It is Finished

1. It is Finished 1 Cor 15:12-19

3. Churchill rightly believed that a resurrection of life awaits the righteous.

4. “The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’” (1 Cor 15:52-54, ESV).

5. “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thess 4:16-17, ESV).

6. But, what if that’s not the case?

7. But, what if that’s not the case? What if when we die, it is best to declare, “It is finished”?

8. “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (Jn 19:30, ESV).

9. “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (Jn 19:30, ESV). • We have always understood Jesus to be saying that he has finished the Father’s work.

10. “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (Jn 19:30, ESV). • We have always understood Jesus to be saying that he has finished the Father’s work. • But, what if he meant that his life was over FOREVER?

11. Some of the Corinthians seem to have believed that.

12. Some of the Corinthians seem to have believed that. • “How can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” (1 Cor 15:12, ESV).

13. Some of the Corinthians seem to have believed that. • “How can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” (1 Cor 15:12, ESV). • In this text, Paul says, “Okay. Let’s imagine such a world.”

14. Let’s go to a fantasy world where Jesus is still dead.

15. Let’s go to a fantasy world where Jesus is still dead. Let’s go to his OCCUPIED tomb.

16. What would such a world be like?

17. We would PUTREFY. • Our faith would be POINTLESS. • The apostles would be PERJURERS. • We would be PERVERSE. • The dead would have PERISHED. • We would be PITIFUL.

18. We would PUTREFY vv 12-13

19. “Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised” (vv 12-13, ESV).

20. For Paul, the issue of the resurrection boils down nicely.

21. For Paul, the issue of the resurrection boils down nicely: • Either Jesus has been raised, signaling the resurrection of ALL the dead.

22. For Paul, the issue of the resurrection boils down nicely: • Either Jesus has been raised, signaling the resurrection of ALL the dead; or • Jesus has not been raised, signaling that NONE of the dead would be resurrected.

23. For Paul, the issue of the resurrection boils down nicely: • It was either one way or the other.

24. For Paul, the issue of the resurrection boils down nicely: • It was either one way or the other—You could not say that Jesus was resurrected but that there would be no final resurrection.

25. But, some of the Corinthians were saying that the dead would not be raised.

26. But, some of the Corinthians were saying that the dead would not be raised. • Most Palestinian Jews accepted the final resurrection.

27. But, some of the Corinthians were saying that the dead would not be raised. • Most Palestinian Jews accepted the final resurrection. • “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan 12:2, ESV).

28. But, some of the Corinthians were saying that the dead would not be raised. • The Sadducees “say that there is no resurrection” (Mk 12:28, ESV).

29. But, some of the Corinthians were saying that the dead would not be raised. • The Sadducees “say that there is no resurrection” (Mk 12:28, ESV). • Jews influenced by Gr philosophy also denied the resurrection.

30. But, some of the Corinthians were saying that the dead would not be raised. • The Sadducees “say that there is no resurrection” (Mk 12:28, ESV). • Jews influenced by Gr philosophy also denied the resurrection. • It seems that the Corinthians would fall into this category.

31. But, some of the Corinthians were saying that the dead would not be raised. • The Sadducees “say that there is no resurrection” (Mk 12:28, ESV). • Jews influenced by Gr philosophy also denied the resurrection. • The Corinthians. • Paul spends the 1st 3 chapters arguing against Gr philosophy.

32. The Corinthians wanted Jesus’ resurrection as a bedrock of their faith, while they denied the final resurrection.

33. The Corinthians wanted Jesus’ resurrection as a bedrock of their faith, while they denied the final resurrection. • It cannot be both ways!

34. The Corinthians wanted Jesus’ resurrection as a bedrock of their faith, while they denied the final resurrection. • It cannot be both ways! • If Jesus is dead, it is finished!

35. If Jesus is dead, our bodies will putrefy, rot.

36. If Jesus is dead, our bodies will putrefy, rot. • Sure, they are going to rot.

37. If Jesus is dead, our bodies will putrefy, rot. • Sure, they are going to rot. • But, they shall also be raised.

38. If Jesus is dead, our bodies will putrefy, rot. • Sure, they are going to rot. • But, they shall also be raised. • “What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable” (1 Cor 15:42, ESV).

39. If Jesus is dead, our bodies will putrefy, rot. • Sure, they are going to rot. • But, they shall also be raised. • “What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable” (1 Cor 15:42, ESV). • Our bodies shall be raised to a state where they cannot decompose!

40. But, that’s only if “It is NOT Finished”!

41. Our Faith would be POINTLESS v 14

42. “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (v 14, ESV).

43. If Jesus is dead, the apostles’ preaching is vain.

44. If Jesus is dead, the apostles’ preaching is vain. • The thrust of that preaching was the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

45. If Jesus is dead, the apostles’ preaching is vain. • The thrust of that preaching was the resurrection of Jesus Christ: God “has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31, ESV).

46. If Jesus is dead, the apostles’ preaching is vain. • The thrust of that preaching was the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 17:31). • “Vain” means “empty.”

47. If Jesus is dead, the apostles’ preaching is vain. • The thrust of that preaching was the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 17:31). • “Vain” means “empty.” The idea is that without the resurrection of Jesus, the apostles’ preaching is pointless or useless.

48. If Jesus is dead, the apostles’ preaching is vain. • The thrust of that preaching was the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 17:31). • “Vain” means “empty.” • Why did Paul proclaim the resurrection at the Areopagus if Jesus is still dead?

49. If Jesus is dead, the apostles’ preaching is vain. • The thrust of that preaching was the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 17:31). • “Vain” means “empty.” • Why did Paul proclaim the resurrection at the Areopagus if Jesus is still dead? • “Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked” (Acts 17:32, ESV).

50. If Jesus is dead, the apostles’ preaching is vain. • The thrust of that preaching was the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 17:31). • “Vain” means “empty.” • Why did Paul proclaim the resurrection at the Areopagus if Jesus is still dead? • Acts 17:31. • It was pointless for Paul to endure that if Jesus is still dead!