What if There Were no Resurrection?

WHAT IF THERE WERE NO RESURRECTION?

INTRODUCTION:

EASTER CARRIES A MUCH DEEPER MEANING FOR ME NOW, DUE TO THE FACT THAT I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF VISITING THE SITE WHERE MANY BELIEVE JESUS WAS BURIED.

THE GARDEN TOMB WAS THE ONE PLACE IN JERUSALEM THAT I VISITED TWICE.

ONCE WITH OUR TOUR GROUP AND ONCE BY MYSELF.

AND THE VISIT I MADE TO THE TOMB BY MYSELF WAS VERY SPECIAL TO ME, BECAUSE I GOT TO FEEL WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE TO BE AT THE TOMB ON THAT DAY…

THAT DAY JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD…

I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DOES IT REMIND ME THAT HE HAS POWER OVER DEATH, HELL AND THE GRAVE, BUT IT ALSO REMINDS ME THAT MY ETERNITY IS SECURE IN HIM, EVEN THOUGH THINGS MAY NOT ALWAYS SEEM SECURE IN THIS WORLD.

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS COMPLETES THE GOSPEL MESSAGE, AND WITHOUT THE RESURRECTION, THERE WOULD BE NO HOPE.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE APOSTLE PAUL, IN HIS FIRST LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH, WRITES ABOUT THIS VERY THING.

TAKE YOUR BIBLE, OR OPEN YOUR BIBLE APP, AND TURN TO THE BOOK OF FIRST CORINTHIANS, CHAPTER 15.

WHEN YOU’VE FOUND YOUR PLACE, STAND WITH ME IN HONOR OF THE READING OF GOD’S WORD.

I WANT US TO READ VERSES 1 THROUGH 22.

STAND – READ – PRAY

PAUL IS ADDRESSING A CHURCH THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, APPEARS TO BE MUCH LIKE THE CHURCH IN AMERICA TODAY.

A CHURCH FILLED WITH CONSUMERISM, AND SELFISHNESS.

A CHURCH THAT WAS UNABLE TO EVEN PULL OFF A CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER WITHOUT OFFENDING SOMEONE.

A CHURCH THAT NEEDED AN ADDITIONAL LETTER TO DEAL WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS IT WAS FACING.

TO THIS CHURCH, AND TO US BY WAY OF THE PRESERVATION OF THE WORD OF GOD, PAUL ADDRESSES THE CONSEQUENCES OF NO RESURRECTION.

BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THIS ISSUE, LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL TO SET THE TABLE FOR US.

1. EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST. ()

a. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST IS ESSENTIAL TO THE GOSPEL, IT WAS PREACHED UNIFORMLY BY THE APOSTLES, AND IT WAS BELIEVED UNIVERSALLY BY THE CHURCHES.

i. – 1 NOW I WOULD REMIND YOU, BROTHERS, OF THE GOSPEL I PREACHED TO YOU, WHICH YOU RECEIVED, IN WHICH YOU STAND, 2 AND BY WHICH YOU ARE BEING SAVED, IF YOU HOLD FAST TO THE WORD I PREACHED TO YOU—UNLESS YOU BELIEVED IN VAIN.

1. PAUL PREACHED IT.

2. THE CORINTHIANS RECEIVED IT.

3. THE CORINTHIANS MADE THEIR STAND ACCORDING TO IT.

4. THEY WERE BEING SAVED BY THIS GOSPEL MESSAGE.

b. THE RESURRECTION FLOWS LOGICALLY IN THE ACCOUNT OF JESUS’ DEATH.

i. – 3 FOR I DELIVERED TO YOU AS OF FIRST IMPORTANCE WHAT I ALSO RECEIVED: THAT CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCRIPTURES, 4 THAT HE WAS BURIED, THAT HE WAS RAISED ON THE THIRD DAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCRIPTURES…

1. CHRIST DIED.

2. HE WAS BURIED.

3. BUT THEN HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD.

ii. THIS HAS BEEN THE STANDARD OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING DAYS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.

c. NUMEROUS PEOPLE BORE WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTED CHRIST.

i. – 5 AND THAT HE APPEARED TO CEPHAS, THEN TO THE TWELVE. 6 THEN HE APPEARED TO MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED BROTHERS AT ONE TIME, MOST OF WHOM ARE STILL ALIVE, THOUGH SOME HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP. 7 THEN HE APPEARED TO JAMES, THEN TO ALL THE APOSTLES. 8 LAST OF ALL, AS TO ONE UNTIMELY BORN, HE APPEARED ALSO TO ME. 9 FOR I AM THE LEAST OF THE APOSTLES, UNWORTHY TO BE CALLED AN APOSTLE, BECAUSE I PERSECUTED THE CHURCH OF GOD.

ii. CEPHAS – PETER – BY THE SEA OF TIBERIAS –

iii. THE TWELVE – THE NAME FOR JESUS CHOSEN APOSTLES

iv. FIVE HUNDRED BROTHERS AT ONE TIME – POSSIBLY IN .

