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The 5th question – the resurrection (3 things)
We NEED to tell them – we need to stand up for the Gospel!
1st – The Gospel message… vs. 1-11
Paul confirms the ‘Good News’ he had preached to the church in Corinth… vs. 1-2
It is the same Gospel Paul had himself received when he was saved – Acts 9:17
It is the same Gospel that had saved all who believed in church in Corinth…
Unless they didn’t hold onto the Word – Jesus – in which case their faith was useless…
Paul warns the believers – if they did not hold onto Jesus – there is no salvation…
Apparently some of the people in Corinth were turning their faith into a religion…
Religion – faith in rules and traditions – has no power to save us from hell…
Religion is only men’s vain imperfect attempt to reach up to a perfect God…
It is only when a God reaches down to fallen men there is hope…
It is only a relationship with Jesus – holding onto Jesus – that gets us to heaven!
The Good News…
1st – Jesus died for our sins… vs. 3
This is the foundation of the Gospel message – the solution to our biggest problem…
All of us are sinners – there are no exceptions – Romans 3:23…
And there is only one penalty for sin – eternal death/hell – Romans 6:23…
But God loves us so much – John 3:16 – He came and paid our debt for us…
God came as a man – ‘in the flesh’ as it were – and lived a perfect sinless life…
John 1:1,14 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… the Word became human and lived here on earth among us.”
Jesus Christ – the only perfect man – paid the price for our sin on the cross…
In that moment Jesus condemned sin – defeated the sin once and for all!
Then came the great mysteries of the ages – God gave us Jesus’ righteousness!
II Corinthians 5:21 – “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
In Jesus – we have a perfect life – we have fulfilled the requirement of the Law…
Now when God looks down on us – He does not see our sinful mistakes/flaws…
He instead sees the perfect life of His Son Jesus – He sees us as perfect/flawless!
2nd – He was buried… vs. 4
Before Jesus died – no one went to heaven – Hebrews 11:39
Those who died having faith in the Lord – went to Abraham’s bosom – Luke 16:22…
When Jesus died He went there and set free all who had died in faith- Isaiah 61:1
Jesus now has the Keys to Hell and Death – Revelation 1:18
Jesus opened up the door to Eternal Life – the resurrection of the dead…
We are all one day going to die – these bodies wear out – (older people say Amen)
But we do not sorrow or weep like those who have no hope – death is not the end…
We have hope because of Jesus – we will one day get new bodies – II Corinthians 5:1
3rd – On the 3rd day He rose again… vs. 4
The Gospel message – salvation – hinges on the death AND resurrection of Jesus…
The Gospel is God so loved the world – that HE – Jesus/God – gave His life…
But the Good news is not that Jesus died – everybody dies – it is the resurrection!
By believing in Jesus – and only by faith in Jesus – we are forgiven – saved!
The Gospel is we get to go to heaven only because of Jesus’ death & resurrection!
4th – Jesus appeared… vs. 5-7
Jesus resurrection was not a rumor – there were MANY witnesses!
Cephas/Peter – by the Sea of Galilee – John 21:14
By the twelve (the title for the Apostles – though only 11 remained) – Luke 24:36
The 500 – when Jesus went up to Galilee after His resurrection – Matthew 28:16
A group of over 500 people saw Him – the resurrected Christ!
Most of them were still alive at the time of Paul’s writing I Corinthians…
Meaning there were plenty of eye-witnesses who could testify to the resurrection
James – the brother of Jesus – a meeting only recorded for us here by Paul…
Then by all the Apostles at Jesus’ ascension into heaven – Acts 1:14
Finally Paul – Acts 9 – on the road to Damascus… vs. 8-11
Paul came along after the crucifixion/resurrection – born at the wrong time…
He called himself the ‘least’ of the Apostles – because he persecuted the church…
Paul would later go on to call himself the least of all the saints – Ephesians 3:8
And towards the end of his life call himself the chief of sinners – I Timothy 1:15
The closer Paul got to Jesus – the more he realized how much he needed grace…
When you first get up in the morning – you might think you look pretty good…
But when you turn on the light – get closer to a mirror – you see lots of imperfections!
The closer we get to Jesus – the more we realize just how much of a sinner we are…
Diving us to hold all that much tighter to Jesus – not trusting in ourselves!
God used Paul as an example of the power of Grace…
I Timothy 1:16 – “That is why God had mercy on me, so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners.”
If God could save Paul – who persecuted the church / murdered believers…
No one is beyond the reach of grace – anyone can be saved!
The worst – most Godless – spiteful bitter sinner – is just the one God wants to save!
No that Paul did nothing – ‘I am what I am by the Grace of God’…
He understood his salvation was only by the grace of God…
But He worked harder than anyone else – through the power of God’s grace in him…
The Grace of God does not mean we do not work – just the opposite…
We work harder – but recognize it not about our efforts – but God’s Grace!
