About this sermon
Some in Corinth denied the resurrection of the dead, and Paul answers them in 1 Corinthians 15:12-20. If Christ is not raised, gospel preaching is empty, faith is worthless, the apostles are false witnesses, and believers remain guilty and enslaved in their sins. Scripture, the eyewitnesses, and the Spirit’s testimony assure the church that Christ is risen. His resurrection gives believers gospel confidence and grounds the church’s worship on the first day of the week.
Sermon transcript
This morning, I’m going to be taking a little break from our studying in the Gospel of Mark, and we’re going to consider a resurrection passage from 1 Corinthians chapter 15. My focus today will be on 1 Corinthians 15, verses 12 through 20, but in order to give you the fuller context, I’m going to begin reading at verse 1. The Apostle Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, 1 Corinthians 15, verses 1 through 20. let us hear God’s holy word. Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain, For I deliver to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 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, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain. But I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.” Now, if Christ is preached that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise, if, in fact, the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless. You are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who are asleep.” Dear friends, the grass withers and the flower fades with the word of our God.
Please join me in a word of prayer. Our Lord and Father in Heaven, once again we beseech you by your Spirit to make our hearts good soil, that our hearts might receive the Word as it has been read and also as it is proclaimed today. We pray that your Word would find a lodging place in our hearts and would bear much spiritual fruit in our lives, and we ask that you would set a guard over my lips, that I might speak only that which is faithful and in accordance with your Word. and for the edification of your people. We pray these things in Jesus’ name, and all of God’s people said, Amen. Congregation, you may be seated. Well, dear friends, as you see, the title of my sermon today is, If No Resurrection, Then What?
And if you’re following along in your sermon outline, there are some on the podium out in the foyer, if you want to follow along. There’s some key words that I’d encourage you to listen for in my sermon. Well, dear listeners, the Christian message, the message that is revealed in God’s Word, the Bible, is called the Gospel. Now, what does that word, Gospel, mean? It is from the Greek word, Evangelion, or Evangel, and it means good news. The message of the Gospel, as it is revealed in the Scriptures, is the great good news about what God has done to save His people from their sins through the life, the death, the resurrection, and the exaltation of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. My Christian friends, one very important truth that God’s Word teaches is that Jesus of Nazareth died on the cross and rose from the dead, not only so that we can be forgiven and saved from our sin, hallelujah, praise God that that is true, and not only so that we can go to heaven when we die, again, that too is a wonderful Gospel truth, but Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead so that when Jesus returns to this earth in glory, in the glory of his second coming at the end of this age, our bodies too will be raised from the dead, raised incorruptible.
Our Lord’s rising from the dead is God the Father’s pledge and promise that he will one day raise our mortal bodies in immortal glory when the Lord Jesus returns in glory to judge humanity. This doctrine is called the doctrine of the general resurrection of the dead, or the general resurrection of the body. As we affirmed not too long ago in the service, when we recited the Apostles’ Creed together, this is the doctrine that we confess together when we say, I believe in the resurrection of the body. What you and I are confessing when we say that is that not only do we believe that Jesus’ body was raised from the dead, but we also affirm that one day God will raise our bodies from the dead, just like he raised the body of Jesus our Lord.
Dear ones, the doctrine of the resurrection of the body is a very basic, foundational, fundamental doctrine of our holy Christian faith. Deny the resurrection of the body unprincipled, and logically you will have to deny that the body of Jesus was raised from the dead. The doctrine of the future general resurrection of the body is inextricably intertwined with the fact that Jesus’ body was raised from the dead. Deny that Jesus rose from the dead, of course, and you deny Christ himself, and therefore you place yourself outside of the fold of the historic Christian faith. Well, friends, our passage for this Lord’s Day morning seems to indicate that there were some members of the Corinthian Church who did not believe in this doctrine of the general resurrection of the body. If you’ve read through 1st and 2nd Corinthians, you know that the church in Corinth, though it was a church that was mightily gifted by God with spiritual gifts then, and though there were many that were brought into that church through the proclamation of the gospel, nevertheless, the church in Corinth was, can I put it frankly, it was a mess.
