When a student of the renowned apologist, Josh McDowell, asked him, "Why can't you refute Christianity?" His answer was noteworthy, he said, "for a very simple reason. I'm unable to explain away an event in history -- the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Dr. Harold Wilmington, Liberty University, writes, "the resurrection of Christ is the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence of the Christian faith." If a man two thousand years ago, named Jesus of Nazareth, was crucified by the Roman Government and three days later arose from the dead, we had better sit up and take notice. And so the world did and still does in many respects! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the pinnacle of human history. 

Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 1 Corinthians 15:12

Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead? I mean a person who died in faith who will someday be raised again in the likeness of Christ. Do you live in the hope of the resurrection? These believers in Corinth were like many today. They were saved out of a culture that is anti-God and anti-Christ, thus they were confused about many of the Biblical teachings of the newfound Christian Faith.

The Consequences of Not Believing in the Resurrection Must be Faced (1 Cor. 15:12-19).

If there is no resurrection of the dead, Paul reasons, then that means Jesus did not arise. But he presses them to consider what they are saying if they follow this thinking to its conclusion. In other words, a dead savior cannot save. If God will not resurrect His people, then preaching the gospel to the world is meaningless, the Apostle maintains. Dr. John MacArthur explains Paul’s point: "Without the resurrection, the good news would be bad news, and there would be nothing worth preaching."

In fact, Paul takes it a step further by warning that the gospel is meaningless without hope of being resurrected to eternal life. John MacArthur again writes, "If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then sin won the victory over Christ and therefore continues to be victorious over all men.” If the doctrine of the resurrection is false, it would make the apostles and preachers of the resurrection false witnesses (liars).

"To deny the resurrection is to call the apostles and every other leader of the New Testament church not simply mistaken but willfully mistaken, that is, liars (J. MacArthur).” Generally speaking, no one would die for a lie. Only one of the apostles died a natural death, and he was in exile. Why would Jesus' apostles suffer so horribly for falsehoods and fables? If the Corinthians Christians are right, then the dead in Christ have perished, and that is contrary to their own stated beliefs, and therefore, Christians would be the most pitiable people. It is good for us to see a glimpse of what it would be like if Jesus had not risen, and there was no possibility of our being raised either. But the wonderful fact is that God did raise Jesus from the dead, and He will raise us as well on that day, if we trust in Jesus.

The Corinthians Believed in the Resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-11)

These Christians believed in the resurrection of Christ. The strange twist in the church at Corinth was that many did not believe that God could or would raise others. They, doubtless, were confused because of the pluralistic philosophies of the day. Paul proves that God can resurrect the dead because He has already raised Jesus from the dead. In other words, what has happened can and will happen again. 

The Evidence for Christ's Resurrection is Conclusive and Convincing (1 Cor. 15:1-11; Acts 1:3).

God did raise His Son from the dead (Rm. 4:24-25; Jn 14:19; Acts 5:30-31). Jesus’ victory over death, Paul explains, is proof that every believer will be resurrected as well. We know that our resurrection is secured because we have a living Savior who promised to do it for us. Since God raised Jesus from the dead, He will also raise us from the dead.

Perhaps you are asking, "What is this concrete evidence?” Here are a few realities that should shake your life to its core. Jesus’ tomb was empty. Too many people knew the location of the tomb for them all to have been fooled. Even the guards were forced to attest to the fact that Jesus' tomb was empty and thus were paid to say someone stole Jesus’ body. Here are a few corresponding facts. The Roman seal was broken - automatic crucifixion upside down. The large stone was removed. (uphill). The guards fled, knowing the penalty was death. The women came and found the tomb empty. Peter and John found the tomb empty.

There were eyewitnesses to Jesus’s resurrection.

1. Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John  (Jn 20:11-17).

2. The other women  (Mt 28:9-10).

3. The temple guards  (Mt 28:11-15).

4. Peter  (Lk 24:34; I Cor 5:5).

5. Emmaus disciples  (Mk 16:12-13).

6. "The Twelve"  (I Cor 15:5; Mk 16:14; Lk 24:36-43).

7. Over 500 brethren at once -- some still alive at the time of the writing of I Corinthians (15:6).

8. James and Paul  (I Cor 15:7-8).

Yes, my friend, the evidence is conclusive and convincing for those who really long for the truth. Do you doubt Christ’s resurrection? Are the so-called arguments against Jesus enough to secure you? I ask you to cast them aside because they are weights that will sink your soul. Be as the Disciple Thomas, though a doubter, he believed, and fell at the feet of Jesus and confessed to Him, "My lord and my God!”

Let’s Pray Together, Pastor Scott