“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” -1 Corinthians 15:20
Happy Easter! For those of you who haven’t been with us this weekend our conference is called God dies, God lives. So far we have thought about the cross, where our God, Jesus Christ died for us, to purchase our salvation. But today we want to think about the other half, God lives. That is that after Jesus died, he did not stay in the grave, but he rose, and he lives today and forever. Now theres a lot to talk about when it comes to the resurrection. But today I want to think primarily about its relevance to us. What difference does it make that Christ rose? Lets think about this as we go through the text from 1 Co 15:12-20.
Now the purpose of Easter is to remember what Christianity is really all about. This is so important for us to do not only on Easter, but actually everyday, because its easy for us to forget what really matters. We can be doing all the right things, going to church, Bible studies, singing worship songs, praying, evangelizing, serving the poor, and doing missions, but if the gospel isn’t at the core of all this, we have lost our way. Without the gospel driving us there will be no real life inside, no motivation, no joy, no hope. It would all be in vain. The heart of the matter is the gospel, centered around the person and work of Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Paul says “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you….For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” In the whole book of 1 Corinthians Paul gives the Corinthian church loads of advice on numerous sins and conflicts occurring in the church ranging from food, to idolatry, to marriage, to sexual immorality, to lawsuits. There were real problems in the church, just like there are real problems in our church and in every church. But here, in chapter 15, in the end of his letter,
Paul brings everything back home to that which is of 1st importance, the gospel.
The gospel means good news. Notice it is not good advice, but good news. A man named Dr Martin Lloyd Jones once said on the radio “Advice is counsel about something that hasn’t happened yet, but you can do something about it. News is a report about something that has happened which you can’t do anything about because it has been done for you and all you can do is respond to it.” So today I’m not here to give you good advice on how to be a better Christian. My hope is instead to tell you the good news of what Christ has already done for you 2000 years ago. All you have to do is listen and respond.
The significance of the resurrection in 5 points (15: 12-20)
As we look at the text from 1 Co 15:12-20, Paul lays out a logically sound argument for the resurrection, and by doing so shows us what difference it makes that Christ really did rise from the dead. Apparently some people were claiming that Christ did not actually physically rise. His response is to show them how critically significant it is to either deny or accept the resurrection. So Paul lays out 5 consequences if the resurrection didn’t happen. By doing so he indirectly demonstrates that the resurrection means 5 amazing things to us if it really did happen.
Here are the five points.
• If Christ has not been raised, you are still in your sins (17). But because Christ has been raised we are no longer in our sins.
• If Christ has not been raised, Paul’s preaching and Scripture is false and irrelevant. (15) But because he did, we have an assurance of absolute truth.
• If Christ has not been raised, our faith is in vain and we are wasting our time entirely (14). But because he did, our faith is trustworthy and worthwhile.
• If Christ has not been raised, there is no hope beyond death (18) But because Christ has been raised, we have an eternal hope to look forward to, after we die.
• If Christ has not been raised and our hope is only in this life, we are to be most pitied (19). But because Christ has been raised, we are the most enviable people.
The resurrection makes a huge difference. It changes everything. Lets go in depth on these points.
1st. Our reconciliation to God is truly complete
“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” (verse 17)
If Christ is still in the grave, his atoning sacrifice was nullified. Its not that Christ’s death was not sufficient, but if he did not rise, that means he lost the battle. This means God’s wrath is till upon us and there is no way of us reconciling that divide. This is critical. If Christ did not rise, our salvation means nothing. Talk of forgiveness is merely fluff to make you feel good. However, because Jesus did rise, our forgiveness of sin is not a meaningless expression. Jesus’ resurrection in a sense, put a sealing stamp on our restored relationship with God.
Jesus showed his work on the cross legitimate because he proved it by his power. In Mark 2, 4 friends brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus to ask him to heal him. But when Jesus sees the friend, instead of healing him, he says to him “Son, your sins are forgiven.” It says there were scribes present, who questioned Jesus saying, who does he think he is that he could forgive sins? It was a legitimate question, because truly only God can forgive sin. Jesus responded by proving his authority as God, by healing the man of his paralysis right there on the spot. How much more did Jesus prove that our forgiveness of sin through his death was real, when he rose from the dead!
Assurance of salvation can be a difficult thing. For those who aren’t Christians, its hard to believe that God really can wipe your slate clean just like that. Even for those of us who are Christians, we fail and fall and Satan tempts us to doubt whether what Christ has done in our lives is real. But when Jesus rose from the dead, he quieted all those apprehensions! Because Jesus really did rise from the dead, our forgiveness is sure and we can have peace in our hearts, regardless of our performance past, present, and future. We don’t have to live in guilt and always worry about whether or not we are measuring up. Instead Because Christ’s sacrifice for us was proven authentic when he rose from the dead, we can live in peace with God and have absolute assurance that we are accepted by him.
2nd. Truth has been verified (Verse 15)
“If Christ has not been raised…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.”
