THEME:
The Resurrection matters because it won victory over man’s greatest enemy. That’s good news, because it frees you to live an abundant life. It frees you to live without fear. It frees you to run full speed ahead and be the person God has made you to be. Christ’s resurrection matters because when Jesus rose from the grave he overcame the power of death, and defeated it forever.
KEY SCRIPTURE:
1 Corinthians 15:12-26
1 Corinthians 15:12-18
Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
The Resurrection matters because, without it, the dead would stay dead
1 Corinthians 15:18
Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
The Resurrection matters because it provides assurance that you will always be with Jesus
2 Corinthians 5:8
Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
Philippians 1:21
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Roman 14:8
For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
Luke 23:43
And he [Jesus] said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
1 Corinthians 15:19
If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
1 Corinthians 15:20-26
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
The Resurrection matters because it is a guarantee of more resurrections to come
Romans 8:23
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
The Resurrection matters because it can reverse the effects of Adam and Eve’s Sin
1 Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
Romans 5:12,18-19
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned… Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
The Resurrection matters because Jesus will destroy man’s final enemy, which is death
John 11:25a-26b
“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”