“The Ultimate Message of Victory”

12 But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? 13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. 20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. 21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

Introduction:

A- Amazing victory messages in the past:

1- The world was embroiled in “the war to end all wars” (WW-2) from Sep 1, 1939 – Sep 2, 1945

It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers.

In a total wardirectly involving more than 100 million personnel from more than 30 countries, the major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources.

World War II was by far the deadliest conflict in human history; it resulted in 70 to 85 million fatalities, a majority being civilians.

Tens of millions of people died due to genocides (including the Holocaust), starvation, massacres, and disease.

Two of the greatest messages of victory took place on May 8, 1945 and August 14, 1945. These two dates were known as V-E Day and V-J Day, respectively.

B- The greatest victory of all ages:

1- The greatest war of the ages has already been fought and won.

It was the battle for the eternal destiny of human beings past, present, and future.

The battlefield was finished in a decisive battle field just outside Jerusalem.

The week-long battle culminated in the crucifixion of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ, on a rough, wooden Roman cross and his burial in the tomb of a man named Joseph.

The victory was won as the Lord Jesus Christ burst forth from death and the tomb On the first Easter morning!

TS: The Apostle Paul writes the ultimate victory message that has changed time and eternity for all who will believe.

I- THE DISASTEROUS CONSEQUENCES OF NO RESURRECTION. (1 Corinthians 15:12 – 19).

1 Corinthians 15:12–19 NLT

A- There is no gospel to preach. (1 Corinthians 15:14).

1 Corinthians 15:14 NLT

14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.

1- There is no gospel without the resurrection. (I Corinthians 15:1 – 4).

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 NLT

1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

B- Your faith is empty. (1 Corinthians 15:14)

1 Corinthians 15:14 NLT

14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.

1-Because our faith in Christ is based upon his resurrection.

(Romans 10:9 – 10, 13).

Romans 10:9–10 NLT

9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

Romans 10:13 NLT

13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

C- We are all false witnesses. (1 Corinthians 15:15).

1 Corinthians 15:15 NLT

15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead.

1- Because we proclaim Christ to be alive when he would be dead.

a- note the witness of the apostles:

(Acts 2:29–32; 3:14–15; 4:10; 10:38–40; 13:28–30, 31–37)

Acts 2:29–32 NLT

29 “Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. 30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. 31 David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave. 32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.

Acts 3:14–15 NLT

14 You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!

Acts 4:10 NLT

10 Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.

Acts 10:38–40 NLT

38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 “And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear,

Acts 13:28–30 NLT

28 They found no legal reason to execute him, but they asked Pilate to have him killed anyway. 29 “When they had done all that the prophecies said about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead!

Acts 13:31–37 NLT

31 And over a period of many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people of Israel. 32 “And now we are here to bring you this Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors, 33 and God has now fulfilled it for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus. This is what the second psalm says about Jesus: ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’ 34 For God had promised to raise him from the dead, not leaving him to rot in the grave. He said, ‘I will give you the sacred blessings I promised to David.’ 35 Another psalm explains it more fully: ‘You will not allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.’ 36 This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed. 37 No, it was a reference to someone else—someone whom God raised and whose body did not decay.

D- You are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17) (Acts 4:12).

1 Corinthians 15:17 NLT

17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.

Acts 4:12 NLT

12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

1- Because you have trusted one who is not really the Christ.

E- Those who have died in Christ have perished. (1 Corinthians 15:18).

1 Corinthians 15:18 NLT

18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost!

1- Because they trusted their soul to one who could not save them.

F- we are of all men most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:19).

1 Corinthians 15:19 NLT

19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

1- Because we are living lives to please someone who is dead.

II- THE DEFINITE FACT OF THE RESURRECTION. (1 Corinthians 15:20).

1 Corinthians 15:20 NLT

20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

A- The resurrection is an absolute certainty. (1 Corinthians 15:20).

1 Corinthians 15:20 NLT

20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

1- The evidence for the resurrection is overwhelming.

a- Jesus died by crucifixion.

(1) Recorded by scripture and by secular sources.

(2) Roman soldiers examined him to make sure.

(3) Preparation for burial insured death (John 19:39)

John 19:39 NLT

39 With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.

b- Jesus received an honorable burial by Joseph of Arimathea.

c- Jesus’s tomb was found empty on the 3rd day.

d- Jesus’s followers experienced multiple instances of his presence over a period of 40 days following his crucifixion. (1 Corinthians 15:3 – 8).

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 NLT

3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.

e- Jesus appeared to at least 2 recorded skeptics, who became ardent followers of Jesus (James and Saul).

f- Jesus’s followers were transformed from being fearful, cowering individuals, into bold proclaimers of a risen Christ… Who were willing to die for the truth of their proclamation.

B- There is more to come. (1 Corinthians 15:20).

1 Corinthians 15:20 NLT

20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

1- Jesus was only the 1st to rise from the dead.

2- Every believer in Jesus Christ will be resurrected from the dead. (II Corinthians 4:14).

2 Corinthians 4:14 NLT

14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.

III- THE DYNAMIC VICTORY OF THE RESURRECTION. (1 Corinthians 15:21–26).

1 Corinthians 15:21–26 NLT

21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. 24 After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. 25 For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. 26 And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.

A- Our resurrection is guaranteed because Christ arose from the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:22).

1 Corinthians 15:22 NLT

22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.

1- Resurrection is promised to the believer.

(Romans 8:11)

Romans 8:11 NLT

11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

(1 Corinthians 6:14)

1 Corinthians 6:14 NLT

14 And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.

2- It is a resurrection to an eternity of joy.

(1 Corinthians 2:9)

1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT

9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

(Matthew 25:23)

Matthew 25:23 NLT

23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

B- All of those who belong to Christ will be resurrected when he returns. (1 Corinthians 15:23).

1 Corinthians 15:23 NLT

23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

1- First, the dead in Christ will be resurrected; then we who are alive and know Christ will be resurrected.

(1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 17)

1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 NLT

13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

(1 Corinthians 15:51 – 52)

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 NLT

51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.

C- Jesus’s resurrection assures ultimate victory over the enemy. (1 Corinthians 15:24).

1 Corinthians 15:24 NLT

24 After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power.

1- The rule of rebellious mankind will come to an end.

(Revelation 19:11 – 16)

Revelation 19:11–16 NLT

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. 12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. 13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. 15 From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. 16 On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

2- The rule of Satan will come to an end.

(Revelation 20:9 – 10)

Revelation 20:9–10 NLT

9 And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city. But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them. 10 Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

D- Jesus’s resurrection assures that death will be destroyed. (1 Corinthians 15:26).

1 Corinthians 15:26 NLT

26 And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.

1- Man’s bitterest enemy, death, has already been defeated by Jesus.

(1 Corinthians 15:54 – 57)

1 Corinthians 15:54–57 NLT

54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2- When Jesus returns, death will be completely destroyed for all eternity.

(Revelation 21:4)

Revelation 21:4 NLT

4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Conclusion:

Illustration:

Hymn : He Lives!

I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world today I know that He is living, whatever men may say I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer And just the time I need Him He's always near

In all the world around me I see His loving care And though my heart grows weary I never will despair I know that He is leading, through all the stormy blast The day of His appearing will come at last

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian Lift up your voice and sing Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find None other is so loving, so good and kind

Chorus:

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today He walks with me and talks with me Along life's narrow way He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart

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