There were all kinds of problems in the church in Corinth. There was backbiting, there was schism, there was division, There were people getting drunk at the Lord’s table. There was sexual immorality going on in the church. There was, you know, there were believers in the church continuing to attend idols meetings, and so forth. A lot of problems in the church, and one of the problems, one of the doctrinal problems, is that apparently there were some in the church in Corinth who denied the future resurrection of the body. They may have confessed, and probably did confess, belief in the resurrection of Jesus’ body, but they denied the future resurrection. in general, the general resurrection of the dead. Well, in our text for today, the Apostle Paul, writing under the Spirit’s inspiration, writing in his capacity as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, begins to refute the false teachings of the Corinthians who were denying the resurrection of the body.
And first of all, Paul points out that if the doctrine of the general resurrection of the dead is false, then by logical extension, the claim that Christ is risen from the dead is also false. If you deny on principle the resurrection of the dead, then by logical implication you have to deny that Christ rose from the dead. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ himself is not risen from the dead. This is the point that Paul makes in verses 12 and 13. After Paul reviews the gospel, the good news, the essence and substance of the gospel that he proclaimed to them in the first part of chapter 15, he goes on and he confronts the issue here in verse 12, and he says this, Now, if Christ is preached that he has been raised from the dead, how does some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
He confronts them for their doctrinal error here. And then he says in verse 13, but if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised. Then Paul goes on to explain some of the negative implications, some of the bad things that would be true if, in fact, Jesus Christ had not been raised from the dead. And so, my dear friends, in Christ Let us consider what it would mean for you and for me if Jesus Christ had not risen from the dead. If there was no resurrection, then what? So, let’s dive in and let’s begin at verse 14. And I want us, first of all, to consider the implications if Christ is not risen. Let’s consider some of the negative implications if Christ, in fact, is not risen from the dead.
If that is the case, Well, Paul makes it clear. If Christ is not risen from the desert, first of all, gospel preaching is vanity. Look at verse 14. Paul says, and if Christ has not been raped, and by the way, when Paul talks about the resurrection, he means the bodily resurrection. The same body that went into the tomb came out of the tomb. Yes, it came out of the tomb in a transformed, glorified manner. The resurrection body of Jesus could do amazing things. It appears that He could appear and disappear at will, and He could, you know, the disciples were gathered together behind closed doors, and Jesus could suddenly appear, and yet it was a physical body. Jesus could eat, and He could be touched, He could be heard, He could be seen with the eye. in his resurrected body.
So that being the case, if Christ is not risen from the dead, Paul says gospel preaching is vanity. Verse 14, if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain. Now this is a very blunt way of putting it. Paul is not beating around the bush here. He’s not being diplomatic. And he’s including himself. He’s saying, look, if Jesus isn’t risen from the dead, then what I as an apostle am preaching to you is vanity. Now, let’s think about that word vanity. It is the Greek word kanon and kene, and according to Bauer’s lexicon, the range of meaning of this word includes without content, without any basis, without truth, without power. Other translations translate the word empty, such as it is translated in the New King James Version. The NIV translates it as useless, but you get the picture. whether we translate it as vain or empty or useless.
If Christ is not risen from the dead, then the gospel is not the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, as Paul declares the gospel to be in Romans 1.16. Rather, if Christ is not risen from the dead, then the gospel is a worthless myth. It’s a story that some clever religious schemers cooked up in their fevered imaginations but it’s a story which is ultimately empty and without any kind of rational basis in objective truth or reality. If that is the case, then apostolic and Christian preaching—preaching of the resurrection of Jesus—is nothing but a bunch of hot air. And Christian preachers are nothing but either gullible fools that they believe the message that they preach, or they’re a bunch of charlatans and crackpots and liars. So the first negative implication, if Christ is not risen, is that gospel preaching is vanity, emptiness, worthless, useless.
But not only is Christian preaching useless and vain if Christ is not risen. Brothers and sisters in Christ, if Jesus, our Savior, has not risen from the dead, then your Christian faith and mine is also vanity. It is also vain. Paul goes on to say in verse 14, if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain. Your faith also is vain. If Christ is not risen from the dead, then your Christian faith and mine is nothing but a grand delusion. And the famous or infamous atheist promoter, Dr. Richard Dawkins’ book, The God Delusion, rings true if, in fact, Jesus is not risen from the dead. If Christ is not risen, our faith is nothing more than vanity and emptiness And we’re basically wasting our time being here this morning and celebrating Easter. But furthermore, as Paul goes on to say in verse 15, if Christ is not risen, then gospel preachers are false witnesses for God.
