2-15-98......Jesus arose from the dead! So What?....... I Cor. 15
by Ronald E. George Jr.
"The grave is the end. This brief life is all that we have." There are a lot of people who believe that today. Let me put it in the eloquent words of Bertrand Russell, one of the spokesmen for those who do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus. In one of his works, he wrote:
"The life of a man is a long march through the night, surrounded by invisible foes, tortured by weariness and pain, toward a goal which few can hope to reach and where none may tarry long. One by one as they march, our comrades vanish from our sight, seized by the silent orders of omnipotent death. Brief and powerless is man's life. On him and all his race the slow, sure doom falls, pitiless and dark. Blind to good and evil, reckless of destruction, omnipotent matter rolls on its relentless way. For man, condemned today to lose his dearest, tomorrow himself to pass through the gate of darkness, it remains only to cherish, ere yet the blow falls, the lofty thoughts that ennoble his little day."
Scripture Text:
1Cor 15:12 (KJS) Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then [is] our preaching vain, and your faith [is] also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept. 20.
Key verse: 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1. A Tomb Full of Bones: A Picture of Hopelessness…
Joseph Bayly, in his book The View From A Hearse, tells of what he said to offer hope to a woman whose small son was dying.
"It's good to know, isn't it," I spoke slowly, choosing my words with unusual care, "that even though the medical outlook is hopeless, we can have hope for our children in such a situation. We can be sure that after our child dies, he'll be completely removed from sickness and suffering and everything like that, and be completely well and happy."
"If I could only believe that," the woman replied. "But I don't. When he dies, I'll just have to cover him up with dirt and forget I ever had him."
It is sad, but more often than not, this woman's words express the hopeless plight of so many people all around us.
If the Tomb is full of Bones, then:
But, isn’t this the lives we see many folks live today? They live lives of hopelessness. They live for the moment, because there is no tomorrow for those whose purpose for being is rooted in evolution and humanistic philosophy. This is a Godless present that leaves no hope for life after death. There is no room for the empty tomb in their minds and there is no room for God in their hearts. Therefore, live for today, because tomorrow we die without hope. Many people are fascinated with the supernatural, because they long to find something or anything that can offer them some hope.
2. An Empty Tomb? Could it possibly be that He did raise?
Could anyone raise from the dead? Many say it is not possible. Hear the evidence.
A. Hear the witnesses:
1Cor 15:3 (KJS) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
B. Some have said that He didn’t die, but was just asleep.
Here is a letter written to a local advice column along with the response:
Dear Eutychus: Our preacher said, on Easter that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think? Sincerely, Bewildered. Dear Bewildered: Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun for 6 hours; run a spear through his heart; embalm him; put him in an airless tomb for 36 hours and see what happens.
Sincerely, Eutychus
C. See the difference Christ has made in the world.
D. See the difference Christ made in the disciples who gave their lives in sacrifice.
E. See the difference Christ is continuing to make in many who continue to live for Him.
3. The Tomb is Empty: So what does that mean to me?
Living in the Light of the Resurrection. He is continuing to make a difference in me.
A few hours before entering heaven Dwight L. Moody caught a glimpse of the glory awaiting him. Awakening from sleep, he said, "Earth recedes, heaven opens before me. If this is death, it is sweet! There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go!"
His son who was standing by his bedside said, "No, no, father, you are dreaming.
"No, said Moody, "I am not dreaming. I have been within the gates: I have seen the children's faces."
A short time elapsed and then, following what seemed to the family to be the death struggle, he spoke again, "This is my triumph; this is my coronation day. It is glorious!"
E. Living in the Light of the Resurrection means that we believe in the resurrection of Christ from the dead and that we agree with God concerning our lives, which includes our death and our resurrection. We agree with the Lord when it comes to our baptism, our church membership, our church commitment, our job, our school, our decisions, our play, and our future. Our lives are in His hands. This is resurrection living and living in the light of the resurrection. We have come to give ourselves to the Lord.
A pastor had just received the news that he had a terminal illness. The next Sunday he said to his congregation, "I walked the 5 miles from the doctor's office to my home. I looked toward that majestic mountain that I love. I looked at the river in which I rejoice. I looked at the stately trees that are always God's own poetry to my soul. Then in the evening I looked up into the great sky where God was lighting His lamps and I said, 'I may not see you many more times, but mountain, I will be alive when you are gone. And river, I will be alive when you cease running towards the sea. And stars, I will be alive when you have fallen from your sockets in the great pulling-down of the universe.'"
A wonderful hope lies beyond the grave for all who are trusting Christ as their Savior. Death is not the end. Innumerable, indescribable, eternal glories await the child of God.