SF583 - THE CONQUEST HE IS RISEN (1 Corinthians 15 1-8)
`SF583
THE CONQUEST: HE IS RISEN
1 Corinthians 15:1-8
INTRODUCTION
Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini died in October of 1926. But his claim to fame was that he was a magician that specialized in spectacular escapes.
As a matter of fact, he was said to have laughed at locks, sneered at fetters. They said of Harry that he had the flexibility of an eel. He had the lives of a cat. They did all kinds of things to try to incarcerate him. They would seal him in coffins. He would escape. They riveted him into a boiler. He escaped. They sowed him up in canvas bags. He escaped. They locked him in a milk can. He escaped. They sealed him in a beer barrel. He escaped. They put him in maximum security prison:., And old Harry somehow got out.
But then in October, 1926 old man death laid his hands on Harry Houdini and put him in a grave and he is yet to escape. As a matter of fact, he told his wife, if there is anyway out I will find out. If there is any way out I'll make contact with you and we'll do it on the anniversary of my death.
For 10 years she kept a light burning over his portrait. At the end of 10 years she turned out the light. Death had Harry and he couldn't escape.
Death laid his hands on the Lord Jesus Christ also. And death put Jesus in a rock hewn tomb. And there was a stone in the mouth of that tomb and the seal of the Roman government was placed upon that tomb. But on the third day, Jesus Christ stirred himself. He rose from the sleep of death. And he left those grave clothes that were wrapped around him like a butterfly would forsake a cocoon. And Jesus Christ passed through the walls of that rock hewn tomb.
And Jesus Christ is alive. He is not behind us in a tomb. He is before us on a throne.
He Has Defeated Death, Hell and the Grave...
1A. THE DECLARATION OF THE GOSPEL (1-4)
1B. Christ Paid The Penalty for Sin (3a)
(1 Peter 3:18) "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,"
(Romans 6:23) "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
God is holy and just and must punish sin
(Habakkuk 1:13) "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong..."
2B. Christ Dealt with the Pollution of Sin (4a)
The burial pictures God cleansing us
Our sin is buried in God’s forgetfulness
Now, if brother Billy were to steal ten dollars from me and he comes to me and he says pastor, I stole ten dollars from you, I'm sorry, here's ten dollars back, for give me, I would forgive him, but I couldn't cleanse him, he'd still be a thief.
But you see, when Jesus saves us not only does he deal with the penalty of sin, he died for us, but he deals with the pollution of sin, he carries away our guilt.
That's what that song, rock of ages that we sing about, be of sin the double cure saved from wrath and make me pure. He died, he saves from wrath, he was buried, he makes me pure, he carried my sins to the grave, it is a double cure, not just forgiven, but cleansed.
3B. Christ Overcame the Power of Sin (4b)
(Philippians 3:10) "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection..."
2A. THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE GOSPEL
1B. You are Saved by the Gospel (1)
(Acts 4:12) "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.""
1 Corinthians 15:10
2B. You are Sanctified by the Gospel (1b)
(Philippians 1:6) "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
3B. You are Secured by the Gospel (1c)
“Stand” = to stand in something
When God saves you he doesn't I'm going to save you and I'm going to give you a brand new start. That’s be pretty good if he did that but you'd blow it by this afternoon.
lt is wonderful that we can be saved, it is even more wonderful that we can be saved and know it.
You say do you know you're saved? Absolutely, I know I'm saved. You say, you sure have a lot of confidence in yourself. No, as a matter of fact, do you know how I know I'm saved is that I don't have any confidence in myself. See, my confidence is in Christ. If you have any confidence in yourself then you'll never know that you're saved, you'll always wonder did I do enough, am I good enough, am I strong enough.
(Romans 4:5) "However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness."
(Jude 1:24) "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy‑‑"
3A. THE CONFIRMATION OF THE GOSPEL
(Romans 1:4) "and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord."
1B. The Eye Witnesses (5-7)
Over 500 witnesses
2B. The Martyrs
You might live for a lie, but few me will die for a lie
3B. The Changed Lives (8)
Paul was transformed!
4A. THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE GOSPEL
1B. For every Person
2B. For every Problem
Sin
Sorrow
Death
Death holds not fear for the Christian - He has conquered death!
APPLICATION
I have Good News...
He has conquered sin! By His death, burial and resurrection!
You can be saved and know it!
You can confidence in Christ - His resurrection is true!
He died for you - Will you trust Him?