One Year Bible Club
August 23
1 Corinthians 15:1-28
August 23
1 Corinthians 15:1-28
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August 23 ~ 1 Corinthians 15:1-28
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 12 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? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 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. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In this section of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he defends the cornerstone doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Some were completely denying the resurrection. So Paul reminds these believers that the gospel he preached from the beginning included both the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ based on the written prophetic promises of God. In other words, Paul was saying; Wait a minute! The resurrection is not something I just made up. No, it was based on the written word of God and over 500 witnesses that literally saw Christ with their own eyes after he arose from the dead! He also says Christ also appeared to him personally after he was raised from the dead. Then he leads his readers through a string negating conditional statements based on the argument that there is no resurrection. He does this to show the faith shattering implications of such a position:
If there is no resurrection then:
But then Paul changes gears saying but Christ has risen from the dead! So all those issues are resolved by the fact that Christ was raised again based on these arguments:
a) The Old Testament promised the Messiah to be raised from the dead.
b) Christ prophesied he would rise again from the dead.
c) Jesus declared he was the resurrection and the life.
d) Jesus raised a boy from the dead and Lazarus from the dead.
e) The Roman seal was broken and the stone rolled away where Christ body was buried.
f) Mary Magdalene spoke with the risen Christ in the garden.
g) The two disciples on the road to Emmaus walked with Jesus after his resurrection.
h) All the apostles were eye witnesses of Christ being raised from the dead.
i) Jesus made special post-resurrection appearance to Thomas affirming he was alive.
j) The body and bones of Jesus have never been found and never will because he was raised from the dead and ascended back to the Father in a glorified body.
k) Millions of believers from all nations have believed on Jesus as the risen Christ.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) The resurrection of the dead is a foundational teaching of the Bible.
2) The true gospel must emphasize the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
3) If there is no resurrection then all our believing and right living is for nothing.
4) Christ is risen from the dead and appeared to over 500 at once as eye witnesses.
5) He appeared to all the apostles and lives today in Heaven from where he will return to destroy death and usher in the eternal kingdom of God.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 12 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? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 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. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In this section of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he defends the cornerstone doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Some were completely denying the resurrection. So Paul reminds these believers that the gospel he preached from the beginning included both the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ based on the written prophetic promises of God. In other words, Paul was saying; Wait a minute! The resurrection is not something I just made up. No, it was based on the written word of God and over 500 witnesses that literally saw Christ with their own eyes after he arose from the dead! He also says Christ also appeared to him personally after he was raised from the dead. Then he leads his readers through a string negating conditional statements based on the argument that there is no resurrection. He does this to show the faith shattering implications of such a position:
If there is no resurrection then:
- Christ has not risen
- We are false witnesses
- Our preaching is vain
- Your faith is empty
- You are still in your sins
- Those that have died in faith are lost
- We are living this whole Christian life for nothing and are of all men most miserable
But then Paul changes gears saying but Christ has risen from the dead! So all those issues are resolved by the fact that Christ was raised again based on these arguments:
a) The Old Testament promised the Messiah to be raised from the dead.
b) Christ prophesied he would rise again from the dead.
c) Jesus declared he was the resurrection and the life.
d) Jesus raised a boy from the dead and Lazarus from the dead.
e) The Roman seal was broken and the stone rolled away where Christ body was buried.
f) Mary Magdalene spoke with the risen Christ in the garden.
g) The two disciples on the road to Emmaus walked with Jesus after his resurrection.
h) All the apostles were eye witnesses of Christ being raised from the dead.
i) Jesus made special post-resurrection appearance to Thomas affirming he was alive.
j) The body and bones of Jesus have never been found and never will because he was raised from the dead and ascended back to the Father in a glorified body.
k) Millions of believers from all nations have believed on Jesus as the risen Christ.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) The resurrection of the dead is a foundational teaching of the Bible.
2) The true gospel must emphasize the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
3) If there is no resurrection then all our believing and right living is for nothing.
4) Christ is risen from the dead and appeared to over 500 at once as eye witnesses.
5) He appeared to all the apostles and lives today in Heaven from where he will return to destroy death and usher in the eternal kingdom of God.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll