Easter Sunday

SERMON

INI

I.

Text: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20

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, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

In Christ Jesus, our resurrected and living Savior, dear fellow-redeemed:

Facts can be very important. Getting the facts straight can be very important. In a courtroom the true facts of a case can be the difference between imprisonment and freedom, life and death. The facts of Jesus’ resurrection are of that kind of importance, but with eternal impact. The truth of the facts concerning Jesus’ resurrection is the difference between imprisonment in sin and slavery to the Devil, and freedom in Christ. The facts of the resurrection are the difference between eternal death and eternal life.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the facts of the resurrection because they weren’t quite sure what to believe. Doubts had risen in their minds about Jesus’ resurrection. With the Corinthians we seek to learn the facts about Jesus resurrection.

FACT! A man named Jesus of Nazareth lived on the earth for thirty-three years and was executed by the Roman government at the urging of Jewish leaders. Virtually no one disputes or challenges this fact.

FACT! This same Jesus of Nazareth was buried by friends following His crucifixion. Again, the agreement to this fact is nearly unanimous.

FACT! On the third day, this same Jesus of Nazareth rose back to life from the dead. With this fact great disagreement arises.

Disagreeing about the resurrection is nothing new. The Saducees were a sect among the Jewish people of Jesus’ day who did not believe in the resurrection from the dead. They were the enemies of Jesus during His ministry who challenged Him concerning the resurrection of the dead.

When the apostle Paul proclaimed the Gospel in Athens he told the people about Jesus’ life and ministry—what He had done and what He had taught. The Athenians listened with interest until Paul came to the resurrection. “When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked while others said, ‘We’ll hear you again on this matter’” (Acts 17:32).

Today also, many people merely laugh and scoff at the idea of a resurrection from the dead. This is hard for people to accept because a resurrection from the dead and a return to life is not natural. We see things and people going the other direction all the time—people and animals and plants die, but they don’t come back to life once they are dead. It’s not the normal course of things in this sin filled world!

In view of the “unnatural” characteristic of the resurrection we go to the facts to find out the truth. In a courtroom, circumstantial evidence is treated as a lesser quality of testimony. A truthful eye-witness is the best kind of testimony. When it comes to the facts of Jesus’ resurrection we have not just one eye witness, not just two, not just three, but many eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection whose testimony is recorded by God’s inspiration in the words of the Bible.

On the day of Jesus’ resurrection He appeared to the women as they hurried back to Jerusalem after seeing the angel at the tomb. Jesus appeared individually to Mary Magdalene and Peter. He appeared to the two disciples on their way to Emmaus and then to the ten disciples later in the locked upper room. One week later, Jesus again appeared to the disciples in the locked upper room, but this time Thomas was with them. Later in the days between Easter and His ascension, Jesus appeared to seven disciples at the Sea of Galilee, to James and the apostles, to over 500 people at one time, to the disciples when He gave the command to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19ff), to the disciples at His ascension, and then finally to Paul on the road to Damascus when he was converted and made an apostle instead of a persecutor (cf. Gospel accounts and 1 Corinthians 15:1ff).

FACT! All of these eyewitnesses saw Jesus alive after they knew He was dead. These eye witnesses testify to a resurrected and living Christ!

FACT! We have eye witness accounts, not mere circumstantial evidence.

FACT! This resurrection is bodily. Jesus’ resurrection is a physical resurrection of the physical body that was crucified.

Some attempt to rationalize the resurrection from the dead by saying it was a “spiritual resurrection.” By this they mean to say that Jesus lives on in our hearts and in our lives by His teachings and His Word and through His example.

FACT! When Jesus appeared after rising from the dead He talked and walked with the disciples and He ate to demonstrate that He was indeed alive bodily and not just a phantom, a ghost, or a figment of the frightened disciples imagination.

After Jesus appeared to the disciples on Easter evening, Thomas doubted whether what they had seen was really Jesus. He said he would not believe unless he put his hands into Jesus’ nail prints and his pierced side. One week later Jesus appeared to the disciples again and invited Thomas to put his hands into his hands and side. Thomas didn’t even need to do so, he simply cried out, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

FACT! Jesus rose physically and His promise that we will live because He lives means that we also will rise bodily!

