Download... April 4, 2010. Sunday Morning Service. Bro. Dave Goble.
Easter is like the Christian's New Year, All things have become New because God has changed our life. True worship of God comes from a resurrection in Christ or personal experience in Him. It matters not the humble outward worship surroundings, when the worship comes from a spiritually resurrected soul.
TEXT: I CORINTHIANS 15:1-12
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how 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 of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet 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 which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
Many were having trouble in this day (as today) in comprehending Christ' death and resurrection.
So apostle Paul began a defense, as also needed today, of the the Gospel of Christ's Resurrection. There is much unbelief that warrants this defense, which without there is no Christianity. None of us are Christians without Jesus first being Resurrected. Just as Christ's Sacrifice in death was imperative for our redemption and a fact, so also was factual that He for our new life,.. arose again.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Evidence is something that can be introduced in a court trial, .. a reality, a substance that gives us hope. Without the resurrection we are not saved. We are "raised from the grave" because He was risen out of the grave. Without this we would have no hope.
Psalms 33:9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. God created the world, commanded the elements, a reality that gave us the earth's foundation. So also after the resurrection, Jesus was seen of the apostles after his ascension into heaven following his crucifixion. This was the factual foundation of the resurrection. In our everyday life people recognize certain facts even though they may not see it. Likewise Christians have faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Too many people though, do not recognize who Christ is and are still seeking. Without a personal revelation from God, worship is nothing but vanity. Faith is the substance of things not seen, and again which without all is vanity. God does not reveal Himself necessarily to the crowds, numbers, or "noise." But He does at the entrance of the "tomb", in His still small voice. I must have a "personal revelation." If Paul had not declared his personal revelation, the Corinthians would not doubt not have believed. If Christ "raises you from the dead," you also can testify to the resurrection that "I have seen Him."
The gospel needs to be defended as factual, not a mere tale or story to a lost world of souls. All the facts of the Gospel, that God created all, needs to be defended. A fact is derived from observation. By the life that has been given, we observe the fact of His resurrection, and the very real substance of faith. People today are attacking Christianity because they can not sense or perceive God, due to their unbelief. Similar to these Corinthians who also had trouble believing. They had trouble accepting the resurrection which was to them essentially mythology. A myth to the unbeliever. Instead and tragically, too many are taking mythology and accepting it as real. Paul wrote this of the Galatians, Galatians 3:1 O FOOLISH GALATIANS, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? Paul was dealing with the Corinthians in the same manner, as the Galatians in this above scripture. If you choose to believe "whatever.".. that is a myth. You cannot choose to believe whatever you want regardless of what a mere preacher might tell you,.. and hope to be saved. God died for a "certain" gospel. There is only one true way.
How is this observation derived? The fact is in the Resurrected life, although the unbeliever has put it on trial, or at issue. What that is producing is that many believe the Resurrection is a myth. Yet the truth is producing in every soul that is saved and living free from sin, which renders it the core of fact. The resurrection out of sin not to return, is not a popular message that brings the crowds. Yet Jesus died that He might ask us to repent and forsake our sins. It is a requirement that takes a willingness to have a holy life. In these current times unbelief is seen as scholarly and belief viewed as irrational by many non-Christians. Consequently integrity, honesty, etc. are in short supply amongst humanity at large. Belief is viewed predominately as un-scholarly in the court of public opinion. There needs to be a defense of believers in the Resurrection, which without no one will believe. As pilgrims and strangers in this world, believers must defend the gospel always to maintain a defense of the resurrection. The gospel needs defending at school, work, home, and etc. The defense of the gospel must be and is a way of life.
I Corinthians 15:13-20 13: But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15: Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16: For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18: Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20: But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Paul was defending the gospel. In a court,.. only the evidence can be admitted, for it to decide. Likewise in heaven God is the one who will decide based on the evidence. Does your life defend the resurrection? "Prosecutors of this world" are against the resurrection. In some foreign countries, it is necessary for believers to meet underground to worship as a group. As long as in America we have freedom, we must not hide but defend the gospel in addition to our outward testimony of spiritual life. The gospel is on trial! God needs the redeemed to be the defense of the substance of faith. Not just a "hearsay" which is a weak defense, without real evidence being lived. Only those who have died to sin and self and have been resurrected in Christ, have the facts that should be admitted. If I have been resurrected from sin, I have the facts that can be introduced for discussion.
The pastor shared an experience from a past employment of overhearing a discussion of evolution of monkeys. His personal experience of resurrected life kept him from being able to contain himself from expressing the absurdity of that unfounded and faithless theory. That popular theory is only based on hearsay, and not of any lively evidence such as the resurrection. Mercifully many have the facts of being redeemed and delivered from ungodly addictions. Thankfully not everyone "believes a lie", but the truth of the resurrection! It is a fact to all those who have been delivered from the death of sin, and raised to a pure life in Christ.
The pastor also relayed a past episode about a congregation on an island praying for revival. Because of the faithfulness of a few diligent and fervent prayers, revival was sent in a large way, and many souls were brought to Christ. God will send revival to us if we will diligently defend the resurrection. We all need to be spirited observers of the fact of this true resurrection of life.
Will you defend the resurrection?
