The Resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:12-20)
Sermon Summary
Pastor David Yan
1 October 2023
Tell people that God is love and there will be little objection. Tell them God is powerful and again there will be little objection. But tell people God raises the dead and there shall be a natural resistance. The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God (1 Cor.2:14).
The Bible teaches resurrection. In Paul’s day people rejected this teaching. Paul wrote, “how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?”—1 Cor.15:12.
To deny resurrections is to question apostolic testimony. Men like Paul, Peter and John testified that they saw the risen Lord. To reject resurrection is to question the integrity of such men. But they were honest men who spoke the truth. They either preached honestly or they preached a hoax.
Deniers of resurrection ignore the power of the gospel as preached in the early church. Thousands of people were converted.
Things have not changed. The Christian church exists today and this is because there is a power within it and it is the power of a living person—Jesus Christ.
Consider the evidence of Christ's resurrection as Paul presents it in his epistle.
Jesus died and rose according to the Scriptures. His death and resurrection were foretold, fulfilled, and are at the heart of Christian belief.
He rose and actually appeared to people. It was a visible physical appearance which transformed people.
He appeared to Cephas (Peter) and then to the other apostles. After that he was seen by over 500 brethren at once. After that he was seen by James and by all the apostles. Then he was seen by Paul himself. His resurrection was not private. It was very public. There was nothing to hide but everything to reveal. Jesus was alive!
Paul argues that if there is no such thing as resurrection then Christ clearly cannot be risen. Furthermore, preachers of the resurrection are false witnesses for they have preached a lie.
If there is no resurrection then Christian faith is futile and we are still in our sins. If Christ did not rise to conquer sin then sin, which leads to death, conquers us.
Also, all who have died believing in Jesus have perished. If Jesus did not rise from death believers are of all people the most pitiable for they have been deceived.
The resurrection of Jesus is at the heart of Christianity. Because of it believers have hope in the life hereafter. A certain man spoke of the horrific murder of his daughter. He said he believed he would see his daughter again because of the resurrection of Jesus. What glorious hope in the midst trials!
Praise God for the resurrection of Jesus. Do not deny it; embrace it. You will be blessed.