Fact and Hope

PRAY: Heavenly Father, as I read and reflect on these words today, I ask that you give me a deeper experience of the living Jesus.

READ: 1 Corinthians 15:1-58

REFLECT: Our reading today is part of a letter written by the apostle Paul to the church in a first-century city named Corinth. It had been several years since Jesus lived, and people were beginning to ask tough questions: Did his resurrection actually happen? Does it really matter if it did or didn't? And if it did, what significance does it have for us now? When you think about it, these are the same questions people have today.

So how did Paul answer? He starts by giving his account of the resurrection (vv. 3-8), which includes all the facts we discovered in the four Gospels. Although Paul didn't go to the empty tomb himself that morning, he did have an encounter with the resurrected Jesus sometime later (Acts 9:1-19). He also had another reliable source of information that is still available today: he studied the Scriptures (vv. 3-4). That's the best way to answer our questions about Jesus. Here, Paul addresses two key issues:

The historical fact of the resurrection (vv. 12-34). The historicity of the resurrection is still a big issue today. Some want to deconstruct the Bible; others want to reinterpret what it says: "Well, whether the tomb was empty or not isn't important. Just the idea of new life is inspirational." "Baloney!" Paul would shout in response. Jesus was raised from the dead (v. 20), and there were many eyewitnesses (vv. 5-8). Saying it didn't happen isn't inspirational; it's untrue and undermining of our entire faith (vv. 17-19). So knock it off!

The personal impact of the resurrection (vv. 35-58). In different ways, the Corinthians asked, "Okay, if there is such a thing as resurrection from the dead, how will it affect me?" Paul does his best to describe our resurrection bodies (vv. 37-49), but as he said earlier, "now we see but a poor reflection" (1 Corinthians 13:12); we won't really know what it will be like until it happens. We know our spiritual bodies will be imperishable, glorious, and powerful (vv. 42-44). That gives us a lot of hope, but it is a hope based on the fact of the resurrection (1 Peter 1:3).

APPLY: For you, what facts make the strongest case for the resurrection of Jesus?

PRAY: Heavenly Father, I ask that you increase my faith and hope in the fact of the resurrection of your Son, Jesus.

Discussion Questions for "The Resurrection of Jesus"

1. What was your reaction the first time you heard about the resurrection of Jesus? How has your understanding changed over the years?
2. How would you respond to a church leader who said, "You can still be a good Christian and not believe that Jesus was literally raised from the dead. It just doesn't square with what we know about science today"?
3. For you, what are the three most convincing proofs of the resurrection?
4. Have you ever had a major misunderstanding about something in the Bible? What was it? How can you know if your interpretation of the Bible is correct?
5. Based on Jesus' response to Peter, how should we respond to those in church leadership today who have had a major failing?
6. Do you have any lingering questions about the resurrection of Jesus? What are they, and what answer does the Bible give to them?
7. How are you responding to the Great Commission Jesus gave his followers? How do you share the good news about Jesus in your world?

The Essential Jesus (Part 18): The Early Church of Jesus

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