Look at verse 15. Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God. Now, let me pause here. Paul is speaking here, first of all, first and foremost in this context, I believe of, himself and the other Apostles. Now, what were the Apostles of Jesus called to do? Well, they were called to be witnesses of the risen Christ. One of the things that the Apostles did is they bore testimony to, they testified of, they bore witness to the fact that Jesus indeed rose from the dead and that they saw him and conversed with him. and communed with him after his resurrection from the dead. But, if Jesus is not risen from the dead, what would that make the apostles? That would make the apostles false witnesses. The ninth commandment says, you shall not bear false witness.
If Christ is not risen from the dead, then the apostles of Jesus and all who follow and proclaim the apostolic gospel are bearing false witness about God. As Paul says in verse 15, moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God. Why? Because we testify against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. So, if Christ is not risen from the dead, Christian preaching is vanity, your faith and mine is vanity, Christian preachers are bearing false witness against God, and furthermore, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Verse 16, Paul says, for if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And he kind of repeats the point that he’s making there. And then in verse 17, he goes on to say, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless, and you are still in your sins.
I want to reflect for a few minutes about what it means what it would mean if we were still in our sins. But first of all, again, note that Paul reinforces what he said before about the vanity of our faith. He uses the word worthless here, or it is sometimes translated as futile. And the Greek word there is metaia, from metaios. And the range of meaning, according to Bauer’s lexicon, of this word includes idle, empty, fruitless, useless, powerless, lacking truth. And thus it is translated most frequently as futile. That’s how it’s translated in the New King James, the ESV, and the NIV. It’s translated here in the New American Standard Version, which I’m preaching from, as worthless. The American Standard Version translates it as vain. But again, you get the picture. If Christ is not risen, our faith is nothing.
It’s emptiness. It’s worthless. But worse than that, if Christ is not risen from the dead, what does that mean for you and for me? Where does that leave us in terms of our spiritual condition? That means that we are still in our sin. What does it mean to be still in your sins? Well, when we compare Scripture with Scripture, and especially when we survey the teachings of the Apostle Paul and his epistles, what does it mean to be in sin? Well, it means at least three things. To be still in your sins means that you are still guilty before God. Now, what is sin? I’m sure those of you who know the short catechism could answer that question well. Sin is any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God. It is any want or lack of conformity to or transgression of the law of God.
The word sin basically means to miss the mark. to miss the mark of living up to God’s moral requirements as revealed in His moral law. And that moral law, of course, is summarized, we believe, in the Ten Commandments. To be guilty of your sin. Now, there’s a plenty of people out there who don’t feel guilty, but who are very, very guilty. When the Bible talks about guilt, more often than not, it’s not talking about psychological guilt. It’s not talking about your guilt feelings. It’s talking about an objective state of affairs. To be in your sin is to be objectively guilty before the infinitely holy Creator God, to whom you will give an account on Judgment Day. And that is a terrifying thought, because God is holy. God is loving, yes. He is patient. He is kind.
He is long-suffering. He is forbearing. But He is also a God who will not leave the impenitent unpunished. He is a God who will bring sin to light and will judge every thought, word, and deed. The prospect of being guilty, objectively guilty, whether you feel like you’re guilty or not, the prospect of being objectively guilty before the judge of the universe ought to be a terrifying thought. If Jesus is not risen from the dead, and remember, Jesus’ resurrection has accepted his atonement, his sacrifice for our sins. So if there’s no resurrection, there’s no atonement. And that means you and I are still guilty before God in our sins. And being still guilty before God, you and I are still liable to the holy wrath and curse of God against sin. In other words, if Christ is not risen, not only are we objectively guilty before the infinitely holy creator God, but we are also still liable to His righteous holy wrath and curse against our sin.
