What is the resurrection all about? How central is it to the Gospel?
1 Corinthians 15:1-19 Jesus’ Resurrection
1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
We too received the Gospel. What does it do?
1 Corinthians 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
How would we summarize the Gospel?
1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
If the cross is the beginning of the Gospel, what else is important?
1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Were there witnesses to the resurrection?
1 Corinthians 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
How many witnesses were there?
1 Corinthians 15:6 After 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.
What about Jesus’ brother?
1 Corinthians 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
How was Paul introduced to the resurrected Jesus?
1 Corinthians 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Remember Paul’s Damascus Road experience (Acts 9)? What was Paul doing when called?
1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
Does God’s grace cover even a persecutor like Paul?
1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Our collective faith can come through many different people who taught us, but what unites us?
1 Corinthians 15:11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
Is doubting the resurrection just a modern liberal or progressive heresy?
1 Corinthians 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
What is a consequence of disbelief in a resurrection?
1 Corinthians 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
Why is this so important to Christianity?
1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
What kind of witnesses would that make the apostles?
1 Corinthians 15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
If there is no resurrection then what?
1 Corinthians 15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
Is our faith in vain?
1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
Have past Christians just wasted their time?
1 Corinthians 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
Is Christianity just for this life?
1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
1 Corinthians 15:20-34 General Resurrection
Would the apostles have been willing to die for something they knew was a lie? What hope do we have because of Christ’s resurrection?
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
What came from Jesus?
1 Corinthians 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
What is the big difference between Adam and Christ?
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Is there an order of resurrection?
1 Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
What will Christ deliver to the Father after He returns?
1 Corinthians 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
What will His reign accomplish?
1 Corinthians 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
What is the last enemy?
1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Who alone will not be under Christ?
1 Corinthians 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
What will Jesus do once all enemies are conquered?
1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
What is one purpose for baptism (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12)? Is the old life buried with Christ in baptism? This is only one possible explanation of the following unclear passage.
1 Corinthians 15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
Does the resurrection hope of the dead give us strength to withstand the jeopardy of persecution?
1 Corinthians 15:30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
Do we rejoice like Paul in persecution by rejoicing that others have been saved?
1 Corinthians 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Did Paul once have to fight wild animals while spreading the Gospel? If there is no resurrection, what worldly attitude might we join?
1 Corinthians 15:32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
Confirmation bias works two ways. Hanging around the faithful will increase our faith. What does hanging around the faithless for too long do to us?
1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
What should we do if we have spent too much time around unrighteous people?
1 Corinthians 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Being united to Christ along with other faithful believers, we become partakers of His resurrection. It is a shame, in any church which brags about its theological knowledge, to let this, the most fundamental of Christian doctrines slip.
