1 Corinthians 15,12-19
1 Corinthians 15:12-19
December 8, 2002
Intro: In Verses 1-11 we looked at the 4 proofs that Paul offered as
confirmation of the truthfulness of the resurrection.
#1- His 1st proof was the changed life of the believer.
A- What or who interacted upon a persons life that caused change.
1- So many influences are possible.
a- Relationships, Drugs alcohol, sicknesses.
2- But the changed life of the Christian is unique.
a- Specifically from ungodliness (the natural man)
b- TO Godliness (an un-natural man)
- Accomplished by the preaching of the Gospel and power of the H.S.
John 15:26-27, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.27 “And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
#2- There is the scriptural proof of the resurrection.
A- The doctrine of the resurrection was not a new one.
1- God did not JUST bring it about AND Paul did not just make it up.
See Verse 3
a- It’s an existing biblical (O.T.) doctrine now fully understood in Jesus Christ and explained in the N.T.
Matthew 12:39, But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
#3- There was the eyewitness account of the resurrection.
Read verses 5-7
#4- And the 1st person eye witness.
Read Acts 26:12-16
Ø Now after looking at the evidences of the reality of the resurrection Paul turns to the importance of the resurrection.
A- Why it is a basic foundation of the Christian faith
1- Why I said that you could not be considered a Christian if you do not believe.
a- God never leaves man without hope.
Read Matthew 17:1-9
Romans 8:11, But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Daniel 12:2, And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
a- Even the unbeliever, one day, will believe in the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:12, Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
A- it seems that the official church doctrine stated that there is a resurrection and Christ was the 1st.
1- Part of their Statement of Faith (ours as well).
a- BUT not everyone believed it.
1 Corinthians 15:12, Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
Ø There we, and still are, differing thoughts and beliefs of our post death existence.
A- There is what is called SOUL SLEEP. (Sominex Theology)
1- There is body and soul annihilation (Worm food theology)
2- There is reincarnation (Twilight Zone Theology)
3- There is Absorption (Osmosis Theology)
4- The beliefs of the Sadducees (False Theology)
Ø Paul has stated the problem now goes on to tells us of the ramifications of this problem of unbelief in the resurrection.
A- He is going to tell us of 7 things that would be true if the resurrection is not possible.
#1- (V:13) If there is no resurrection of the dead then Jesus
Christ is not risen.
A- If Christ still exists but was not resurrected then He never died.
1- If He never died then the sacrifice was never made for the sins of the world.
a- He then did not fulfill His mission and was not Messiah.
B- OR He is still dead.
1- And we have a dead: savior, Shepherd, intercessor.
a- Either way we have been deceived and HE was more in line with Satan than God.
John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
- To refute these views
Luke 24:39-43, “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?”42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.43 And He took it and ate in their presence.
2- He needed to DIE and to be raised because He had to fulfill O.T. Prophecy.
Psalm 16:10, For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
a- If Jesus was not resurrected then there is a body somewhere.
#2- (V:14a) If no resurrection then there is no reason to preach the Word of God.
A- You can tear the book of Acts out of your bible.
1- The Gospel is no longer good news (nice news at best).
a- “In stead of someone died for you”
b- Someone tried for you (but failed)
Read John 14:1-4
2- You would have to remove the majority of your Bible (Revelation).
#3- (V:14b) If no resurrection then our faith is empty.
A- Empty = void of effect.
1- The dollar and gold.
Romans 10:9, that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:17, So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
a- The basis for these verses is whom they represent.
John MacArthur points out: If our faith is in vain then look at Hebrews 11 (the hall of faith), we need to rename it the Hall of fools.
#4- (V:15) If there is no resurrection then all preaching is a lie.
A- If the Gospel is a lie then we are witnesses of a lie.
1- We then would be more in line with Satan’s mission than God’s
a- What then would we preach?????????
2- If we preached the Gospel, as we have it, then we would be preaching contrary to God and no way to make disciples of God.
a- Those of 1 Corinthians 15:5-11 would be false Prophets is all their works.
1 Corinthians 15:16, For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.
A- Paul wants to remind his readers that the premise of what he is writing is based on the hypothetical statement that Christ is not risen.
1- He does not want to be misunderstood .
a- War of the Worlds (1938)
#5- (V:17), If Jesus is not risen then nothing has been done with
man’s sins.
A- Instead of preaching the Bible CCO’s mission should be the teaching and following of the Old Testament.
1- Sacrifices, Circumcision, The Sabbath, The feasts, Pilgrimages to Jerusalem, 100’s of other things.
B- Based on Romans 5: Sin and death have emerged victorious over Christ and if Christ then they will have victory over us.
1- We will all die and then be judged.
Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
a- But because of the resurrection.
Romans 4:24-25, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
John 14:19, “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.
#6- (V:18), All of those who have previously died are in trouble
too. (Were all in the same boat and it’s sinking)
A- We need to go back to the graves of our relatives and truly morn.
1- No longer as those who have a future and hope (need to remove the book of Jeremiah)
2- BUT as those who have no hope.
a- Now the Old Testament starts to fall apart as well.
Job 19:26, And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,
2 Samuel 12:23, “But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
3- every death is now truly a tragedy and cruel joke.
a- What do I say about suicide.
#7- (V:19), If our hope is in Christ and He was not risen then we
are all miserable.
A- There is no savior, no knowledge of love or grace,
1- The basis of our world view (the Bible, Christianity, and Morals) would be pointless.
a- How could I ever except help for a helpless savior, form a God who is dead!
The best verse to close
1 Corinthians 15:20, But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:12-19
December 8, 2002
John 15:26-27
Matthew 12:39
Acts 26:12-16
Matthew 17:1-9
Romans 8:11
Daniel 12:2
John 6:44
Luke 24:39-43
Psalm 16:10
John 14:1-4
Romans 10:9
Romans 10:17
Romans 6:23
Romans 4:24-25
John 14:19
Job 19:26
2 Samuel 12:23
1 Corinthians 15:20