We are subject to the penalty of sin, which, of course, the Scriptures very somberly and solemnly declare to be eternal punishment in hell. And, of course, not only are we still guilty before God, not only are we liable to His holy wrath, we are also still in bondage to sin. See, when Jesus saves us, he not only saves us from the guilt and the penalty of sin, he not only justifies us and adopts us as his children, forgives us, declares us righteous in his sight, and so forth, but he also sanctifies us. He renews us after the image of Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ forgives and it also transforms. If Christ is not risen from the dead, then sin is still our slave master. We are still under the dominating power of sin. But when Christ causes a man or a woman to be born again, Christ breaks the power of reigning sin.
As we sing in that wonderful hymn, He breaks the power of reigning sin. He sets the prisoner free. His blood can make the phallus clean. His blood avails for me. If Christ has not risen from the dead, then you’re stuck in your sin. There’s no way out. You’re just embonded, you’re a slave to your sin, and you always will be. So, I hope, brothers and sisters, that Paul, under the Spirit’s inspiration in his passage for today, has impressed well upon your heart and mine what it would mean if Christ, our Savior, is not risen from the dead. But the good news, and this is my second main point as we move on to verse 20, the good news, the crowning news, is that Christ is indeed risen from the dead. After Paul confronts this error of those denying the resurrection of the body, and he brings out the negative implications of what would be the case if Christ is not risen, he then goes on to once again declare, as he declared at the beginning of this chapter in verse 20, he says, but now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who are asleep.
He’s using the term asleep to describe as a euphemism for death. This is the good news. Christ is risen from the dead. Well, how do we know that Christ is risen from the dead? Well, first and foremost, because the Bible says so. The Bible claims that the resurrection, the physical bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, is a fact of history. It is not a made-up myth. And this is a very important point, because the Bible, what is the Bible? Well, the Bible was certainly written by men, but as the Scriptures themselves declare, the men who wrote the Scriptures were carried along by the Holy Spirit so that they wrote precisely what God wanted them to do. God was at work, especially preparing in His providence, their writing styles, their circumstances, and so forth. And so, God’s Word, the Scriptures, are God-breathed. the self-attesting Word of God.
And since God is a God of truth who cannot lie, and since the Bible alone is his written Word, if God’s Word says that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a fact of history, then that is the truth of the matter. Why? Because God himself says so, in His infallible Word. And since the God of truth cannot lie, His Word cannot lie. God is the highest authority. God is even higher in authority than logic or reason. Logic and reason are grounded upon the reality of God. Logic is grounded upon the reality of the living Logos, the Lord Jesus Christ. And since the Word of God cannot lie, you can be assured that its testimony to the risen Lord Jesus Christ is true. and trustworthy. I know that might sound like a circular reasoning, but again, when we’re dealing with first principles or foundational issues, we cannot avoid a certain amount of circularity.
As I shared in one Christian education or morning instruction class a while back, think about the laws of logic. Can you prove the laws of logic without assuming the laws of logic? Of course not. And likewise, it is with the Word of God. It is foundational. God’s Word is the final authority. But nevertheless, there are also sound, rational evidences that support the fact of Christ’s resurrection. And one of those evidences that is so abundant from the Scriptures is the fact that after Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to multiple eyewitnesses over a period of 40 days. People saw Jesus after he rose from the dead. People spoke with him. They touched him. They eat with him, and so forth. And this is underscored in Paul’s review of the Gospel that he preached to them.
Look back at verses 3 through 8, where Paul reviews the Gospel message with them. He says, For I deliver to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Again, he views the Scriptures as the ultimate authority. that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and verse 5, that he did what? He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve, after that he appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me. Now, some have suggested that this appearance is sort of a visionary appearance, a hallucination, perhaps.
But I would suggest to you that verse 6 puts the nail in the coffin of the hallucination theory, because hallucinations are private, subjective experiences. But Paul says in verse 6 that there was a time when the resurrected Jesus appeared to more than 500 disciples. Now, it’s possible, you know, it’s possible if you get 500 people together and put them all on psychedelic drugs, it’s possible that they’ll all be hallucinating at the same time, but they’re not going to hallucinate the same thing, the exact same thing. These 500 witnesses, Paul goes on to say, most of whom remain until now. In other words, if you doubt that Jesus bodily rose from the dead, go talk to one of these 500 eyewitnesses of the risen Christ, who still remain today. Paul wrote these words some 20, 25 years after the crucifixion of Jesus, and certainly, if Paul didn’t have a basis for making this claim, there were many, such as Jews and pagans who opposed the Gospel, who would try to say, no, Paul, that’s not true.
