Profound Certainty

  

At the dawn of the third millennium, humanity wakes up to an amazing realization. Most people rarely think about it, but in the last few decades we have managed to reign in famine, plague and war. Of course, these problems have not been completely solved, but they have been transformed from incomprehensible and uncontrollable forces of nature to manageable challenges. We don’t need to pray to any god or saint to rescue us from them. We know quite well what needs to be done in order to prevent famine, plague and war—and we usually succeed in doing it.

-Yuval Noah Harari

Pessimism is actually at a century high

There is a profound discontent, depression, drug abuse, despair, addiction and loneliness in the most advanced liberal societies.

Epluribus Unum: Out of the many One.

For Christians, it was a positive program. This life was always meant to be transitory, and just part of a larger story. What was important to the Christians was to orient one’s life toward the larger story, the cosmic story, the story of eternity. They did live in this world, experience pain, and love others. But the Christians of that time were called to see the story of this life as just one of the stories in which they lived. The hidden map was this larger picture.

-Kyle Harper

Hope: Elpedia: profound certainty.

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 Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters 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, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

-1 Corinthians 15:3-10

  

Do you know what this passage tells us?

1 Corinthians 15 tells us that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is:

• Historical.
• Reasonable.
• Gracious.

  

1. Historical

If Christ has not been raised our preaching is useless…

-1 Corinthians 15:14

Useless: Kenos: powerless.

  

2. Reasonable

One of the oldest theories is that the legend of Jesus’ resurrection developed only many decades after the actual events had faded from living memory.

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 Cephas, and then to the Twelve.

-1 Corinthians 15:3-5

…and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters 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, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

-1 Corinthians 15:5-8

These accounts were written and circulated within the same generation of the events themselves.

  

Paul is not a fideist.

He does not say, “I have no arguments or reasons for you. You must just take a wild leap of faith in the dark and believe what I’m telling you despite the lack of evidence.”

The resurrection is not a legend that developed after all the eyewitnesses were dead.

The resurrection was not a hoax as if the disciples were so broken hearted that they believed something they really wanted to be true.

‘I am not insane, most excellent Festus,’ Paul replied. ‘What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.’

-Acts 26:25-26

Reasonable: careful, rational thought.

  

First: The tomb was empty.

  

Second. Eyewitness Testimony.

  

So, we are left with two hard facts!

1. The tomb was empty.

2. Hundreds of people were eyewitnesses to the risen Christ.

No explanation has been offered, in two thousand years of sneering skepticism, that can satisfactorily account for how the tomb came to be empty, how the disciples came to see Jesus, and how their lives and worldviews were transformed.

  

If Jesus rose from the dead:

He is Lord over all things.

God’s plan for history will succeed.

Death is defeated.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you.

-1 Corinthians 15:58

Hametakinato: unmoveable

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection…

-Philippians 3:10a

  

  

  

What are your main takeaways from this message?