Bible Center Church
Why Celebrate Easter? | 1 Corinthians 15 | Part 5 in a 12-part series titled: Why | Pastor Matt Friend | 04.21.19
Why celebrate Easter? Because...
1. Jesus physically, publicly, and powerfully arose from the grave on a Sunday morning, probably April 5, AD 33.
(vv. 1-11; cf. Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 21-21)
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 NIV
Why celebrate Easter? Because...
2. It reminds us that what God did for Jesus on the first Easter, He has promised to do for every Jesus follower, and for the entire universe.
(vv. 12-28, 35-57; cf. John 5:24-29; Romans 8:9-11, 18-25; Ephesians 1:10; Colossians 1:15-20; Revelation 21-22)
The evidence for Jesus' resurrection is so strong that nobody would question it except for two things: First, it is a very unusual event. And second, if you believe it happened, you have to change the way you live. -Wolfhart Pannenberg
• When a Christian dies, his/her spirit goes to heaven.
(Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23)
This is spiritual “life after death,” but it’s not resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:12-27 NIV
• But one day, when Jesus returns, our spirits will reunite with new bodies.
“life after death.” This is resurrection.
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
Why celebrate Easter? Because...
3. It inspires us to attempt great things for God—and never give up—in the meantime.
(vv. 30-34; 58; cf. Matthew 6:9-10; 28:18-20; Romans 8:12-18; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; 10:31)
John 5:24-29 NIV
Early Christians believed that God was going to do for the whole cosmos what he had done for Jesus at Easter. -N. T. Wright
1 Corinthians 15:30-34 NIV
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV