The Closing Arguments

The Closing Argument

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

I Corinthians 15:20

The Apostle Paul has been discoursing upon the subject of the resurrection. Specifically, he has been combatting the idea that, ‘there is no resurrection of the dead.’ He goes on to explain all the ramifications of the idea ‘if, in fact, the dead do not rise.’  We come today to consider what is, in a de facto way, his closing argument, ‘But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep’. Let us, for a few moments contemplate the first portion of this text. Paul states, as a matter of fact that, ‘now Christ is risen from the dead.’ As we have said before, in other places, this was the great theme of the Apostles. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached that Christ had risen from the dead. In all of his succeeding messages, recorded in Acts, he set forth that Christ has risen from the dead. Stephen’s dying testimony was that he could see the Living Christ. Paul encountered Him on the road to Damascus, and testified that he had spent time with Him. In this very chapter, Paul catalogues a wide variety of circumstances where a large number of people saw Christ after He had risen from the dead. The resurrection of Christ from the dead is what argues strongly for our resurrection which Paul goes on to expound throughout the remainder of the chapter. Here is our great encouragement for today. We serve a Living Savior; ‘Now is Christ risen from the dead.’

Our most Glorious, Living Christ,
we rejoice that You are indeed risen from the dead.
We praise You that You, being alive, die no more,
‘and have the keys of Hell and of Death.’

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning