If there is no resurrection…

  1. Jesus has not risen either
  2. We are still in our sins
    1. No power to overcome the problems in front of us
  3. We are pitied over all because we are living a lie
  4. Our message is a lie
  5. There is not going to be a balancing of the books
    1. No real justice in the world
    2. Evil will continue to advance without any stopping it
  6. W e have no hope or future

But Christ has risen

  1. Christ has risen Vs 20
  1. Paul again starts with fact and goes on to show the results of that fact
    1. Grave empty
    2. 500 people saw Jesus alive
    3. Boldness of the disciples after hiding in fear.
    4. Lives changed from life controlling problems to living free.
  2. Knowing this fact, we can go onto the unknown and what that means for us.
    1. This is where the gospel (Good News) begins and we can go on from there.
  3. Three words that have continual meaning
    1. But now
    2. Is risen
    3. Them that slept. Something that happened in the past whose effect remains and are continuing to be felt.
  4. First of a great harvest
    1. John 20: 17 Not yet ascended to my Father
    2. Christ entered holy place (See Hebrews 10: 12 – 14)
    3. Enemies made a footstool
      1. Matthew 22: 44
      2. 1 Corinthians 15: 25
      3. Death last enemy to be defeated. (See Revelation 20: 14)
    4. What he did we will now experience. (First fruit of what will happen for the rest of us.)
      1. Vs 38 New Body given to us.  Our lives  are like a seed of what will happen.
      2. Enter the Holy Place to find mercy and grace (Hebrews 4: 15, 16)
      3. Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. (See Ephesians 1: 14)
  1. We only sleep now.
    1. Matthew 9: 24 she is not dead but asleep
    2. Luke 20: 37, 38
  2. I would not have you ignorant 1 Thessalonians 4: 13, 14, 18

Death not natural slide

2. Death is not natural Vs 21, 22

  1. God never intended death for humans
    1. One man’s disobedience brought death for many Romans 5: 19
    2. But death came through Adam Romans 5: 12
      1. Adam is the name given to Adam and Eve (See Genesis 5: 1)
  2. Jesus death destroyed power of fear of death for mankind (See Hebrews 2: 14, 15)
  3. We are not to choose how our body meets death, but we can choose how our soul and spirit meet death
    1. John 5: 28, 29 Dead will hear the voice of God and answer the call of the resurrection.
    2. There is no middle ground.  A decision has to be made in what we are to do with Jesus
  4. As a first fruit, we are to respond to what Jesus wants to do in our lives.
    1. Lord not willing that any should perish 2 Peter 3: 9
  5. We all live because Jesus became a second Adam Vs 22

3. An order to the resurrection Vs 23

  1. Jesus explained this in John 3: 18
    1. Believe and not condemned
    2. Don’t believe and condemned already
      1. Doesn’t Jesus love everyone?
      2. yes, but by rejecting the work of the cross, their lives are under condemnation even now.
  2. Order
    1. Christ rose first
    2. There is a set time that our resurrection is going to take place.
    3. Note: Those who belong to Christ raised first (No Universal Salvation)
      1. 1 Thessalonians 4: 15 – 18
    4. Dead  judged, not raised Revelation 20: 11 – 15
    5. THIS ORDER IS FIXED FOREVER AND CANNOT BE CHANGED.
  1. Comes back.
    1. Acts 1: 10, 11 return in a like manner you have seen him go. (appears 25 times in the New Testament)
    2. He will return physically bringing salvation to those waiting for him. Hebrews 9: 28
      1. Word Parousia means an invasion by a general
        1. Enemy destroyed by splendor of his coming (See 1 Thessalonians 7, 8)
    3. Don’t know the hour he comes Matthew 24: 44

Enemies put under subjection to Jesus Christ in Two weeks.