Go! And Proclaim the Risen Saviour 1 Corinthians 15:3–8 (NLT)
1 Corinthians 15:3–8 (NLT): “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.”
Introduction: Why Does the Resurrection Matter Today?
Imagine standing in a courtroom. The evidence is laid out. The witnesses are called. The verdict is life or death. For the early church, the resurrection was not just a doctrine—it was the very evidence that Jesus Christ was who He said He was: the Son of God, the Saviour of the world.
Today, in 21st-century Britain, many live as if the resurrection is a myth, an old story, a comforting legend for the weak-minded. Yet Paul writes to the Corinthians—and to us—saying this is “most important.” This is not optional Christianity; this is the heart of the Gospel.
This morning, the Word of God calls us: Go! And proclaim the risen Saviour! Because if the resurrection is true—and it is—everything changes. Your past can be forgiven, your present can be transformed, and your future can be secure.
I. Christ Died for Our Sins – The Necessary Cross (v.3)
Paul begins with the most crucial truth: “Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.”
The word “Christ” (Greek: Christos) means “Anointed One,” the promised Messiah.
“Died for our sins” points to substitutionary atonement. The Greek preposition hyper (?p??) here means “on behalf of” or “in place of.” He didn’t die for His own sin—He had none. He died in your place.
Isaiah 53:5 (NLT) foretold this: “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.”
The Corinthians lived in a city obsessed with wisdom, power, and status, yet Paul says the greatest wisdom is found in a blood-stained cross.
Romans 5:8 (NLT): “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
God did not wait for you to get better. He came while you were still broken.
A pastor once shared how a soldier in World War II threw himself on a grenade to save his comrades. He died so they might live. That soldier’s sacrifice was noble but temporary—Christ’s sacrifice is eternal and complete.
John Piper once wrote: “The wisdom of God has ordained a way for the love of God to deliver us from the wrath of God without compromising the justice of God.”
Piper captures it well—the cross is where love and justice meet. God’s wrath against sin was satisfied. His love for you was demonstrated.
Stop trying to pay for what Christ already paid. Stop carrying guilt for what He already bore. The cross means there is no sin too great that His blood cannot cleanse.
II. He Was Buried – The Reality of Death (v.4a)
“He was buried…” These simple words remind us Jesus truly died. His body was placed in a borrowed tomb.
The Greek etaphe (?t?f?) is passive—He “was buried.” This was something done to Him. His burial confirms His death. There was no swoon, no myth, no illusion.
Matthew 27:59–60 (NLT): “Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock.”
When Queen Elizabeth II died, the whole world watched her burial. It was final. It was public. It marked the end of her reign. But for Jesus, burial was not the end—it was the doorway to victory.
Charles Stanley said: “Jesus did not come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people alive.”
And His burial sets the stage for that resurrection life.
Your old life—your sins, your shame—can be buried with Christ. Romans 6:4 (NLT):
“For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead… we also may live new lives.”
III. He Was Raised – The Power of the Resurrection (v.4b)
“…and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.”
The verb egerthe (??????) is in the perfect tense—He “has been raised” and remains alive! The resurrection was not just an event; it is an ongoing reality.
Psalm 16:10 (NLT) foretold it: “For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.”
John 11:25–26 (NLT): “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.”
Consider the sunrise. Every dawn is a testimony that night does not last forever. The stone rolled away is the dawn of a new creation.
Tim Keller said: “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that He said; if He didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what He said?”
The resurrection validates everything Jesus claimed.
You are not following a dead teacher—you are following a living Saviour. Your future is secure not because of your strength, but because the tomb is empty.
IV. He Was Seen – The Evidence of Eyewitnesses (vv.5–8)
Paul lists eyewitnesses: Peter, the Twelve, 500 others, James, the apostles, and even Paul himself. Eyewitness testimony matters in court—and it matters in eternity.
The Greek ophthe (?f??) means “He appeared” or “He was made visible.” They did not see a ghost; they saw the risen Christ.
Acts 1:3 (NLT): “During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles… and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive.”
R.T. Kendall said: “The resurrection is the hinge of history. Everything hangs on this.”
If over 500 saw Him alive, most still alive at the time of Paul’s writing, this is history, not hallucination.
In a sceptical age, you may be the only Gospel someone sees. Go! And proclaim—not your truth, but the truth: Christ died, was buried, rose again, and lives today.
V. The Gospel Call – Repent and Believe
Paul says this is what is “most important.” The Gospel is not advice—it is news. What will you do with it?
Gospel Presentation:
You are a sinner (Romans 3:23).
Sin leads to death (Romans 6:23).
Jesus died in your place (1 Peter 3:18).
He rose to give you life (John 10:10).
Repent—turn from your sin. Believe—trust Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
A drowning man does not need swimming lessons—he needs a rescuer. Jesus is the only Saviour who can pull you from the depths of sin and set your feet on solid ground.
VI. Call to Action
Believer:
Go and proclaim this Gospel to your family, your workplace, your neighbours.
Live as one raised to new life. Let your life be the proof of the resurrection.
Unbeliever:
Today is the day of salvation. Don’t delay.
Invitation to Salvation:
Friend, Jesus died for you. He was buried for you. He rose again for you. Will you receive Him as your Lord and Saviour? Repent of your sin. Call upon His name. Trust in His finished work.
Pray even now:
“Lord Jesus, I confess I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins and rose again. I turn from my sin and trust You as my Lord and Saviour. Save me and make me new. Amen.”
Benediction:
“May the risen Christ fill your heart with peace, your mouth with praise, and your life with power as you go and proclaim His resurrection in a world that desperately needs to hear it. Amen.”
