Crawford, Norman: Resurrection ~ 1Cor 15

We'd like to give you again a special thanks for coming on a Monday night. I would like to read with you, please, in First Corinthians chapter fifteen. I'm reading the first eight verses of this great resurrection chapter of the Bible. First Corinthians chapter fifteen and verse one. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel, which I preached unto you, which also ye have received. It's interesting that when Paul says to these people that they received the gospel, he's referring to an exact moment when they personally received the message for themselves. And wherein ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in com- memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures, and that he was seen of Cephas, son of the twelve. After that, he was seen of about five brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. And after that, he was seen of James, then of all the apostles, and last of all, he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. Verse fourteen: and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain? And that's the explanation of verse two, by the way. He said, unless you have believed in vain, in verse two. In verse fourteen he says, if Christ is not risen, your pre- our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain, yea, and we are found false witnesses of God. But you'll notice verse twenty, but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. I have often asked people if they could give me from the Bible a simple explanation of the gospel that we preach. The simplest answer is the language of First Corinthians fifteen, verse three and verse four of this chapter give us the Bible definition of the great evangel, the great message of the gospel, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. He was buried. He was raised again the third day, according to the scriptures. And Paul says to these people, when I came among you, this was the very first message I preached, and this is the message we still preach tonight. I would like to try at the beginning of the meeting to point out to you four things which I believe are here in these verses. The first one is the great need of the guilty, and the great need of the guilty is for a savior to die in the guilty sinner's place. Christ died for our sins, and I believe that this passage tells us the good news of the gospel, and I don't know any news so sweet. I know of no message that means so much tonight. And then this is the gracious nature of the evidence, for God has given to man powerful evidence, many infallible proofs. It says in Acts one, many infallible proofs of the resurrection of Christ. And then the grave neglect of the message. For in spite of the fact that Christ has died and that he burst the bands of death asunder and rose in triumph from the tomb, there are many who have never trusted him, of whom it could never be said, as it was written of these Corinthians, that there was a moment when they received the message and trusted the Savior. So in this company tonight, there are sinners who are in need. And you'll notice that in First Corinthians fifteen, sin and suffering is linked together. And you'll notice that sin and death are linked together. And Romans five says, as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin, and so death is passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. And the world tonight is a place of tears. It's a place of heartbreak for many, and it's a place where we're all subject to death. And the explanation of that mystery? Sin. Sin. And God himself has said, the soul that sinneth, it shall die. You know, death is not a natural thing. Many a time you've heard of a person passing away, and perhaps some friend or relative have said they died a natural death. But friend, that's a misnomer. There is no such thing as a natural death. What we mean by that is that they weren't killed in an automobile accident or a, or an air crash or something of that kind. But really, is there a natural death? You see, the things that are natural to us are not any terror to us. It's natural to breathe. Until I mentioned the subject, you weren't even thinking of breathing. It's natural to sleep when you're tired. It's natural to eat when you're hungry. You don't fear any of those things. But death is not natural. There's nothing natural about it. That's why the Bible calls death the king of terrors. Brave men have faced death with courage in spite of their fear. Oh, friend, don't try to tell me it's a natural experience, for it is not. In fact, death is a cruel intruder upon the affairs of men. He comes with silent footsteps to the hall or hut. He does not tarry knocking, though the door is shut. And death is an experience that is not natural. It's because of sin. Sometimes people try to tell us that they have very little interest in what lies beyond death. They would try to indicate to you that it's neither here nor there with them. What lies beyond the grave? You know, I can't believe that. In the years I've been preaching the gospel the last thirty three years, I have learned that that isn't true. I was in the city of Vancouver preaching a few years ago, and a man by the name of David Young from England came to Vancouver. He's a leading spiritist. He's a lecturer on these, uh, ideas that people have today, that somehow you can contact the spirit of those who have died. They put him on one of the talk shows in Vancouver. He was supposed to have a half hour to give his case, but the interest was so great, the whole city was stirred, and the man literally spent seven days throughout the entire daytime answering questions, and they, they, they actually cancelled all other programming and gave to David Young the very first position in that city during that week. I tell you, people were interested in what lies beyond the grave. Well, I can tell you tonight that the Lord Jesus died upon the tree, and he was buried in a tomb, and on the third day he rose from the dead. And the resurrection of Christ is the very cornerstone of all the gospel we preach. And I can tell you as well that it is the most thoroughly attested fact of history. And I believe tonight that there is more evidence for the resurrection of Christ than there is for the First World War. And I'm sure that some of you will question that fact, but maybe before we're finished tonight, you'll see it differently. I trust so. This truth that we have read in First Corinthians fifteen is so basic to the