Easter Sunday 2023
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1 Corinthians 15:12-19
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised
Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 1
“This is the Word of God” – “Thanks be to God.”
On this Easter Sunday, this celebration of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection we gather to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. But what if there is no resurrection?
According to Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth...this letter inspired by God’s Holy Spirit himself, if there is no resurrection, if “Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain.” This would mean that what we’re doing here today is a royal waste of time. If there is no resurrection, as some declare, any faith you have in Christ would be evidence of your foolishness as it states, “your faith is in vain.”
raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in
13 But if
there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been
vain and your faith is in vain.
1
But...what if the Bible is true? What if Jesus really did live, really did die, and really did remain dead for three days and was risen from the dead by the Father? What if this is real?
You see, we here believe fully that this is no “what if” moment, but reality. Yet, some do not. In fact, many do not. Likely, some of you here today and watching online are not convinced.
THE REALITY OF THE RESURRECTION
For centuries there have been those who have come up with numerous explanations of the death and resurrection of Christ. Not every conspiracy theorist is a fool with tinfoil on their heads. Some are simply struggling with the hard questions of the unseen and have great difficulty taking that required step of faith to believe the supernatural.
Dr. Timothy Paul Jones addresses ten of the most common historic conspiracies surrounding the crucifixion of Christ in his book Conspiracies of the Cross such as...
The NT gospels and other accounts are not eyewitness accounts but created later.
The “lost gospels” that were eliminated from the Bible by church leaders eliminated stories that are sacred. Thus, the Bible is not complete.
Early church leaders selected sacred books and beliefs to protect the church’s power structures only.
The gospels were so poorly copied and edited that the true meanings were changed.
The acts and sayings in the gospels don’t represent actual, historical happenings.
Jesus may have never existed at all. He was just made up by religious zealots.
The Dead Sea Scrolls and even the NT books have encoded secrets about Jesus, that if decoded would change everything we believe.
2
Jesus married Mary Magdalene and didn’t die...thus the Holy Grail myth.
Jesus was never buried, thus never rose again. There were dogs and other animals who roamed the area under the crosses and consumed his and other victim’s bodies. GROSS!
History deals with what probably happened and since miracles are improbable at best, the resurrection cannot be considered historical or actual. Thus, it never happened.
That’s not a complete list, because human nature is to have more faith in human-based stories than God-centered ones. Why? Because we are born into rebellion to the truth and thus, any story that requires total surrender in faith to a God who loves, who redeems, who creates the law, the scientific law, the natural law...then does the supernatural – only that which he can do, to reveal that amazing love leaves many shaking their heads saying, “this cannot be.” Because it is humanly impossible.
Matthew 19:26
26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”2
What a setup, right? Jesus was making sure that what was to come, the impossible moment of life from death, would be known. He was preparing his followers.
RESURRECTION IS CENTRAL
What do I mean by central? For Christians, the resurrection is more important than you may think. If you fail to believe in the resurrection, everything falls apart.3
Paul made it clear to the Corinthians, if the resurrection is a fantasy, then his work is a waste, the church’s teachings are a waste, the time spent studying is a waste, the effort of believers to live holy lives is a waste, the work of ministry is a waste. The church cannot sustain as a good- deeds club and if there is no resurrection, it will be that at best. In other words, without the resurrection, the church is a waste, and the life of the Christian is as well.
I hope you get the seriousness of this reality. It was something the early church was facing. The pressures from the culture, the government, the business world, and even family members were immense. The persecution grew and if people are suffering and even dying for something that is not real...what a waste.
RESURRECTION IS ABOUT MORE THAN JESUS
When it comes to Easter Sunday, we focus as we should, on the most important resurrection miracle in history–that of Jesus Christ three days after his execution. But the doctrine of resurrection is more than about the resurrection of Christ at a date on the calendar about two-thousand years ago in the past, on a rocky hill near Jerusalem. It is that, but much more.
The Christian doctrine or teaching of resurrection includes the belief that not only was Christ raised from the dead in the past, but that all believers (all followers of Christ) will be raised in the future.
1 Corinthians 15:23
23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.4
Are you tracking with me here. Christ, the Son of God, God the Son is the “first fruits” as it states. Then...at his coming, those who belong to Christ!
This basic teaching has been understood for millennia. Even stated in the Apostles’ Creed “I believe in...the resurrection of the body.”
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was not a one-time event never to be repeated. It was the first fruits of a resurrection harvest. His resurrection was and is unique, but those who know him, who are known by him, who have surrendered to him as Lord will not only understand, but experience resurrection too.
This is the message of truth. And...it is not a waste, or in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:14
14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.5
But...Christ has been raised. Thus, our preaching of this is not a waste, not in vain and those of you who believe...good news, your belief, your faith is not in vain.
RESURRECTION FOR THE REDEEMED
What’s worse – atheism or universalism?
Atheism is the belief there is no God. And it leads to a belief that all religions are evil.
Is that worse than universalism?
Universalists will acknowledge the existence of an intelligent being (or force) – one who is over everything, even if distant and impersonal. For the universalist, everyone eventually is redeemed. In other words, we all get to heaven. It’s prominent among many, even if the heaven sought is not what the scriptures reveal. The avoidance of death talk makes such a
belief popular. How evil is this? Universalism means that everyone, despite their sin, their crimes, their actions, their walk, will get to spend eternity in “the good place” and among so many who fight the Christian teachings on the basis of fairness...how fair is this?
Is either worse than the other? I don’t know. Ultimately, I don’t think I care. But what I do care about is this – the fact that many seek to justify their unbelief in God in so many varied ways, not realizing they’re being played.
There is a truth that transcends. There is a hope that is eternal and a life that is available. This is not in vain. This is not a waste. This is real.
Thus, we gather here today as the church, the redeemed, the to-be resurrected with a room full of brothers and sisters in Christ, but also with friends and those who may be questioning, may be curious, may just be here because of family and friends, but from our perspective are not accidentally in the room (or online.) Welcome and please hear this today. God is so very real. We are not wasting our time, efforts, or abilities here. We believe in the message of hope, the story of redemption, the validity of the resurrection of Christ and the ultimate resurrection of the redeemed. And...like the God we serve, we love you and would love for you to know this Jesus, too.
1 Corinthians 15:3-6
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep6
This is the Word of God. Thanks be to God.
End Notes
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Co 15:12–19). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
2 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 19:26). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
3 Um, Stephen. 1 Corinthians: Preaching the Word Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015), 267.
4 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Co 15:23). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 4
5 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Co 15:14). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 5
6 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Co 15:2–6). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 6
