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The purpose of this lesson: To emphasize that resurrection is the foundation of a Christians hope.
Many Christians do not realize there is a distinction between Jesus crucifixion and resurrection. The two occurred in such proximity as a part of the same event that they are often considered the same thing---God acting in human history to save us. It is assumed if a person talks about the crucifixion, he or she is also talking about the resurrection, and vice versa. Jesus was crucified and raised! It can be said in one breath as basically the same event. It is rare to consider one without assuming the other.
Help your students understand that crucifixion and resurrection are two different things, not one similar concept.
Crucifixion fulfills the image of divine sacrifice for human benefit. Before crucifixion, people sacrificed to declare praise to and dependence on God. In crucifixion, God sacrifices to benefit people. Instead of mankind acting to honor God, God acts through sacrifice to benefit mankind. Rather than sacrifice being from people given to God, sacrifice is made by God to benefit people.
Jesus crucifixion is focused on God sacrificing to benefit humans rather than humans sacrificing to honor God. God acting in concern to specifically benefit humans was a new and different concept that was in contrast to the pagan concept of the indifference of deity. Jesus crucifixion is an expression of divine concern for humans confronting a problem they could not solve.
Crucifixion is death. It is not death by natural means, but death by execution. It was a horrible death meant to disgrace the person dying. Crucifixion was NOT considered a glorious way to die! It was often meant to be death with a messagethis, too, will be your fate if you defy the Roman government. The two things that were different about Jesus crucifixion: (a) his death by crucifixion was voluntary (see Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; John 10:17, 18), and (b) he died quickly for an execution by crucifixion.
While we, in Christian American society, look upon Jesus crucifixion as a glorious event, when it happened it was considered a despicable thing. Only early Christians saw something beautiful in Jesus crucifixion. A huge question early Christians faced was why would God allow His son (a) to be executed (b) in such a horrible manner?
Jesus death primarily focused on human forgiveness (as a permanent, forever-solved problem [see Romans 3:21-26 and 1 John 1:5-10]). It was not that sin not longer existed, but that sin was an escapable reality because of what God did through Christ.
Jesus death primarily focused on human forgiveness for sin.
Jesus resurrection is not focused in human forgiveness, but in hope. It declares that the death of the physical human body is not the end of life. Existence transcends death. After physical death, life continues. For the individual with faith in Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the Christian to existence with God is as certain as was Jesus resurrection.
In contrast to the forgiveness focus of Jesus crucifixion, Jesus resurrection was primarily focused in hope. Death was not an inescapable end to life. In Christ, death was a transition to continued life in sinless form.
The hope: death is not the end of existence! Life with God is a certainty for the person who has the courage to place faith in Jesus Christ! The greatest human fear, the fear of physical death, is destroyed by actively believing in what God did in Jesus Christ!
When death occurred, it meant only an end to physical life and all the problems that accompany physical existence. Death did not destroy life.
Consider todays text, 1 Corinthians 15. Christians in Corinth had numerous problems. In a letter we do not have, they asked Paul a number of questions. Pauls answers reveal that one of the problems they had centered in their failure to understand Christian resurrection and Jesus resurrection.
In many instances, it would be easier to understand Pauls answers if we had the questions. Even today, answers make more sense when you know the question being asked.
Remember the word gospel basically means good news. What possibly could be good news about the execution and resurrection of the Savior? First, the good news was the core of the message they received which led them to be Christians. (a) Christ died for our sins just as scripture said he would [note the Old Testament is scripture]. (b) He was buried. (c) He was resurrected three days later. This is good news only if the sinless Jesus died for human sin, was buried, and came to life again. Numerous evidences confirmed Jesus Christ was physically alive after he was executed.
Paul began his answer by asking them to remember what converted them from an idol- worshipping existence to a worship and service given to Jesus Christ. Paul reminded them that an understanding/acceptance of Jesus resurrection played a real and an important role in their conversion.
Second, the problem: some denied that anyones resurrection was possible. Paul attacked the problem in a number of ways.
