March 14, 2016

PPIL  Powerful Passage Impacts Life
1 Corinthians 15:14 NKJV - "And if Christ is not risen then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty."  (Part Two)

Commentary:

The second half of this verse gives another powerful reason why the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so important:  OUR FAITH DEPENDS ON IT!!  Now, let's be very clear - Faith in a buried Christ won't save anyone!  Only a risen Jesus can save!  Faith in a dead Savior leaves the person who believes in Him with no hope!  That's why Paul says in verses 17-19 that without Christ's resurrection, we're still living in our sins, our deceased relatives who believed in Him have perished, and we are left with a "miserable" life!

But, CHRIST IS RISEN!!  And we know that because God said He did!  The last chapter of each of the four Gospels gives first hand accounts of those who went to the tomb to "pay their respects" at Jesus' grave.  They were stunned by the announcement from the angels that Christ has risen indeed!  Christ, Himself, met with His disciples in the upper room later that Sunday as well.  Then, in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 Paul records some of the various instances when people actually met with Christ and could see that He was alive.

One other clear proof of Christ's resurrection:  2 Corinthians 5:17 makes clear that a believer in Christ is a new creation.  A dead and buried Christ can't change anyone!  Your new life in Christ is God's testimony to you that Christ rose from the dead.