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What If There Was No Easter?

April 5, 2015 Speaker: Ken Ramey

Topic: The Gospel Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:12–19

Easter Sunday Service

1 Corinthians 15:12-19

In this passage, Paul challenged the Corinthians to consider SIX PROFOUND POSSIBILITIES that should make us glad and grateful that Jesus rose from the dead.

1. PREACHING THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST WOULD BE POINTLESS (v. 14a)
The heart of the gospel is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the gospel message in a nutshell. Without the resurrection, there is nothing to preach about and the gospel becomes a hopeless message. There would be no reason to share it with others.

2. PLACING YOUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST WOULD BE USELESS (v. 14b)
If our preaching is useless, our faith is also useless. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then you are free to believe anything because Jesus would merely be a dead man (Romans 10:9).

3. ALL THE WITNESSES OF THE RESURRECTION WOULD BE FAITHLESS (v. 15)
If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then all of the witnesses of the resurrection would be liars. They would have deliberately tried to deceive others about the resurrection. Moreover, the apostles would have been martyred for a lie and Jesus Himself would have been a liar.

4. ALL OF US WOULD BE HELPLESS (vv. 16-17)
If Jesus did not rise from the dead, our faith would be worthless. We need to be saved from the penalty of sin against a holy God, so if Jesus did not die and rise from the dead, there would be no proof that His sacrifice was accepted by God the Father (Colossians 2:12). So, if Jesus was still dead, we would still have to pay back God for the penalty of death for sinning against Him.

5. THOSE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES WOULD BE COMFORTLESS (v. 18)
If Jesus had not died and risen from the dead, it means that those who have died before us will never be seen again. They will be destined for eternity, removed from the presence of God, and we would have no hope of ever seeing them again. Moreover, all who have ever died would end up going to hell for eternity (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

6. THOSE WHO FOLLOW CHRIST WOULD BE HOPELESS (v. 19)
If we have hoped in Christ (i.e., followed and obeyed Him while we are on earth), and there is no life after death, then people should feel sorry for us because we have placed our faith in something that never happened and hope in a promise that will never be kept (Psalm 73:13).

Do you believe the good news of the gospel? Praise God that He raised Jesus from the grave as an example and guarantee that you will be raised to life as well some day and spend eternity with Him and all His saints. Pray for Christ to return soon!