The Good News of EasterA Special EASTER Sunday Message

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

April 5, 2015Pastor Paul K. Kim

WHY IS RESURRECTION OF JESUS SO IMPORTANT?

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received,

in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you

—unless you believed in vain. (vs. 1-2)

• It is central to the Good News of Easter—the gospel [Gk. “euangelion”] of Jesus Christ.

• It is the foundation on which Christian faith is laid—to be a genuine Christian means to receive it and stand in it.

• It is the determining factor for our salvation—eternal life in Christ Jesus.

What Is the Gospel?

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received:

that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day 

in accordance with the Scriptures,  5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. (vs. 3-

5)

WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS OF EASTER FOR ALL OF US?

GOOD NEWS #1: Jesus died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received:

that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,  (vs. 3-4)

Jesus’ substitutionary death for our sins was in accordance with the Scriptures; it is God’s sovereign plan of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

What is sin? Sin is not just breaking God’s law but “missing the mark”—coming short of God’s holy standard (Rom. 3:23).

The wage of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Death is “separation”: (1) physical death, (2) spiritual death, and (3) eternal death.

3 He was despised and rejected by men;   a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces   he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

 4 Surely he has borne our griefs   and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,    smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions;   he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

    and with his stripes we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray;

   we have turned—every one—to his own way;and the LORD has laid on him

   the iniquity of us all.Isaiah 53:3-6

  

WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS OF EASTER FOR ALL OF US?

GOOD NEWS #2: Jesus was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received:

that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,  (vs. 3-4)

Jesus’ resurrection was prophesied in the Old Testament; moreover, Jesus himself predicted it as well.

2After two days he will revive us;   on the third day he will raise us up,

   that we may live before him. Hosea 6:2

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

my flesh also dwells secure.10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

or let your holy one see corruption.Psalm 16:9-10

 

19 Jesus answered them,"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will

raise it up.“John 2:19 

34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

“‘The LORD said to my Lord,“Sit at my right hand,

35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for

certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ,

this Jesus whom you crucified.”Acts 2:34-36

  

WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS OF EASTER FOR ALL OF US?

GOOD NEWS #2: Jesus was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received:

that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,  (vs. 3-4)

Jesus’ resurrection was prophesied in the Old Testament; moreover, Jesus himself predicted it as well.

If Jesus is risen indeed, every claim that he made is true; thus, we have a sound faith in the trustworthy Savior and Lord.

We are to look to the risen Christ and have a living hope of our own resurrection!

WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS OF EASTER FOR ALL OF US?

GOOD NEWS #3: The risen Christ appeared to his followers in several occasions and to various kinds of people.

5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at

one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen

asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last

of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.  (vs. 5-8)

Paul’s letter was written only 20 years after the resurrection of Jesus—so, many of these eye witnesses were still alive.

People don’t die for hallucination or fabrication—but many Early Christians chose to die for Jesus, their risen Savior!

The Jesus’ appearances after the resurrection were undeniably true—some of 500 witnesses were there to testify about the bodily resurrection of Christ!

• Jesus’ appearances after the resurrection:

1. To Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9; John 20:11-18)

2. To the other women (Matt. 28:8-10)3. To Cephas [Peter] (Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5)4. To the two disciples on the road to Emmaus

(Mark 16:12; Luke 24:13-35)5. To eleven of the disciples—except Thomas

(Luke 24:33-49; John 20:19-24)6. To the twelve a week later (John 20:24-29; 1

Cor. 15:5)7. To seven disciples by the Sea of Tiberias (John

21:1-23)8. To five hundred followers (1 Cor. 15:6)9. To James (1 Cor. 15:7)10.To the twelve at the ascension (Acts 1:3-12)11.To Paul [then Saul] (Acts 9; 1 Cor. 15:8)

Perhaps the transformation of the disciples of Jesus

is the greatest evidence of all for the resurrection.

John R. W. Stott  

WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS OF EASTER FOR ALL OF US?

GOOD NEWS #4: The risen Christ changed the apostle Paul’s life radically from a persecutor of Christ’s church to a bondservant of Christ.

9For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 

10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me

was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, 

though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11Whether

then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. (vs. 9-11)

Paul’s transformed life was a profound evidence due to his notorious persecution of the Church prior to his conversion.

Jesus’ followers—who were once so afraid—had been transformed into the bold witnesses for Jesus’ resurrection.

Believers throughout the history also have experienced real transformation… Even today, Jesus can change your life!

The Sure and Certain Hope of the ResurrectionOptimism hopes for the best without any guarantee of its arriving and is often no more than whistling in the dark. Christian hope, by contrast, is faith looking ahead to the fulfillment of the promises of God, as when the Anglican burial service inters the corpse 'in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ.' Optimism is a wish without warrant; Christian hope is a certainty, guaranteed by God himself. Optimism reflects ignorance as to whether good things will ever actually come. Christian hope expresses knowledge that every day of his life, and every moment beyond it, the believer can say with truth, on the basis of God's own commitment, that the best is yet to come.

― J. I. Packer

THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE

1. In what ways are you more convinced of the significance of Easter—the resurrection of Christ?

2. Which of the fourfold good news of Easter is most encouraging to you? What will you do about it?

3. If Jesus is risen indeed, how will you respond to him? What practical first-step do you need take today?