the more I think--

that's good.

- it's good that we're going to do a thorough

study of the resurrection of our Savior at the

opposite end of the calendar from the regular

Easter Season.

- and all of us know why--believers in Christ celebrate

Easter every day.

Our faith is centered on the fact that our Savior conquered death and is alive.

conquered death and is alive.

The resurrection is proof that the price He paid by dying was acceptable to the Father--and therefore He was raised from the dead.

fellowship every Sunday

- because that's the same day Jesus rose

every time a person is baptized, they're picturing the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and declaring publically that that's their only hope of heaven.

- every time a person is baptized, they're picturing the

death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and

declaring publically that that's their only hope of

heaven.

every time we gather for the Lord's table--we're celebrating -- not just his death and burial, but His resurrection

celebrating -- not just his death and burial

- but His resurrection

The resurrection is proof that the price He paid by dying was acceptable to the Father--and therefore He was raised from the dead.

acceptable to the Father--and therefore He was

raised from the dead.

so for a believer in Christ, in a very real sense it's Easter everyday.

it's Easter everyday.

That Is Not Our Natural Tendency

but that view of life doesn't come naturally,...why is it that in every church across the nation and perhaps even across the globe we see a spike in attendance on Easter Sunday...

- in fact, it often happens in stages

Because even though people may claim to be Christian, their understanding and appreciation for the resurrection often happens in stages.

after a person is truly saved, often their minds have to be dejunked of all the secular ideas about Easter...we have to stop giving credence to some stupid bunny and the chocolate candy and the colored eggs and teach them to gain a focus on the real significance of Easter.

dejunked of all the secular ideas about Easter.

where we go from the bunnies and the eggs to a focus on the significance of that holiday.

focus on the significance of that holiday.

that’s a significant step for some folks.

The resurrection is so important to our faith that it is critical for every believer to have a growing appreciation for the resurrection of Christ each and everyday!

for the resurrection of Christ each and everyday

young people who have a growing appreciation for the resurrection of Christ are better prepared to handle the pressures of an educational system that wants to deny Him at every turn and in every way.

young people who have a growing appreciation for the resurrection of Christ are better prepared to handle the pressures of an educational system that wants to deny Him at every turn and in every way.

resurrection of Christ are better prepared to handle

the pressures of a new school year.

spouses who have a growing focus on this critical doctrine are going to be better husbands and wives.

doctrine are going to be better husbands and wives.

parents will be better parents, workers will be better workers, witnesses will be better witnesses...

- workers will be workers

- witnesses will be better witnesses

The truth we want to consider here this morning is that...

Show me a person who has a growing understanding of and appreciation for our Savior's resurrection and I'll show you a person who's in the best possible position to grow in other critical areas of their walk with Christ!

appreciation for our Savior's resurrection and I'll show

you a person who's in the best possible position to grow

in other critical areas of their walk with Christ.

The truth we want to consider here this morning is that...

Pastor Viars for the length of this series and the fact

that we're studying the traditionally spring topic in the

middle of August

--we ought to be thankful for the added spiritual

benefit we'll all derive from the way this study fell

on all calendar.

2) Its also appropriate that we study this topic, not just

because of where we are in the calendar, but where we are

in this study on I Corinthians.

- let me ask you to think about that for a minute:

- INPUT - why is it good and why does it give you hope

that after everything else we've studying, Paul

concludes this book with a study of the resurrection?