1 Cor. 15:12-19 (Easter 2005) The Importance of the Resurrection
Intro: Friday I was listening to the radio and I heard a really short Easter Sermon. It lasted only about eight seconds on Paul Harvey. It went like this:
“Jesus lived a good life in a wicked world – to show us it can be done.
He died and rose again – to show us we can do that too!”
This Easter sermon will not be quite so brief as the one Paul Harvey read.
Read: 1 Cor. 15:1-23
As we read in the N.T. we come across various groups of people mentioned. Two of those groups are the Pharisees and the Saducees. One of the differences in theses two groups was their belief concerning the resurrection. The Pharisees believed in a resurrection while the Saducess did not….
Others also rejected the resurrection like Greek Philosophers & the Gnostics.
It may have been due to the influence of one of these groups that resulted in some of the Corinthians rejecting the resurrection. Paul addresses them in our passage.
The importance of whether there is or is not a resurrection can not be overly emphasized.. If there is then we will live beyond this life on the earth. If there isn’t then this life is all there is.
We come together today because of one of the most important events that has ever happened in the history of this world. Though we don’t know for sure the exact date of the event for which we are gathered today. We do know that Jesus Christ was taken up on a hill call Golgatha, and was brutally crucified. After which, His body was taken and placed in a tomb for three days. Then on that third day, the earth shook, the tomb was opened, and Jesus Christ came forth from the tomb victorious over the grave & death.
Folks, I submit to you today that the death, burial & resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important historical event that has ever occurred. It is more important than the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Pearl Harbor, VJ Day, the invasion of Normandy, etc., etc…..
Prop: We need to understand the importance of the Resurrection.
I. If there isn’t a resurrection then Jesus has not risen (1 Cor. 15:13, 16).
If there isn’t a resurrection from the dead, if the dead can not rise, then Jesus Himself would not even be risen from the dead.
Some people throughout history have argued that Jesus didn’t really die because he was divine. They claim that He only appeared to die.
That, of course, does not fit with the Biblical account of the crucifixion on the cross.
Friends and Foes were certain that Jesus died and testified that it was so.
All of the Apostles, Mary, the Roman soldiers, witnesses around the cross, Joseph of Aramathia, and others testified that He had indeed died.
That, of course, does not fit with the testimony of Jesus Christ Himself as we learned in our study Revelation during our morning service.
(Rev 1:17-18) And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
No, of course His death and His resurrection are well attested facts of history.
This is Paul’s point. The evidence is overwhelming that there “had been” a resurrection of Jesus Christ. And of course, since He resurrected then it is certainly possible that those connected to Christ would also rise from the dead.
The facts were there for those who would seem them.
II. If there isn’t a resurrection then all preaching would be meaningless (1 Cor. 15:14).
As Paul just pointed out in 1 Cor. 15:3-4 that the death, burial & resurrection is the HEART of the gospel message.
If Jesus didn’t die, then He could not have risen from the dead.
If Jesus didn’t resurrect, then He didn’t conquer sin, death or hell.
If Jesus didn’t conquer sin, death & hell, then we have no hope to escape them…
If there isn’t any hope, then there isn’t any “good news” to proclaim or preach…
As a result, our “faith” in the person of the gospel message would be in vain (empty, void of effect, not purpose, useless).
III. If there isn’t a resurrection then many people were liars (1 Cor. 15:15).
You see there were many people who testified that Jesus died and they saw the risen Christ including Paul, the other Apostles (“we”), the 500 witnesses (v. 6) and others who were still alive and could still testify if need be.
To not believe in the resurrection, is to in effect call all of these people liars.
You can’t soften it by calling them “mistaken” or “naïve”.
You are saying in effect they all conspired together to tell the world a big fat lie.
If they lied about the resurrection, then why should we believe them when it comes to other matters? Why would we believe them when it came to miracles that Jesus did, or parables that He taught, or moral matters He spoke about or claims of Divinity that He made….?
If they can’t be trusted in one area then that would put other areas in doubt….
IV. If there isn’t a resurrection then everyone would still be in their sins (1 Cor. 15:17).
If our faith is based is based upon a lie it would be useless.
Even though our faith may be sincere, we would be still lost and are still in our sins.
We would still be under the wages of sin (Rom. 6:23).
(Rom 6:23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Scripture makes it clear that Jesus came to die for our sins, and bridge that gap that our sins created between us and God.
(Gal 1:4) Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
(Heb 1:3) says He “purged” us from our sins.
(1Pe 2:24) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
(1Jo 2:2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
(1Jo 3:5) And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
You must understand that ever since the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden, by Adam & Eve, everyone has been born with a sin nature.
David said it this way, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me (Psalm 51:5).
V. If there isn’t a resurrection then every person will eternally perish (1 Cor. 15:18).
Paul uses in v.18 a common euphemism for death – “sleep” (1 Thess. 4:15).
He explains that if Christ didn’t rise from the grave then those who died having faith in Christ, will have to pay the penalty for their own sins. They will perish (be wholly destroyed) in the lake of fire and brimstone…
(Rev 21:8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
If there isn’t a resurrection then an eternity in Hell’s flames awaits all of us, because we have all sinned.
Not the progression of Paul’s logic.
This is the logical result, if we are still being in our sins…
We would not be “born again”. We would not be a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
We would not be bound for eternal life heaven, but instead eternal torment.
VI. If there isn’t a resurrection then Christians are to be pitied (1 Cor. 15:19).
Our faith would be pointless.
Our life would be pointless.
Our hopes would never come to pass.
Those that died believing in Christ and His resurrection would NOT be any better off than the worst heathen, if there isn’t a resurrection.
Christians throughout history have been “persecuted and reviled, and subjected to toil, and privation, and want, on account of their religion…” (Barnes). If after all of that there isn’t a resurrection, they should be pitied by the world.
Those Christians who have resisted this world’s “pleasures”, done battle with the flesh, and have live a life of self-denial should be pitied if there isn’t a resurrection. After all, they spent their life trying to please a savior who didn’t exist and who can’t save them…..
Conclusion: If there isn’t a resurrection, then Christ is not alive and every aspect of the Christian’s life is pointless. Our faith would be in something untrue. Our gospel message would be powerless and a waste of time. Our efforts to witness around the world would be without any effect. Our prayers would be ineffective. We would be without a Savior, without a Redeemer, without a Lord, without a home in heaven, but we would still be on our way to hell and we should be looked on by unbelievers with compassion for our foolish blind faith and wasted life.
Invitation:
If you haven’t ever seriously considered the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, would you please do so today?
Our faith is not in vain and we who have placed our trust in Him and what He did on the Cross will not go unrewarded. We know that because of the resurrection.