FACT! God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. If Christ is not raised our faith is empty and we are still in our sins.

FACT! God has accomplished our salvation for us and brought it to a successful completion by raising Jesus from the dead! God’s will for the salvation of sinners would otherwise not be complete.

FACT! Jesus is raised from the dead for God’s Word declares it!

FACT! “Christ was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4).

FACT! Christ is the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. First fruits imply a second fruit. Jesus our Savior died for our sins and rose again defeating death. Through Him we too are given life. Just as he rose from the dead as the firstfruits, so too we will rise from the dead as following fruits of His redemptive work.

FACT! Jesus promises "Because I live you will live also!" (John 14:19)

FACT! We, therefore, have a share in the resurrection of Christ.

Christ our Lord has risen! IT IS A FACT! Amen.

—Pastor Wayne C. Eichstadt

II.

Text: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immorality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is you victory?’ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

In Christ Jesus, whose resurrection is the key to our future, dear fellow redeemed:

You have heard the facts! Jesus did arise from the dead Easter Sunday morning. Jesus’ resurrection was a physical, not a spiritual resurrection. Jesus was raised from the dead to assure us that our sins are forgiven. Jesus’ resurrection assures us of our future resurrection. In these final verses of his great resurrection chapter, the apostle Paul expands on that final fact and ties Jesus’ resurrection directly to our future. On the last day in view of Jesus’ resurrection we will share in His ultimate victory over sin, death, hell, and Satan! Consequently, instead of viewing the future with fear and uncertainty, we can approach our future, both in this life and beyond this life, with an attitude of confidence and certainty. Let us therefore, consider briefly these words on the basis of our theme: CHRIST OUR LORD HAS RISEN! It is a fact, and this fact is our future!

Whether or not you have come to know Jesus Christ as your risen and living Lord and Savior will have direct impact on how you view the future. Those who do not know Jesus may well look to the future with joyous anticipation when they are young, strong, healthy, and wealthy but as they age, when their strength begins to fail, as their health and wealth dissipate, and as they face the prospects of increasing disability and ultimate death, they will view the future with fear and trepidation. Paul writes, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.” By nature we are flesh and blood—by nature corrupted by sin, and so Paul states the obvious—through our own efforts we cannot inherit God’s kingdom. Without Christ those who die have no hope. However, for those who do know Christ and rejoice in His resurrection, Paul goes on to say: “Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality.” The glorious effect of Jesus’ work of redemption and His own resurrection is that we, who are by nature corrupt and subject to the decay of death will become incorruptible in heaven, and we who are mortal and whose lives will end, will become immortal and will live forever in God’s presence.

All of our futures will come together on the last day, when both the dead and the living stand before the Lord’s throne of judgment. On that day, Paul writes, “Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” Satan uses sin to enslave. Satan uses death to instill fear within hearts. Satan uses the threat of hell to burden consciences. In Christ we find victory. Jesus lived perfectly for us to fulfill all of the law’s demands upon us. Jesus washes away our sins as we turn to him with penitent hearts and so removes all reasons for guilt and shame. Jesus died, but that rose again to defeat death and demonstrate His dominion over every enemy that might oppose us.

Consequently, Paul could encourage the Corinthians Christians as well as you and me with his final words: “My beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Our eternal future is assured by the graced of God and the work of Jesus Christ. Our future in this world is likewise assured—not that there are no questions in our minds, but we know that our living Lord and Savior is walking with us, watching over us, and keeping us safe as we seek faithfully to fulfill our individuals callings.

What effect will knowing the fact of Jesus’ resurrection have upon our attitudes towards the future? Martha Backhaus in a paralyzed state and nearing death could sing with me every stanza of “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation.” My father could look forward to death and eagerly await, as he called it, “his turn” to meet his Savior in person. Florella Helling could share with me this thought at the visitation of her husband this past Friday, “We do not have to fear death,” after which she asked a very telling question, “What do people do when facing death, if they do not know Jesus?”

My dear friends, having reviewed the facts and understanding how important they are to our future, may we indeed be steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work of our Lord. Everything that you do in the Lord will not be in vain, but will bring blessing to all people around you and honor to the Lord you love! CHRIST OUR LORD HAS RISEN, ALLELUIA! Amen.

—Pastor Paul D. Nolting