And we can prove it. We can show you his tomb. We can show you his bones and so forth. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we believe that Jesus rose from the dead because God’s word says so and because rational evidences support the fact of Christ’s resurrection. But our ultimate The ultimate reason that convinces us personally, that assures us personally of Christ’s resurrection is that the Holy Spirit testifies to the hearts of believers that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. I want to take you briefly to a few passages. Let’s go to 1 Corinthians chapter 2. Let me just read verses 11 through 16. 1 Corinthians 2, beginning at verse 11. This speaks of the of the testimony of the Spirit to the hearts of those who are born again, born of the Spirit. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the Spirit of the man which is in him?
Even so, the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now, we have received, not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also seek, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man, that is to say a man lacking the Holy Spirit, an unregenerate man, a man who’s not a believer, a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually appraised. They are appraised or discerned by the Spirit. I believe that the S there should be capitalized, speaking of the Holy Spirit.
But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord that he will instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” The point here is that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual wisdom and discernment to those who have been born again by the Spirit. And that is why we as believers, when we come to faith in Christ, we have a certainty. Not to say that we never struggle with doubts, but there is a basic assurance of certainty. that Jesus rose from the dead. If you’re born again by the Spirit, you will, at a basic level, believe that, because the Spirit bears testimony to you. And the Apostle John also talks about this in 1 John 2, 24-27. Let me just read that passage briefly. 1 John 2, verses 24-27.
John writes, As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning.” He’s talking about letting the gospel message abide in you. “‘If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which He Himself made to us, eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.” Praise be to God. Believers have received an anointing of the Holy Spirit, the indwelling of the Spirit, who unites us to Christ, Christ the Anointed One.
We share in His anointing, and therefore the Spirit gives us a basic discernment. that keeps us in the basic truth of the gospel, including the truth of Christ’s resurrection. So, in summary, we believe, in summary of this second point, we believe that Jesus rose from the dead, first of all, because the Bible tells us so, God’s Word says so. Secondly, rational, historic evidence supports it. And thirdly, the Spirit’s witness in our hearts confirms it. And so, I begin this sermon talking about the negative implications if Christ is not risen from the dead. But in closing, let us take to heart the positive implications of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Since Jesus is indeed risen from the dead, what impact ought that to have on our lives as those who profess to be his followers? Well, there’s many things I could talk about, but let me just mention a few.
First of all, beloved, Since Christ is risen from the dead, we believers should possess gospel fullness. Since Christ is risen from the dead, we should possess gospel fullness. I like to put it this way, children. An occupied tomb, if Jesus’ bones are still in the tomb, what does that mean? That means an empty heart. The occupied tomb equals an empty heart. But the empty tomb means a heart full of the joy of the Holy Spirit. a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, the joy that the Apostle Peter speaks of in 1 Peter 1, 3-9. I love this opening doxology of Peter’s epistle, where he references the resurrection of Jesus, and he says this in 1 Peter 1, beginning of verse 3, who, according to his great mercy, has caused us to be born again to a living hope through what?
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith versus salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoin, even though now, for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials. so that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And though you have not seen Him, you love Him. And though you do not now see Him, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Since Jesus is risen from the dead, if Christ is your Lord and Savior, you ought to walk in gospel fullness. Another implication of the fact that Christ is risen is that we believers should confess gospel truth. If Christ is risen from the dead, and indeed, friends, He is, then the gospel message is true, and we must confess it and seek to explain its truth to those who ask us for a reason for the hope that is within us. to the Apostle Peter, writing to a group of believers who faced severe persecution from their faith, including legal persecution, where they would be dragged before courts and be asked to explain what they believe and why they believe it. This is what he says in 1 Peter 3, verses 15 and 16. He says, well, let me start at verse 14.
He says, But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled. but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense—the Greek is apologia, an apologetic, a defense—to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence, and keeping a good conscience, so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.” So, believers should confess gospel truth, that they have opportunity to do so. Believers, we believers, should also walk in gospel confidence. Since Jesus is risen from the dead, we should live our lives in gospel confidence. Believer, your Savior is risen. You are not still in your sins.
