1 Corinthians 15:5-8 / Jesus Keeps Hanging Around
5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Ascension Day is one of the few remaining events in the Christian church that hasn’t been touched by secular society. Think about Christmas and Easter. These are two main celebrations on the Christian calendar and yet they also have secular ideas and traditions that have little to do with the actual Christian meaning itself.
Ascension Day however is always a little different. No one received a “Happy Ascension Day” card in the mail this week. No one went out for Ascension Day dinner. None of the stores had a big “Ascension Day Sale”, and there’s no character like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny associated with this day.
In fact, I’m willing to guess that many of you here this morning don’t even know when Ascension Day was. It was this past Thursday. Ascension Day is 40 days after the celebration of Easter, so it’s always on a Thursday every year. The 40 days represent the 40 days Jesus hung around after his resurrection.
One of the things that makes this day so unique is it’s the last time recorded in Scripture that Jesus is seen on earth. Now Paul as read in our text does encounter him, but that was later on in the book of Acts when Paul was on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians. But Paul did not see the actual, physical, resurrected body of Jesus, Paul saw a bright light, and heard a voice. Which is the reason he says he was, “born out of due time.”
Because according to Acts 1:21 the qualification of being called an Apostle was you had to physically see Jesus. You had to hear him teach you had to see him perform miracles - from the time of his baptism until the day he ascended.
This is why those who are a bit more “read” in the scripture have an issue with the modern-liberal day minister who wants to be called an “Apostle.”
“And that he was seen of Cephas”
- Jesus hangs around for saints who stumble -
Christ appeared to a disciple sometimes called Cephas (rock), sometimes called Simon, but better known as better Peter. You know Peter. He was the one who spoke before he thought. Like some of us still do today. Before the other disciples recognized who Jesus was Peter was the one who saw him as the Christ.
Peter pledged eternal devotion but in the hour of Jesus trial discovered that rock had cracks in it. And so Jesus hung around long enough to restore a fallen friend, to lift the spirit of a saint, and to let one of his trusted followers know that his denial had been forgiven.
I’m glad that Jesus hangs around for saints who stumble. Notice I said “I’m glad” cause some of you act like you don’t stumble. But let me remind you that 1 John 1:8 says:
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
So reality is all of us ought to be glad that Jesus hangs around for saints who stumble. When others would criticize us, when our weakness and failures make us question our faith, when our adversaries seem to have gotten the victory, when our conscience has beaten us and shamed us, Jesus is hanging around to let us know that he loves us just the same.
Regardless of your broken promises he loves you just the same. Regardless of your shattered determination he still claims you as his own. He does forget, he does forgive, he does allow us to start all over again and walk in the newness of life.
“And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.”
- Jesus hangs around for those from whom much is required -
Jesus hung around long enough to appear to his twelve. There were other followers, yes, but he took out time for his immediate group. Those whom he had called by name to drop their nets, leave tax-collecting tables, and give up all to follow him.
Theirs was a special place for no other group of people before or after them would have the privilege of knowing Jesus like they knew him. They knew the intimate Jesus, the personal Jesus, they had seen and heard what the prophets before them had only written about.
They were the leaders of the movement. Coming generations would depend on their accuracy, their recollection, and their writings. The movement would expand or dissipate, live or die, based on their efforts.
And so because much had been given them much would be required. Because they were at the forefront it meant when the church was persecuted they would be the first to die. Because they were at the forefront - they would be used as examples of what could happen if you professed Christ openly.
The twelve teach something that people in our spiritual and fraternal institutions try to by-pass. That with leadership comes accountability. People want to be in charge as long as you bear the blame. They want to be the boss as long as they ain’t got to do nothing. But to whom much is given much is required.
So Jesus hung around for the twelve for they would be required to endure much. Let us never forget that Jesus is always around for those who bear more than what seems their fair share of burdens, who experience more than their share of suffering, who carry more than their share of responsibility.
There are those who lives have more than their share of setbacks, whose bodies endure more than their share of frustrating sickness.
The mantle of leadership and responsibility seems to rest heavily upon certain shoulders. As children they must grow up faster and assume adult responsibilities. In adulthood they are mother and father to children, husband and wife to keep a home together, son and daughter for aged parents or those like them.
