THE RESURRECTION IS GODS GUARANTEE.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-24. 35-58.
There is a book that is title, The Days That Changed the World and it looks at the top 50 defining events that changed History. The currents of history run deep and often unseen beneath the everyday ripple of events. But now and again the current rises to the surface, and the events of a single day shed an exceptional light on the meaning of the past. Some of the 50 days described in the book mark the end of an era; others the start of something new. All the events have become symbols of their time. The book begins nearly 2500 years ago on 28 September 480 years before the Christian era, when the Athenian navy destroyed the Persian invasion fleet in the Bay of Salamis. Had the Persians won we might never have heard the names of Plato, Aristotle or Alexander. This book ends with destruction of the Twins Towers of New York in September 2001.
In this book, The Days That Changed the World, the death of Jesus Christ is mention but there is absolutely no mention of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We can see from what Paul wrote that the resurrection should be in this book because it is a major event in the history of the world. Paul gives us some simple facts in 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4.
A. Christ died.
B. Jesus was buried.
C. Jesus was raised on the third day.
D. Jesus appeared of more that 500 witnesses after his resurrection.
I don’t know whether you realize this or not but no one has ever come up and said that they didn’t think that Jesus died and was buried. The Romans never denied this fact. The church of the day never denied this fact. The Bible show in mark 15: 42-45, that when Pilate was told that Jesus was dead, he sent for the centurion just to make sure that Jesus was in fact dead. The Bible also informs us that the church went to Pilate and requested guards to make sure that no one would steal the dead body. I personally can’t see them going to all this trouble unless there is actually a body to guard/
I think that one of the main reasons why Jesus Christ should be in that book is simply because the resurrection of Jesus Christ actually changed the world.
Someone wrote that the death of Jesus Christ has forced open a door that has been locked since the death of the first man. Everything today is different simply because Jesus met, fought and defeated the king of death.
1. The resurrection Guarantee that our sins have been dealt with.
To Paul this is very simply but I find that even today many Christians still struggle with this. If there is no resurrection than there is no forgiveness and no salvation. The reason for this is because there would be no one who was able to made a sacrifice for the sins of mankind who was himself sinless and pure.
Verse 17. If Christ has not been raised then your faith is futile because you are still in your sins.
I would imagine that we have all asked ourselves this question; how can we know that our sins were paid for? How can we know for sure that Jesus Christ death actually worked? Well on the one hand we know that the payment has been made. We know the payment has been made because of the words of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus had also stated before he died that his death was going to be a ransom payment to God for our sins.
Jesus said in Matthew 20:28, that he did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Then as Jesus hung on the cross his final words were it is finished. The phrase it is finish consists of one single word in the Greek which meant that something had been accomplished. When Jesus cried out it is finish he didn’t just whisper the words, Jesus shouted these words out for all to hear. I would imagine all who heard the words would have wondered what Jesus words meant? The Question is what was finished? Was Jesus referring to his sufferings or his life’s work? In Jesus high priestly prayer Jesus said that He had finished the word that the Father had sent him to accomplish. I can see Jesus saying that the suffering part of his ministry was also finished. I can also see that Jesus is saying that the end of one era was finished which meant the beginning of another. The Old Testament contains a long list of prophetic utterances, beginning in the Garden of Eden when God told the serpent
Genesis 3:15. I will put hatred between you and the woman. Your children and her children will be enemies. Her son will crush your head. And you will crush his heel.
Jesus’ cry was a proclamation of his victory over Satan. In the gigantic struggle between good and evil Jesus had not only suffered but he had finished the work of redemption that his Father had committed to him.
John 17:4. I glorified thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given me to do.
Jesus didn’t say that I am finished but rather Jesus’ words were it is finished. It was the cry of victory over sin, death and hell. The words from the Cross declared there was a finished to the rituals of the Jewish sacrifice. There was nothing wrong with them because they had been given by God, but now they had served their purpose until the appointed time which is the coming of the Messiah. The sacrifices and ceremonies of the Old Testament order were but shadows that pointed to Jesus Christ, but now that Jesus had come, the shadow had given way to substance; which had been promised centuries before they had been even realized. The work of man’s redemption was finished, accomplished. Jesus had offered himself without spot or blemish to God, and by that one sacrifice for sin, once and for all Jesus had done all that was required to reconcile the world unto God. It is finished. The Word tells us there is nothing left for man to do but to enter into the results of Christ’s finished work by accepting the gift that Jesus offered on the cross.
