Results of no Resurrection

Open: The Flat Earth Society was formed in 1956. The society is still in existence and they hold annual conferences for their members. According to their website: The Flat Earth Society mans the guns against oppression of thought and the Globularist lies of a new age. Standing with reason we offer a home to those wayward thinkers that march bravely on with REASON and TRUTH in recognizing the TRUE shape of the Earth - Flat.

Transition: It is inconceivable that 21st century people of the space age would maintain the belief that the earth is flat. With all of the astronauts, and the rockets, and the shuttles, and the photographs from space, this group clings to the idea that the entirety of the world is lying about the spherical shape of the earth. In the 1970’s membership in the FES grew to 3,500 people and as of 2017 the group has about 500 members.

Most of us would consider membership in the FES an indication that there is something very wrong with that person. We may be be shocked to think a person could be that deluded, and maybe even saddened to think such a belief system is still possible.

Why bring this up? Because that is the way that educated and sophisticated secular elites think about us who profess belief in Christianity. Many people consider us to be deluded, uneducated, or maybe even stupid because we believe that the Resurrection of Jesus makes a difference in our lives.

Paul certainly believed the Resurrection of Jesus made a difference, and our text for this morning’s message certainly brings this out. Let’s turn together to the 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians and look at the importance of the Resurrection on this Easter Sunday morning.

READ TEXT: 1 Corinthians 15:12-24 .

Consequences of no Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)

Explanation: Paul is responding to someone in the congregation who has been teaching that Resurrection is not possible. In the first verses of the chapter (we looked at these last Sunday) Paul teaches that the Resurrection of Jesus is a central element of the Christian message (vv. 1-4) and then he gave evidences in support of Christ’s Resurrection (vv. 5-11).

In this next section of his response Paul is going to logically show how the Resurrection is essential for the Christian message. He does this by taking the opposite side and arguing for the logical results of living in a world in which the Resurrection did not take place. He gives seven (7) consequences:

If Resurrection is not possible then not even Jesus has been raised (13)

If no Resurrection then preaching the Gospel message is useless (14)

Illustrate: replacing parts on the water heater when the real problem was in the electrical connection

If no Resurrection then personal faith in the Gospel is empty (14)

If no Resurrection then we who believe in it and tell others about it are liars about the activity of God (15)

If no Resurrection then there is no forgiveness of sin (17)

Illustrate: investing with Bernie Madoff; thinking you were making good profits and then realizing not only no profits, but no money either

Argument: consider the situation of the young unwed girl who aborted her baby, but then experienced forgiveness through the grace of Christ; consider the former drug addict who lied and stole from his own grandmother; how about the former workaholic who destroyed his own family for an empty dream but then found true fulfillment in Christ; or the murderer on death row how repented and trusted Christ. Each of these people (and hundreds of thousands more) are still stuck with their guilt, the forgiveness would be gone!

If no Resurrection then dead believers are not in heaven - they are eternally dying in hell (18)

If no Resurrection then Christians are pitiful fools (19)

The Resurrection is a Reality! (1 Corinthians 15:20)

Explanation; Christ has indeed been Raised! The Resurrection of Jesus is Real and that makes all the difference in the world. Each of the logical, negative results from verses 13 through 19 are reversed! We who believe in the Resurrection do have a story to tell and those who believe in the Resurrection account and have placed their personal faith in the Living Lord are forever changed! Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

As I already mentioned, Paul had previously laid out evidences for the Resurrection, and has just presented the hypothetical results of no Resurrection. The Resurrection, however, did happen, and not just because verse 20 states that it happened. A vast body of evidence exists to support the reality of Jesus’ Resurrection:

A large number of eyewitness accounts testify to the Resurrection

The Romans and the unbelieving Jews tried to deny it and cover it up, but they were unsuccessful because the tomb was indeed empty

The change in the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday. The first Christians were ALL Jews who worshiped on the Sabbath (Saturday)

The martyred lives of the disciples. Ten of the Eleven disciples died for their faith in Christ. They went from a scared group in hiding to bold followers who proclaimed the message with boldness!

The reliability and acceptance of the NT documents. The letters of the NT were written in that same area in the same generation and were not denounced as forgeries containing made up stories

The Resurrection of Jesus is the most analyzed and scrutinized event in antiquity and no one has been able to bring conclusive evidence against it. Many rejected it, but none could prove that it did not happen.

Application: You can trust in the Resurrection of Jesus. It DID happen and Jesus IS a living Savior. No one, however, is reasoned into the Kingdom. Yes, there are solid and dependable truths that support the Resurrection of Jesus and there are vast deposits of evidence that prove the reliability of the NT documents - You CAN trust them. The writer of the book of Hebrews declares, “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

The importance of faith is emphasized in the final point of this message:

Resurrection only impacts those who are IN Christ (1 Corinthians 15:21-23)

Explanation: Paul has done a masterful job of presenting the hypothetical negative consequences if the Resurrection had not taken place. Then he makes the bold declaration that Christ indeed has risen from the dead (v. 20)

Paul then shares the balance between death and life in the first Adam and the second Adam. Paul shares that Adam was the man responsible for bringing death into the world. Since a man brought death into the world, God entered the world as the 2nd person of the Trinity and became the God-Man, the second Adam. As the perfect and obedient Man, Jesus paid the sin debt of the world by choosing to die on the Cross, and then He was validated through the Resurrection from the dead.

The 22nd verse is very important to consider: ALL those in Adam die; but ALL who are IN Christ shall experience the Resurrected Life. Everyone is born into Adam and the expectation of eternal death is in their future (cf Rom 6:23a). Yes, Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), regardless of whether people accept or reject Him - He is who He declares Himself to be. For the Resurrection of Jesus to matter to you personally you have to be IN Christ. And you can be. If you are still in Adam, and the Holy Spirit is convicting you of your need for Jesus you can turn from the empty pursuits of sin and place your faith and trust in Jesus right now.

Please understand the importance of believing in the Resurrection of Jesus as a fundamental, non-negotiable element of belief. I like the way Alistair Begg at Truth for life put it: Belief in the resurrection is not like having an appendectomy or having your tonsils out. A person can make it just fine without those organs. No, not believing in the Resurrection and still calling yourself a Christian is like living without your heart - it simply cannot be done.

Yes, the world may look at you in a similar way as to how we view members of the Flat Earth Society. So be it. The FES has only been in existence for less than 60 years and has never amounted to much in the way of members, much less changed lives. Christianity has been around for over 2,000 years and has changed the world! The Risen Lord still continues to save those who call out to Him in faith believing, and He is and will continue to be the Sovereign Lord of the Universe.