WHAT IF THE RESURRECTION DIDN’T HAPPEN
1 CORINTHIANS 15:12–19 BUT IF IT IS PREACHED THAT CHRIST HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD, HOW CAN SOME OF YOU SAY THAT THERE IS NO RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD? 13IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, THEN NOT EVEN CHRIST HAS BEEN RAISED. 14AND IF CHRIST HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, OUR PREACHING IS USELESS AND SO IS YOUR FAITH. 15MORE THAN THAT, WE ARE THEN FOUND TO BE FALSE WITNESSES ABOUT GOD, FOR WE HAVE TESTIFIED ABOUT GOD THAT HE RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD. BUT HE DID NOT RAISE HIM IF IN FACT THE DEAD ARE NOT RAISED. 16FOR IF THE DEAD ARE NOT RAISED, THEN CHRIST HAS NOT BEEN RAISED EITHER. 17AND IF CHRIST HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, YOUR FAITH IS FUTILE; YOU ARE STILL IN YOUR SINS. 18THEN THOSE ALSO WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP IN CHRIST ARE LOST. 19IF ONLY FOR THIS LIFE WE HAVE HOPE IN CHRIST, WE ARE TO BE PITIED MORE THAN ALL MEN.
INTRODUCTION: PEOPLE CAN BE OBSESSED WITH LOTS OF THINGS. WHEN THIS IS TAKEN TO THE EXTREME, WE WOULD CALL THAT OCD. EVEN OCD CAN HAVE DIFFERENT FACETS. THERE IS A FORM OF OCD THAT IS CALLED OBSESSIVE LOVE DISORDER. THIS IS THE FIXATION ON ONE PERSON TO THE POINT WHERE THEY BECOME OVERLY PROTECTIVE AND CONTROLLING.
OTHER COMPULSIVE DISORDERS INCLUDE:
HOARDING
HAIR PULLING
COMPULSIVE ACTIONS
COMPULSIVE BUYING
AND PERHAPS ONE OF THE NEWEST – COMPULSIVE USE OF SMARTPHONES.
YET I THINK ALL OF THESE PALE IN COMPARISON IN WHICH SOME HAVE A COMPULSIVE DESIRE NOT TO DIE.
OPENING ILLUSTRATION: LOCATED IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA IS THE ALCOR LIFE EXTENSION INSTITUTE, WHICH FOR A MEMBERSHIP AND A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY WILL BE READY TO PRESERVE AND CRYOGENICALLY FREEZE YOUR REMAINS AT THE TIME OF DEATH WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF REVIVAL IN THE FUTURE IF AND WHEN THE TECHNOLOGY EXISTS.
TRANSITION: HOW INTERESTING, THE LENGTHS SOME WILL GO TO PRESERVE THEIR LIFE. AND HERE IN OUR TEXT TODAY, WE SEE PAUL DEALING WITH THOSE IN THE CHURCH WHO WOULD DENY THE BODILY RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. IT IS TO THESE FOLKS THAT PAUL ARGUES THE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH AND A BELIEF.
I. EXPLAINING AWAY THE RESURRECTION
a. SINCE THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST MEN HAVE TRIED TO EXPLAIN IT AWAY
i. HIS DISCIPLES STOLE THE BODY – THIS IS WHAT THE SOLDIERS WERE BRIBED TO SAY
1. THE TOMB WAS GUARDED
a. IF THE BODY OF CHRIST WAS GUARDED BY THE TEMPLE GUARD.
i. VERY DISCIPLINED MEN
ii. IF FOUND ASLEEP, THEY WERE BEATEN AND THEN BURNED WITH THEIR CLOTHES
iii. THEY WERE FORBIDDEN TO SIT OR LEAN AGAINST ANYTHING WHILE ON DUTY
b. IF THE ROMAN GUARDS WERE ON DUTY
i. THEIR GUARDING INVOLVED FOUR MEN, CHANGING SHIFTS EVERY FOUR HOURS
ii. THE TOMB ALSO WAS SEALED WITH A CORD OF CLAY AND A SIGN STATING “DON’T TOUCH BY ORDER OF ROME.”
