Christ is Risen

Mark Dunagan
04/24/11 - Sunday Morning

Christ is Risen

After Paul's departure from Corinth in Acts 18, various difficulties arose there and the first letter to the Corinthians gives us a clear picture of many of these. The church was being divided by short-sighted loyalties to various preachers (1:12), apparently rooted in a fascination with human wisdom (1:8-21), and the Greek idea of following a particular orator. Near the end of the letter we also learn that some in Corinth no longer believed in a resurrection of the body (15:12). This also appears to be an error coming from the culture that surrounded them. In the Greek mind the body was unnecessary, superfluous and a hindrance to the soul. Thus some appeared to think that what one did with one's body, or with the body of someone else, was inconsequential (6:13-18), and that true spiritual living meant finally getting rid of the body, either because it was evil, or because it was inferior and beneath them. Let's in this lesson explore the Holy Spirit's beautiful defense of our hope, a hope centered in a bodily resurrection.

He was Seen

"And that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now... and last of all... He appeared to me also" (15:5-8). "It is difficult even two millennia later to resist the overwhelming historical probability attaching to these visible, datable, bodily appearances of Jesus... The radical transformation which overtook them after the crucifixion is left without adequate explanation on any other supposition than the one they themselves consistently gave for it - that the resurrection had actually happened as a space-time event" (The Message of Heaven and Hell, Bruce Milne p. 247). Not only was Jesus seen, but when Paul wrote this letter some twenty plus years after the event, most of the witnesses were still alive. The obvious reason why Paul mentions the fact that most of the witnesses are still alive is to encourage any doubters to "check it out". It was still an era when one could say, "Well, go and question them!" It is obvious that a huge transformation took place among the disciples between Jesus' arrest and Pentecost. In the garden they flee (Matthew 26:56) and after His death they are in hiding (John 20:19), yet on Pentecost and thereafter, they are full of confidence (Acts 2:14,43; 4:8,13). In like manner, how do we explain the radical transformation in the writer of this letter? He was on his way breathing threats and slaughter against Christians (Acts 9:1), fully satisfied in being a Pharisee (Galatians 1:13-14), and certain he was right (Acts 26:9), yet only days later, he is doing the unthinkable - preaching Christ (Acts 9:19-20).

The Appeal to Logic

The Corinthians were impressed with human wisdom, and probably considered themselves quite wise and logical, yet one of those ironies of life is that the more one rests everything on purely human wisdom, the further he or she moves away from reason and logic. The Corinthians had failed to take note of the consequences for denying the resurrection of the dead:

1. It would mean that Jesus Himself had not been raised: 15:13,16
2. It would mean that the preaching of the gospel in Corinth by Paul and others had been a waste of time, and that their faith, which had been based on that fact (15:1-4), was empty and useless (15:14). This reminds me of people in some denominations who profess to be Christians and yet belong to a group that actually denies the inspiration of the Scriptures, the miracles in Scripture, or the entire foundation of what they claim to believe.
3. It would mean that not only Paul, but Peter and Apollos were all guilty of being false teachers: 15:15
4. It would mean that Jesus' death on the cross had no atoning value, and thus they were still in their sins: 15:15-17
5. It would mean that every Christian who had previously died was eternally lost: 15:18
6. It would mean that they looked foolish forsaking the things of this life in the interest of gaining a heavenly hope: 15:19

Christ Has Been Raised!

1. Jesus is God's first sheaf, His resurrection is the guarantee of far more resurrections: 15:20
2. He is the counterpart of Adam. Adam brought physical death to all, Jesus brings the resurrection of all the dead: 15:21-23
3. His resurrection proves that He has triumphed and is seated and ruling at God's right hand - simply waiting for the final overthrow of all His enemies, including death when all the dead are raised: 15:24-28

An Appeal to Life Experience

1. If there is no resurrection, then the entire meaning of baptism has been gutted. How can baptism mean anything if Jesus wasn't raised, when baptism is a parallel with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ: 15:29-30; Romans 6:1-4?
2. And how does this erroneous belief make Paul look and every other minister of the gospel? Preaching the gospel had brought upon Paul intense hardship (Acts 9:16; 1 Corinthians 15:30-32). "If there is no bodily resurrection leading to an embodied heavenly life, all this sacrifice is quite meaningless. Only a gospel which includes the future judgments on sin and the future rewards for faithful service in an embodied heavenly life can sufficiently justify the depth of suffering which its service may presently demand of those embracing it" (Milne, p. 250).

How is it Possible?

It appears that some had questioned or denied the doctrine of the resurrection simply because they could not imagine how God could do it. Others might have ridiculed the idea by imaging not a new glorified body coming out of the grave, but the old decaying one, like in a low budget zombie movie. It this point the Holy Spirit does not have much sympathy with the critics, rather Paul bluntly says, "You fool" (15:36). Nothing is said about, "Well, I see how you could have problems with that", or, "I know this is a hard concept to accept". Rather, "fool"! So before we question some biblical doctrine, maybe we should do a lot more study, because it doesn't appear that God is impressed with critics or skeptics (James 1:6).

The Proof is All Around You

1. Part of Paul's impatience is rooted in the fact that we witness a resurrection every year, "that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain" (15:37). "Death is the means whereby the new life is produced. Second, what is sown in the ground is in no degree identical to what will grow out of the ground. Thus the small, indistinguishable seed bears no apparent relation to the laden ear of corn" (Milne, pp. 250-251). This is an encouraging message for Christians, for it is easy to get discouraged as we grow older and see our bodies running down, and then thinking about what will happen to those bodies in the grave. Yet, remember what you do every Spring. You plant seeds in the ground, they decay and "die" and out of that comes glorious life! I am always absolutely amazed at what can come from one seed, a root or a bulb.
2. God is never at a loss for "bodies". God has the wisdom and power to give a different "body" to every plant (15:38), and a different body to every animal, whether it flies, lives in the water, in the ground, by dry land, etc (15:39). The same is true concerning "heavenly bodies" (15:40-41). "The point is that God, the sovereign Creator, can give life, not least physical life, in as many diverse forms as He may please" (Milne, p. 251).

What to Anticipate

An actual body, which is imperishable, spiritual, honorable, and glorious! A body like the one that Jesus presently has (15:49; Philippians 3:21). Thus, as a Christian I lose nothing about me - only my sin. I remain me, I remain a spirit, and I even get to keep a body. There is a definite continuity from this life to the next life.

The Reason

"Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable" (15:51). In our present bodies we could not survive in heaven, including the fact that we would instantly be vaporized by the glory of God (Exodus 33:20). In addition, it would be disappointing to make it to heaven only to die! God wants us truly to enjoy eternity without any physical limitations and without end, thus this transformation is necessary for our enjoyment of eternal life with God, a transformation that will be in an instant! (15:51-52)

Goodbye Death

"In these verses he exposes the implication of that fact - that death is mortally wounded. Its days are numbered; its reign is broken; its own demise is certain. Colloquially we could perhaps render verse 55, 'Death, you've had it! Your number's up! You're history!'" (Milne, p. 255).

"Therefore" (15:58)

Why be immovable? Why remain faithful? Why work so hard in bringing the gospel? Because we can make it to heaven! Our sins can be forgiven! We have been released from the Law of Moses; we are under a system that is doable! And death has been defeated.

Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net