TLP 248: Easter, Part 1: The Significance of the Resurrection

Prepare your heart. Prepare your family. How should the Resurrection affect your family? Join AMBrewster today as he helps Christian parents understand and apply the implications of the Resurrection to their parenting and families.

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“Your Parenting is Not in Vain”
“The Merest Christianity”

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Episode Notes

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Transcript

Introduction

Welcome to the start of Season 10, and what better way is there to begin?

We’re going to do a 5-part series discussing various parts of Easter.

The first two episodes are about the significance of the Resurrection in our Christian life. Then we’re going to take two episodes to deal with the confusion that often accompanies the crucifixion, and then we’re going to finish the study off by applying all of this to your individual families and how you can make this most cherished of celebrations more central in your home. 

But, before we do that, I want to thank Ray, Carolyn, Scott, and Mindee for making this episode possible. Their gifts help us produce this free content for anyone who wants it. We’re all indebted to the generosity of God’s servants, and we praise Him for using each other to bless each other.

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Okay, let’s be honest, Easter often doesn’t quite resonate with us and our kids as much as Christmas does.

But could it be we just don’t don’t understand the significance?

Topic

At the beginning of Season 9, episode 224, we discussed that “Your Parenting Need Not Be in Vain,” and we looked at the very last part of I Corinthians 15, verse 58.

Well, that episode spurred a larger study for me, and I went back and picked apart the whole chapter, and then I preached it as a sermon at my local church. I also had the privilege recently of presenting a shortened version of the same material at a church in Illinois.

The point is, Paul’s miraculous proclamation that your parenting need not be in vain is rooted in a chapter long discussion concerning the main focus of Easter — the Resurrection.

In fact, it’s the longest biblical discussion concerning the Resurrection.

So, I’m going to take the next two episodes to work through I Corinthians 15 with you so that we can understand the significance of the Easter celebration, and then we can teach it to our children.

So, here we go! If you are able to pull out your Bible and follow along in I Corinthians 15, I encourage you to do that. 

If not, don’t worry, I’ll be reading the verses and commenting as we go.

Also, I’m going to include my outline of the passage and my comments in our free Episode Notes at TruthLoveParent.com. You can click on the link below to be taken right to that.

1. Paul starts this portion of His letter reminding his readers of the single most important Truth in the Universe. 

Paul Reminds us of the Gospel.

1. 1. (1) Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel 
      1. I preached to you, — this Gospel is not the same as the ones prescribed in pagan religions or even the diluted Jewish tradition.
      2. which you received, — this means that the audience to whom Paul is speaking has actively taken hold of this Truth.
      3. in which you stand, — the recipients of this grace are grounded, rooted in this Gospel.
      4. (2) and by which you are being saved, — this Gospel is actively working to presently save the sinner who receives it.
         1. if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--But then he offers a caveat: this is true only if the readers have held fast to the preached Truth. The word translated “hold fast” is a powerful word that restrains something, it possess it, it keeps it from escaping.
         2. unless you believed in vain. — because if you claim to have received this Truth, but do no hold it fast and continue in it, your faith is empty.
      5. I love our three-fold responsibility to the Gospel.
         1. We must receive it.
         2. We must stand in it.
         3. We must continue it.
            1. We continue in it by knowing it.
            2. We continue in it by believing it. This is reminiscent of our Merest Christianity study. That would be a great follow up to today because it exemplifies how truly believing something affects how we live.

Now, back to the text.

1. 1. 1. Paul has introduced us to a word we’ll see a couple times in the passage, and one that I believe is the foundation stone of this entire discourse — “vain.”
         1. In Scripture, “vanity” is rarely used the way it’s commonly used today. This is not referring to someone who thinks too highly of himself. This is referring to something that is empty and worthless.
         2. To “believe in vain” is to have a worthless faith. This is similar to James’s concept of dead faith. We may “feel” like we’ve believed, we say we’ve believed, we may think that knowledge is the same as belief, but if that faith doesn’t result in us holding fast to the Word, then that faith was in vain.
            1. But you may be asking, “What does is practically look like to ‘hold fast’ to the Gospel. Well, Paul is going to answer that question, but he’s going to do so at the end of the chapter. 
            2. Transition: Before he gets to that, Paul wants to talk a little bit more about the power of the Gospel. 
               1. I think when people consider the most fundamental element of the Gospel, they picture Jesus’ death on the cross.
               2. But, we’re going to find that the Gospel cannot be reduced to that sole act.