Luke 23:44-46. It was now about noon. The whole land was covered with darkness until three o'clock. The sun had stopped shining. The temple curtain was torn in two. Jesus called out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my very life." After he said this, he took his last breath.
We believe Jesus died on the cross at the time of the evening sin offering was sacrifice. Jesus became the lamb that was sacrifice and accepted by God for the sins of mankind. One of the reasons why the veil was torn in two by God was to say that now we have access into the holy of holy because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 10:19-20. Brothers and sisters, we are not afraid to enter the Most Holy Room. We enter boldly because of the blood of Jesus. His way is new because he lives. It has been opened for us through the curtain. I'm talking about his body.
The Greek word for finished was also used in business to indicate that a debt had been paid. It’s like the message of a rubber stamp bearing the words Payment received when stamped across a bill. That’s what Jesus was proclaiming from the Cross. Man’s account with God has been settled, the debt is wiped out.
Jesus paid a debt that he didn’t owe I owe a debt that I couldn’t pay.
That is the very essence of the Gospel. The Redeemer has paid the price for our redemption. Salvation has been obtained for all who are willing to accept and rely upon the finished work of Calvary. Is it enough that we know that payment has been made? Our church had made a purchased of some items and the payment was made. Well about a month latter we got a letter saying that they hadn’t received our payment. So we get all the information that was need and we contact the company and we share with the company the information. Well this went on for about three months and everytime we talked to the company we requested that they let us know if they got the money. Finally we had to stop payment on one cheque and issue a new cheque. If you are like me you’ll want to know that they have actually received that payment. So we call them back in a few days to find out. So how can we be sure that God has accepted the payment that has been made by Jesus?
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is Gods signature saying that he has accepted the payments of Jesus sacrifice.
That is why one of the true symbols of the resurrection is an empty cross and an empty toomb. If we look at the cross and we see that Jesus is still on it, then the picture that we have just seem speaks to us only of the death of Jesus Christ. The empty cross and an empty tomb speak loudly of the fact that payment has been made and received by God. Can you picture the wall of this building covered with pieces of paper that had writing on them. If you went and looked at those pieces of paper you would see that on each piece of paper was written your sins. Now I am not just talking about those things that we think everybody knows about, but I am talking about every secret sin that we think, we are the only one who knows about them. They are all there every sin we have ever thought, and did. Now think about this, one day you hear about what Jesus did on the cross and you realize that you want what Jesus has to offer. After you have received Jesus offer of Grace and forgiveness you look at the wall and you can see that there is something written across everyone piece of paper that has your sin written on it. You look and then you make out what it written. Someone has written Paid in Full. That right, if you are a born again Christian then Jesus Christ has paid you debt to the living God by his death on the cross.
2. The resurrection guarantees that we have a hope.
The Bible speaks of a hope as something that is certain.
Paul put it this way.
Verse 20. Jesus has been raised from the dead, the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep.
What we need to understand is that the resurrection wasn’t just going to be the resurrection of Jesus. Paul is saying that what happen to Jesus is a pattern. Jesus is just the first of many resurrections that are going to happen.
Verses 42-44. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
Paul compares our present bodies with the body that we will have after the resurrection.
A. Paul says that our present bodies are not design to go on forever. Death is something that everybody doesn’t look forward to. I think the reason why is that we don’t know what death holds but for a Christian death is just a door into an everlasting life with Jesus Christ. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Our present bodies are dishonourable because we have within our present bodies the marks of sin. Our new bodies will be pure & perfect; in fact they will be just like Christ. Our present bodies are week. We need to spend about 1/3 of our lives just sleeping so our bodies can recharge. Our new bodies will be raised in power. They will not be subject to the limitation that we now face in our lives.