iii. BREAKING THE SEAL WAS INSTANT DEATH – CRUCIFIXION UPSIDE DOWN
ii. THE JEWISH LEADERS STOLE THE BODY
1. JUST THINK THIS ONE THROUGH, HOW DOES THIS HELP THEM DENY THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST?
2. IF THEY HAD THE BODY, IT WOULD SEEM A LOGICAL CONCLUSION THAT THEY WOULD HAVE REVEALED IT TO THE PEOPLE
iii. THEN THERE IS THE “SWOON THEORY”.
1. JESUS REALLY WAS NOT DEAD, HE FAINTED FROM THE LOSS OF BLOOD
2. LATER IN THE COOLNESS OF THE TOMB HE WOKE UP.
3. JUST A FEW PROBLEMS HERE
a. HOW DID HE SURVIVE FOR THREE DAYS WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER
b. HOW DID HE GET THE GRAVE CLOTHES OFF AND FOR THAT MATTER EVEN BREATH
i. THE SPICES USED TO ANOINT HIS BODY WEIGHED ABOUT 100 POUNDS AND WOULD HAVE DRIED AROUND THE GRAVECLOTHES, KIND OF LIKE CEMENT
c. THEN, JESUS, WHO WAS WHIPPED AND BEATEN, WENT THROUGH 6 TRIALS, HAD SPIKES DRIVEN THROUGH HIS HANDS AND FEET, WHO WAS SO WEAK HE COULD NOT CARRY HIS OWN CROSS, NOW SUDDENLY HAVE THE STRENGTH TO MOVE A 3400 POUND STONE AND WALK OUT
d. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT UPON EXAMINATION BY THE ROMAN SOLDIERS, HE WAS DEAD. REMEMBER , THEY DID NOT HAVE TO BREAK HIS LEGS.
IN LIGHT OF ALL THIS, PAUL ADDRESSES THE BELIEF THAT THERE IS NO BODILY RESURRECTION OF CHRIST AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT BELIEF
II. WHAT PAUL TELLS US ABOUT THE RESURRECTION
a. THE PROBLEM WITH A DEAD CHRIST
i. IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION THEN CHRIST IS DEAD
ii. OUR LIVES AS BELIEVERS WOULD RADICALLY CHANGE!
1. WHAT IS THE PROMISE OF LIVING FOR CHRIST TODAY WHEN THERE IS NO ETERNITY TO FOLLOW
2. WOULD WE EVEN DO IT
iii. THE CONFIDENCE OF THE RESURRECTION GIVES OUR LIFE MEANING
iv. THE CONFIDENCE OF THE RESURRECTION GIVES US A REASON TO LIVE FOR CHRIST
1. NO TO GAIN ETERNAL LIFE
2. AS A RESPONSE TO THE ETERNAL LIFE WE ALREADY HAVE IN CHRIST THROUGH FAITH
b. THE PROBLEM WITH PREACHING THE GOSPEL
i. WHY DO IT
ii. THE WORD USELESS/VAIN
1. THE WORD MEANS EMPTY, HOLLOW, DEVOID OF TRUTH OR SPIRITUAL VALUE
ILLUSTRATION: I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE LINDT CHOCOLATE COMMERCIALS WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN HAWKING THE LINDT CHOCOLATE BUNNY AND IT YOU HAPPEN TO FIND ONE, SOMETHING SPECIAL MIGHT HAPPEN. WELL, BEFORE THESE COMMERCIALS, WHEN I WAS A YOUNGSTER, MY MOTHER ACTUALLY PUT ONE OF THOSE CHOCOLATE BUNNIES IN MY EASTER BASKET.
