THE CONSEQUENCES OF NO RESURRECTION
TEXT- 1 CORINTHIANS 15:12-19
INTRODUCTION
IN VERSES 1-11 PAUL GAVE US THREE THINGS THAT PROVED BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT JESUS CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD.
NOW IN OUR TEXT TONIGHT HE SHOWS US THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RESURRECTION.
SINCE IT IS A FACT THAT JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD, IT IS EQUALLY AS TRUE THAT EVERYONE MILL LIKEWISE RISE FROM THE DEAD.
IN A GRAVEYARD A SHORT DISTANCE FROM KING'S CROSS STATION, IN ENGLAND, THERE STANDS A GIANT FOUR-TRUNKED TREE GROWING OUT OF THE GRAVE OF LADY ANNE GRIMSTON. LADY ANNE DID NOT BELIEVE IN LIFE AFTER DEATH. ON HER DEATH BEAD IN HER MANSION SHE CHALLENGED GOD SAYING, "I SHALL LIVE AGAIN AS SURELY AS A TREE WILL GROW FROM MY BODY. SHE WAS BURIED IN A MARBLE TOMB. THE GRAVE WAS MARKED BY A LARGE MARBLE SLAB AND SURROUNDED BY AN IRON FENCE. YEARS LATER THE MARBLE SLAB WAS FOUND TO BE MOVED A LITTLE. THEN IT CRACKED AND THROUGH THE CRACK A SMALL TREE GREW. THE TREE CONTINUED TO GROW TILTING THE STONE AND BREAKING THE MARBLE UNTIL TODAY IT HAS SURROUNDED THE TOMB WITH ITS ROOTS AND HAS TORN THE FENCE OUT OF 'THE GROUND WITH ITS MASSIVE TRUNKS. TODAY THE TREE IN LADY ANNE GRIMSTON'S GRAVE IS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN ENGLAND. WAS IT MERE CHANCE THAT CAUSED THIS TREE TO BROW THERE? PERHAPS BOD ALMIGHTY TOOK ACCEPTED HER CHALLENGE FROM HE DEATH BED.
THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST AND THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD EITHER STAND OR FALL TOGETHER.
WITHOUT ONE YOU CAN'T HAVE THE OTHER.
WHILE THE CORINTHIANS HAD ACCEPTED THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, THEY HAD DOUBTS CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD IN GENERAL.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:12 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?
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEY MAY HAVE DOUBTED THIS TEACHING WAS BECAUSE OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE FALSE PHILOSOPHIES AND RELIGIONS THAT WERE PREVALENT DURING THAT DAY.
FOR INSTANCE, THE GREEKS BACK THEN BELIEVED IN THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL BUT NOT IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY.
ACTS 17:35 NOW WHEN THEY HEARD OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, SOME BEGAN TO SNEER...
EVEN SOME OF THE JEWS LIKE THE SADDUCEES DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION.
ACTS 53:6-8 BUT PERCEIVING THAT ONE PART WERE SADDUCEES AND THE OTHER PHARISEES, PAUL BEGAN CRYING OUT IN THE COUNCIL, "BRETHREN, I AM A PHARISEE, A SON OF PHARISEES; I AM ON TRIAL FOR THE HOPE AND RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD!" AND AS HE SAID THIS, THERE AROSE A DISSENSION BETWEEN THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES; AND THE ASSEMBLY WAS DIVIDED. FOR THE SADDUCEES SAY THAT THERE IS NO RESURRECTION, NOR AN ANGEL, NOR A SPIRIT; BUT THE PHARISEES ACKNOWLEDGE THEM ALL.
THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD IS TAUGHT IN BOTH THE OLD AND:NEW TESTAMENTS.
JOB 19:56 EVEN AFTER MY SKIN IS DESTROYED, YET FROM MY FLESH I SHALL SEE GOD.
JOHN 6:44 NO ONE CAN COME TO ME, UNLESS THE FATHER WHO SENT ME DRAWS HIM; AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP ON THE LAST DAY.
JOHN 11:55 JESUS SAID TO HER, "I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME SHALL LIVE EVEN IF HE DIES.”
1THESSALONIANS 4:16 FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMPET OF GOD; AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST.
2 CORINTHIANS 4:14 ...KNOWING THAT HE WHO RAISED THE LORD JESUS WILL RAISE US ALSO WITH JESUS AND WILL PRESENT US WITH YOU.
JOHN 14:19 AFTER A LITTLE WHILE THE WORLD WILL BEHOLD ME NO MORE; BUT YOU WILL BEHOLD ME; BECAUSE I LIVE, YOU SHALL LIVE ALSO.
MANY SONGS AND POEMS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THE RESURRECTION DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS.
AFTER SIR WALTER RALEIGH WAS BEHEADED IN THE TOWER OF LONDON, THEY FOUND IN HIS BIBLE THIS POEM WHICH HE WROTE THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS DEATH.
EVEN SUCH IS TIME, THAT TAKES IN TRUST
OUR YOUTH, OUR JOYS, OUR ALL WE HAVE.
AND PAYS US BUT WITH AGE AND DUST;
WHO IN THE DARK AND SILENT GRAVE,
WHEN WE HAVE WANDERED ALL OUR WAYS,
SHUTS UP THE STORY OF OUR DAYS,
BUT FROM THIS EARTH, THIS GRAVE, THIS DUST,
MY GOD SHALL RAISE ME UP, I TRUST.
HERE IN OUR TEXT PAUL TELLS US WHY THE RESURRECTION IS SO VITALLY IMPORTANT.
IN DOING THIS HE DESCRIBES FOR US SEVEN CONSEQUENCES IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION.