Topical Sermons - Executable Outlines

The Significance Of
The Resurrection Of Christ
Mark A. Copeland
INTRODUCTION
1. “Easter Sunday” is an annual holiday celebrated by many...
a. Millions of people commemorate the resurrection of Jesus on this day
b. Many consider it as “the most holy” of religious holidays
c. For some, it marks the only time they attend church services (Christmas runs a close second)
2. Christians in the first century did not have an annual observance of this event...
a. The word “Easter” is found only once in the KJV Bible - cf. Ac 12:4
b. The word in the Greek is actually “Passover”, and so translated elsewhere in the KJV
c. “It is reasonably certain that the NT contains no reference to a yearly celebration of the
resurrection of Christ” (ISBE)
d. The annual observance is a human tradition, introduced in the second and third centuries
3. Churches today who follow the New Testament pattern do not celebrate “Easter” per se...
a. Like the church in Jerusalem, they are content to abide in the apostles’ doctrine - Ac 2:42
b. They note Paul’s teaching regarding religious holidays - cf. Ga 4:9-11
c. They value Jesus’ warning regarding the traditions of men - cf. Mt 15:9
4. This does not in any way demean the importance of the resurrection of Christ...
a. It has great significance to the Christian
b. It is something we should think about often (certainly more than once a year)
5. It is an appropriate subject even on “Easter Sunday”, just as sermons...
a. On thankfulness are around Thanksgiving
b. On mothers are on Mother’s Day
-- Even though churches may not celebrate such holidays per se
[With that thought in mind, allow me to use this opportunity to review the significance of the
resurrection of Jesus Christ for the Christian. It’s significance can first be seen by considering...]
I. IF CHRIST WAS NOT RAISED
A. GOSPEL PREACHING IS VAIN... (1 Co 15:14)
1. The preaching of the apostles is empty, meaningless
2. Because they proclaimed nothing more than a fairy tale, a story of fiction
B. OUR FAITH IS VAIN... (1 Co 15:14)
1. Our belief in Christ would also be empty, meaningless
2. For our faith would be in a lie, a story of make believe, not truth
C. THE APOSTLES WERE FALSE WITNESSES... (1 Co 15:15)
1. They swore that God raised Jesus from the dead - Ac 2:32
2. They claimed to spend 40 days with Him after the resurrection, eating and drinking with
Topical Sermons 326