No Resurrection = No Life
Blessings as we move to the heart of Paul and the word of encouragement he has for us!
I have shared with you on numerous occasions through this series that Paul is responding to questions he has been asked and/or concerns which have been shared with him. A letter from Corinth would have arrived by courier which would have afforded Paul the opportunity to ask probing questions about the situation in the church. While he has addressed order in the church and the use of gifts along with a deeper understanding of our life as God’s people, we hear today Paul’s true concern. At stake? The salvation of the people he loves. Paul spent a year and a half in Corinth working to establish the church and raise up leaders who could continue the work once he departed. He knows many of the members and he wants only what is best for them.
Understanding that there are new leaders and influential people in the church, what would you surmise is happening there as you read the following words of Paul?
Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time, he also appeared to me. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
What is at stake? The very essence of the Gospel is being attacked! There are evidently those present in the church who are denying the historical facts which Paul had faithfully made known to them. Paul has been very clear in other letters concerning the truth of the Gospel and the need to protect it from any and all people who would pervert it. In Galatians he writes, “If an angel from heaven should preach any other Gospel than what you received, let him be cursed . . .if anyone preaches a different Gospel to you than what you received, let them be cursed.” (Galatians 1) It is difficult to grasp Paul’s emphasis in the English. He literally says that the one preaching a different Gospel is to be “damned to hell.” This is the strongest condemnation Paul could speak.
Obviously, Paul is taking a gentler tone with the Corinthian Christians. However, the emphasis is the same. There is only one true Gospel and Paul has delivered it to those first believers in Corinth, and no one should ever listen to any other teaching!
Paul then lays out two things! The foundational truth of Jesus and His witnesses! First, the foundational truths of Jesus are, "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” Could Paul be any clearer? The actual historical events of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are the foundation of the Gospel. I often say it this way! First, the Gospel is an historical event. Jesus lived, died, and rose to win for us the forgiveness of sins. Secondly, the Gospel is the proclaimed message of what Jesus actually did! Paul has proclaimed what he knows to be true! How does he know it? That brings us to the second foundational truth, the witnesses.
The resurrection of Jesus was not a secret event in history. It began with the women at the tomb but quickly engulfed the entire Jewish leadership as well as the Roman political machine in Jerusalem. Everyone wanted to know where Jesus was! The Jews made up the story that the disciples stole His body, even going to the point of bribing the guards who were at the tomb, getting them to lie and say they fell asleep on duty when the disciples came to steal the body.
Paul knows the truth and he has made this confession multiple times! As I said, the resurrection of Jesus was not a secret as Paul states, He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time, he also appeared to me.
Paul is not attempting to give a detailed listing of every resurrection appearance. He does not mention the women at the tomb or the Emmaus disciples. He omits the multiple appearances to the apostles. He is simply putting it out there, the resurrection of Jesus is undeniable. Any historical event which has over 500 witnesses would never be questioned. So why is the resurrection of Jesus brought into question by so many people today? Simple! If you take away the resurrection of Jesus, you destroy the Gospel. Without the true Gospel there is no salvation for anyone! Hear me clearly! A dead Savior is no Savior at all! If Jesus is not alive then we are all going to hell. If Jesus is alive then He is the only hope for the world.
It is because of this one great truth that Satan and all the demons in hell fight to destroy this truth and deceive people into rejecting Jesus. If the devil can use the heretical leaders in Corinth to lead the people to reject the physical resurrection of Jesus, then the whole church is lost and all of Paul’s work has been in vain.
Paul’s words did not fall on deaf ears. The church of Corith endured and overcame this early challenge to the Gospel. My prayer is that we who are God’s people today will strive to hold forth the true Gospel in the face of overwhelming opposition in our world. The truth has not changed! If a person does not know Jesus as the crucified and risen Son of God, then there is no hope! May we be those who bring hope to the world by lifting up Jesus for all to see and know.
Blessings,
Pastor Russ
I have shared with you on numerous occasions through this series that Paul is responding to questions he has been asked and/or concerns which have been shared with him. A letter from Corinth would have arrived by courier which would have afforded Paul the opportunity to ask probing questions about the situation in the church. While he has addressed order in the church and the use of gifts along with a deeper understanding of our life as God’s people, we hear today Paul’s true concern. At stake? The salvation of the people he loves. Paul spent a year and a half in Corinth working to establish the church and raise up leaders who could continue the work once he departed. He knows many of the members and he wants only what is best for them.
Understanding that there are new leaders and influential people in the church, what would you surmise is happening there as you read the following words of Paul?
Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time, he also appeared to me. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
What is at stake? The very essence of the Gospel is being attacked! There are evidently those present in the church who are denying the historical facts which Paul had faithfully made known to them. Paul has been very clear in other letters concerning the truth of the Gospel and the need to protect it from any and all people who would pervert it. In Galatians he writes, “If an angel from heaven should preach any other Gospel than what you received, let him be cursed . . .if anyone preaches a different Gospel to you than what you received, let them be cursed.” (Galatians 1) It is difficult to grasp Paul’s emphasis in the English. He literally says that the one preaching a different Gospel is to be “damned to hell.” This is the strongest condemnation Paul could speak.
Obviously, Paul is taking a gentler tone with the Corinthian Christians. However, the emphasis is the same. There is only one true Gospel and Paul has delivered it to those first believers in Corinth, and no one should ever listen to any other teaching!
Paul then lays out two things! The foundational truth of Jesus and His witnesses! First, the foundational truths of Jesus are, "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” Could Paul be any clearer? The actual historical events of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are the foundation of the Gospel. I often say it this way! First, the Gospel is an historical event. Jesus lived, died, and rose to win for us the forgiveness of sins. Secondly, the Gospel is the proclaimed message of what Jesus actually did! Paul has proclaimed what he knows to be true! How does he know it? That brings us to the second foundational truth, the witnesses.
The resurrection of Jesus was not a secret event in history. It began with the women at the tomb but quickly engulfed the entire Jewish leadership as well as the Roman political machine in Jerusalem. Everyone wanted to know where Jesus was! The Jews made up the story that the disciples stole His body, even going to the point of bribing the guards who were at the tomb, getting them to lie and say they fell asleep on duty when the disciples came to steal the body.
Paul knows the truth and he has made this confession multiple times! As I said, the resurrection of Jesus was not a secret as Paul states, He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time, he also appeared to me.
Paul is not attempting to give a detailed listing of every resurrection appearance. He does not mention the women at the tomb or the Emmaus disciples. He omits the multiple appearances to the apostles. He is simply putting it out there, the resurrection of Jesus is undeniable. Any historical event which has over 500 witnesses would never be questioned. So why is the resurrection of Jesus brought into question by so many people today? Simple! If you take away the resurrection of Jesus, you destroy the Gospel. Without the true Gospel there is no salvation for anyone! Hear me clearly! A dead Savior is no Savior at all! If Jesus is not alive then we are all going to hell. If Jesus is alive then He is the only hope for the world.
It is because of this one great truth that Satan and all the demons in hell fight to destroy this truth and deceive people into rejecting Jesus. If the devil can use the heretical leaders in Corinth to lead the people to reject the physical resurrection of Jesus, then the whole church is lost and all of Paul’s work has been in vain.
Paul’s words did not fall on deaf ears. The church of Corith endured and overcame this early challenge to the Gospel. My prayer is that we who are God’s people today will strive to hold forth the true Gospel in the face of overwhelming opposition in our world. The truth has not changed! If a person does not know Jesus as the crucified and risen Son of God, then there is no hope! May we be those who bring hope to the world by lifting up Jesus for all to see and know.
Blessings,
Pastor Russ
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