Easter
Sunrise
21 April, 2019
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
A Personal Easter Experience
Almighty God
the Father, through Your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ You have overcome death
and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate
with joy the Lord’s resurrection, may be raise from the death of sin by Your
life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen
Easter can be only a matter of history – of what happened to others. It can tell us of various appearances of the risen Christ to people of the past. Paul brings Easter up-to-date, involving his own personal experience. Today we can add a far longer list of resurrection appearances to people through twenty centuries, but can we with Paul say, “He appeared to me also?” As far as Paul is concerned, Easter never happened until you personally have an encounter with the risen Lord. If Easter is to be real to you…
1. You first need a contemporary experience, not only historical. – For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Vv. 3-7
A. Paul has no problem explaining the historical context of the Easter story. In fact, he insists on it. He tells the story of the resurrection just like every single generation has heard it and still needs to hear it. “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
1. He reminds us that what he is passing on to us is the most important aspect of our Christian faith. Christianity stands or falls on the teaching of the resurrection. The heart of our faith is found in this one small yet powerful sentence, Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
a. That Jesus died, was buried and rose again is the teaching that makes us uniquely Christian. Without this teaching, there is no Christian faith. This is the message you have come to hear Sunday after Sunday. It’s the message that makes us Easter people - Jesus died, was buried and rose again.
b. And this Easter story happened just as it was suppose to happen. Paul tells us this all happened “according to the Scriptures.” What was predicted by the prophets of old happened in time and space in the town of Jerusalem around the year 30 AD. What had been promised came true. It happened just as the prophecy was predicted.
2. In addition to the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, there are also His appearances to countless persons over a forty-day period. He appeared to Peter, to the twelve, to more than five hundred believers at the same time, to James, and to all of the apostles.
B. There are countless sightings; there are many eye-witnesses, which give convincing proof of the resurrection. He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. These eye-witnesses give validity to the resurrection.
St. Paul gives us a list of those who were eye-witnesses, who met Jesus face to face after the resurrection. These eye-witnesses give credibility to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul is saying, “You Corinthians, you want proof? Here are the names. Here are the people involved. Have a conversation. Check out their story. Talk to them. They have all seen Jesus alive from the dead! It’s not made up as some have said. They have seen Jesus with their own eyes.”
Transition: The resurrection happened in time and space. But it needs to be personally experienced by you today.
2. You too need to encounter the living Christ. “And last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” V.8
A. Paul will speak personally of his encounter with the risen Lord Jesus. Not only was he an eye-witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ but his life was forever changed after that meeting. He was changed - from a man hell-bent on arresting and persecuting Christians to becoming the chief spokesperson for the Jesus movement. He was changed - from following rules, regulations, traditions and ceremonies to a man who would later write, “It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” Romans 9:15
B. You too have connected with the Lord Christ. Ours is not a religion in which we work our way up to God by pre-determined steps. It’s the difference between Do and Done. And what a difference it is! The Faith is not purpose-driven its Spirit given. It’s a life lived with the living Lord Jesus. It is His life, which has changed you as He orders your days, guides each step and directs your life.
Reject not until you have examined the evidence. By His bodily resurrection and His appearance to countless eye-witnesses, we can say boldly and confidently this day, “He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!”
Words-980
Passive Sentences-9%
Readability-72.9%
Reading Level-6.7
1. You first need a contemporary experience, not only historical. – For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Vv. 3-7
A. Paul has no problem explaining the historical context of the Easter story. In fact, he insists on it. He tells the story of the resurrection just like every single generation has heard it and still needs to hear it. “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
1. He reminds us that what he is passing on to us is the most important aspect of our Christian faith. Christianity stands or falls on the teaching of the resurrection. The heart of our faith is found in this one small yet powerful sentence, Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
a. That Jesus died, was buried and rose again is the teaching that makes us uniquely Christian. Without this teaching, there is no Christian faith. This is the message you have come to hear Sunday after Sunday. It’s the message that makes us Easter people - Jesus died, was buried and rose again.
b. And this Easter story happened just as it was suppose to happen. Paul tells us this all happened “according to the Scriptures.” What was predicted by the prophets of old happened in time and space in the town of Jerusalem around the year 30 AD. What had been promised came true. It happened just as the prophecy was predicted.
2. In addition to the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, there are also His appearances to countless persons over a forty-day period. He appeared to Peter, to the twelve, to more than five hundred believers at the same time, to James, and to all of the apostles.
B. There are countless sightings; there are many eye-witnesses, which give convincing proof of the resurrection. He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. These eye-witnesses give validity to the resurrection.
St. Paul gives us a list of those who were eye-witnesses, who met Jesus face to face after the resurrection. These eye-witnesses give credibility to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul is saying, “You Corinthians, you want proof? Here are the names. Here are the people involved. Have a conversation. Check out their story. Talk to them. They have all seen Jesus alive from the dead! It’s not made up as some have said. They have seen Jesus with their own eyes.”
Transition: The resurrection happened in time and space. But it needs to be personally experienced by you today.
2. You too need to encounter the living Christ. “And last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” V.8
A. Paul will speak personally of his encounter with the risen Lord Jesus. Not only was he an eye-witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ but his life was forever changed after that meeting. He was changed - from a man hell-bent on arresting and persecuting Christians to becoming the chief spokesperson for the Jesus movement. He was changed - from following rules, regulations, traditions and ceremonies to a man who would later write, “It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” Romans 9:15
B. You too have connected with the Lord Christ. Ours is not a religion in which we work our way up to God by pre-determined steps. It’s the difference between Do and Done. And what a difference it is! The Faith is not purpose-driven its Spirit given. It’s a life lived with the living Lord Jesus. It is His life, which has changed you as He orders your days, guides each step and directs your life.
Reject not until you have examined the evidence. By His bodily resurrection and His appearance to countless eye-witnesses, we can say boldly and confidently this day, “He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!”
Words-980
Passive Sentences-9%
Readability-72.9%
Reading Level-6.7
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