Perhaps the reason they grew as Christians to a rejection of the concept of resurrection was the pagan intolerance of the resurrection concept. To illustrate pagan rejection of the concept of resurrection, read Acts 17:30-33. Even today, we tend to shun truths that are ridiculed by those in society who do not believe.
(a) To believe resurrection is impossible means that Jesus was not raised. That means your faith is meaningless, and our message is false. The end meaning: all of us continue under sins control and have a pitiful conviction.
Rejection of Christian resurrection meant rejection of Jesus resurrection. They needed to grasp the practical consequences (in Christian belief) of a rejection of the concept of resurrection.
(b) To believe resurrection is impossible is to thwart Gods objective. The objective: to make God the all in all He was prior to rebellion in His creation.
In the Old Testament there are abundant references to God taking an action for My names sake. God does things to vindicate His name. It is like saying, I want you to know and understand who I am! While we directly benefit from what God did (does) in Christ, the ultimate objective is to restore Gods position over creatures He made prior to their rebellion.
(c) Do you not understand that this conviction makes your practice of baptizing for the dead meaningless?
This is not an argument/appeal that makes much sense to us because (a) it is not a practice we use/know and (b) we find the practice full of present objections. However, it was something the Corinthian Christians did. Perhaps it was their way of addressing their concerns for people they loved but who never knew about Jesus Christremember the people Paul addressed were converted from idol worship. Paul is not approving of their practicein fact he does not even discuss the practice. He is saying, If you do not believe in resurrection, that practice makes no sense at all. He appealed to their inconsistency.
(d) Do you not understand rejection of the resurrection makes the danger associated with faith in Jesus Christ a foolish danger?
Being a Christian was often dangerous. If there was no resurrection, why take the chance of facing a dangerous situation?
(e) You know the reality that forms change or different honors are given to differing forms. Why do you not understand resurrected bodies have a form all their own?
A common pagan argument against the concept of resurrection was found in their question, What kind of body do the resurrected have? Today, we often go around that issue by thinking that the resurrected are without any form of body. That is not Pauls argument. Read carefully 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, then 15:50-54. The argument is not a bodiless existence, but a non-physical body. There will be a body, but it will be unlike anything we know.
(f) The bottom line: resurrection defeats death through victory in the Lord Jesus Christ. That understanding makes service to Christ constantly worthwhile!
With Paul, the argument is not a presentation of what a resurrected body will be, but a declaration of the role of resurrection in defeating death.
The unique God used the incredible to produce the permanent solution to sin and give a hope which death cannot touch or destroy.
Then, as well as now, resurrection powerfully declared Gods uniqueness.
For Thought and Discussion
1. What distinction do many Christians not realize?
Many Christians have not thought about the distinction between the objective of Jesus crucifixion and the objective of Jesus resurrection.
2. What is the image of Jesus crucifixion?
It fulfills the image of divine sacrifice for human benefit.
3. Crucifixion was what? What was the message?
Crucifixion was death. This will your fate if you defy the Roman government.
4. On what did Jesus death primarily focus?
It primarily focused on human forgiveness.
5. On what did Jesus resurrection primarily focus?
Jesus resurrection primarily focused on human hope.
6. What is the human hope provided by Jesus resurrection?
It is the hope founded on the realization that death is not the end of existence.
7. The word gospel basically means what?
The word gospel basically means good news.
8. What was the core of the message that led the Corinthians to become Christians?
a. Jesus did for our sins.
b. He was buried.
c. He was resurrected three days later.
9. Give six ways in which Paul attacked the problem of rejecting resurrection.
a. Rejecting resurrection would mean that Jesus was not raised.
b. That conviction thwarts Gods objective.
c. It made the Corinthian practice of baptizing for the dead a contradiction in concerns.
d. That conviction exposes you to unnecessary danger.
e. Resurrected bodies have a different form than physical bodies.
f. The resurrection defeats death through victory in Jesus.
10. The unique God did what?
He provided the permanent solution to sin and gave hope which death cannot destroy.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 13
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