1. THE FACT THAT SOME HAD FALLEN ASLEEP (DIED) BUILDS AN EVEN STRONGER CASE FOR PAUL’S DEFENSE OF THE RESURRECTION.

v. JAMES – PRESUMABLY THE BROTHER OF JESUS

vi. THEN THE APOSTLES – AGAIN THE TWELVE.

vii. AND THEN TO PAUL ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS IN .

d. THIS IS THE GOSPEL YOU RESPONDED TO.

i. – 10 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. 11 WHETHER THEN IT WAS I OR THEY, SO WE PREACH AND SO YOU BELIEVED.

ii. NO MATTER WHO YOU HEARD IT FROM, THIS IS THE GOSPEL THAT WAS PREACHED TO YOU, AND THIS IS THE GOSPEL YOU RESPONDED TO.

iii. I THINK THOSE OF US WHO ARE BELIEVERS NEED TO BE REMINDED, JUST AS THESE CORINTHIAN BELIEVERS WERE, OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE TO WHICH WE RESPONDED.

iv. IT IS A MESSAGE OF REDEMPTION, AND THANK GOD FOR THAT…

v. BUT IT IS ALSO A MESSAGE OF TRANSFORMATION.

vi. AND WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO LIVE DIFFERENTLY IN THIS PRESENT WORLD, BECAUSE WE ARE NOW CITIZENS OF THE WORLD TO COME.

e. AND WE OWE IT TO THOSE WHO MAY BE HERE THIS MORNING WHO HAVE NOT YET ENTERED INTO A SAVING RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST, AND THOSE WE ENCOUNTER OUTSIDE THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE CHURCH, TO LIVE IN A REDEMPTIVE, TRANSFORMATIONAL MANNER.

i. HOW ELSE WILL SOME RECOGNIZE THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES, IF THEY SEE NO EVIDENCE OF LIFE CHANGE IN THOSE WHO CLAIM TO HAVE RESPONDED TO THE GOSPEL?

f. EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS, AND WE ARE TO BE PART OF THAT EVIDENCE.

g. BUT HERE IS THE REAL MEAT OF PAUL’S WRITING IN THIS PART OF THE LETTER.

h. PAUL WANTED THESE CORINTHIANS TO KNOW, AND THEIR LIVES TO COMMUNICATE THAT…

2. THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST IS FOUNDATIONAL TO THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.

a. – 12 NOW IF CHRIST IS PROCLAIMED AS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, HOW CAN SOME OF YOU SAY THAT THERE IS NO RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD? 13 BUT IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, THEN NOT EVEN CHRIST HAS BEEN RAISED.

i. PAUL IS REFERRING BACK TO HIS ARGUMENT THAT THE GOSPEL THEY RESPONDED TO CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM THE RESURRECTION.

1. HE ASKS THESE BELIEVERS, HOW COULD YOU EVEN SAY SUCH A THING, WHEN YOU RESPONDED TO THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL THAT INCLUDES THE RESURRECTION AS A FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH?

b. – 14 AND IF CHRIST HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, THEN OUR PREACHING IS IN VAIN AND YOUR FAITH IS IN VAIN. 15 WE ARE EVEN FOUND TO BE MISREPRESENTING GOD, BECAUSE WE TESTIFIED ABOUT GOD THAT HE RAISED CHRIST, WHOM HE DID NOT RAISE IF IT IS TRUE THAT THE DEAD ARE NOT RAISED. 16 FOR IF THE DEAD ARE NOT RAISED, NOT EVEN CHRIST HAS BEEN RAISED. 17 AND IF CHRIST HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, YOUR FAITH IS FUTILE AND YOU ARE STILL IN YOUR SINS.

i. IF THE RESURRECTION IS NOT A REALITY, THEN WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE THIS MORNING IS MEANINGLESS.

