IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION

IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION

-1. "Easter Sunday" is an annual holiday celebrated by many...
--a. Millions of people commemorate the resurrection of Jesus on this day
--b. Many consider it as "the most holy" of religious holidays
--c. For some, it marks the only time they attend church services
(Christmas runs a close second)

-2. Christians in the 1st century did not have an annual observance of this event...
--a. The word "Easter" is found only once in the KJV Bible - cf. Ac 12:4
--b. The word in the Greek is "Passover", elsewhere in the KJV
--c. "It is certain that the NT contains no reference to a yearly celebration of the resurrection of Christ"
--d. The annual observance is a human tradition, introduced in the 2nd and 3rd centuries

-3. Churches today who follow the New Testament pattern do not celebrate "Easter" per se...
--a. They note Paul's teaching regarding religious holidays
--b. They value Jesus' warning regarding the traditions of men

-4. This does not demean the importance of the resurrection of Christ...
--a. It has great significance to the Christian
--b. It is something we should think about often (certainly more than once a year)

-5. It is an appropriate subject even on "Easter Sunday", just as sermons...
--a. On thankfulness are around Thanksgiving
--b. On mothers are on Mother's Day
Even though churches may not celebrate such holidays per se

IF CHRIST WAS NOT RAISED

-A. GOSPEL PREACHING IS VAIN... (vs 14)
--1. The preaching of the apostles is empty, meaningless
--2. Because they proclaimed nothing more than a fairy tale, a story of fiction

-B. OUR FAITH IS VAIN... (vs 14)
--1. Our belief in Christ would also be empty, meaningless
--2. For our faith would be in a lie, a story of make believe, not truth

-C. THE APOSTLES WERE FALSE WITNESSES... (vs 15)
--1. They swore that God raised Jesus from the dead – Ac 2:32
--2. They claimed to spend 40 days with Him after the resurrection, eating and drinking
--3. There is no way they could have been deceived or mistaken; either they told the truth or they were deliberate liars, deceivers, and frauds!

-D. WE ARE STILL IN OUR SINS... (vs 17)
--1. It would have been a liar or lunatic that died on the cross
--2. No such person could have provided a sacrifice that was holy and without blemish

-E. BELIEVERS HAVE PERISHED AT DEATH... (vs 18)
--1. Their faith would have been in a false Messiah
--2. They would have had no atonement for their sins
--3. Dying in their sins, there would be no hope

-F. CHRISTIANS ARE TO BE PITIED... (vs 19)
--1. Because we believe in a false Messiah
--2. Because our faith in Him leads us to refrain from much worldly pleasure
--3. Because we are often ridiculed or persecuted for our faith