NOW, BEING A KID WHO REALLY LIKES CHOCOLATE, I WAS EXCITED TO SEE THE BUNNY. I THINK I WAS LOOKING FOR THE OPPORTUNE TIME TO DEVOR THE WHOLE THING. WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY CAME, I REACHED OUT AND GRABBED THE BUNNY. I GRABBED HIM SO HARD THAT THE CHOCOLATE BUNNY CRUMBLED IN MY CHUBBY LITTLE HANDS. I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT WHAT I THOUGH WAS A SOLID CHOCOLATE BUNNY WAS NO MORE THAN A SHELL. THE BUNNY WAS CRUSHED AND MY HOPES WERE DEFLATED.
iii. WITHOUT THE RESURRECTION, THE GOSPEL WOULD NOT BE THE GOSPEL.
1. WHY?
2. WHERE IS THE GOOD NEWS IN THE GOSPEL WHEN THERE IS NO RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
3. WHERE IS THE GOOD NEWS IF CHRIST IS NOT RISEN
4. THERE IS NONE
iv. GONG TO CHURCH IS A WASTE OF TIME, ESPECIALLY TODAY!
v. THE DEATH OF CHRIST WOULD THEN BE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER DEATH
1. HE LIED
2. HE HAD NO POWER
3. GOD THE FATHER WAS NOT SATISFIED – NOT EVEN CLOSE
vi. IT IS THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST THAT TURNS THE BAD NEWS OF DEATH INTO THE GOOD NEWS OF ETERNITY!
vii. WITHOUT A RESURRECTION, WE WOULD BE HOPELESS
c. THE PROBLEM OF A FAITH WITHOUT PURPOSE
i. FIRST IT IS EMPTY LIKE THE CHOCOLATE BUNNY
ii. SECOND, IT IS ALSO FUTILE. THE KJV TRANSLATES THIS AS VAIN
1. DIFFERENT WORD FROM VERSE 14
2. THIS WORD MEANS FRUITLESS
3. THE REALITY OF NO RESURRECTION MAKES OUR FAITH DEVOID OF TRUTH AND HOLLOW
4. THE RESULT OF NO RESURRECTION IS THAT THERE IS NO MEANING OR PURPOSE TO PLACING OUR FAITH AND TRUST IN CHRIST.
d. THE PROBLEM WITH PREACHERS
i. IF JESUS DID NOT RISE FROM THE DEAD, THEN EVERYONE WHO STOOD UP TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS FROM THE DAYS AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION TO RIGHT NOW, HERE IN BETHANY BAPTIST WOULD BE A LIAR AND A FRAUD!
ii. NO MORE TRUTHFUL THAN THE CON MAN WHO SOLD MAGICAL ELIXIR IN THE OLD WEST
iii. WE WOULD BE PERPETRATORS OF THE BIGGEST COVERUP IN HISTORY
iv. JESUS HIMSELF WOULD BE, AT THE VERY LEAST DISHONEST BECAUSE HE HIMSELF CLAIMED TO HAVE THE POWER TO RAISE US UP FROM THE GRAVE
v. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:16 FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, WITH A LOUD COMMAND, WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL AND WITH THE TRUMPET CALL OF GOD, AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST WILL RISE FIRST.
AND JUST A MOMENT OF CLARITY HERE, WHO GET MARTYRED FOR A LIE? THE DISCIPLES FACED DEATH TORTURE, ETC. FOR THE TRUTH, NOT A LIE. THE EARLY CHURCH LEADERS DID THE SAME.