B. Our present bodies are natural, in that they are made to suite this life. Where as our new bodies will be supernatural so that we will be able to live in the presence of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Paul says that this is our physical hope; this is our guarantee because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have all heard that the best is behind us; well I want you to know that the best is still before us if we are a child of Jesus Christ. When people looked at you and say that you are getting old sometimes you may feel a bit upset because no one likes to be told they are old. If you are a child of the Lord you need to know that age is a promise of something greater. I remember reading a book where the author had painted a scene in heaven around the throne of God. God was talking to Michael when suddenly there was this unbelievable weird cry. Michael looked at God and asked My Lord what was that. God said that Adam had sinned and because of the sin death was able to come to life. When Jesus Christ hung on the cross one of the visitors that day was death who wrapped his shroud of death around the Son of God. He though he has won the greatest victory. The truth of the matter is that Jesus Christ defeated death on the cross.
As Paul writes in verses 55-57 where O death is your victory, where o death is your sting, the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law, but thank be to God we are given the victory through our lord Jesus Christ.
D.L. Moody said, one day you will read that D.L. Moody is dead. Don’t you believe it for a moment? If fact I will be more alive because I will be with the resurrected Lord Jesus who conquered and defeated death.
3. The Resurrection guarantee that our labour in not in vain.
I know that I didn’t read all 58 verses. The thing is that the first 57 verses talk about the resurrection of Jesus and how that resurrection affects ever aspect of life. The point of the 57 verses isn’t to get us so absorbed that all we do is to stand and look to the sky for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Now I want you to know that there is nothing wrong with our looking for the Second Coming. In fact we should be looking for the Second Coming. The point of the 57 verses is simply to encourage us to be involved in the ministry that Jesus left for us to do.
Jesus said in John 20:21 as the Father has sent me I also send you.
Look at what Paul wrote in verse 58. Throw yourself into the work of the Master confident that nothing you do for Him is a waste of time or effort.
Now I want you to know that Paul isn’t just talking about people who are trained for the ministry. Paul is talking about every person who has accepted the offer of Grace and forgiveness from Jesus Christ. Paul believed that everyone who accepted the offer of Grace should be involved in ministry for Jesus Christ. We can be involved in ministry by giving a cup of coffee, or by spending time talking or praying for someone, by teaching children in Sunday school or by baking food for some church function. Paul is talking about the people who give themselves to a ministry of private prayer for their pastor and the ministry of the church. He is talking about those people who go to the church and clean it building without having to be paid or beg. Paul is talking about the many thousands of secret people who are involved in working for the cause of Christ and the only people who know about it are Jesus himself. Paul is talking about all the things we do public and that is great but he is referring to more than just those things. What ever we do as long as we do it for the ministry of Jesus Christ the Lord will take what we are doing and use it for his honour and glory. So often as Christians we think that what we are doing isn’t having any effect, that we are just spinning our wheels. I can’t prove this but I believe that there are more things done in Private for the cause of Christ that enables those who are involved in ministry to reach out an touch a life with the gospel message. One of the best ways I can put this is to say that we are to be involved in a search and rescue mission. Philip Yancey writes. Colorado has 54 mountains rising above 14,000 ft and every summer I climb some of them. On a summer weekend in the mountains, I see casual hikers who have no idea what they are doing. In sandals, shorts, and T-shirts, carrying a single container of water, they start up a trail at mid-morning. They have no map, no compass, and no rain gear. They also have no apparent knowledge of the lightning storms that roll in many summer afternoons, making it imperative to summit before noon and head for the safety of the timberline. My neighbor, who volunteers for Alpine Rescue, has told me hair-raising stories of tourists who must be rescued from certain death after wandering off a trail, falling, or simply being exposed to a sudden hailstorm or 30-degree drop in temperature. Nevertheless, regardless of the circumstances, Alpine Rescue always responds to a call for help. Not once have they lectured a tourist that since you obviously ignored the most basic rules of the wilderness, you’ll just have to sit here and bear the consequences. We won’t assist you. Their mission is rescue, and so they pursue every needy hiker in the wilderness, no matter how undeserving. A whistle, a cry, a flashing mirror, a bonfire, an SOS spelled out in pine branches, a message of distress from a cell phone any of these signals will cause Alpine Rescue to mobilize teams of medically trained searchers. The central message of the Bible, is one of rescue. In the book of Romans, Paul takes pains to point out that none of us ’deserve’ God’s mercy and none of us can save ourselves. Like a stranded hiker, all we can do it call for help. The Christians of the world are the hell rescuers. That is our task to reach out to people with the gospel message in a multitude of ways so that the people who are on the highway to hell can be rescued.