gospel that Paul says, if Christ is not raised, our preaching is empty. It's meaningless. If Christ is not raised, the faith of believers is meaningless. If Christ is not raised, we're false witnesses of God, says Paul. If Christ is not raised, you're yet in your sins. Even those of you who have trusted in Christ, you have no forgiveness. If Christ is not raised, if Christ is not raised from the dead, those of our loved ones who have died have perished. And if Christ be not raised from the dead, we're most miserable, we're in a most pitiful condition. But now is Christ risen, and I believe with all my heart tonight in a living, resurrected Christ, that he rose in triumph from the grave. Death could not keep its prey. He tore the bars away. Up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph for his foes. Thank God Christ arose in triumph from the tomb. A man has gone into death, and he was truly dead, and he was laid in a tomb for that, that period of time until the third day, and he arose. Christ arose. And friend, I don't know a greater fact to preach tonight than the fact that Christ is alive. A famous British trial lawyer, after some years in his legal practice, came face to face with the truths of the Bible. He read the New Testament carefully, and he recognized that in the teachings of Christ were some of the highest, holiest, most moral teachings that have ever fallen in the ears of men. But being a modern man, full of skepticism, full of unbelief, he refused to accept the miracles, the supernatural that is so integrally linked with the life of Christ. Dr. Morrison finally came up to one miracle in the New Testament, and because he was a trial lawyer, and because he was accustomed to putting the witnesses in the witness box, he did exactly the same thing with the witnesses of the New Testament, and he looked at them from every angle. He tried his best to break down their testimony, and he wrote a book about it. And at the beginning of the book, he confesses his unbelief, confesses that he could not believe that a man could really die and be laid in a grave. And then for the man actually to rise again in resurrection life with a body that could never die, a body that was beyond the reach of death, that is deathless. He couldn't accept it. The difficulty was that as he went on with his study and as he thoroughly listened carefully to the testimony of the eyewitnesses. There came a day when Doctor Morrison wrote, and the third day he arose from the dead, and I believe that Jesus Christ is alive. And I believe tonight that the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead. In fact, so great is this truth, so vital to the gospel we preach, that Satan has been busy down through the centuries trying to explain it away, trying to invent theories that would do away altogether with the miracle of the resurrection of Christ. I think you should understand, friend, that the Savior who hung upon the cross himself said that he would rise again the third day. Those disciples did not understand his words. Those who heard Christ speak of that failed to grasp what he meant, and yet he had said it. He had said it again and again, that he would be rejected, that he would be crucified and slain, and on the third day he would rise again. And I want to tell you tonight that there was an empty tomb. And some of you who've heard the gospel all your days, you've accepted that. You've assented to it, should I say. But I want you to stop with me tonight and think of what we are saying, of what we are considering. There really was a tomb where a body was laid, and it was wrapped with the spices and the linen, a hundred pounds of spices and linen. That body was laid carefully away in that rock, human tomb, and a great stone was rolled to the opening, and it was sealed with a Roman seal, and a Roman guard, soldiers of the Roman legions stood at that tomb to guard it, lest anyone should disturb the body. And my friend, that tomb was emptied. That tomb where the body was laid became an empty tomb. Explain it, will you? Give me the explanation of the empty tomb. Men have tried to explain it, and they have, they they have really given us some great stories. But you know, all the so-called theories as to what might have happened, all the inventions of the mind of men really come down to about three things. The first thing is that when they went back to look for the body and found the tomb empty, that they must have come to the wrong tomb. Now, hardly a child will accept that as a valid reason, for surely, if they made a mistake once, they would hardly make the mistake a dozen times. And particularly when the gospel began to be preached with such power, and Judaism was shaken to its foundations, and many of the leaders of Israel would have given all they ever had to be able to prove that Christ was still in the grave. No, it was not the wrong tomb they got to. The tomb where the body of Christ was laid was really emptied. But then others have said, maybe the friends stole away his body to make it look as if he had risen from the dead. Well, will you think of that just for a moment with me? Is there a possibility that those who wanted to carry on the idea that Christ is the Savior, that he's the Messiah, that they could have taken the body out of the tomb. Will you look at those disciples with me just for a moment? Do you see them in that, in that upper room with the doors shut? Do you see those trembling, frightened men, afraid for their lives, fearful that they too might be taken outside the city and nailed to Roman crosses. They were frightened. They were even cowardly. They feared for their lives. And those men, so frightened, so afraid, suddenly a great change takes place. The very men who feared they would be put to death are seen standing in the streets of Jerusalem, and they're preaching, fearlessly preaching, and with the courage of a martyr. They endured lashings. Their backs were torn. They were torn with thorns. They were pierced with knives and swords. They were put in dark dungeons. They knew the prison of that day. You could hardly describe it in language of our time. And they sealed their testimony with their blood. They died for what? A lie? Oh no, friend. Not for a lie. They saw the risen Christ. They saw the Savior. They handled him. They ate with him. They talked with him for forty days and forty nights, and they preached, he's alive, he lives, and it transformed their lives. You must remember as well that there was a guard at the tomb, a Roman