The Fact of Christ’s Resurrection
15 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 [a]the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you [b]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, 5 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 [c]James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as [d]to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, [e]and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 1 Cor.15:1-9 NASB
3 For I delivered to you [b]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, 5 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 [c]James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as [d]to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, [e]and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 1 Cor.15:1-9 NASB
Above are probably some of the most important passages of scripture in your bible as the Apostle Paul clearly explains the gospel. Paul conveys to the Corinthians the message he has been preaching to them. Paul is going to remind them that the gospel is actual history. It is not a theory or a speculation. It is not a dream or some mystical event.
There are 4 events or parts to the Gospel message.
- The Crucifixion
- The Burial
- The Resurrection
- The Appearances of the Risen Christ.
1. Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.
2. The Burial- Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned", according to the scriptures. We are sinners. No way around that. No matter how good you think you are, we are all sinners.
- The wages of sin is death and without shedding of blood there is no remission. Rom.6:23, Heb.9:22
- All the animal sacrifices in the OT could not take away our sins. They had no lasting atoning value. It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Heb.10:4
- And these sacrifices were offered daily. Ex.29:38-42
- 1John 4:10 God so loved us that he sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. Propitiation speaks of an appeasement.
- 2Cor. 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
- Christ willingly died in our place. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Rom.5:8
- Christ bore the penalty of our sins. Christ died for our sins.
- Christ really did die. Everyone who witnessed His death affirmed that fact. In fact the Romans would not of handed over His body for burial if there had been any questions whatsoever.
- John 19:30 He said, it is finished! And bowing His head, He gave up the ghost.
- Matt. 27:50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit.
- Look at Matt. 27:57-66 - The seal was an official Roman seal. Not to be broken except by the authority of the ruler or administration body. If there had been the remotest possibility that they could convince others that Jesus never really died, then the priests and soldiers certainly would of used the story of saying the body was stolen, instead of putting people in jeopardy.
- The first two things had to happen before you can have a resurrection. All four gospels tell us of the resurrection. Reference Matt. 28:1-10
- Through out the NT we have eyewitness accounts of the resurrected Lord Jesus. We see that even one of the 12 didn’t believe the eyewitness reports.
- John 20: 24-29 - And Jesus shows up to show Himself.
- 1Cor. 15 - more that 500 brothers at one time.
- Acts 1:1-3 - Appeared to them during 40 days speaking about the Kingdom of God.
- Acts 1:10-11 - They also saw Him go up into heaven.
- Acts 4:20 - Peter and John “for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”
They had seen Him, touched Him, eaten with Him, and fellowshipped with Him after the resurrection. 11 of the 12 original apostles were killed (tortured) and not one recanted his testimony. Only John, lived to an old age. And even he was tortured, threatened and exiled to an island. The apostle Paul was beheaded.
Why did they endure all of these things? They knew the Gospel was true.
Paul said this...1Cor. 15-17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. But v20 says But in fact (it is a fact) Christ has been raised from the dead.
Why did they endure all of these things? They knew the Gospel was true.
Paul said this...1Cor. 15-17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. But v20 says But in fact (it is a fact) Christ has been raised from the dead.
It’s The Gospel! And what you do with it will determine your future.
Like the song Oh Glorious Day says:
"Living, He loved me.
Dying, He saved me.
Buried, He carried my sin far away.
Rising, He justified freely forever one day He’s coming.
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day."
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