SUNGAI WAY-SUBANG METHODIST CHURCH

EASTER SERVICE

Who is ..."Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound!"

"Look! Up in the sky!“"It's a bird!“"It's a plane!“"It's Superman!"

Who is ..."Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound!"

"Look! Up in the sky!“"It's a bird!“"It's a plane!“"It's Superman!"

Oct1992

Oct1992

September 3, 1993

Oct1992

September 3, 1993

Easter Sunday .... key event in the Christian calendar... “apex” ; “summit” “pinnacle event” ; “pivotal event”

Q: But what about ‘Good Friday’ ? Jesus dying for our sins - is that not

important ? if Jesus did not die – we are still in our sins ... Good Friday is just the start ....

SUNGAI WAY-SUBANG METHODIST CHURCH

EASTER SERVICE

1 Cor 15:1-21 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I

preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.

2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

What is this GOSPEL ...or ‘Good News’ ...that Paul preached ...that the Corinthians received ...that can save ...Paul goes on to explain ...

1 Cor 15:3-43 For what I received I passed on to you as of first

importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

the GOSPEL ... in summary1.Christ Died For Our Sins ...2.He Was Buried ...3.He was Raised on the 3rd Day ... ALL according to the ScripturesQ: How do we know He was Raised ?

1 Cor 15:5-85 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of

the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one

abnormally born. we know He was Raised because ... we have witnesses ...

not 1 or 2 but many, many eye-witnesses ...many were still alive when Paul was writing...

1 Cor 15:1-8

the GOSPEL – the ‘GOOD NEWS’ that Paul preached : Christ Died For Our Sins ... He Was Buried ... He was Raised on the 3rd Day ...

Q: Why is the Resurrection important ?Q: Is it not enough just to know that

Christ died and paid the price for my sins ?

Q: Would it make any difference if Christ’s body remained in his tomb ?

1 Cor 15:1-8

Quote :Dr Billy Graham

“If I were an enemy of Christianity,I would aim right at the resurrection because that is the heart of Christianity”

1 Cor 15:1-8

Q: Why is the Resurrection so important ?Paul explains in v16 to v19...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 to be pitied more than all men.

1 Cor 15:1-8

If there is NO RESURRECTION ...

1. V17 Our Faith is FUTILE ....

• Useless, empty, of no value ...

• “FAITH = RESURRECTION”

1 Cor 15:1-8

If there is NO RESURRECTION ...

1. V17 Our Faith is FUTILE ....

• Useless, empty, of no value ...

• “FAITH = RESURRECTION”

1 Cor 15:1-8

If there is NO RESURRECTION ...2. V17 We are still in our sins ...Even if a perfect sinless Jesus died for our

sins ...But never came back to life ...Then SIN WON - “the wages of sin is death”There is then no forgiveness ...We are still eternally lost ...Then we cannot declare “death is

swallowed up in victory”

1 Cor 15:1-8

If there is NO RESURRECTION ...3. V18 ‘Then those also who have fallen asleep

in Christ are lost – etrnally ’....There is no reunion with our loved ones...Death / Funeral is the end, final ....Paul’s even recommends in v32

"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

1 Cor 15:1-8

If there is NO RESURRECTION ...

4. V19 “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”

There is NO HOPE...

Christians are to be PITIED...

We are ‘peddling’ a lie ...

1 Cor 15:1-8

IF Christ did not resurrect ...1. Our faith is FUTILE2. We are still in our

SINS3. We will NEVER SEE

our loved ones again4. We should be PITIED

BUT Christ did

resurrect... (V20 onwards)

1. Our FAITH has meaning2. We have FORGIVENESS3. We will surely SEE OUR

LOVED ONES again4. We have a LIVING

HOPE and a FUTURE

1 Cor 15:1-8Who did the Risen Jesus appear to ?Significant ...Helpful & Important ...Q: Who was the leader of the 12 Apostles ?

A: PETERQ: When you think of PETER, which animal do

you think of ?A: COCKERAL

Q: How many times did Peter deny knowing Jesus ?

A: THREE TIMES

V5 – PETER...the leader of the 12the one who declared Matt 16:16 "You are the

Christ, the Son of the living God.”he who denied Jesus 3 times...a betrayer, coward, broken man ...

Yet in John 21 – Jesus restored Peter’s trust and faith ...Bold & courageous ...Life Transformed

1 Cor 15:1-8

1 Cor 15:1-8

V5 THE TWELVE Apostles ...all personally chosen & commissioned by Jesus...all discipled/mentored by Jesus for 3+ years ...all experienced & witnessed numerous wonders &

miracles ...yet all abandoned him at the most crucial hour...confused, depressed, frightened ....

Transformation ...Bold & Strengthened ...Acts 17:6 ‘turned the world upside down’...Lives Transformed

1 Cor 15:1-8V6 MORE THAN 500 ...early followers & disciples ...eye-witnesses ...touched, convicted, emboldened ....even with persecution –the gospel spread ...far & wide ...word of mouth ...Lives Transformed...

1 Cor 15:1-8V7 JAMES...Lord’s brother or ‘half-brother’a critic, mocker, tormentor, persecutor, ...post-resurrection appearance –convicted...converted...became a Leader...Life Transformed...

1 Cor 15:1-8V7 PAUL ... Previously called SaulQ: Saul was a ____________ ?

A: PHARISEEQ: Which city was Saul traveling to, wanting to

arrest the Christians there ?A: DAMASCUS

Q: What happened to Saul along the way?A: Met Jesus and became blind

Q: What was the name of the man God used to pray for Saul ?

A: Ananias

V7 PAUL ...The Pharisee Saul ...Well educated, good speaker, passionate ...Enemy, tormentor, persecutor ...Damascus road encounter Acts 9... Convicted...Converted...Missionary, Apologist, Teacher,

Church Planter, Encourager, Writer ...Life Transformed...

1 Cor 15:1-8

Other Encounters ....Mary Magdalene & the other ladies...Thomas - ?the doubterCleopas & companion ...Disciples, Followers, Helpers,

Providers ...Sad, Dejected, Confused,

Doubted...Encounter with the risen Christ Lives Transformed...

1 Cor 15:1-8

1 Cor 15:1-8

BOTTOM-LINE :All who had an encounter with the

Resurrected Christ ...Their Lives were never the same again ...They were TRANSFORMED...

1 Cor 15:1-8

Jesus is still in the business of ....TRANSFORMING LIVES...Disappointments ...Doubts ...Grief ...Fears ....Confused ...Mockers ...Betrayal ...Persecutor ...

1 Cor 15:1-8

Speaking to ‘christians’Born / Brought up in Church ...Knows the Bible stories very well ...

Consider 1 Cor 15:2 By this gospel you are saved,

IF you hold firmly to the word I preached to you.

OTHERWISE, you have believed in vain.

•Danger of believing in vain ...•Need to hold firmly to the Word ...• Jesus is ‘THE WORD’ Jn 1:1

State ‘the gospel’ in just 7 words !!

Jesus Christ is still in the business TODAY of touching lives & transforming lives ...

1 Cor 15:1-8