Mystery of History - Jesus' Resurrection

Scripture Reading

1 Corinthians 15:14–19 ESV

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Choose Your Own Religion

Yesterday I was in the park chatting with some “community connections.” New friends.

One friend was sharing with me his approach to spirituality. He has been Mormon, he’s been Buddhist, he’s been Christians, he’s been Wikkan… all the things.

And now he has fused together the best of all of them to create his own thing.

It’s like choose your adventure - choose your religion.

Taking a piece of this or that and meshing it all together however one desires at the moment.

You can do that. Charismatic people throughout history have done that. That’s where religions come from!

There was something in the water in the mid 19th century, everyone was starting cults and religions all over the place, gathering a following, and many of those still exist today.

The difference between our modern “choose your own religion” and that was people don’t care about convincing others, they are largely content with their own Frankenstein collection… though they can admire yours and maybe steal some good bits to improve their own.

That’s kind of nice. It’s very friendly, it’s very tolerant.

You absolutely can do that… if one important thing is true.

If they are all… false!

Why I Believe

Why do I believe in the God a bunch of ancient dudes in Palestine believed in 4000 years ago?

Why do I take their scribblings seriously?

Even the “new stuff” was written 2000 years ago and I study it and try and apply it as if it has any kind of relevance today! Why?

Why take any of this any more seriously than what my friend Joe at the park puts together with his mix of Buddhism and Mormonism and Mother of God and vegetarianism (oooh, shudder)...

He doesn’t know. Because he is guessing about life and death and fundamental reality and the nature of our universe and he has no more reason to know than I do.

So why do I believe the stuff I read in this book? Why do I call this guy “Jesus” my Lord and Savior? Why am I a “Christian”?

It all, all of it, it all comes down to this.

A man said he was going to die… and come back from the dead three days later.

And then he did it.

Whatever that guys says… I believe it.

How do we know that Jesus rose from the dead?

Everything else I believe is built on this question.

The Witness of History

Here is one of the oldest catechisms or Christian sayings or teachings we have. 1 Corinthians was probably written in about 50 AD. This is older than that. It’s clear Paul starts quoting something here because his phrasing changes and he starts using words he doesn’t use anywhere else.

Like when I say “Fourscore and seven years ago...” even if you don’t know what I’m quoting you know it’s something because I don’t normally talk like that.

Paul quotes the teaching they first received, introducing it like this:

1 Corinthians 15:1–2 ESV

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

This is the heart of the gospel, the words by which you are being saved. That is active ongoing language. You are even now in the ongoing state and action of being saved.

1 Corinthians 15:3–7 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

This whole thing reads like a catechism, different language than the rest. And it is almost poetic,

… and that… and that… and that...

It starts with the heart of the gospel, we’ll get to that.... Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day.

And then this litany of witnesses.

If Paul is writing this in 50 AD… and he is talking about a time when he was in Corinth earlier, so maybe push that back to 40 AD… and this was already a litany, a “teaching” at that point, so maybe it has been going around for 4-5 years… we are looking at something like 35 AD.

Even many liberal scholars put this then at 2-3 years after the resurrection of Jesus. Maybe the earliest record then of Jesus’ resurrection, long before any of the gospels are written down.

And hear the testimony of witnesses.

Cephas (notice his Aramaic name instead of his Greek nickname). The twelve disciples.

More than five hundred brothers at one time… and they are still alive.

This is like testimony to 9-11. Even if you don’t believe the videos, you think those are fake or whatever, just go ask Carl, he was there that day. He saw it, hear his testimony.

This is testimony like we will hear next week: what happened at Camp Paul Hummel 2021? Maybe you weren’t there that day, but you can grab a counselor, grab a kid who was.

Luke is going around doing just that, gathering all the testimonies together. Peter and Matthew and John are writing their own eyewitness testimonies down.

So that we have more evidence today of these events than events around Julius Caesar, the Roman Emperor!

Hundreds of witnesses, not just to the historical figure of Jesus… witnesses to the bodily resurrection of Jesus after having been dead for three days.

The Witness of Me

Paul has more. That’s the quote above. Then Paul makes it personal.

1 Corinthians 15:8–11 ESV

Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Paul says this: I don’t just know because of all these other witnesses, as impressive and historically viable as that is.

I also know because I met Jesus. I may be the least of all the apostles… but I met Jesus, and by his grace, I am preaching and proclaiming His good news!

And I’ll tell you, I can echo Paul’s words.

I know Jesus. I can witness to Him not only because of historical analysis… but because I am filled by His Spirit, my life has been changed by His love and His work in me.

So...

How do we know that Jesus rose from the dead?

And on the witness of all those many hosts… what is it we believe?

“whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed...” What was it preached? What was it they believed that was so transformative?

What is the “good news?”

The Gospel

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Jesus was the Christ. The Messiah. That word means “Anointed One”, for He was sent by God for this very purpose.

Sent for this:

He died for our sins.

“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” All of your mistakes. All of your selfish choices, things you did in anger, words you wish you could take back. That moment you would change if you could. Every wound you have born and every wound and hurt you have caused in others.

You can’t fix those. You know it.

Jesus saw into us. He saw our anger, like murder just waiting opportunity. He saw our lust, sexual immorality hidden in our hearts. He saw our broken relationships, our lies to one another, our greed and our selfishness.

He took all of that, like a sacrificial lamb, killed in our place.

And the prophets before Jesus all knew it had to happen this way, lambs and goats were only ever symbolic, only God Himself could take on all the sins of the world, backwards and forwards, across space and time.

He died for our sins.

Anyone could have died like any other human being and “claimed” all these things. Buddha died. Muhammad died. Confucius died. Joseph Smith, L. Ron Hubbard… they all died.

But Jesus was buried in a tomb. Dead for three days. And then, just like dozens of prophets hundreds of years before him had said. Just as he himself had claimed in the years before his death. Three days later

He was raised.

Not in secret. Not in private. But appearing to dozens and then hundreds of living witnesses.

Witnesses who went the rest of their lives proclaiming he is alive. So amazed by it that their lives were fundamentally turned upside down. Many of them dying martyrs death, torturous deaths, still proclaiming the undeniable truth:

Jesus is alive!

Invitation to Reflection

This is what I preach to you. This is what you must believe.

Not because it is my collection of “religious facts.” Because this is the truth at the center of the Universe.

This is the truth at the center of me and every believer in here.

This can be, Jesus can be at the center of your life. Your Lord. Your Savior.

Hear these words. I will read them. Then let’s sing them. This is the invitation… and it’s not from me. Who cares what I say! This is the invitation of God our Creator, God our Father, Jesus His Son, and the very Spirit of God that even now fills this place:

Are you hurting and broken within? Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin? Jesus is calling Have you come to the end of yourself Do you thirst for a drink from the well? Jesus is calling

O come to the altar The Father's arms are open wide Forgiveness was bought with The precious blood of Jesus Christ

O Come to the Altar

Sinners’ Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus,

I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior.

If you prayed that prayer for the first time, I would love for you raise your hand. I want to celebrate with you, we want to help you follow the Risen Lord Jesus.

Because of the Resurrected Jesus… everything changes. Let’s worship our Risen Lord.

Because He Lives