THE RESURRECTION
1.
According to scripture reading some Christians in the
city of
2. Paul had some questions for the people who said that a resurrection is either unlikely or impossible.
3. One of his first points is in 1 Cor. 15:13 – READ.
4. If a resurrection of the dead is impossible, Paul said that Jesus is still in the ground.
5. If it is impossible for people to be brought back from the dead, Jesus Christ died and is still gone.
WHEN PAUL DESCRIBED THE RESURRECTION IN 1 COR. 15 HE SAID THAT ONE OF TWO THINGS MUST BE TRUE. A RESURRECTION IS EITHER POSSIBLE OR IT IS NOT POSSIBLE. THERE IS NOT A THIRD CHOICE.
If a resurrection is impossible then Jesus is no longer alive.
A. If people cannot be raised from the dead Jesus has certainly not been raised.
B. If the resurrection is false Paul affirmed that there are some consequences.
C. If the resurrection is untrue there are several consequences.
D. Let’s take a look at them.
E. Two consequences are in verse 14 – READ.
F. If there is no resurrection we must affirm that “preaching is vain.”
G. Our “faith” is also “vain.”
2. What did Paul mean when he said that preaching is “vain?”
3. He meant that without a resurrection there is no basis for teaching the Bible.
4. If Jesus has not been raised the Bible is a book of lies.
5. The religion known as Christianity is founded upon and grounded in the resurrection of Christ.
6. If Jesus has not been raised from the dead the Bible is as worthwhile as a set of bad directions.
7. Without a resurrected Christ the New Testament is completely unreliable.
A. This means that preachers can have the best sermons.
B. Bible class teachers can present wonderful lessons about morality.
C. We can enjoy each other’s company during the times that we meet.
D. Without a living Messiah preaching is ultimately powerless and wholly untrue.
E. Everything that is associated with Christianity collapses into nothingness.
F. A false message (and that is what Christianity is w/out a R) cannot save or help any of us.
G. Without a resurrection our “faith” is a giant myth.
8. These are two of the consequences but they are not the worst consequences.
9. Notice verse 15 – READ.
10. There are people in and out of this country who teach that Jesus has been raised from the dead.
A. In 1 Cor. 15 Paul said, “Suppose that the resurrection is false. What does this mean?”
B. It means that the people who say the resurrection is true are “false witnesses.”
C. The wording that Paul used is extremely serious.
D. Notice that he didn’t say “we are (would be) mistaken.”
E. Paul could have said that if the resurrection is false people have erred.
F. If we are wrong about the resurrection we do not make a mistake.
G. This is not what he said. The wording is much stronger.
H. If the resurrection is false those who proclaim it are “false witnesses.”
I. Paul didn’t leave any loopholes for himself and the others who were Christians
J. If the resurrection is not true those who teach it are false witnesses.
K. It would be bad enough to be a “false witness.”
L. In legal proceedings this is a serious matter.
M. In the spiritual realm the consequences are far worse.
N. Paul said that if the resurrection is false those who teach it are “false witnesses before God.”
11. The word witness is used in conjunction with a preposition.
12. This
construction means people are testifying against God.