So, Paul starts by Reminding us of the Gospel
Then Paul transitions to Convincing us of the Resurrection.

Now, don’t stop listening because you think you know why the Resurrection is important. Let’s give God our attention, He wants to teach us something.

1. 1. (3) For I delivered to you as of first importance — there’s nothing more important — what I also received: 
      1. that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 
      2. (4) that he was buried, 
      3. that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 
      4. (5) and that he appeared 
         1. to Cephas, 
         2. then to the twelve. 
         3. (6) Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 
         4. (7) Then he appeared to James, 
         5. then to all the apostles. 
         6. (8) Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. — and here Paul adds some parenthetical statements about his apostleship.
            1. (9) For I am the least of the apostles, 
            2. unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 
            3. (10) But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
               1. And even though this seems like a rabbit-trail from his main topic, it perfectly compliments the drive of his message.
               2. First, we see Paul explaining how the Gospel has changed him. He went from being a persecutor to a pastor. 
               3. Second, Paul explains how the Gospel has pushed him to work.
               4. Third, he comes back to his foundational word — “vain.” The proof of the fact that the Gospel Paul received was not a vain human exercise is the fact that it revolutionized Paul’s life.
               5. How could this be? What’s powerful enough to change someone like that?

That questions leads us to the second main point of the passage. The Resurrection is so important that Paul continues the discussion by explaining the implications of the Resurrection. 

1. The first implication is that the Resurrection is the foundation of our entire faith.
   1. (12) Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? — this had been a doctrinal heresy in the church at Corinth, and Paul uses Scriptural logic to refute their misconceptions.
   2. (13) But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 
   3. (14) And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. — Here we see more vanity. If the Gospel is not what God says it is, then speaking about the Gospel is pointless and living in the Gospel is pointless. But it’s even worse . . .
   4. (15) We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 
   5. (16) For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 
   6. (17) And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. — the word “futile” is another “empty” word like “vain."
   7. (18) Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. (19) If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Natasha Crain, “I'm working on a chapter for my next book that explains why the resurrection matters so much in Christianity. Many "progressive" churches today have turned the resurrection into a nice "symbolic" story about life-renewal. Ironically, however, many *atheists* realize the problem with these progressive interpretations, given what the Bible itself claims about the resurrection. Atheist best-selling author Christopher Hitchens once told a self-identified liberal Christian minister, ‘I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian.’ If your pastor isn't preaching a physical resurrection, it should be a major warning sign about your church's theology.”

Transition:  The Resurrection is more important than Christ’s birth. It’s more important than His death. The Resurrection is the central hook on which our salvation and future hope hangs. 

The resurrection is what gives our faith life. It’s what empowers us to be changed. 

I think we love Christmas so much for a number of reasons.

1. It’s a solid date. We always know when it’s coming.
2. It’s been commercialized so much by our culture that everyone celebrates some version of it, though comparatively few devote themselves to any Easter celebrations.
3. In its commercialization, Christmas has been imbued with so many other meanings that are generally noble. Faithless celebrations of Christmas seem to always focus on the joy of being near family. It’s made the celebration of family and togetherness the point of the season. There’s nothing wrong with delighting in family. I think that’s super important and valuable, but obviously not to the exclusion or substitution of Christ.
4. I think we also love Christmas so much because our culture has spent so much time investing in the decorations and traditions and beauty of the Season. But Easter has not had a similar treatment. Sure, there are the pastels and a rabbit and a bunch of candy and eggs . . . frankly, my favorite part of the commercialization of Easter are Cadbury Cream Eggs. Those are my favorite candies in the world. Anyway.
5. Also, there’s a huge chunk of gritty, painful, solemnity as part of the Easter celebration that kind of derails the feelings of joy and comfort. Christmas doesn’t have any of that. It’s all mirth and seasons greetings.

