1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Pastor Nam Park.
The Question before us: Why Does the Resurrection Matter?
When thinking of the gospel of Jesus, we don't always think of the Resurrection.
We emphasize the His death and the forgiveness of sins through His death. But it's rare to hear the Gospel with emphasis on the fact that He was raised from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
- Paul stresses that not only that Christ dies, a death validated by burial, and then raised.
Why do we celebrate the resurrection and not merely His death? A: Because the resurrection demonstrates the power of everything He has promised. He can actually give life and not just proclaim the forgiveness of sins. The resurrection validates everything that is accomplished on the cross. His Resurrection is the key to THE LIFE that is lived in Him.
1 Corinthians 15:12-20 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact 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 worthless; you are still in your sins.18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
1 Corinthians 15:12-20 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact 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 worthless; you are still in your sins.18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
Matthew 9:1-6 Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city. 2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He *said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.”
Only God can dispense grace and grant the forgiveness of sins.
Which is easier: To say your sins are forgiven or to demonstrate the impossible? You can't just go around saying "your sins are forgiven," without validating the power behind it. The crowd understands it perfectly, that Jesus is not just talk.
So did Jesus die on the cross? ABSOLUTELY. But not only did say that he would take the wrath of God in the place that we justly deserve, He would overcome death and then come back to life; Physically, Verifiably, Historically. That validates that He is UNLIKE ANYONE ELSE. He has come back from the dead. This is the power of the gospel.
At that time, if you didn't believe, you were to go verify it with witnesses of the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:5-8 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.
If Christ was not raised, then we are not forgiven and we are still in our sins.
He died "ONCE FOR ALL." And once I believe, he becomes my forgiveness of sins (past, present, and future sins). And if Christ didn't raise from the dead, there is no proof that we are forgiven. It's proof of the power of God to save.
Micah: Dad, which is your favorite super hero?
Nam: Superman.
Micah: Yea, I like superman because he's the most powerful.
---
Nam: But Micah, can he create life out of nothing?
Micah: What?
[Teaching them, no matter how powerful one created being can get, he can not measure to the power of God. God speaks and reality happens; that is His power.]
God's power is mostly demonstrated:
1. The Creation of the World
2. The Salvation of Sinners: To give to dead men who are in their sin, life again.
Salvation of your Soul. The darkness of your sin. The deadness of your death. In the midst of your sin, you have been given life. But no resurrection, you're still dead, in your sin.
Romans 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
Two Options.
1. We pay for our own sins.
2. Son of God takes our place. But if Christ isn't raised, we don't get option 2.
The tragedy of this world is all around. Each tombstone has the story of a life lived. Yet our hope is beyond death. 1 Corinthians 15:20 affirms this.
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
Dead men do not come back from the grave.
But God has the power to give life to that which was dead.
And if Christ is raised from the dead, our testimony is TRUE and more significantly, your sins are FORGIVEN. And if Christ has been raised from the dead, not only has He died for my sins once for all, He proves has the authority to do it. To demonstrate that the Son of Man has the authority to forgive sins, He has risen from the dead. For those that have hope in Christ, we will see them again. For those that have hope in Christ, we are not pitiful but instead the MOST TO BE ENVIED among all humanity. Christ will change us and give us life. We worship a living Savior. He is risen, He is alive.
