2. The Certainty of the Resurrection Part 1: 1 Corinthians 15:1-28

3. What does it mean to be certain?

4. I.The Gospel and Proof of the Resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-11) II.The Necessity of the Resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12-19) III.The First Fruits and Christ’s Victory (1 Cor. 15:20-28)

5. 1.Paul stirred up remembrance of what he had preached before. 2.Corinthians had believed 3.The Gospel: Christ died, was buried, and rose again The Gospel and Proof of the Resurrection

6.  Isaiah 53:5-6 “by his wounds we are healed.”… “the “Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all”  Hosea 6:2 “..on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.”  Mark 12:27 “.. He is not a God of the dead, but of the living”  Matthew 16:21 “.. Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things…be killed..and on the 3 rd day be raised. The Gospel and Proof of the Resurrection

7. “Hold Fast”= to not forget what you believe, to continue to learn, to not waver from the truth in God’s Word. Matthew Henry: “The saving truths of the gospel must be fixed in our mind, revolved much in our thoughts, and maintained and held fast to the end.”

8. Eye Witness Accounts give evidence to the Resurrection Hold Fast: - Keep God’s Word before us, study, learn and trust in the certainty of the Resurrection. -Have you been a witness to the Work of God to resurrect lives? The Gospel and Proof of the Resurrection

9. Romans 6:4-5  “Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall also in the likeness of His resurrection” The Necessity of the Resurrection

10. Paul question the Corinthians “If Christ is now proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can you say that there is no resurrection from the dead?” Christ didn’t rise then if there is no resurrection from the dead. 5 consequences of Christ not being raised from the dead….. The Necessity of the Resurrection

11. 1.Faith and Preaching the Gospel would be meaningless. 2.All witness and preachers of the Resurrection would be considered liars. 3.All men would still be in their sins 4.All Former Christians would have eternally perished. 5.Christians would be the ones most to be pitied If there was no Resurrection…

12. 1.But… we are not to be pitied.. Christ has risen from the dead!” 2.By God’s grace, we can live with faith and certainty of the Resurrection. 3.We have hope of a future- not bound by death, our sins are forgiven 4.Hold fast to our certain and eternal future. The Necessity of the Resurrection

13. First Fruits The first and best to the Lord Needed to trust that God would provide- “uncertainty” Rest of crop will be harvested- more to follow Adam brought sin/death, Jesus brings life Christ’s Victory

14. Christ is victorious over death. God is all in all- and His authority can never be challenged. His Victory is Certain! Death has no power. Christ brought eternal life into this world, all Christians will live through Him. Sins and strongholds do not have victory in light of the Resurrection Christ’s Victory

15. The First Fruits and Christ’s Victory

16.  Christ’s Resurrection- is central to our Faith  Christ is Victorious!  We can live with certainty, anticipation, excitement, freedom.  The Resurrection brings Hope, Peace, and Joy  Hold fast, Serve, love, and obey God with the certainty that comes from Christ’s Victory!!!

17. Will you choose to “hold fast” to new life in Christ and the truth and certainty of the resurrection?