Luke 24:44-48; 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

You cannot comprehend the Bible if you do not comprehend Christ.  When Jesus opened up the Scriptures for His disciples, the Scriptures were “the Law of Moses, and the Psalms, and the Prophets.”  Every part of what we call the “Old Testament” pointed to Christ and was fulfilled in Christ.  The entire Bible, Old and New Testament alike, is tied together by what He did in suffering and rising from the dead the third day.  These events …

·        define Jesus’ Name as the Christ, the Son of the Living God;

·        are the basis on which people everywhere are called to repentance that they might receive the remission (forgiveness) of sins;

·        defined the mission of the Apostles as witnesses to having seen alive this Man who had died on a Roman cross.

Thus we understand the amazing paragraph in 1 Cor. 15 where Paul declares the resurrection of Christ to be the watershed of all that is Christian.  Some in the first century denied the whole possibility of “resurrection” which, if this were the case, would mean Christ was not raised.  Think of what that would mean.

1.     If Christ is not raised our preaching is empty (v14).

2.     If Christ is not raised your faith is empty (v14).

The content of preaching is the Risen Lord.  The object of faith is the Risen Lord.  Through the message of the cross people are given One in whom they can believe and be saved (1 Cor. 1:17).  But if He is not risen from the dead that message is empty, meaning devoid of truth.  That is why the gospel (i.e. the message of the cross) must always include the resurrection (e.g. Acts 13:36-40).

3.     If Christ is not raised we are false witnesses (v15).  The infallible proofs were those who saw Jesus alive after His death.  They are liars if He is not risen.

4.     If Christ is not raised your faith is futile (v16-17).

5.     If Christ is not raised you are still in your sins (v17).

Not only is faith empty, devoid of truth; faith is also devoid of force or success.  It is useless.  True faith in Christ works (Jas. 2:18; 1 Thess. 1:3; Gal. 5:6, etc.).  It produces the life of Christ in the believer.  But if the One in which we trust is still dead then that faith will accomplish nothing.  And the biggest issue is our sin; if Christ is not risen then there was no answer for our sin.  We are still separated from God.  

6.     If Christ is not raised there is no resurrection for anyone (v18).  If Christ is not raised then death, the penalty for sin, still has a stranglehold on every human.  (More on this in tomorrow’s study.)

7.     If Christ is not raised we are most miserable (v19).  Our situation is not tenuous; it is hopeless.  Mankind longs for true satisfaction of the soul (Eccl. 6:3-6).  His attempts to find it in money, sex and power leave him empty.  Hope is offered in Christ in the message of the cross.  But if Christ is not risen there is no hope.  There is NO ANSWER!  

1 Cor. 15:20: BUT NOW IS CHRIST RISEN FROM THE DEAD!