Witness To The Resurrection
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Analyzing the radical change that occurs when a redeemed soul becomes a witness to the Resurrection of Christ.
Text: 1Cor. 15:3-8
Date: 04/20/2025, the Combined service.
Series: "Your Word is Truth"
Occasion: Easter Sunday
Description:
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul lists a substantial number of saints and apostles who were eyewitnesses to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He places himself at the very end of the list, humbly suggesting that he was the least worthy to have been given such an eternal privilege. We will analyze his list, concentrating on both the number and apostolic authority of the witnesses. We will then change our focus to the time Paul encountered the Resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus. Paul's conversion is perhaps the most extraordinary illustration of what happens to a soul when it comes "face-to-face" with the Resurrected Christ and is regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We will carefully study what happens to Paul and then realize that Paul's radical transformation is the same miracle that occurs to every true Christian, when they see Jesus with the eyes of their soul and become a living testimony of a life forever changed as a witness to the Resurrection.
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I. Introduction, Deut. 19:15; Acts 1:22, 2:23-24,32, 17:32.
II. Exposition of the text, 1Cor. 3-8.
A. Context, Rom. 10:9.
B. A host of witnesses, vs. 5-8.
1. The apostolic witness, vs. 5-7.
a. The women who were eyewitnesses, Matt. 28:1,9; Mark 16:1,9; Luke 24:10; John 20:14.
b. On the road to Emmaus, Luke 24:13,15-16,30-31.
c. Telling Peter and the other disciples, vs. 5, Luke 24:10,11,34; Mark 16:11.
d. Appearing to the five hundred, vs. 6.
e. Appearing to the apostles, vs. 7, Luke 24:36-39, 41-43.
f. Wrapped up in the Providential mission of the church.
g. A group of named disbelievers, Matt. 26:73-74; Mark 3:21; John 7:4-5.
2. A life radically changed, vs. 8.
a. Overview
b. Saul's encounter with the Resurrected Lord, vs. 8.
i. When Paul saw the Resurrected Jesus, 1Cor. 9:1, 15:9; Gal. 1:12,15.
ii. Switching gears.
C. Paul's witness of the Resurrection, Acts 22:3-11.
1. Context, Acts 22:3-5.
a. A Hebrew's Hebrew, Acts 22:3; Phil. 3:5-6.
b. A hater of the church, Acts 22:4.
i. The stoning of Stephen, Acts 7:58.
ii. Ravaging the early church, Acts 8:1-3.
iii. On the rampage right up to his conversion, Acts 9:1.
c. Exporting his hatred, Acts 22:5.
2. The encounter, Acts 22:6-10.
a. In the presence of the divine, Acts 22:6-7a.
i. Seeing the Resurrected Jesus, Acts 22:6,14, 26:13.
ii. And act of surrender, Acts 22:7a.
b. Hearing the voice, Acts 22:7b.
i. The intimate address.
ii. Persecuting Jesus.
c. The conversation, Acts 22:8-10.
i. A private conversation, Acts 22:9.
ii. Paul's confusion, Acts 22:8a.
iii. Jesus identifies Himself, Acts 22:8b.
1) The exalted names of Jesus, Isa. 9:6.
2) The name of Jesus in the flesh, Luke 2:21; John 1:14, 19:19.
3) Paul's worse nightmare, Luke 24:5; Matt. 28:6.
iv. Paul's life changing question, vs. 10a.
v. The command of obedience and faith, Acts 22:10b,14,15.
3. A model of conversion.
a. Sola Scriptura, John 1:1,14.
b. Sola Fide, Rom. 1:5; Mark 1:14,15.
c. Sola Gratia, Phil. 3:4,6; Eph. 2:4-5.
d. Solus Christus, Phil. 3:8; John 14:6.
e. Soli Deo Gloria.
III. Application, 1Cor. 6:19,20, 15:3-4; Rev. 3:20.
IV. Conclusion
