Christianity ceases to be Christianity without the Resurrection. I have heard it said, “Disprove the Resurrection and you disprove Christianity.” The basis of Christianity is based on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many contend Jesus is a great teacher, but to say that He rose from the dead is far beyond acceptance and belief for many (even many who claim to be Christians; one can look to the recent emergent movement which seems to skirt theology to focus more on the teachings and deeds of Christ rather than the theology of the Word of God and liberal theology which claims that Jesus only rose “spiritually” from the dead).
1 Corinthians 15:13-19 says: [I]f there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
Because of the Resurrection (i.e. the first Easter) we have hope!
1 Corinthians 15 is the most extensive handling of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in the entire Word of God. We must be made aware and understand some information concerning the background of this passage that we might understand it. Corinth was a Greek province or city. It had a storied past and by the time that Paul writes this letter to the church in Corinth, the province was heavily influenced by Roman philosophies and practices. Historically, the Greeks rejected any idea or belief in a resurrection from the dead.
We discover that Paul had been faced with the same unbelief and had been literally laughed to scorn by his hearers before when in Athens he had declared the fact of the resurrection from the dead at the Areopagus (see Acts 17:16-32). Historians tell us that “most Greek philosophers considered the human body a prison, and they welcomed death as deliverance from bondage.” It is this attitude that still permeated the attitudes and intellect of these Corinthians and it is this attitude that had found its way into the mind and theology of some within the church (see v. 12). It is due to this cynical attitude which had invaded the church and some within the church had even written to Paul asking him to address and answer some questions, the fact or fiction of the hope of the resurrection is one of the subjects of their questions. Because this attitude had seeped into the church that Paul addresses and faces this subject head on. In this chapter Paul points out three critical facts concerning the hope that has results from the glorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ on that first Easter. Get your copy of the Word of God and let me help you walk through 1 Corinthians 15 and notice and think about these things (I have put it outline format to make it easier and so you can think through it clearly and move through slowly)…
I. The REALITY Christ’s Resurrection
A. The Reality is PROVEN by their Salvation (vv. 1-2)
B. The Reality is PROVEN by their Testimony (vv. 1-2)
C. The Reality is PROVEN by the Word of God (vv. 3-4)
D. The Reality is PROVEN by Eyewitnesses (vv. 5-11)
1. Also consider Mary Magdalene and the other women that found the empty tomb (see John 20). Think of the fact that this is even in Scripture. Telling that a woman or women found the empty tomb would not bring validity to their argument because in the Biblical times a woman’s word was not worthy of trust, for she was a “second class citizen” (very similar to the many Middle Eastern countries today that are dominated and run by Islamic Law which requires the testimony of two women to stand against the testimony of one man). The only way it would and the only reason it is important and the only reason it was included is that this is exactly what really happened.
2. Those on the road to Emmaus were first hand witnesses to the Risen Lord who walked with them, taught them, and ate with Him unknowingly until they saw the nail prints in His wrists (see Luke 24:13ff).
E. The Reality is PROVEN by My/Your Story. Think about your life before Christ and since coming to know Christ. I know what Christ has and is doing in me! I am different and changed. According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Those of us that know Christ are excellent proof of the Resurrection.
Question: Do you want proof beyond their salvation, their testimony, the things found in the pages of the Word of God, their eyewitness accounts? Do you need more? Then look around! Look at me! Write this down, memorize this, whatever you do never forget: The greatest testimony to the validity and reality of the resurrection is a changed life! Christ has changed me! Has Christ changed you?
II. The REJECTION of Christ’s Resurrection (vv.13-19)
A. There apparently were those that were questioning and saying that there was no hope of anything beyond death. This was nothing new…
1. The Greeks had this view. Read Acts 17 and you will see this.
2. Immediately after the resurrection had occurred the religious leaders had tried deny and reject the resurrection according Matthew 28. Look at what Matthew 28:1-4 and 11-15 has to say, “Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men…Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.”
B. Think about this, it was a capital offense for them to allow a seal to be broken and breached; the religious leaders obviously had some sort of pull in order to keep these guards from losing their lives. They had failed in their missions! The Tomb was empty! It is out of desperation that they do this (i.e. bribing these soldiers).
Question(s): However, there are more questions provided through this explanation than answers. Why were the soldiers sleeping? (This would be punishable by death.) How could the disciples have rolled the stone away without waking them? How could all the soldiers have fallen asleep at the same time? How did they know that the disciples stole the body? Could it not have been someone else? If the story is true, why did the soldiers have to be bribed to tell it? If the disciples had stolen the body, why had they taken time to remove the graveclothes and fold the napkin (i.e. face-covering)? These are all logical and valid questions to pose to those claiming the Resurrection of Christ has not taken place.
