RESURRECTING HOPE: NEW LIFE

Christ is risen! Easter is truly one of the most wonderful days of celebration during the year. This singular event separates the Christian faith from any other. It seemed that on Good Friday the forces of evil and death had won. The disciples were discouraged and wondering what to do. Easter morning would change everything! They would find an empty tomb, and they would experience a risen Christ. This moment changes everything for the disciples, but also for us! Death was overcome by resurrection. Doubt was overcome by realization. Discouragement was overwhelmed by a renewed hope! We begin a new series on Easter entitled Resurrecting Hope. The disciples would be transformed by the power of resurrection as they experienced the risen Christ. Our Easter sermon and the first sermon in this series is New Life, and we turn to 1 Corinthians 15:14-26. The Corinthians were confused about the resurrection. They were listening to certain people who said there was no resurrection of the dead! Not much has changed! Those voices are still with us! When we listen to these voices, it creates a hopeless futility and a powerless faith. Paul reminds every believer that Christ has risen and we know this because the power of resurrection is still at work in every transformed heart and life. As Paul seeks to renew the Corinthian’s hope, he gives direction and help for everyone to resurrect the power of new life and living faith in their own souls. As you come to this Easter, we pray that you will experience the powerful presence of the risen Christ and that it will transform your discouragement into the joy of a powerful and eternal hope. 

I Corinthians 15:14-26:  And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ¹⁵ More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. ¹⁹ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. ²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. ²⁴ Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (NIV)