April 17 2022

Easter Sunday April 17th 2022

Old Testament: Isaiah 65:17-25

Psalm: Psalm 16

Epistle: 1st Corinthians 15:19-26, 51-57

Gospel: Luke 24:1-12

Sermon Text: 1st Corinthians 15:19-26, 51-57

Sermon Title: “In Fact … Christ is Risen”

Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed) Alleluia!

What is most important thing to you this morning? For most people of the world; for most in our (so called) Christian country, it is just another Sunday morning, even though it is Easter. For most, not just Easter, but every Sunday is a day to sleep in, or go out to breakfast, maybe get some exercise, watch whatever sport happens to be in season and of course, spend time with your family and friends, after all, that is what is most important, isn’t it?

Even for many who go to church, they will not hear anything about what Easter really means. In many churches this morning, you will hear nothing about Christ Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead; but rather a social or “woke “Gospel”; which is no “gospel” at all, for there it is based on works and there is no forgiveness.

If you hear anything about resurrection at all, it will (likely) be about a “spiritual” (not a bodily) resurrection; about how God raises “dead things” in our lives, such as relationships or dreams or finances. (This is what Joel Osteen said about Easter recently) After all, making us culturally relevant (on the one hand) or rich, happy, personally fulfilled and feeling good about ourselves (on the other hand) is what Christianity and Easter are all about, isn’t it?

Not according to the Word of God; the Apostle Paul wrote, “I delivered to you, as of first importance, what I also received, that Christ died for our sins … that He was buried, and that He was raised from the dead on the third day”. (1st Corinthians 15:3b-4) This is the Gospel, “by which you are saved” (1st Corinthians 15:2a) from the fires of hell and promised the resurrection of the body on the last day and the life of the world to come. There is nothing more important than this; Nothing! These are the things of first importance for the Christian; always and forever; Christ “delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification”. (Romans 4:25)

Roughly a third of what is recorded in each of the four Gospels speaks of the events of the last week of Jesus life; His death and resurrection; so what Paul writes about these things being of first importance is absolutely true. In Luke’s account this morning, the women arrive at the tomb early in the morning “and they found the stone rolled away from the tomb … and they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus”. (Luke 24:2-3)

They do see two men/angels who ask them “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, He has risen. Remember how He told you … that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise. And they remembered His words”. (Luke 24:5b-8) This is what Scripture testifies about the events of this past week, but as you heard earlier, many do not believe it, many even in the church.

In the Epistle this morning, the Apostle Paul wrote, “If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied”. (1st Corinthians 15:19) Christ Jesus warned us that “in this world, you will have tribulation” (John 16:33b) and “if they persecuted Me, they will persecute you” (John 15:20). Why would anyone want to be a Christian, risking persecution and death, if there was nothing to look forward to after this life? If this life is all there is, why not “eat, drink, and be merry” (Luke 12:19)?

The good news this morning is that this life is not all there is; today, we celebrate a historical event; for “in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead; the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep”. (1st Corinthians 15:20) Jesus is just the first to be raised imperishable; but on the last day; the day of Christ’s return, all who have trusted in Him in this life will also be raised bodily, to be with Him forever. But, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain”. (1st Corinthians 15:14)

Over and over, Scripture declares the resurrection of Christ to be true; a fact. “God raised Him on the third day” (Acts 10:40a) and “He presented Himself alive to them after His suffering by many proofs” (Acts 1:3a) and “He was declared to be the Son of God in power … by His resurrection from the dead”. (Romans 1:4) “For as by a man came death, by a man has also come the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in its own order; Christ, the first fruits, then at His coming, those who belong to Christ”. (1st Corinthians 15:21-23)

Paul has no doubts about Jesus’ bodily resurrection because of the eye witness testimony of the Apostles and other believers who had seen Jesus alive after His crucifixion and burial; including His “appearing to more than five hundred brothers at one time”. (1st Corinthians 15:6a) He mentions these earlier in this chapter; but then he wrote; “He appeared also to me”. (1st Corinthians 15:8b) The Apostle Paul had seen the risen Christ for himself on the road to Damascus; where he was headed to persecute the church of God.

Now raised bodily from the dead, Paul describes Christ, when at the end of all things He returns; as “destroying every rule … authority … and power … reigning until He has put all of His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death”. (1st Corinthians 15:24b-26) On the day of His second coming, Christ Jesus will return visibly to judge the world; and all will be raised; “Some to everlasting life and others to everlasting shame and contempt”. (Daniel 12:2b)

Paul describes this day later in the chapter, beginning at verse 51, “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 imperishable; and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality”. (1st Corinthians 15:51-53)

If we die; if God calls us home before Jesus’ second coming, our soul immediately goes to be with Jesus, as we heard on Good Friday. Jesus tells the repentant thief on the cross, “today, you will be with Me in paradise”. (Luke 23:43b) “In Your presence, there is fulness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore”. (Psalm 16:11)

But on the Last Day, our soul and body will be reunited. “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep … the dead in Christ will rise first”. (1st Thessalonians 4:14, 16b) As Job also declared, “I know that My Redeemer lives (and) in my flesh, I shall see God”. (Job 19:25a, 26b)

This is our confidence for this life and especially in the time of our death; for “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15) and “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on”. (Revelation 14:13a) Jesus’ beautiful words to Martha at the death of her brother Lazarus also comforts us in our final hour, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25) and “Because I live, you will live also”. (John 14:19)

On that day of the resurrection of all flesh, “when the perishable puts on the imperishable and the mortal puts on immortality; then shall come to pass the saying that is written (by the prophet Isaiah): Death is swallowed up in victory; (forever)”. (1st Corinthians 15:54) On that day, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more; neither mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore”. (Revelation 21:4)

It light of all these facts, Paul is extremely confident of the bodily resurrection, not only of Christ, but of all who belong to Him. It almost sounds as if he is taunting death; the great enemy has been defeated. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory (over sin, over death, over the devil) through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1st Corinthians 15:55-57) who was delivered up (to death on the cross) for our trespasses and was raised up (bodily from the dead) for our justification”. (Romans 4:25)

Jesus’ atoning death for the forgiveness of sins and His bodily resurrection from the dead on the first Easter morning means that all who trust in Him alone for their salvation, will one day rise to live with Him forever. Let us “encourage one another with these words”. (1st Thessalonians 4:18)

Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed, alleluia) Amen.

The peace of God …