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Six Greatest Benefits of The Resurrection | Bible Study Mike Prah

    Apr 19, 2023 | by Mike Prah

    Six Greatest Benefits of The Resurrection | Bible Study Mike Prah

     INTRODUCTION

    • The good news is that Jesus’ resurrection satisfies all six of our deepest human needs and desires.

    • All six longings are rooted in the human heart; only the risen and living Jesus can satisfy them.

    • When we put Jesus at the center of our lives, we will be satisfied in Him, and He will be glorified in us.

     In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul teaches that six things would be in ruins if Christ did not rise from the dead. Then his tone completely reverses in verse 20:

    “But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised.” 1 Corinthians 15:20 (GN)

    Six Negative Things “If Christ Has Not Been Raised . . . “1 Corinthians 15:14-19 

    1. Verse 14: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain.” But since Christ has been raised, our preaching is not in vain. 

    1. Verse 14:”. . . and your faith is in vain.” But since Christ has been raised, our faith is not in vain. 

    1. Verse 15: If Christ has not been raised, “we are found to be misrepresenting God [literally: we are false witnesses] because we testified of God that he raised Christ.” But since Christ has been raised, the apostles are not false witnesses about the work of God. 

    1. Verse 17: “If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins.” But since Christ has been raised, we are not still in our sins. 

    1. Verse 18: If Christ has not been raised, then “those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” But since Christ has been raised, the dead in Christ have not perished. 

    1. Verse 19: If Christ has not been raised, then “we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.” But since Christ has been raised, we are not to be pitied.

     “But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death” 1 Corinthians 15:20

     Six Greatest Benefits of The Resurrection 

    1. Because of The Resurrection, Our Sins Have Been Forgiven

    •  Everybody needs forgiveness, and deep inside, even when we don’t think about it, we long to be accepted by God and not separated from Him.

     “If Christ has not been raised, …you are still lost in your sins. But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death” 1 Corinthians 15:17, 20 (GN)

    •  God’s forgiveness of our sins is the foundation for all other blessings. Forgiveness is the key to unlocking everything.

    •  Because of the resurrection, Jesus’ death removes our sin because He bore our sins and took our judgment.

     “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures”1 Corinthians 15:3 (NIV)

     “Jesus was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised to life to make us right with God.” Romans 4:25 (NLT) 

    • This means that when Jesus died, He paid the price for our sins and bought our freedom, justification, and forgiveness. And since the work of the cross was finished and our justification was so important, God raised Jesus from the dead to prove that we were forgiven, that his Son was righteous, and celebrate the work of justification.

     2. Because of The Resurrection, Our Faith Is Well-Founded

    “If Christ has not been raised … and your faith is useless; you have nothing to believe. But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death” 1 Corinthians 15:14, 20 (NLT, GN)

    • Because of the resurrection of Jesus, there is someone we can trust absolutely. He is Jesus!

    • Every person has a deep longing for someone they can rely on in good times and bad. Someone who is completely trustworthy. Someone who, if you put your trust in him, will not let you down. He will always be present. We want it because God created us with a desire to love and Him.

    • The death of Jesus proves His love for us, and the resurrection proves His power over every enemy of life. And so because of the resurrection of Jesus, there is someone we can trust absolutely. Someone who is totally trustworthy and will never let you down. Jesus is alive to be trusted.

    “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NLT)

     3. Because of The Resurrection, The Apostles Preach What Is True

    “And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death.” 1 Corinthians 15:15, 20 (NLT)

     “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.” 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NLT)

     The Greatest News in All the World

    The greatest news in all the world is that God and His Son are most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in them. And to make that true God raised his Son Jesus from the dead to reign forevermore.

    In raising Christ from the dead:

    • God gave us forgiveness and glorified Jesus as the all-sufficient forgiver.

    • God gave us a friend to count on and glorified Jesus as utterly reliable.

    • God gave us guidance and unchanging truth and glorified Jesus as the absolute foundation for truth and righteousness.

    TO BE CONTINUED . . .

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