guard and a Roman seal, and the man who dared to break that seal without the authority of imperial Rome was risking execution. And you must also remember that those disciples were full of unbelief themselves. Not only did they not invent the plan of a resurrected Christ, they never even thought of it. They never even thought of such a thing. Peter went in to see the end, and he said to the other disciples, I go a fishing, and they said, we go with thee. What were they doing? They were saying, it's all come to nothing. There's no savior. There's no Messiah. It's all finished. Was it all finished? No, it was just starting. It was just beginning. Some have said the enemy stole away the body. They've said that somehow or other that the soldiers of the high priest came and took the body away. I suppose that of all the so-called explanations, that perhaps is the most ridiculous. You see, if the enemies had taken the body, then all they would have had to do when the gospel began to spread with such power and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, all the enemies would have to do is say, here's the body. He's not alive at all. Did they do it? You know, it has often been said that the silence of the enemies, the silence of the Jews was more eloquent than the preaching of the apostles. They couldn't produce the body. Why? There was an empty. Now, if the friends didn't steal away the body, if it was not the wrong tomb, if the enemies didn't take the body, friend, there's one alternative left. Christ arose. He actually left behind him an empty tomb, and he arose in triumph from the dead. What a truth that is tonight, because I'll tell you what it means to me, as simply as I can say it. It means, my friend, that his words are true. It means that heaven is real. It means that hell is real. It means that his death on the cross for sin has satisfied God, and he was delivered for our offenses, and he was raised again for our receipt. And it means that he will come, and it means that he will reign in righteousness, and it means a truth that thrills my heart. Did you know tonight there's a real man in heaven, a real man, and he's there in his body, and he's passed through the created heavens, past the blazing suns in s- in the universe of God, and he has passed beyond them all, above all heavens, and he has taken his seat on the very pinnacle of glory, and there's a man there, and he has on him the marks of his death. My friend, this is the gospel that we preach, that Christ has died, and God with him is satisfied, and now is ready to forgive. The simple terms, believe and live. Have you received the gospel message? Listen to the words of Romans ten and nine: that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Are you saved tonight? When were you saved? How were you saved? Have you trusted Christ? Have you received him as your savior? This is the gospel. Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures. He was buried. He rose again the third day, according to the scriptures. In the city of Detroit, a couple of years ago, we had a unusual meeting made up of new graduates of the University of Michigan. And that day, as we sat around a large table, we were discussing the evidences for the gospel that we preach. Is it true? A young woman who sat at my side said to me, Mr. Crawford, you've mentioned a number of times that there's the day of judgment coming. You seem to be sure that God is going to punish man for his sin, and you speak about a real hell and the lake of fire. She said, I find that very difficult to accept. Do you have any real proof of that? And I said to her, I- I want to thank you for your question, first of all, because it's a good question. And I said, yes, there is absolute proof. I could see her look rather startled, for she really asked the question to try to show me up that there was no answer. I said to her, yes, there is an answer. And I turned to Acts chapter seventeen and I read, God has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained, whereof, that is, the day of judgment is given proof to us from a great fact, whereof he hath given assurance to all men. He has given assurance to all that a day of judgment is coming, and how has he done it? He raised Christ from the dead. The proof that there is a judgment, the proof that you'll have to meet God and answer for your sins unless you trust the Savior now. The proof is, friend, Christ was raised from the dead. The infallible proofs, the gracious nature of the evidence has been given to you so you couldn't make a mistake, young man. This is a day of unbelief. This is a world full of skepticism, and in the face of it all, we dare to stand and say, now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. Look at the witnesses for a moment, if you will. I was thinking of this man, Peter. He was a denier of the Lord Jesus, and Peter is given to us as one who saw the Lord privately and saw him publicly and listened to his words. Peter, the man who denied him. I thought of Thomas, the unbeliever. Don't call him Doubting Thomas. You're not giving him his correct name. Thomas said, unless I shall see in his hand the print of the nails and thrust my finger into the print of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. And there came that first day of the week, and the disciples were in the upper room. Then came Jesus and stood in the midst. And he said to Thomas, reach out your finger and behold my hand. Reach out your hand and thrust it into my side. Be not faithless. Be not without faith, but believe. It thrills me to look at that picture, to see that scene. And Thomas cried, my Lord, my God. And he saw in a living man the wounds of death. He was convinced in that moment that this is truly the Lord God. I thought of James the scoffer, the son of Mary, who mocked at Christ during his earthly ministry. And James is one of these witnesses that Christ rose from the dead. But I thought of Paul, the persecutor, the hater of the Christians, the man who determined he was going to put to death all those who loved the Savior. And Paul said, I saw him. He was seen of me. I'm a witness. What did it do? It changed his life. It transformed his thinking, and he became the mighty preacher of the gospel, the great herald of the good news that Christ has risen. Oh friend, he lives. Is he your savior tonight? He would be your savior. God grant you may trust him. As Mr. Paisley speaks to you tonight, God grant you may come to know this Savior as your own, for his name's sake.