He Is Risen

Peter Voorhees

Easter 2024 • Sermon • Submitted 2 months ago • Presented 2 months ago

1 Corinthians 15:1–11

Gospel

Resurrection

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Introduction

Imagine you are given a very precious gift - something of immense value and significance that was obtained at great cost by the giver. It could be a family heirloom, a prized possession, or something the giver sacrificed dearly to be able to present to you.

Ever since I was little, my maternal grandfather every Easter would give me a stein. Each of my brothers recieved something (one was coin banks and one paper-weights). I always thought it was cool (drank out of one of them on my birthday) but didn’t understand the value one day till I was walking through an antique store and saw my favorite mug… I looked at the price and didn’t realize how special my collection was.

How would you treat such a gift? Would you disregard it, neglect it, and let it gather dust on a shelf? Or would you cherish it, care for it, and proudly display it because of what it means and the love with which it was given?

In the opening of 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul reminds the Corinthian church of the precious gospel that was entrusted to them. This message of Christ's death for our sins, his burial, and his resurrection on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (v3-4) was of "first importance" (v3). It is the foundation of our faith and the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).

Yet Paul had to remind the Corinthians to "hold firmly" (v2) to this gospel, implying they were in danger of neglecting it or not appreciating its supreme value and importance. He appeals to the Scriptures and the numerous resurrection appearances of Christ as validation that this gospel is indeed true and trustworthy (v5-8).

Just as with the precious gift illustration, we must not take the gospel for granted or treat it carelessly. It was obtained at the infinite cost of Christ's blood. It is the power of God to save us, transform us, and grant us eternal life. May we never lose sight of the surpassing value of the gospel. Let us cling to it, cherish it, protect it, and boldly proclaim it, knowing it is the only hope for the world and the anchor for our souls.

If you have your Bibles or on your devices, would you turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, and if you are willing/able would you stand with me as I read God’s word this morning.

Let us pray… amen.

You may be seated… thank you.

Reminded of the Gospel

This is one of the more complete representations of the gospel that we have in one letter.

At the center the Gospel is not only the incarnation (the Son of God coming as a human… putting on flesh) but it is magnified in the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

On this particular chapter, known and respected theologian Karl Barth writes, “(this chapter) forms not only the close and crown of the whole epistle, but also provides the key to its meaning from which light is shed onto the whole, and it becomes intelligible … as a unity”. This is because it brings to a climax the theme of grace as God’s sovereign free gift through the cross to which “the dead” contribute no particular “knowledge” or “experience,” but do indeed undergo transformation of life and lifestyle through “God, who gives life to the dead” (Rom 4:17) on the basis of promise.

Thiselton, A. C. (2000). The First Epistle to the Corinthians: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 1169). W.B. Eerdmans.

Which means it was nothing that we did. It was God’s free gift to us that then transforms us. Makes us alive in Him. We who were afar off now become children of God.

If a person does not believe in the resurrection, Luther asserts, “he must deny in a lump the Gospel and everything that is proclaimed of Christ and of God. For all of this is linked together like a chain.… Whoever denies this article must simultaneously deny far more …, in brief, that God is God” (my italics).

Thiselton, A. C. (2000). The First Epistle to the Corinthians: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 1169). W.B. Eerdmans.

Paul introduces the concept of resurrection later in the book of 1 Corinthians, only after thoroughly explaining the significance of the cross as the foundation of Christian identity and way of life. Without a proper understanding of the cross, the radical transformation symbolized by death and resurrection cannot be fully appreciated. The idea of resurrection emphasizes humility - any boasting should be about the Lord. It's a divine act aimed at the 'dead', who can't contribute to their own salvation, highlighting both God's absolute power and His grace.

The resurrection from the dead signifies that human beings are powerless to effect their own salvation and have no grounds for boasting except in the Lord.

Do we see it yet… there is no salvation other than by the Lord.

Because the resurrection is a gift for us, a gift that we can do nothing to affect, it is not in a political candidate, it is not in a socio-economic status, it is not in how many good deeds we do, it is a gift.

If you have recieved a gift where you knew you were undeserving, a genuinely meaningful and profound gift, it makes you grateful and sincerely appreciative.

It humbles you.

When the gospel is believed, the belief turns to a way of life, and from that way of life we see the fruit of the Holy Spirit manifested in that individuals life, which in turn we see a community that is marked, transformed, and itself manifests these things.

This is a genuine statement of humility that we have in verses 7-10

Humility

Humility should mark us as followers of Jesus.

There are many things that can help contribute to our overall humility. One is remembering what God has saved us from.

1 Corinthians 15:9 “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”

Dr. Kent Dunnington, who wrote the book Humility, Pride, and Christian Virtue Theory, says this of humility… “It makes sense, I think, to call the radical unselfing view of humility no concern. no concern: Humility is the disposition to have no concern to develop, clarify, attain, maintain, or safeguard an ego ideal, because of a trust that one’s well-being is entirely secured by the care of God”

Dunnington writes a little later… The ultimate goal of humility, which is shaped by future expectations, is not only hard to reach, but impossible to fully achieve in this lifetime. In simpler terms, no one can be completely humble in their current life. However, the level of humility varies among people, and it's often determined by how little they focus on their own personal significance and why they choose to do so.