e. THE PROBLEM OF OUR SIN
i. WE ARE STILL IN OUR SINS
ii. NO HOPE OF HEAVEN
iii. THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, NOT HEAVEN
iv. THE PRICE OF OUR SIN IS DEATH. THE DESTINY OF OUR ETERNITY IS HELL
f. THE PROBLEM OUR FUNERALS
i. IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION THEN WE WILL NEVER SEE OUR LOVED ONES AGAIN
ii. FUNERALS WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC
iii. FUNERALS WOULD CRUSH US SPIRITUALLY
III. THAT IS NOT THE CASE – JESUS IS ALIVE!
a. ACTS 1:3 AFTER HIS SUFFERING, HE SHOWED HIMSELF TO THESE MEN AND GAVE MANY CONVINCING PROOFS THAT HE WAS ALIVE. HE APPEARED TO THEM OVER A PERIOD OF FORTY DAYS AND SPOKE ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
b. NO ONE SAW HIM BEING RESURRECTED, BUT LOTS OF FOLKS SAW THE RESURRECTED CHRIST
c. THE APPEARANCES OF CHRIST
i. APPEARANCE 1: MARY MAGDALENE -- JOHN 20:11-17
ii. APPEARANCE 2: THE OTHER MARY AND SALOME -- MATTHEW 28:9-10 /MARK 16:1 ON THE SUNDAY MORNING OF THE RESURRECTION: “
iii. APPEARANCE 3: SIMON PETER -- LUKE 24:34 NOTES JESUS APPEARING TO PETER ON THE SUNDAY OF HIS RESURRECTION: “IT IS TRUE! THE LORD HAS RISEN AND HAS APPEARED TO SIMON.”
iv. APPEARANCE 4: THE TWO DISCIPLES WALKING TO EMMAUS -- LUKE 24:13-32, TWO FOLLOWERS OF JESUS ARE WALKING FROM JERUSALEM TO EMMAUS ON THE SABBATH. JESUS APPEARS, THOUGH THEY DO NOT RECOGNIZE HIM UNTIL THE END OF THE ACCOUNT. ONE DISCIPLE IS NAMED CLEOPAS (LUKE 24:18), WHILE THE SECOND DISCIPLE IS UNNAMED.
v. APPEARANCE 5: THE 10 APOSTLES -- AFTER JESUS APPEARED TO THE TWO MEN WALKING TO EMMAUS, THEY RETURNED TO JERUSALEM TO TELL THE APOSTLES. WHILE THERE, JESUS APPEARED TO 10 OF THE APOSTLES, ALL EXCEPT THOMAS (LUKE 24:33-49).
vi. APPEARANCE 6: THE 11 APOSTLES -- JOHN 20:26-30 RECORDS JESUS APPEARING TO ALL 11 APOSTLES “A WEEK LATER” AT A HOME IN JERUSALEM. THIS LIKELY REFERS TO THE NEXT SUNDAY. THOMAS BELIEVES AND NO LONGER DOUBTS.
vii. APPEARANCE 7: THE SEVEN APOSTLES -- THE FINAL CHAPTER OF JOHN RECORDS SEVEN APOSTLES ON AN ALL-NIGHT FISHING TRIP THAT OCCURRED ON THE SEA OF GALILEE SOMETIME AFTER CHRIST’S APPEARANCE 10 DAYS AFTER HIS RESURRECTION AND BEFORE HIS ASCENSION 40 DAYS AFTER HIS RESURRECTION. THIS GROUP INCLUDED SIMON PETER, THOMAS, NATHANAEL, JAMES AND JOHN (THE SONS OF ZEBEDEE), AND TWO UNNAMED APOSTLES (JOHN 21:1-14). JOHN RECORDS THIS AS THE THIRD TIME JESUS HAD APPEARED TO A GROUP OF DISCIPLES FOLLOWING HIS RESURRECTION (JOHN 21:14).
viii. APPEARANCE 8: THE APOSTLES IN GALILEE -- MATTHEW’S GOSPEL ENDS WITH THE RISEN JESUS MEETING THE APOSTLES IN GALILEE (MATTHEW 28:16-20). JESUS RECEIVES WORSHIP FROM HIS FOLLOWERS. HE ALSO GIVES THE GREAT COMMISSION TO HIS FOLLOWERS, TELLING THEM TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS.
