Evidence Of The Resurrection - Paul's Testimony Series

EVIDENCE OF THE RESURRECTION: PAUL’S PERSONAL TESTIMONY

I Corinthians 15:8-11

Second hand information is defined as “information received from others, rather than personally experienced or witnessed”. There are times when we receive secondary information and the account is absolutely trustworthy and accurate. At other times we are told only a portion of the story, and important details are missing. Then there are times when we receive a report that is factually incorrect.

When I was in Jr. High School one of our teachers taught us an important lesson about the danger of hearsay and spreading rumors. There were about 30 students in that class, and we were sitting in a circle. The teacher whispered something into the ear of the student closest to him. Each student was then instructed to whisper that exact same phrase to the person next to them. After that information had been passed through the whole class, the final student was then instructed to stand and share what he heard from the student before him. What he said was not even close to being an accurate representation of what was stated at the beginning of the demonstration.

There are numerous stories and testimonies from church history that have been handed down for generations. A great many of them are factual and trustworthy. Some have been diluted or modified through the years, and some are completely inaccurate. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a doctrine that has been handed down for almost two millennia and there is more than ample evidence to support its authenticity.

For the last several weeks we have been looking at much of the evidence that supports the truth that Jesus Christ suffered, died for our sins, and rose on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. The evidence that we have examined has been provided by the Apostle Paul and is recorded in his letter to the Christians at Corinth. He is laying a foundation with the intention of proving to certain doubters that one day, all who are “in Christ” will experience their own literal, bodily resurrection. Paul has presented the Prophets of God, the Scriptures, Cephas (Peter), the rest of the Lord’s Apostles, five hundred Brethren who saw Christ at one time, and James as evidence of the Resurrection.

Thus far, Paul has only shared second-hand information. While there is much reason for us to believe the testimonies that have been recorded, we are able to find even more assurance that the doctrine of the Resurrection is reliable in 1 Corinthians 15:8-11. This is one of numerous passages where the Apostle Paul shares a personal testimony of the transformation that Jesus worked in his own life.

- As we conclude our series concerning “Evidence Of The Resurrection”, I would like to examine:

PAUL’S PERSONAL TESTIMONY

v8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 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. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Because of the various accounts of Paul’s conversion in scripture, we know that he met the Lord Jesus while on the Road to Damascus. This encounter is described in great detail in Acts 9:3–8; 22:6–11; 26:12–18. There are many other passages in Paul’s writings that point to this transformative moment in his life.

After describing the eyewitness encounters of those who saw Jesus after His Resurrection, Paul declares that even though he was “one untimely born”, Jesus “appeared” to him. The Greek word for “untimely born” is “Ektroma” which was used to refer to an abortion, miscarriage, or premature birth. In using this terminology, Paul points to the fact that his conversion and call to Apostleship was unexpected and abnormal.

The Apostle did not see the empty tomb, he was not present when the Lord appeared to His Disciples as they were gathered together on the Eve of the Resurrection, he was not there when Jesus was seen by those five hundred brethren, nor was he in attendance when the Lord ascended. In fact, Paul’s encounter with the Savior happened after Jesus had taken His rightful place beside His Father in Heaven.

In verse 9, Paul declares himself to be “the least of the Apostles”, and states that he is “not even worthy to be called and Apostle”. This is not because he was born at the wrong time, nor was this an example of false humility, rather, Paul felt that he was unworthy to be called an Apostle because he “persecuted the Church of God”.