And if one today is wondering how long can you stand the strain of leadership and responsibility for self, for family, for bills, for livelihood, the message of the text is Jesus is hanging around. To comfort, to empower, to preserve those from whom much is required. If you go on in Jesus name, if you go on according to his word, you will never walk alone.
“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God...Fear not: for I am with thee...”
Isaiah 43:2,3a, 5a
“And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve. After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once”
“then of all the apostles”
- Jesus hung around until he was seen by the whole church -
He did not simply appear to the leadership nucleus; his appearance wasn’t just for those who held special positions or offices, or those who had been endowed with special gifts. The whole church saw him.
Jesus understood that it takes more than leadership to do the work - it takes the entire body. There is a concept that came out years ago worded, “The vital few and the trivial many.” The concept of the adage basically is 20% produce 80% of the results. But Jesus did not hang around for 20%; he did not hang around for 80% he appeared to the whole because we are suppose to be workers together.
Not only that but in his appearance to the five hundred he demonstrated that he wasn’t simply Peter’s Lord. He wasn’t simply Lord of the twelve, but he was Lord of the whole church. My brothers and sisters you don’t have a lock on God! You can’t dictate whom he belongs to and who he doesn’t belong to - He’s Lord of all.
He’s not Lord of those who belong to a certain clique. He’s Lord of all. It doesn’t matter that your name is always called - he’s Lord of all. Doesn’t matter if you give the most - he’s Lord of all.
Because he belongs to us we are apart of that priesthood of believers. 1 Peter 2:9 says:
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people...”
So therefore, the same gifts that are bestowed on some, the same spiritual experiences that happen to some, the same spiritual depths achieved by some, is available to all. The scripture says:
“God is no respecter of persons.” Acts 10:34
He’s available to the poorest to the most prosperous. He’s available to the newcomer as he is to the church pillar. I’ve told you once before, if you sick and you can’t get hold of me there’s enough power in you to call on God for yourself. Because the same prayer line, the same faith line in me that reaches the throne of grace it’s available to all. “Jesus is on the mainline, call him up, tell him what you want!”
“After that, he was seen of James”
- Jesus hangs around to let us know it’s not too late-
Family, friends, and those closet to us can hurt us in a way like no one lese can. When Jesus went back to Nazareth, his hometown, after doing great things in other places he was met with hostility and disbelief. And not just from his home community but from his home. His family didn’t understand him.
They literally thought he was crazy. They thought he was an embarrassment. They thought he was too eccentric like his cousin, John the Baptist.
Sometimes when God moves in your life in special ways don’t expect everybody to understand. Everything ain’t meant for everybody to get. That’s why I’ve said before that you can’t tell everybody everything. There are people in your family, they are people in your friendship circle who don’t mean you no harm but they can still do you harm,
And you cannot afford to sacrifice your conviction, your joy, your decision, because of somebody else lack of understanding. You must be prepared to let nothing, including approval or disapproval separate you from that which God has given you. If you don’t understand my vision that’s fine, you don’t have to, God didn’t give it to you, he gave it to me.
And unfortunately sometimes it’s after the fact that we appreciate and realize what a person stood for or tried to teach us. James had been one of those who rejected Jesus but now after the fact he realized all that Jesus stood for. He came to understand the nature of Christ work.
And more than likely he regretted that he hadn’t done more to support his big brother. And now that Jesus is dead he may have felt it was too late - that his opportunities for service and ministry have passed him by. But according to the scriptures Jesus hung around long enough for James to see him, for James to touch him, for James to talk with him, Jesus hung around long enough to give James the assurance that it wasn’t too late.
Jesus keeps hanging around to let us know it’s never too late. Even now at our ages and stations in life, regardless of what you’ve done or failed to do, it’s not too late. As long as there is life there is hope, as long as there is breath in the body, and you can call on the name of Jesus, it’s not too late. Now is still the acceptable time, today is still the day of salvation.
His grace is still sufficient.
His strength is still made perfect in weakness.
His arm of compassion has not been shortened.
His love has not been abated.
His mercy is still from everlasting to everlasting.
His blood still sanctifies.
His spirit still sets free.
His forgiveness is still stronger than any fault.
His peace still soothes my pain.
This day can be the first day of the rest of your life because Jesus is still hanging around.
