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1 Corinthians 15:12-19
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
The basis of Christianity is the resurrection of Christ. Without resurrection, our faith is useless. We are still in sin, our preaching is useless.
It was foretold in ancient prophecies that He should rise, and it has been proved by multitudes of eye witnesses that He has risen.
During the fourty days between His resurrection and ascension, the Lord Jesus had appeared to His own followers on ten occasions.
The first five of these being on the day of resurrection.
(1). To Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9-11, John 20: 11-18).
(2). To the women returning from the tomb (Mathew 28: 8-10).
(3). To Peter (Luke 24:34) probably in the afternoon.
(4). The Emmaus disciples towards the evening (Mark 16:12, Luke 24:13-32).
(5). To the disciples, Thomas being absent (John 20:19-24).
(6). Next Sunday night (John 20:26-31).
(7). To the seven besides, the sea of Galilee (John 21).
(8). To the apostles and more than five hundred of the others (Mathew 28:16-20, 1 Cor 15:6).
(9). To James, the Lord’s brother (1 Cor 15:7).
(10). The last recorded appearance (Acts 1:3-12).
1. Resurrection brings peace
Luke 24:36-39
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.
38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?
39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."
Now His first word to them was “Peace be with you”.
Christ’s first words intimate them that He did not come to quarrel with Peter for denying him or to the rest for running away from him.
Instead He brought peace by forgiving them.
After that His disciples travelled different places and countries to preach the same peace.
Today there are marriages, families were there is no peace.
But when we believe in Jesus and His resurrection it can bring peace to our life.
Jesus’s resurrection motivate us to live a righteous life so that we can also be resurrected.
Acts 24:15-16
15 and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
When we are righteous we can enjoy the true peace in our personal life and in our relationships.
Psalm 85:10
Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.
What about your life? Do you have the true peace? This is what God expects from each one of us through his resurrection.
Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
2.Resurrection brings joy
John 20:10-18
10 Then the disciples went back to their homes,
11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb
12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him."
14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
17 Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
The disciples had gone home. But this good woman had a great love for Jesus.
That’s why Jesus appeared to her even before appearing to apostles.
She was grateful to Jesus for driving out seven demons from her.
Jesus used Mary Magdalene as a messenger to the apostles.
She was in pain and in tears before Jesus resurrection.
But it was turned to be joy after Jesus resurrection.
Even though she had seven demons in her past life but now Jesus is using her to bring joy to others.
Even though she had a sinful life, Jesus resurrection gave her hope of being in heaven.
Luke 10:20
However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
A person who has repented of his sins, can enjoy true joy thinking of going to heaven.
Are you a joyful person always? What brings joy in your life?
Are you waiting for something to happen in your life to be joyful or are you joyful because of Jesus’ resurrection.
3. Resurrection brings boldness
Acts 4:12-13
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
The fearful Peter says now that there is just one way to God, that too, to the rulers and elders.
Earlier he was afraid of a servant girl.
Luke 22:56-57
56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him."
57 But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said.
He is preaching boldly (V13). He and John were noted for their courage inspite of being ordinary men.
Something has changed these men. That one thing is the resurrection of Christ.
All the apostles went through different kinds of trials (hunger, beatings, floggings, rejection etc.), but they kept being bold.
Through resurrection their faith increased. Their love for God become strong.
They were willing to face any problem to spread the word to all nations.
How bold are you today to preach the word? what are you afraid of?
Family, career, future, loosing your image, looking bad infront of people, persecution .......?
Acts 4:18-20
18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God.
20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
Here Peter and John had great boldness to tell the truth?
Are you afraid of people today? Can others notice your boldness?
Today Jesus resurrection gives us great hope for our soul.
Let us be bold like the apostles to preach the word.
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