Today people still reject the truth of the resurrection. They are still buying into the lie and story that was developed by the Jewish leaders and shared by the soldiers. Many of us know people just like that. Let me share with you an example. Richards Dawkins is an evolutionary biologist, scientist, and author. In 2006 he wrote a book he entitled The God Delusion. He is an emphatic and outspoken atheist and the individual responsible with coining the term “faith-sufferer.” Dawkins and Theologian Allister McGrath debated extensively in 2007. Dawkins has openly stated that he has no need for religion and despises how that it simply weighs down the minds of children and those that believe in a “God” are ignorant and unintelligent. Dawkins has openly stated that he has no need for religion unless it can prove to him and show him that there is a God that exists. During their debate McGrath, a former evolutionist and atheist himself, pointed out that Dawkins is ignorant of Christian Theology and is unable to discuss, research or debate religion and faith intelligently. Dawkins was left fuming during their debate as McGrath pointed out that Dawkins could not disprove the belief system found in the Word of God and held by Bible believing Christians. Those like Dawkins deny the Word of God, the existence of God, the sinfulness of man, the vicarious death of Christ and His resurrection because it does not make sense, it goes beyond reason, or they are beyond that. However, it does not change the fact of the reality of the resurrection! The tomb is empty! There is hope because of the resurrection. They may reject it, but it is reality.
Look closely at 1 Corinthians 15:13-19 again. If there is no resurrection all is hopeless gloom and despair! If there is no resurrection the message of the Gospel is “empty!” Why? Because Jesus did not do what He said he would do (i.e. rise from the dead) and this means He is not worthy of trust. Therefore, there is no hope for salvation and all mankind is left in their sins! If there is no resurrection then those that have died believing in Christ and His gospel then that is pointless. Therefore, if Christ is not raised from the dead then we are part of the biggest hoax of all time! Think about it! If Jesus did not alive, the joke is on us! We are in dire straits and should be pitied! We are in big trouble! The resurrection is at the very heart of our beliefs and our faith! The resurrection is what gives us true hope! It is what our hope lies in! To go through the struggles, trials, persecutions that Christians have gone through and are going through worldwide today, is pathetic and without justification IF Christ is not raised.
III. The RESULTS of Christ’s Resurrection
A. Insures the Vindication of Himself
1. Christ needed no vindication. He did more than enough to prove that He is the Savior of the world through His teachings, compassion, miracles, sinless life, and sacrificial death.
2. But His resurrection is the ultimate proof that He is the Son of God, the Messiah, Savior of the world, and only hope for mankind!
B. Insures the Hope of the Regeneration of Mankind
C. Insures the Protection (or Security) of Mankind
D. Insures the Resurrection of Mankind that is Regenerated
1. What kind of resurrection? Just like Jesus (i.e. literal and bodily).
2. The type of body for those that will believe.
3. This means Christ’s victory over death gives all that will believe victory over death as well.
E. Insures the Consolation (or Comfort/Support) of Regenerated Mankind
1. What is it like to live for and serve Jesus?
2. Is it easy?
3. We can rest assured that we have a Savior that not only endured the pains of death. He defeated death, hell, and the grave and is alive now and forever more to love us, care for us, hear us, and care for us! Hallelujah! What a Savior!
There is the REALITY of Christ’s resurrection, the REJECTION of Christ’s resurrection and the RESULTS of Christ’s resurrection. What hope! When the Word of God speaks of hope it does not speak of it the way we think of hope. When we speak of hope as humans or as a culture we mean that we are optimistic or that we are planning to, or that we are expecting to. But when God’s Word speaks of hope it is not a maybe, think-so, desire, or optimistic thought! When God’s Word speaks of hope it speaks of certainty! Because of the event of Christ’s resurrection on the first Easter we have certainty! We have hope!
I recently read a story of a family who lived during the beginning of the 20th century. It was a true story of a father and mother lost three children in one week in the midst of a diphtheria epidemic. Only their little three-year-old girl escaped. On Easter morning the father, mother, and child were in Sunday school. The father was the Superintendent. He led the school in worship and read the Easter Message from the Bible without a break in his voice. Many in the class were weeping, but the faces of the father and mother remained serene and calm. “How can they do it?” men and women asked each other as they left the church. A fifteen-year-old boy, walking home with his father said, “Father, I guess the Superintendent and his wife really believe all of it.” “All of what?” asked the Father. “You know, Easter and all,” he replied. “Of course,” answered the father, “all Christians believe it.” “Not like they do,” said the boy. “Not like they do.”
Question: Do you have hope? Do you have certainty? Do you know for sure where you will spend eternity? If not you can be certain, you can have hope today that Heaven will be your home if you will trust in the crucified and risen Christ today!
Question: Do you need hope? Maybe you are experiencing a difficult thing in your life, marriage, church right now. Give it to Jesus! He offers you comfort and hope! Are you living for Christ? Are you close to and walking with Christ? Is there sin in your life? Give it to Jesus! Recommit your life today!
Remember: NO Consummation of the Resurrection NO Christianity! No Consummation of the Resurrection, No Salvation! To deny the Resurrection is to den Christianity. The greatest testimony to the validity and reality of the resurrection is a changed life! Maybe you want to pause today and ask God to help you be that living testimony to the validity and reality of His resurrection! Maybe you will be brave enough to ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart and tell you if you have been and are just that: a living testimony to the validity and reality of His resurrection! Pause now. Rejoice! For He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!!!
