Easter - 1 Corinthians 15

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Mark 11:1-11 Colossians 1:1-8 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Maturing in faith, love, and hope Astonishing Good News Introduction With this Holy Week, we have arrived at end of our Lenten journey to Jerusalem, out of our Lukan “Cost of Discipleship” series, and we have followed the Passion of Christ through our Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services. All this has pointed us to the astonishing good news of this Easter Sunday series—the good news that we hear in the voice of Paul from 1 Corinthians 15:1-11—that our Lord Jesus has risen! Into this beautiful text we now delve. Happy Easter! Introductory question: What did you learn about resurrection from the sermon?

Connection Group Study COMMENTARY STUDY

vv. 1-2. These opening verses provide transitional material between the previous section and what is to come. In connecting with what came before, the “remind” of verse 1, (Γνωρίζω, gnorizo) is of the same word root of “knowing/recognizing”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

vv. 1-2. Study: Read chapter 14:1-5, and 14:2633, to get a sense of the primary themes of this chapter that provides our context for today’s reading. What are the primary themes you hear in these chapter 14 verses? Do you see connections between those themes and today’s chapter 15 verses?

confession? as “Ignorant”(ἀγνοεῖ, agnoei) in 14:38, thus lexically tying together chapter 14—calling for knowledge of the unity of family of God for the building of the body of God in worship—with chapter 15 —knowledge of essential gospel truths. In connecting with what is to come, “the gospel,” of verse 1, is soon to be reiterated in its essential truths.

Reflect: “Being saved” (σῴζεσθε, sozesthe) is well translated from Greek to English, as the verb has a present, continuous sense. This is much in agreement with how Paul uses the word early on in this epistle in 1:18. In terms of this present, continuous aspect of the verb, in what sense do you think Paul is speaking of salvation? Quietly reflect for a few minutes: how are you being saved by the gospel, in the present?

Confess: The word “In vain” in verse 2 might also be translated as “without due consideration,” “thoughtlessly,” or “not in tune with.” Confess: What are some ways that you have walked without due consideration for the gospel in the past few weeks and months? Reflect inwardly, and if comfortable, share with one another.

Discuss: What does it mean to you to “hold fast” to God’s word? Are there particular spiritual practices that might assist you in this regard? How is the Spirit speaking to you to stand” in the good news this week?

vv. 3-4. Paul makes clear

vv. 3-4. Study: The “according to the Scriptures” likely

what is of “first importance” as regards the gospel— what are the bare bones of the gospel that saves. Most Christian scholars consider these verses to be an expression of a very early Christian creed that was handed on and received with great care.

refers to the witness of the Old Testament as a whole, with the cross and the resurrection spoken of in terms of the culmination of Israel’s history. Yet, Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12 is also often cited in connection with this reference to “according to the Scriptures.” Read those verses. What emotions do you feel in reading this powerful passage?

Discern: In terms of the receiving and delivering that is the natural passing on of our Christian faith, whom has God put in your life to be teaching you, and whom has God put in your life for you to be teaching? In other words, who is discipling you, and whom are you discipling? If names and faces are not immediately clear, ask the Spirit for discernment in the coming weeks in this regard.

confession?

Confess: In speaking of Christ dying for “our sins,” we should of course reflect on our personal sins and upon our personal story of sin-death-burial-and resurrection. Yet, it is also helpful to think of our corporate sins, as a local church, and as the church in Vancouver. Keeping in mind our cultural context in contemporary Vancouver, what collective sins of FBC and the Church in Vancouver do you see that are helpful to identify and confess, in living out the good news of the gospel?

vv. 4-7. In naming witnesses, Paul speaks to the objective reality of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. The fact that some of these references to Christ’s resurrection are not included in the New Testament is a reminder that the literature that we have from the early church only describes a slice of the early church’s life. Of these references to the resurrection, Kenneth Bailey writes in his Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes: In the gospels, the primary witnesses to the resurrection are women. Here, the women are missing….In a maledominated society, it is possible that the earliest church was concerned that if it rested the weight of its case for the resurrection on the testimony of women, such a witness might be dismissed by many listeners…The early church was describing a historical event, not a dream or vision, and they wanted to assure that their witness would be taken seriously by as many as possible (431).

vv. 4-7. Discern: In relation to Kenneth Bailey’s comment (aside) and in Bailey’s language, how is God speaking to your Connection Group regarding living as light so that your witness to the historical event of Christ’s resurrection be taken seriously by as many as possible? How are/can you be living in a way that credibly speaks forth the relevance and reality of Christ’s resurrection to your neighbourhood?

Pray: Extrapolating spiritually from the literal and historical truths of our 1 Corinthians 15 passage, how are you in need of Christ’s appearance to you in these days and weeks? Pray, asking for Christ’s appearance.

Meditate: If we realize that the event of the resurrection of Jesus is as true an event as reported by all these witnesses, how does this truth change the way we live this week? Meditate quietly upon this question for several minutes, and then share.

confession?

vv. 8-11. Paul makes clear his own unworthiness, his insufficiency, in proclaiming the astonishing good news of the gospel, pointing to his past persecution of the church. But the past will not determine the present; for by grace, the resurrected Christ appeared to Paul, and then stirred Paul to respond grace, in the form of a labour (of and by grace) that ensured that what he believed was not in vain. Of these verses Chrysostom, the fourth-century Bishop of Constantinople, writes in his Baptismal Instructions, “Do you see how Paul reaped the benefit of God’s grace, and then how abundantly he contributed his own share, by his zeal, fervor, faith, courage, patience, lofty mind and undaunted will?”

vv. 8-11. Reflect: In what ways do you consider yourself “insufficient” to be a disciple of Christ? In what ways are you in need of Christ’s resurrection? Share, only if comfortable. Encourage one another with the good news of the resurrection and of God’s grace?

Reflect: How is the humility of Paul here speaking to you, particularly in terms of making known the astonishing good news of Easter?

Pray: Pray and ask the Spirit that your faith in Christ—particularly where you are, in your relationships and neighbourhood—would not be in vain but would inspire you and your Connection Group to labour to make the gospel real in your relationships and neighbourhoods.

Chinese Artist He Qi "The Empty Tomb"