Basically if Christ did not rise, the whole Bible is a lie. But God did provide a complete and perfect validation to all of his Word by raising his Son from the dead. Because of the resurrection, the witness and testimony of the apostles is true. As followers of Christ we can claim absolute truth not because we are any special, but because our God unlike any other, died and rose from the dead. Our society is under a serious crisis of truth. The common philosophy is that there is no absolute truth. Everything is relative. So making truth claims about anything such as abortion or homosexuality is extremely controversial and confrontational. But if Jesus Christ really rose, the apostles’ testimony about him is true. He really is God, and he has the authority to tell us what is true or not. The Bible is not made up. Its stories are true. Its promises are true. We can believe what it says. Even more, we should believe what it says.
3rd. Our faith is not in vain (verse 14)
“And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”
If Christ did not rise from the dead, we are wasting our time. Every time you have sacrificed your money, time, relationships, ideologies, or ambitions, it was in vain. But because Jesus rose from the dead, he proved himself trustworthy and so our faith is not in vain. We need to know this, because faith is hard. Often it takes sacrifice and suffering to live out faith. Im sure many if not all of you in this room at one point or another asked yourself if it really worth it to follow Christ? Because Christ has been raised, its not a waste of time. Jesus is trustworthy.
People these days have a hard time trusting anything or anyone, but understandably so. The media and advertising is filled with so many empty promises coming from skilled marketers trying to get your time and your money. Just last week I unfortunately fell for a spam I got in my email about getting a free apple ipad. It took me to waste 20 dollars signing up for 2 promotions before I found out I would have to do 8 before I would get my free Ipad. Life is full of so many empty promises, and disappointments. Perhaps most of all what people want is the ability to trust. Its hard to trust anyone or anything these days. But Jesus Christ made a huge promise, that he would rise from the dead, and he kept his word! When we trust him for answered prayer, guidance, our future, desires, financial security, or protection, it is not in vain. If you trust in Jesus, he will not disappoint you. Jesus will always be there for you and will never let you down.
4th. Eternal hope. (Verse 18)
“Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.”
This means that if Christ has not been raised, then at every funeral where it has been said this person is in a better place, it is not true. If Christ has not been raised and he’s dead, certainly he is not able to save those who put their faith in him. However, because Christ has in fact been raised, if we are in Him, we don’t have to fear the grave! In verse 20 Paul says “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Firstfruits are the first crops of the harvest which preceed the rest of the harvest. This means that just as Christ rose from the dead, we who believe in him will all also one day rise to live forever with him! Forever is a long time. Its longer than we can even imagine. How can we trust God when he promises us something this amazing? We can trust him because he proved he was the real deal when he conquered death himself and rose up from the grave! 1 Pe 1:3,4 say “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” What do you hope for? Our hopes can vary from finding the perfect romance, being successful, happy, rich, famous, and the list goes on. None of these things are wrong, as long as they don’t take the first place in our hearts, otherwise we will be thoroughly disappointed one day. Because one day they will all end. But there is only one hope that lasts forever. Only in Christ is their true imperishable, undefiled, and unfading hope.
If Christ has not been raised, then as Paul says later in verse 32 “Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die.” If there is no hope after life, we really better make sure were enjoying the time we have here. But no, because Christ has been raised, we have much more to live for, and we don’t have to fear death. The joy and hope we have is not just wishful thinking. If Christ has been raised, we too will also one day rise to live forever with him. Its really going to happen.
5th. We are to be envied more than anyone. (verse 19)
“If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
It makes a lot of sense that if Christ didn’t rise, us Christians have been following a lost cause for the past 2000 years. We are counting not only our lives here on earth but our eternity on him. So if he did not rise to show who he truly is, we really are the most pitiable people in the world. This is all a big joke. But on the contrary, because Christ has risen, we are to be envied more than anyone. People should really be jealous of us, and when they hear what we have, they should really want it! People don’t usually think of Christians as enviable. A common impression of Christians is the people who are boring, rigid, serious, have no fun, have so many rules to follow and sacrifice so much. Yes we are to be pitied if Christ has not been raised. However, because Christ has been raised, we are to be envied more than anyone! We are the most blessed people on the whole planet, because our God, Jesus Christ who died and rose, is alive, and one day we will rise just like he did to live with him forever! Amen.
Conclusion
I hope you can see from this text that the resurrection makes a huge difference. The resurrection does not allow for indifference. Believing in him or not leads to two very extreme opposites. He either rose and is God or he died and was a crazy deceiver. Jesus either rose from the dead and everything fantastic such as eternal life and joy and peace which he promised us is true! Or he did not rise and we should throw Christianity out and forget about it all together. There is no middle ground here. All of Christianity hinges on the resurrection and it really is a make or break point when it comes to our faith. I pray that God would open your eyes to see and believe that it is true, and to see the glory of the Risen Lord in your heart, that it would fill you with real and lasting joy, peace, and hope to one day rise and be with him forever. Amen.