1. PREACHING IS AN EMPTY, FRUITLESS EXERCISE.

a. AND NOT JUST THAT, BUT IF JESUS DID NOT RISE FROM THE DEAD, THE OUR PREACHING IS A MISREPRESENTATION OF GOD.

2. IF JESUS DID NOT RISE FROM THE DEAD, EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN FAITH UNRAVELS.

a. PAUL SPEAK HERE OF THE FUTILITY OF THE FAITH IF JESUS DID NOT RISE FROM THE DEAD.

i. HE SAYS THAT IF JESUS DID NOT RISE, YOUR FAITH IS WORTHLESS…

ii. AND YOU ARE STILL IN YOUR SINS.

b. THAT’S A FAIRLY BIG STATEMENT.

i. THAT MEANS THAT THE RESURRECTION IS SO VITAL TO THE GOSPEL, THAT WITHOUT THE RESURRECTION, THE ENTIRE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS UNRAVELED.

ii. AND IT GETS EVEN WORSE…

c. – 18 THEN THOSE ALSO WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP IN CHRIST HAVE PERISHED. 19 IF IN CHRIST WE HAVE HOPE IN THIS LIFE ONLY, WE ARE OF ALL PEOPLE MOST TO BE PITIED.

d. PAUL SAYS THAT IF THE RESURRECTION IS NOT A REALITY, THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED ON ASSUMING THAT THEY WOULD BE RAISED FROM THE DEAD…

i. THEY’RE NOT JUST DEAD, BUT THEY ARE DEAD IN THEIR SINS.

1. THEY ARE CONDEMNED.

2. BECAUSE IF THE RESURRECTION IS NOT TRUE, NOTHING ELSE ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IS TRUE.

e. HE POINTS OUT THAT THE RESURRECTION GIVES US HOPE BEYOND THIS LIFE, AND IF IT’S NOT TRUE, WE ARE TO BE PITIED, BECAUSE WE ARE PUTTING OUR FAITH IN SOMETHING THAT CANNOT SAVE US…

f. BUT…

g. I TOLD THE FOLKS AT THE HOLY WEEK SERVICE FRIDAY THAT I LOVE TRANSITIONAL WORDS, CONJUNCTIONS THAT TIE TWO THOUGHTS TOGETHER.

h. AND I ESPECIALLY LOVE THIS PARTICULAR CONJUNCTION.

i. BECAUSE THIS CONJUNCTION IS ONE THAT, ACCORDING TO THE DICTIONARY, IS USED TO INTRODUCE A PHRASE OR CLAUSE CONTRASTING WITH WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED.

j. – 20 BUT IN FACT CHRIST HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD, THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP. 21 FOR AS BY A MAN CAME DEATH, BY A MAN HAS COME ALSO THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 22 FOR AS IN ADAM ALL DIE, SO ALSO IN CHRIST SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE.

i. BUT IN FACT…CHRIST HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD!!!

1. IT IS A FOUNDATIONAL PART OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.

2. IT IS A TRUTH THAT HAS BEEN EMBRACED BY THE CHURCH FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

3. IT IS A FACT MADE SURE BY THE WITNESS OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.

ii. THE RESURRECTION ANSWERS THE QUESTION “WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DIE.”

iii. THE RESURRECTION ASSURES ME THAT THERE IS LIFE BEYOND THIS LIFE.

iv. IT IS THE ASSURANCE THAT THIS LIFE IS NOT ALL THERE IS.

CONCLUSION:

TIM KELLER – "IF JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD, THEN YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT ALL THAT HE SAID; IF HE DIDN'T RISE FROM THE DEAD, THEN WHY WORRY ABT ANY OF WHAT HE SAID? THE ISSUE ON WHICH EVERYTHING HANGS IS NOT WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIKE HIS TEACHING BUT WHETHER OR NOT HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD."

TODAY, HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

IT IS THE GOSPEL THAT TELLS US “ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.” - .

IT IS THE GOSPEL THAT TELLS US “FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE FREE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.” - .

IT IS THE GOSPEL THAT TELLS US “IT IS APPOINTED TO MAN ONCE TO DIE, AND AFTER THIS, THE JUDGEMENT.” –

IT IS THE GOSPEL THAT TELLS US “THAT CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCRIPTURES.” - .

AND IT IS THE GOSPEL THAT TELLS US “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. 10 FOR WITH THE HEART ONE BELIEVES AND IS JUSTIFIED, AND WITH THE MOUTH ONE CONFESSES AND IS SAVED.” -