Anyway, my point is that when we look at the Bible, we find that so much more emphasis is put on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. His birth was important and necessary, and I would argue that it’s definitely a fundamental of the faith, but without the Resurrection, nothing else matters. Everyone is born, everyone lives, and everyone dies. But only Christ defeated sin and death by dying and being raised back to life for the substitutionary atonement of mankind!

Does your family understand that the magnificent events we celebrate during Eastertide are the very hinge on which your faith hangs? Do they realize the significance of the Resurrection? 

If not, I encourage you to invite them along on this study with us. My family and I will be listening to these episodes together because — I have to admit — my wife and I have not done as good a job as we should emphasizing the Resurrection over the birth.

I am a sucker for all things Christmas. I will listen to Christmas music all summer long. But I so often love the things that aren’t inherently biblical. I need to work to get my own mind rerooted in Scripture and develop new traditions for my family that emphasize the grandeur and glory of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord.

And I invite you to take your family on the same journey with us.

Okay, moving on . . . given the massive import of the Resurrection, 

This is why Paul then moves to this second implication of the Resurrection.

1. The second implication of the Resurrection is that Jesus is not the only one to be raised.
   1. (20) But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
      1. Jesus is not the first to have been brought back from the dead.
      2. But He is the first to have been brought back with a perfected body.
      3. And the word “firstfruits” can also refer to something that is superior in quality. It was the word that God used to describe the best and foremost produce that was to be offered to God. 
      4. (21) For as by a man came death, 
      5. by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 
      6. (22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 
   2. (23) But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 
   3. (24) Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 
      1. (25) For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 
      2. (26) The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 
      3. (27) For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” 
         1. But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 
         2. (28) When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
   4. (29) Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? 
      1. If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 
      2. To be transparent, I am not going to speak to the tradition of being baptized for the dead due to time and purpose this morning.
      3. But — suffice it to say — this is not a practice that’s being condoned here. It’s merely being used as another interesting argument for the logical expectation that the resurrection is real and efficacious. 
      4. Then Paul ask another application question designed to continue to prove his point:
   5. (30) Why are we in danger every hour? 
      1. (31) I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 
      2. (32) What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? 
      3. If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 
      4. Paul is making the obvious and necessary, logical conclusion that his whole life and ministry is vain, it’s fruitless, it’s purposeless, it’s pointless if he were not serving a living Lord. 
      5. You may as well burn the Bible and live however you like if Christ is not resurrected and also if we will not be resurrected as He was.
      6. And then Paul warns the Corinthians concerning the perpetrators of this false doctrine.
   6. (33) Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 
      1. (34) Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. 
      2. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
      3. Paul is calling us to separate from those who teach with their words and with their lives that the resurrection either isn’t real or doesn’t have practical, efficacious power in our lives today.
      4. Then Paul prepares to discuss the third implication of the Resurrection. But we’re going to save that for next time and wrap up by summarizing our findings today.

Conclusion

But before we do that, please share this episode on social media. Wouldn’t it be awesome if more Christian families around the world appreciated and celebrated the Resurrection?

And we’re going to continue our considerations about the significance of the Resurrection next before we move into the confusion over the Crucifixion.

Okay, so what have we learned?

1. I believe that most Christian homes across the globe don’t emphasize the beauty of the Resurrection as much as they should. And I understand that you may not like celebrating the cultural manifestation of “Easter,” but I’ll make some comments about that next time.
2. I also believe most Christian homes don’t appreciate the Resurrection as much as they should because they don’t really understand how significant it is to their lives. I believe if they understood it better, they would be more inclined to celebrate it . . . and not just annually, but weekly and daily.
3. The first implication of the Resurrection is that your life and the life of your born again children has divine purpose. You can parent to the glory of God, your children and spouse can live to the glory of God only because Christ is raised from the dead.
4. The second implication is that the Resurrection means that God does not intend for you or your family to stay the way you are. The Resurrection fundamentally changes us. It reprograms our DNA. But this is not merely a future blessing of being in Christ, there is a very real temporal change that occurs in us. It’s not just the same old us being given a divine purpose, it’s a new us being fit to accomplish our new divine purpose.

I encourage you to have your children listen in with us as we work through this study.

And I pray that as we get closer and closer to Easter Sunday, we will grow in a deeper appreciation and application of the Resurrection.

So, to that end, I’ll see you next time.