The Futility of a Floundering Faith
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A chain is only as strong as its weakest link
Last two messages dealt with the facts surrounding our faith
We must have the whole package
This passage deals with the resurrection specifically
Refers back to v.4…or is a followup to v. 4
Other early religions also believed in something akin to it
But this one had witnesses!
Main Idea: The Necessity of the Resurrection
Main Idea: The Necessity of the Resurrection
It may not be a big deal for us…it was for them
Apparently, some of the Corinthians were not convinced of the resurrection
May have fallen back to components of Jewish belief or pagan belief
More likely, pagan, though some among the Jews denied the resurrection
Pagans (Greek thought) thought the body died and the soul was immortal
So, some among the church were taking the position that the the resurrection didn’t happen as they had been taught
This becomes point #1
A Position of Necessity
A Position of Necessity
This concept of resurrection was not in their culture—dominantly Greek
They had a warped sense of body and spirit
Paul’s question to them is, essentially, “if resurrection is part and parcel of what we taught and you believed, why are you now saying it’s not real?”
This is all “according to the Scripture”
Early mentions of the concept, though not the word are OT
And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
…and into the NT
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
That about resurrection generally
Jesus, then the apostles said more
Jesus’ own prophecies
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
…and in the preaching in the early Church; speaking in/of the past
The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
There was no doubt of the truth of Jesus’ resurrection
A Position with Problems
A Position with Problems
“Some say...”
If Christ is not raised from the dead, we have several problems
A series of propositions and answers through this passage
One builds on the other to paint a picture of the resurrection being a necessary component of the Gospel which saves
If no resurrection: Paul’s message…and that of the other Apostles…were lies
If they were liars, Jesus Himself was a liar
No truth, no validity to the Gospel
Their faith…and even ours today…is dead
We are dead in our sins
All the work done by the Apostles was in vain, valueless, false testimony
The saints who had passed had died without hope
All the Apostles had worked for had been in vain
Peter agrees
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
That majesty would include the whole package of life, death, resurrection and ascension
The Apostles had believed in a fact; were it not fact, they would have been fools
A Position of Power
A Position of Power
We have the Word of the Lord
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
That’s POWER to live eternally
But there’s more!
Paul understood the that the resurrection of Jesus pointed the way to our resurrection
Believers’ bodies will be brought back (reassembled) into new bodies
How that works, I don’t know
Again, we have God’s Word!
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
Paul was perfectly content to have given up his position
A Pharisee, likely rich, powerful in circles of Jewish faith
He would gain the resurrection
Matthew gave up a lucrative—though a bit dishonest—government job
Peter, Andrew, James and John gave up family business…likely there was some money there
They saw the power of the future resurrection of far more value than any earthly lives
…and Our Point Is?
…and Our Point Is?
People will try to take apart our faith based upon any number of things
We must be firm in our faith
We are in a position of power
If we are saved by the blood of Christ
If we have had our sins paid for on the cross
If we hold fast to His word nothing should be able to sway us
We are held safe
A Getty song: He will hold me fast
When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold through life's fearful path;
For my love is often cold; He must hold me fast.
no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”