If you’ve received and rested upon Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are in Christ Christ’s blood has washed you clean of all your sins. You are justified once and for all and forever. There is, therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. So be confident. Oh, but Pastor, I still sin. I still struggle. Yes, and you will until the day you die. But the good news is that you are struggling with sin. The Spirit abides in you, and the Spirit is working in you, working ongoing repentance and renewed faith and repentance. So when you stand, confess that sin, forsake it, get up and get your eyes back on Jesus and keep walking on that narrow path that leads unto life. Walk in gospel confidence. For he who began a good work in you will carry it through to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Do you, dear listener, have this confidence? Have you trusted Christ as your savior from sin? Hear this, hear this, every one of you. Where do you stand before God? Do you recognize your sinfulness? Do you recognize that Jesus is risen from the dead? And do you realize that he is your only hope of salvation? Do you feel the weight of your sins? Do you feel burdened and heavy laden by your sin? Hear the words of Jesus. He says, come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Come to Jesus with your sins, and he will take that burden off your shoulders. He will forgive you. He will welcome you. He will save you. Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. God’s Word says so, and the resurrection of Jesus confirms it to be so.
But the final implication I want to mention before we close our time in the Word today is that since Jesus is risen from the dead, we believers should participate in Gospel-centered worship on every Lord’s Day. I want you to turn with me briefly to Acts chapter 20, verse 7. Acts chapter 20, verse 7. And here, the Apostle Paul in his missionary travels, he is in Macedonia, he’s meeting with the believers, and it says this, “…on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. I know that some of you are thinking, Pastor, are you planning to preach until midnight? Are you planning to just—a lot of preachers quote from this to justify long sermons, and I’m sure this sermon is getting a little bit long at this point.
But the reason I’m quoting this is not to justify the length of my sermon, but to point out, when do these believers meet together? The first day of the week. What’s the significance of the first day of the week? That’s the day that Jesus rose from the dead. When we look at the Apostolic example, the example of the Apostolic Church, we note that though some Jewish Christians continue to attend the synagogue services, the church met together every Sunday because Sunday was the day that Jesus rose from the dead. It is called elsewhere in Scripture, in Revelation 1, verse 10, it is called the Lord’s Day. The early Christians were gathered together for worship not on the last day of the week, as our Jewish friends gather for their Sabbath, but on the first day of the week, Sunday, the Lord’s Day.
And why is it called the Lord’s Day? Because it is the day that Jesus rose from the dead and brought in a new creation. And this is why the Christian Sabbath, or Lord’s Day, our day of worship, is the first day of the week and not the seventh day, not the Saturday Sabbath. Brothers and sisters in Christ, the early believers were gathered together on the first day to break bread. Now, some suggest that means they had a fellowship meal, but I think more likely this refers to they were gathered together for holy worship. They were gathered together to celebrate holy communion, to commune with their risen Savior. And again, I would leave you with what The author of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 10, 24 and 25. Hebrews chapter 10, 24 and 25. He says, well, let me start at verse 23.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some. but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day, meaning the Day of Judgment, drawing near. Believers, we should participate in Gospel-centered worship on every Lord’s Day, because there’s a sense in which every Sunday is an Easter Sunday. Every Sunday that we gather for worship bears testimony to the fact that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is risen from the dead. Dear ones, in conclusion, if the Lord Jesus did not rise from the dead, then Easter is a worthless, meaningless time of year. If Jesus has not risen from the dead, then Christianity is no more real than the Easter Bunny, and no amount of Easter candy or colorful Easter eggs can blunt the harsh implications, including the implication that if Christ is not risen, our faith is worthless and we are still headed for eternal damnation in hell.
But thanks be to God, Christ is indeed risen from the dead. Rejoice, my friends, the Lord Let us pray. Our Lord and Father in Heaven, how grateful we are for the resurrection victory of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. We pray that the ramifications of this amazing event of history—real, fake-time history—would indeed flood our lives with joy and peace in the Holy Spirit, and would us on to greater love and good works and holiness out of gratitude for your gift of salvation. Father in heaven, we thank you that you raised your son Jesus, our Savior, from the dead. May we live in gospel confidence. We pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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