ix. APPEARANCE 9: 500 PEOPLE AT ONE TIME -- 1 CORINTHIANS 15:6 PAUL NOTES 500 PEOPLE WHO SAW THE RISEN JESUS AS ONE TIME. HE ALSO NOTES MOST OF THESE PEOPLE WERE STILL ALIVE WHEN HE WROTE TO THE CORINTHIANS BELIEVERS ABOUT 20 YEARS LATER.
x. APPEARANCE 10: JAMES -- 1 CORINTHIANS 15:7, PAUL ALSO RECORDS JESUS APPEARING TO JAMES, THE BROTHER OF JESUS. THIS HELPS EXPLAIN WHY JAMES SERVED AS A LEADER IN THE EARLY JERUSALEM CHURCH (ACTS 15) AND WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WRITING THE LETTER OF JAMES. HIS BROTHER JUDE WOULD ALSO BECOME A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST AND WRITE THE LETTER BEARING HIS NAME.
xi. APPEARANCE 11: THE 11 APOSTLES -- ACTS 1:4-9 RECORDS THE ASCENSION OF JESUS 40 DAYS AFTER THE RESURRECTION. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN 10 DAYS BEFORE PENTECOST (ACTS 2). SOME BELIEVE MATTHEW 28:16-20 RECORDS THE SAME EVENT, THOUGH THIS IS UNCERTAIN.
xii. APPEARANCE 12: THE APOSTLE PAUL -- BOTH ACTS 9 AND 1 CORINTHIANS 15:8 NOTE JESUS APPEARING TO PAUL (THEN SAUL) ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS. THOUGH OUTSIDE OF THE 40 DAYS FOLLOWING THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS, IT WAS CLEARLY JESUS (ACTS 9:5). PAUL CALLED HIMSELF ONE “ABNORMALLY BORN” IN CONNECTION WITH THIS EVENT.
MY FRIENDS THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST DID HAPPEN AND WE CELEBRATE IT TODAY.
THERE IS NO CAUSE TO WORRY OR FEAR
THERE IS NO REASON TO DOUBT OR LOSE HOPE
YET THERE IS CAUSE TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW JESUS AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR
THERE IS AN INTERESTING STATUE DEDICATED TO COLUMBUS LOCATED IN BARCELONA SPAIN. THE MOTTO OF THE COUNTRY OF SPAIN WAS NE PLUS ULTRA. THIS IS LATIN FOR “NO MORE BEYOND.” YOU SEE, THE SPANIARDS BELIEVED THAT THEY’D ALREADY DISCOVERED EVERYTHING WORTH DISCOVERING. THIS BEAUTIFUL MONUMENT DEPICTS CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AND A UGE LION. INSCRIBED ON THE STATUE IS THE WORDS NU PLUS ULTRA – NO MORE BEYOND. HOWEVER, WITH A LITTLE INSPECTION, ONE CAN SEE THE LION REACHING OUT AS THOUGH TO GRAB THE FIRST WORD OF THAT MOTTO, SOME SAY THE LION IS GETTING READY TO EAT IT, AND IN DOING SO, CHANGING THE MOTTO FROM “NO MORE BEYOND”, TO “MORE BEYOND”.
THE GREATEST LEGACY OF COLUMBUS WAS THAT HE PROVED THERE WAS MORE BEYOND.
THIS WAS COLUMBUS’S GREATEST LEGACY. HE PROVED THAT THERE WAS MORE BEYOND.
THE “LEGACY” OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS THAT THERE IS MORE BEYOND. AND THIS IS ETERNITY.
MY FRIENDS, MAY YOU EMBRACE THIS LEGACY OF ETERNITY BY
INVITING JESUS INTO YOUR LIFE
LIVING AS A BELIEVER WHO HAS THE HOPE AND ASSURANCE THAT CAN ONLY COME FROM A RESURRECTED LORD -- JESUS