13. The image is that of a courtroom and those who teach a resurrection are calling God a liar.
14. If this isn’t too clear think of the matter in this way.
15. Let’s say that the resurrection is false.
16. If we say that it is true and God says that it is not true, what happens when we teach people about Jesus?
17. We are calling God a liar.
18. If God did not raise from the Jesus from the dead and we say that He did we are testifying against God.
19. Paul understood this and thus insisted on knowing the truthfulness of the resurrection.
20. There is another interesting piece of information in verse 15.
21. Notice the word “found.”
A. This term described things that were proven through intellectual investigation.
B. It brings to mind a person who is on a witness stand.
C. An examination of a witness may prove that he or she is lying.
D. Here the word means that if the resurrection is false Paul and others would have been “found.”
E. That is, they would have been exposed as false witnesses.
F. They would have been discovered.
G. No one wants to be seen as a fraud and a deceiver.
H. Paul certainly didn’t want to be viewed in this way.
I. The resurrection was something that those in the first century wanted to be absolutely sure about.
J. Today we need to be absolutely sure that it is true.
22. In verse 14 we see the word vain.
23. This word is also used in verse 17.
24. Some have concluded that the word has the same meaning in both passages.
25. This conclusion is understandable but it is not accurate.
26. Paul used two different words.
27. In verse 14 the word “vain” is associated with things that are false (lies).
28. In verse 14 the idea is that if there is no resurrection preachers are liars.
29. Those who teach a Bible class, if the resurrection is untrue, are liars.
30. Without a resurrected Messiah our faith is a big hoax.
31. The other word that is translated “vain” in verse 17 means that Christianity cannot produce anything.
32. Without a resurrection the religion known as Christianity is powerless.
33. It is nothing but idle talk.
34. Suppose that we had access to a small tree that was dead.
35. Perhaps it was in someone’s trash pile.
36. This tree is completely dead. All the branches and roots are dry and rotted.
37. What would happen if we planted this kind of tree?
38. It would be a stick in the ground.
39. This is Paul’s description of Christianity if the resurrection is false.
A. If God could not bring the saviour back from the dead, how can He bring us back?
B. If the resurrection is untrue Christians have made a horrible mistake.
C. Without a living savior we have put all our trust into something that is untrure.
40. Without a resurrection Paul said that we should be pitied – verse 19 – READ
41. The word translated “pity” describes the highest type of pity.
42. THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO NEED TO BE PIETIED BUT THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT CHRISTIANS. PITY IS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CHRISTIANS.
A. People in the first century believed in the Lord’s resurrection because it was proven.
B. We can still prove that the resurrection is true.
C. Whole books have been written on this subject so we cannot look at all the proof.
i). We may, however, make a couple of passing observations.
ii). When events happen there are often witnesses.
iii). There were witnesses concerning the Lord’s death and resurrection.
iv). People saw Jesus put on a cross. This was a public execution.
v). The tomb was empty.
vi). This fact was so widely acknowledged that people made up stories to explain it.
vii). These stories reveal 2 important facts: Jesus died and something happened to His body.
viii). This was a major event that people could have either proven or disproven.
ix). Some wanted to disprove the resurrection but they failed.
x). Notice 1 Cor. 15:6 – READ.
xi). Five hundred people saw Jesus “at once.”
xii). We do not know how long this appearance lasted.
xiii). Let’s say that it lasted for at least six minutes.
xiv). 500 witnesses times 6 minutes a piece brings us to a total of 50 hours.
43. Suppose that we were in a courtroom and we were part of a jury.
44. The case we were hearing related to a man named Jesus of Nazareth.
45. The prosecution said that resurrection is false; the body disappeared but it was on the earth.
46. The people on the prosecutorial team offered a variety of theories to explain where the body might be
47. When it was time for the defense the se attorneys introduced 50 hours of eyewitness testimony.
48. If you work a standard 40 hour week imagine listening to eyewitness testimony for the work week.
49. This testimony spills over into the next week; 25% of a second week is taken.
50. This is by no means all the proof that we have for the resurrection.
51. This is, however, part of the proof.
52. This is also part of the reason why I am absolutely convinced that Jesus rose from the dead.
53. The resurrection is no lie. Christians are not people who need to be pitied.
54. In 1 Cor. 2:5 Paul said, our faith does not stand “in the wisdom of men.”
55. He said it stands is based upon the power of God. This is right.
56. The resurrection is not some story that people made up.
57. It is an event that really happened and it can be proven beyond any doubt.
58. When we think about who Jesus is we must say He was someone who was raised from the dead.
59. The Lord was raised to exist forever more and He is coming back.
60. He is returning to raise us.
61. Whether we will be ready or not He will see that we stand before Him in judgment.
62. Are we ready for that? Have we become a Christian?
63. Do we know how to become a Christian?
64. Are you here because we are convinced that Jesus has been raised from the dead?
65. Do you want to know more about why so many are absolutely certain that the resurrection is true?