By all reports, the late Christian philosopher Dallas Willard (1935–2013) embodied to a remarkable degree the strange kind of freedom from self-concern (which he argues) is the heart of Christian humility. Willard once said that “one sign of maturity are the thoughts that no longer occur to you,” and the many who knew him attest that Willard was so free from the typical ego-laden affect and commentary as to seem from “another time-zone.” To be in his presence was to experience “the unhurried, humble, selfless attention of a human being who lived deeply in the genuine awareness of the reality of the kingdom of God” (Ortberg 2013).

Dunnington, Kent. Humility, Pride, and Christian Virtue Theory (Oxford Studies in Analytic Theology) (p. 91). OUP Oxford. Kindle Edition.

The effective work of the gospel brings about a humility in us that is likened unto Jesus. Jesus in talking about Himself, Matthew 11:28–29 ““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Philippians 2:1–11 “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Paul would also comment, 1 Corinthians 15:10–11 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.”

Saved by the Gospel

Our political beliefs do not determine our salvation. Regardless of whether we lean to the left or the right, whether we're conservative or liberal, our political stance is not the measure of our worth or our salvation. Politics, while important, can't provide the ultimate answer to our deepest needs and questions (I intentionally say this to remind us of this as we continue in an election year… we who follow Jesus as King, may we hold our allegiance to Jesus higher than we do to a political ideology)

Our geographical location or nationality does not dictate our salvation either. Being a citizen of a particular nation, whether it is considered powerful, developed, or underprivileged, does not affect our inherent value as individuals. We all share the same human condition, and our nationality is not a factor in our salvation.

Achievements, whether personal or professional, do not secure our salvation. We often measure our worth by our accomplishments, the degrees we hold, the positions we occupy, or the wealth we've accumulated. But these are not the determinants of our salvation. Neither success nor failure can save us.

Affiliations to any particular party, group, or culture do not promise salvation. Our identities are not tied to the groups we belong to or the cultures we identify with. These affiliations, while they can shape our perspectives and experiences, do not have the power to save us.

Lastly, even holding correct theology, having the right doctrines and beliefs, does not guarantee salvation. It is not about having the right knowledge or understanding about God, but about having a genuine relationship with Him. While theology is valuable for understanding our faith better, it is not the basis of our salvation.

Even demons believe and submit to the authority of Jesus, but there is no salvation for them.

But it is Jesus who is the good news. It is who He is, it is what He has done, and it is what He has invited us into that brings salvation. Freely He has given… so freely we must receive.

Romans 1:16–17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.””

Conclusion

As we come to a close, let us remember the profound gift of the gospel that has been entrusted to us. It is not our political affiliations, nationality, achievements, group identities, or even our theological knowledge that secure our salvation. Rather, it is the power of God revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ - God the Son who was pre-existing with the Father and the Spirit, foretold He would come through the kingly line of David, His life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and inevitable return for our sake. This gospel is offered to us freely by grace, not because of our own merit or efforts. When we truly grasp this undeserved gift, it should lead us to a posture of deep humility and gratitude, transforming the way we live. May we never lose sight of the surpassing worth of the gospel. Let us cling to it, cherish it, and boldly proclaim it, knowing that it is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe. As we go from here today, let us live as people marked by the gospel, walking in the humility, grace and newness of life that it brings.

Would you stand?

There is something special hidden here. A few weeks ago you may remember that part of my sermon I mentioned theological “Easter Eggs”… this is a cinematic term where a director/writer puts certain things in a movie that by no means moves the plot forward but is a special nod to something they want to highlight. We see this idea throughout scripture (in context we were talking about the book of Genesis). For example:

On Tuesday night at youth group, Malissa had texted and shared this:”In talking through the empty tomb story in John, Arden and Norah said they thought the reason the cloths were folded so neatly with the head cloth separate from the other, was because Jesus wanted them to know his body wasn’t stolen. Because robbers wouldn’t be careful like that, they would just leave them crumpled where they fell and not care. He didn’t want them to be fearful or sad thinking that he was stolen when they came to the tomb.”… So good.

Paul in speaking to the church in Corinth (ch 15) recounts the resurrection… “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles” (1 Co 15:7)

This James might be either his half-brother or John's brother, though I lean towards the former. It's striking how Jesus first reveals himself to his immediate family, with James now likely the head of the family following Joseph's death (Jesus’ inevitable ascension), and then to the disciples. The depth of Jesus' love for people, the tenderness as shown in these details, continues to touch my heart.

May you uncover and find the subtle ways (and not so subtle ways) that Jesus deeply loves you.

If our elders and deacons could make their way down to front of the room…

If you are here today and would like prayer, I want to let you know that there are people here to pray with you. If you want to give yourself to Jesus, if you want to receive this new life that is in him because you believe this good gospel, come be prayed for.

If you are here today and want to recommit your life to Jesus, seeking that humility and fruit of the spirit in your life, come be prayed for.

If you simply need prayer over a matter and issue deep in your soul, come be prayed for, let us continually come together and seek the Lord, bearing one another’s burdens… allowing His great love for us be demonstrated in the way that we care and love one another.