Sunday, February 17, 2013 pm
Christ, Our Risen Hope
1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Please understand that belief in the resurrection is imperative
to our salvation. Rom. 10:9 says,
“that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your
heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…”
If you don’t believe in the resurrection of Jesus you don’t
believe in His salvation.
You are in your sins. You
CANNOT be saved!
That is one the
points Paul seeks to establish in the text we will examine this evening.
a.
Christ is not risen.
This was NOT denied by the Corinthians.
Recall how Paul noted there were eyewitnesses of the resurrected
Jesus, including more than 500 on one occasion, most of whom were still
alive as this letter was written.
It is even possible that some within the congregation itself had
seen the risen Christ (or eyewitnesses had visited with them).
BUT, Paul notes emphatically that the resurrection of Jesus is
PROOF that there will be a resurrection for all of mankind (which is
what seems to have been denied by some).
In
1 Cor. 15:20 after giving
the consequences of no resurrection (which we are currently discussing)
he says, “But now Christ is risen
from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen
asleep.” The idea of
“firstfruits” is “the first of a set” (L&N, 61:8).
Paul’s point was that because Christ arose, so will we.
This text will be addressed in greater detail in our next lesson.
What was the purpose of the resurrection of Jesus?
To demonstrate His power over death.
To give mankind hope beyond this life.
His resurrection was DESIGNED to tell us we will be raised too.
You CANNOT separate the two!
Consider the following:
John 11:25, as Jesus spoke
to Martha concerning the raising of Lazarus HE said, “I
am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”
Heb. 2:14-15 says, “Inasmuch
then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself
likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who
had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who
through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
b.
If
Christ is not risen, our preaching is vain.
Paul notes that their message is ineffective.
i.
Have you
thought about how much the preaching of the first century was centered
around the resurrection? The
book of Acts bears that out!
Continually, the message – and the source of greatest controversy – was
the resurrection of Jesus.
1.
Acts 2 –
Peter’s sermon on Pentecost – David is dead, Jesus is risen – Ac.
2:22-36
2.
Acts 3:15,
Peter in the temple, they killed “the prince of life, whom God raised
from the dead, of which we are witnesses.”
3.
Acts 4:2,
10 – many greatly disturbed because they preached the resurrection
4.
Acts 4:33,
“with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus.”
5.
Acts
13:34-35 – Paul on his first journey at Antioch of Pisidia, spoke of God
raising Jesus from the dead.
6.
Acts 17:31
– in Athens, Paul speaks of judgment and the assurance through the
raising of Jesus from the dead.
This caused a great stir.
7.
Acts 26:23
– before Agrippa, Paul mentions the suffering and resurrection of Jesus.
ii.
At the
foundation of Paul’s preaching was the resurrection.
In no less than 7 letters of Paul
he mentions the resurrection.
It is also mentioned in other texts and authors as well.
iii.
IF there is not resurrection,
Paul’s preaching, and that of others, served no real purpose.
It was empty. Paul’s
point is that the resurrection, both of Christ and man, was the point!
iv.
What
constitutes vain preaching?
Preaching that is based upon a lie.
Why? Because it CANNOT accomplish what it promises.
Paul notes that his preaching included not only the resurrected
Jesus but the resurrection of all mankind to face judgment.
IF there is no resurrection, his preaching was a lie.
Cf. Eph. 5:6, “Let no one deceive
you with empty words.”
Col. 2:8, “beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and
empty deceit, according to
the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world,
and not according to Christ.”
c.
IF
Christ is not risen, our faith is also empty.
The word empty is from the same root word we just discussed in
Paul’s preaching. Why are we
here? Because we have a hope
beyond this life. What’s the
use if there is no resurrection?
I don’t know about you, but MY hope and my faith is based upon, not just
the life of Jesus, but His resurrection.
I believe there is something better waiting when this life is
over. And it is
possible because Jesus arose from the dead.
Atheism denies Jesus as the Son of God and His miracles.
Islam denies that Jesus was resurrected.
Many eastern religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucius, etc.) see
Jesus as nothing more than a sage and deny the resurrection.
My faith depends upon the empty tomb and what it promises me!
d.
If
Christ is not risen, Paul and others were false witnesses (15)
– Paul here takes the emptiness
of his preaching further.
i.
He notes
that if there is no resurrection (which means Christ did not rise) then
he and others who say there is are liars - because they proclaimed of
God that Christ was risen.
ii.
Paul notes
the falsehood of their message – because they preached that Jesus was
resurrected. And the
implication is that they are well aware of what they are teaching.
So if there is no resurrection Paul says he is a fraud, and so
was Peter, and Apollos and even Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 1:12-13).
iii.
There is
NO middle ground on this!
Either they taught the truth or they were liars! FOR preaching to be
truly effective, it must be rooted in total truth.
e.
If
Christ is not risen, our faith is futile (17).
Not just empty, but without any result.
i.
In other
words, “What’s the use?” Why suffer for the cause of Christ?
Why give up family and possessions?
Why put our trust in God when it doesn’t matter?
All of these are valid observations if there is no resurrection!
ii.
We
are still in our sins –
this is the ultimate result of Christ not having been raised from the
dead! Another key doctrine
of the gospel. The
forgiveness of sins through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
How often are we reminded that it was through the sacrifice of Jesus our
sins are forgiven?
Acts 13:37-39 – “But He whom God
raised up saw no corruption. 38 Therefore let it be known to you,
brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of
sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things
from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
Rom. 8:33-34 – Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? Christ died,
is risen, is seated at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.
f.
Those who have fallen asleep have perished
– what of the dead, if there is no
resurrection? Like Rover
they are dead all over. Cf. 1
Cor. 15:32
There are many who deny the resurrection – either fully or partially.
JWs teach the wicked will not be raised.
Many have begun to teach there is no hell.
g.
IF
our only hope is in this life, we are to be pitied as men!
Think about what one gives up to live as a Christian.
Think of the suffering, the sacrifice, the denial of pleasures.
Think of the mockings by the ungodly!
What’s the use – if there is no resurrection?
a.
What
does this text say about false teachers?
Is it their demeanor or their message that makes them
false teachers?
Paul said it was their message – REGARDLESS of whether or not
they were sincere.
2 Pet. 2:1-3 warns about them being in destructive heresies, even
denying the Lord who bought them…
How much error has to be in the message for it to be false?
Consider the agenda of some of our false teachers – amassing huge
audiences with false messages of material prosperity, casual service,
etc. I am speaking of their overall message – which at times is buried
in the details.
b.
What if
there is no resurrection?
Take this to its real conclusion.
What incentive is there to follow Jesus and obey God?
What of the wicked who oppress the godly?
What’s the use of living any way other than for yourselves?
What about the rest of the Bible
– is it true? Honestly – WHY AM I HERE?
If I have nothing to fear by living for myself what is the point
of NOT living selfishly? MY
POINT is to demonstrate the real consequences of denying the exactness
of the message of the Bible. Again
consider vs. 19.
c.
Is our
faith empty?
Is it possible to have an empty faith?
What if we trust in teachings that are false?
How many today misunderstand the plan of salvation?
How many reject the significance of baptism? Is it possible to be
living in sin and think that you are fine?
Is it possible that you are part of a church that is false?
In all such instances, you may have faith, but it is empty!
Furthermore, James 2 speaks of dead faith as a faith not accompanied by
actions (Jas. 2:14-17).
THOUGHT: Many today
wear jewelry with crosses or crucifixes.
A crucifix is a cross with the body of Jesus still on it.
Have you thought about that?
Why wear a piece of jewelry with Jesus STILL on the cross? Is
that where our hope is?