Notices 1. YWAM (“Youth with A Mission”) visit on Sunday April Easter Sunday 20 April – Guest Easterfest Artists – ‘Corinthia’ (Naomi & Noralyn Jowett) 3. Prayer for Kids Club leaders (Primary School age) for Friday afternoons at Harlaxton Neighbourhood Centre in Term 2 4. Pray for Youth Group leaders (High School age) for Saturday nights at Rockville SS in Term 2

Theme: “Christ’s Bodily Resurrection – The Heart of the Gospel” 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (NIV) Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 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.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (NIV) 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. Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

1. “according to the Scriptures” (vv. 3-4) - “as of first importance”

Matthew 13:55-56 (NIV) “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”

John 7:5 (NIV) For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

John 20:26-28 (NIV) A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God !

2. “By this gospel you are saved” (v. 2)

Not “a good man”

1 Corinthians 15:19-20 (NIV) If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

3. “you have taken your stand” (v. 1)

1 Corinthians 15:39 (NIV) All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.

Acts 1:1-3,9-11 (NIV) In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

Acts 1:1-3,9-11 (NIV) After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Response (John 11:25-26) Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”