2nd – Questioning the resurrection… vs. 12-19
Apparently there were some in Corinth who questioned the resurrection…
Not particularly Jesus’ resurrection – just the idea of anyone being resurrected…
I Corinthians 1:22-23 – “Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness…”
To many – intellectual pride kept them from getting past the idea of the dead rising…
They had never seen a dead man live again – so the resurrection was just foolishness…
You live – then you die – that is the end – there is no life after death…
If we are honest – all of us have asked this question at some point in our lives…
Perhaps while attending a funeral – looking at the body of someone we knew…
What happens when we take our last breath – is there really anything after death…
Is there really a heaven for those who believe / hell for those who do not…
The problem is if there is no resurrection of the dead – then Jesus also was not raised…
If Jesus was not raised from the dead – then the Gospel message is not true…
We have all believed in something that is lie – our faith is useless…
Paul and all the apostles are liars – because they taught God raised Jesus up…
If Jesus is not risen – then there was no price paid for sin – we are still condemned!
Those who have died believing in Jesus (everyone who dies) – are lost forever…
If our only hope is in Jesus – if it is all a lie – then we are hopeless!
Life without hope – Isaiah 22:13
If we only have this life to live – then there are no consequences for our actions…
There is no right – there is no wrong / there is no heaven – there is no hell…
We mind as well live it up – eat / drink / and have all the fun we can…
Because when it’s over – there is nothing – we cease to exist…
Much of the world lives by this doctrine – as though there are no consequences…
Unfortunately for them – Jesus is risen – therefore there is life after death!
3rd – Jesus is risen – there are consiwences to our choices… vs. 20-34
Jesus is risen! He is the first fruits… vs. 20, 23
The Bible uses the word ‘fallen asleep’ – to describe the death of a believer…
Because for us it is not the end – we have the hope of eternal life to come…
Jesus was the first to be resurrected – but all who believe will follow His example!
In fact everyone will live forever – our spirit is eternal…
The question we are left to answer – is where will we spend out eternity!
From Adam to Jesus… 21-22
All men come from Adam – the first man – through him all men ‘inherited’ death/hell…
All men followed in Adam’s sin/disobedience – all men are all sinners…
But in Jesus – all men had the opportunity to receive Grace/heanen!
The choice is do we remain in our sin (death) / or believe in Jesus (life)…
We were once under Adam – cursed – destined for death and hell…
But now we are under Jesus – blessed – destined for life and heaven!
Death is not the end – it is only the beginning… vs. 24-28
The end is not when we die – the end comes when Jesus has conquered all…
Jesus will rule – till He brings an end to every authority and power – Psalms 8:6
All nations / all kingdoms / all men / even satan and his demons…
Philippians 2:10 -“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth…”
And the very last enemy Jesus will destroy is death…
Death was never part of God’s original plan – it was the result of sin – Genesis 3…
God created us to have an eternal relationship with Him – but that was lost…
When Jesus defeating sin through the power of the cross – He defeated death!
When the works done – God separates believers from unbelievers – Revelation 20:12
Jesus will put Himself under God the Father…
Then God will be all in all – His creation back to the way He originally intended…
That is the end of the story – not when we take our last breath here in earth!
Until then because of the resurrection – there is persecution…
Baptism of the dead… vs. 29
This is a very problematic verse – it’s meaning is highly debated…
Most likely Paul is referring to the picture of baptism…
Baptism is a picture of the death and resurrection of Jesus…
We were buried with him in baptism – raised up in new life…
If there was no resurrection – then why would be bother to get baptized!
This verse has been heretically interpreted by some cults (Mormons)…
They use this verse to justify – ‘baptism for the dead’…
The practice of proxy baptism – being baptized in place of dead loved ones…
Providing salvation through baptism to those who are already dead
Paul faced death every day… vs. 30-32
Paul was in constant danger – daily faced death because of the Gospel message…
From the moment Paul was saved – his life was in danger…
He had to be lowered out of a basket from the city of Damascus – Acts 9:25…
He was stoned to death on his 1st missionary journey – Acts 14:19
He even ‘fought wild beasts’ while he was in Ephesus – and lived…
The Romans would take prisoners and put them in their arenas for amusement…
Often Christians would be fed to lions for the entertainment of the crowds…
If the resurrection not true – if it was just a lie – know one would have cared…
But the name of Jesus causes men to react – it reminds them of their sin…
So those who preach Jesus – preach the resurrection – are persecuted…
You can talk about just about any subject – and people will not care – except Jesus!
Don’t be fooled – preach the Gospel… vs. 33-34
We are foolish if we think those around us do not affect us…
If you hang out with people who gamble – tell bad jokes – and get drunk…
You think to yourself – I will not be like them – I am a godly Christian – foolish…
Choose VERY wisely who you spend time with – cause you will become like them!
Instead sober up – stop sinning – tell others about Jesus…
There are some who don’t know about the Gospel (agnostic)…
Rather than going along with those who are a bad example…
Stop sinning – and start telling them about the Good News of Jesus…
Because there is a resurrection – and we will all live forever…
We don’t share Jesus out of some sense of obligation – or for some reward…
But cause of the very real danger of Hell – the destination for any who reject Jesus
Hell is not temporary – it is the 2nd death – eternal separation from God – no hope
It is to our shame that people do not know how to stay out of hell…
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