The Foundation of Our Faith
Introduction
A woman wrote J. Vernon McGee: “Our preacher said that on Easter Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed him back to health. What do you think?” McGee replied, “Dear Sister, beat your preacher with a leather whip for thirty-nine heavy strokes. Nail him to a cross. Hang him in the sun for six hours. Run a spear through his heart. Embalm him. Put him in an airless tomb for three days. Then see what happens.”
This is an argument, which has gone on for century, and there are many who still believe the lies of the devil. Apart from the resurrection of Jesus Christ Christianity have no meaning and no power to save and we are just waiting our time. If Christ was not raised from the dead than we have no hope for eternal life.
His resurrection is the foundation of Our Faith. We are told:
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. KJV
If God has not raised him from the dead, we have no bases for salvation.
That is what makes Easter Sunday such an important date on the Christian’s calendar. There are many who will be in church today and want be back until next Easter. But what are the reason they will come today but no other day? In many churches it because of the Easter Programs and they are coming to hear their children or grandchildren do their Easter speeches.
They really do not understand the implication of Christ Resurrection.
Christ resurrection is the evidence of our resurrection one day. Because Christ got up on the third day it lest us know that one-day we too will rise. Christ resurrection is the prove of;
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. KJV
Paul had to address this issue to the Corinthians Church. It seems that many of them believed in the resurrection of Christ; but begin to doubt their own.
Paul begins to use what we in mathematics call proof theorem to prove the resurrection of the dead. A theoretical proposition or statement is made and statement generally accepted as true to prove your premise. They are usually in the form of If and then statements. Note what we find in:
1 Corinthians 15:12-19
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. KJV
Note Paul first Proposition:
1 Corinthians 15:12-13
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: KJV
The one fact they accepted as fact is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They had plenty of proof of the resurrection of Christ.
They had proof from Scriptures:
1 Corinthians 15:3-5
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:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: KJV
They had proof from Witnesses:
1 Corinthians 15:5-8
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. KJV
Paul conclusion is that since Christ was dead how could they conclude that there is no resurrection of the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: KJV
Paul concludes that if this statement is true.
1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. KJV
Our preaching is in vain and our faith is also in vain and we just as well close our doors and live our lives anyway we want to. But sadly that how many of us our living our lives anyway. We don’t Jesus death serious and we don’t take His resurrection serious. That is why we get caught up in the commercialization of Christmas and Easter. We shop until we drop and show up at church to show off our new outfits and put in our time and leave the church and don’t come back until the next big commercial event. We don’t take serious the fact they Jesus died for our sin that we may have a relationship with God.
When we become serious about Jesus we will become more committed to him and to each other. Paul said:
1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. KJV
Paul also concluded:
1 Corinthians 15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. KJV
Paul concluded that if Christ was not resurrected, not only is his preaching in vain and his faith in vain so is his witness. In other Paul, Cephas, James, all the apostles and the over five hundred brother are lying on God because they have “…testified of God that he raise up Christ: whom he raised not up…”
“…If so be that the dead rise not…”
Paul second Proposition:
1 Corinthians 15:16-18
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
KJV
Paul once again considers the fact that the dead will not be resurrected. The conclusion once again is that Christ was not resurrected which means that there was no acceptable sacrifice for our sins.
Romans 6:8-10
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. KJV
Hebrews 9:27-28
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. KJV
If Christ died for our sin and was not resurrected we are still in our sin and He shall not appear a second time because he is dead and we are hopeless in our sin.
If this statement is true Paul concludes two things.
1 Corinthians 15:18-19
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. KJV
Those who died with their hope and faith in the finish works of Jesus Christ have perished and there is no hope for them and there is not hope for us.
But we do have hope because Christ has risen from the dead.
We are here today to celebrate a risen Savior.
Paul assurances:
1 Corinthians 15:20-21
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. KJV
Conclusion
We are here today to celebrate a risen Savior.
If you truly believe that Jesus has risen, it should be reflected in your commitment to Him.
If you truly believe that Jesus has risen prove it by the way you walk.
If you truly believe that Jesus Christ has risen prove it by the way you serve Him.
If you truly believe that Jesus Christ has risen prove it by the way you love one another.
Because of Jesus’ resurrection we will have life after death. Paul in this chapter proved the promise of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. KJV
How do we know that it’s real?
Because Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe, Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.
Years I spent in vanity and pride, caring not my Lord was crucified, knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary.
O the love that drew salvation’s plan! O the grace that brought it down to man! O the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary.
Mercy there was great and grace was free, Pardon there was multiplied to me. There my burdened soul found liberty at Calvary.
It was at Calvary that they nailed His hands to a tree! It was at Calvary that they nailed His feet on an old rug cross! It was at Calvary that they stretched Him wide and lifted Him High! It was at Calvary that He hanged His head in locks of his shoulder and gave His life for my life!