The Case for the Resurrection

Scott Rowe / General

Easter 2017 / 8

Introduction

Now Jesus has been spending time with his disciples knowing that one will deny him and another will betray him. We find him in agony in the garden asking the father that “if it is possible to have this up of suffering pass from him but, not my will but yours be done” it describes him as sweating what is like drops of blood. He is handed over to his enemies and is betrayed with a kiss. He is beaten, flogged, and have pieces of flesh torn of his own body, beaten beyond recognition, his hands and feet pierced with nails and he breathes his final words “it is finished” which to his enemies signaled a surrender to death but, to the father it was a declaration of victory as he would rise again in three days to defeat death.

. Jesus has been spending time with his disciples knowing that one will deny him and another will betray him. We find him agnognizing in the garden asking the father that “if it is possible to have this up of suffering pass from him but, not my will but yours be done” it describes him as sweating what is like drops of blood. He is handed over to his enemies and is betrayed with a kiss. He is beaten, flogged, and have pieces of flesh torn of his own body, beaten beyond recognition, his hands and feet pierced with nails and he breathes his final words “it is finished” which to his enemies signaled a surrender to death but, to the father it was a declaration of victory as he would rise again in three days to defeat death.

Today I want to speak with you about this. The single greatest event in human history. The resurrection of Jesus Christ.

How can you tell that something has really happened? Take the event of man walking on the moon for the first time, none of us were there, but we accept it as really happening or how about when Columbus discovered America, or natural disasters that have happened such as hurricane Katrina and Haiti.

Just like in any case, you have to prove it is true. When charges are brought against someone in the court of law there are certain things that are included such as...

• opening statements

• eyewitness accounts

• ala-byes

• Closing arguments

The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians addresses an audience which not only is starting to believe Christ hasn’t risen from the dead but don’t believe anyone can rise from the dead. they were simply saying “Dead.men.dont.rise.” Today I want to share with you how we can be confident and have hope in not only the resurrection of Jesus but, also our own resurrection. Sometimes we can let doubts seek in through the influence of the culture around us.

We see the Apostle Paul makes a case for the resurrection as he was speaking to those who were starting to fall away. Let’s read it.

Our text today is .

8 (KJV 1900)

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 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: 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.

The opening statement

Paul begins his defense by addressing them as “brothers and sisters” and reminding them of the gospel. Now a reminder is a good thing.

We all forget some things even really important things such as where did we put our wallet or purse or where did we put our car keys.

Jesus even reminds us to “remember Him” as we are commanded to partake of the sacrament of communion as he says “do this in rememberance of me”. As we remember his death though, we seem to forget the full gospel that Jesus lived, died on the cross for our sins and that he got off that cross, was buried and rose again in three days!

As humans we are more attracted to the darkness rather than the light. In our flesh We are more attracted to hear the gossip of darkness rather then the good news of hope.

Paul continues on to say that this gospel of Jesus “which you recieved and on which you have taken your stand” So what does it mean to “take a stand on the gospel”?

Here is a story....

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Standing By

The late Dr. Poling was told while away in Boston that his son Clark, was desperately ill. So he rushed home to discover his son needed surgery. The little fellow, quite young, was afraid and terrified. Finally, the boy said, “Daddy, I will do it, if you stay with me.” The father promised him he would. Clark was wheeled into the operating room. The doctors and nurses assured Poling his son would be all right, and for him to wait outside. They did not want him in the operating room. But he persisted and stayed. Later, as Clark and his father were in the recovery room after the surgery, Clark’s first words were: “Daddy, did you stay by?”

Now We stand by the gospel because God stood by us, on a cross.

He stood by us when he took the nails in his hands and feet.

He stood by us when he said not my will but your will be done.

he stood by us when he rose from the dead and defeated death and gave us victory on the cross. This is why we stand.

By this gospel we are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. v2.

This is the gospel in which we are saved. Salvation isn’t found in a concept it is found in Jesus Christ. The great theologian and Church Father St. Augustine said that “the mind of man will never rest until it rests in God, and God is Himself eternal life.”

Eternal life was resident in man before the fall, but it was lost through that greatest of all world tragedies. Man cannot save himself. We cannot even draw near to him unless His Spirit gives us the grace to do so.

We are being regenerated every day because of the damage sin has caused. Just as body needs to heal from an injury as dead skin cells are replaced by new and alive ones. That’s how it is with us spiritual as we need to take care of our soul by feeding and nurturing it.

Paul says we need to hold “firmly” to our salvation. Some translations say it as “hold fast” because I see it as how the disciples were in the boat during a storm and winds were blowing in every direction and they were so afraid and Jesus asked them where is your faith? There are going to be storms in this life and all kinds of things competing for our attention but if we just hold on to the anchor of our souls and the author of our faith Jesus Christ then we will be alright.

The central theme of the gospel is given here (v. 3-4)

For I delivered unto you of first importance

Christ died for our sins, just as the scriptures said

He was buried

He was raised on the third day, just as the scriptures said

The eye witness accounts

(v. 5-10) He talked, He touched and he ate with them, notice he didn’t go to his enemies first.

i. Peter () He denied Christ when he was in his natural body

ii. The twelve () with the doubting Thomas

iii. The five hundred at once ()

iv. James -He was the half brother of Jesus and didn’t believe he was the Christ until after he appeared to him. See

v. Paul () called Saul here has his conversion experience on Damascus road.

Closing argument

Closing argument

v. 9-11

Paul calls himself the least of the apostles because while the other apostles were hearing the wisdom of God through teachings of Jesus he was listening to the traditions of the Rabbi’s & while the other apostles were preaching the gospel, Paul was persecuting Jesus. As he draws on his past he us captivated in the present of God’s grace as he says “By the grace of God I am what I am”. He realizes that his transformation was not by his own merit but, by the power of the Holy Spirit within and his actions were just outward signs of that inward grace that revealed itself in holiness of life. This is what he means when he says that the other apostles and himself preach the same message as they share in one common faith.

The Verdict

After hearing the opening statement from the Apostle Paul along with countless other saints about their stand on the gospel. Their eye-witness accounts and the closing argument.

The verdict is in. He is not here. He has Risen! Jesus is guilty of His resurrection!

He is not here. He has Risen! Jesus is guilty of His resurrection!