The Resurrection of Christ is Shown to be an Event
that Happened in History and an Essential Part
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Lesson 22

background notes

doctrinal points

1. The resurrection of Christ is a part of the gospel.
2. The resurrection of Christ is a fact of history.

practical application

Don’t let God’s grace toward you be in vain.

questions

1. What is the great theme of 1 Corinthians 15?
2. What was the Corinthians’ specific problem with resurrection?
3. Why is the resurrection of Christ essential to the message of the gospel?
4. How do Christ’s post-resurrection appearances show without a doubt that His bodily resurrection was real?
5. How was Paul different from the other apostles?

answers

1. Resurrection
2. They had some doubts concerning the bodily resurrection of the believer
3. Without the resurrection of Christ there would be no tangible proof that God was satisfied with the work of Christ.
4. There were literally hundreds of eye-witness who were still alive at the time that Paul wrote this. They would have confirmed that Christ’s bodily resurrection was true.
5. Paul had not walked with the Lord during His earthly ministry as the other apostles had. He had also persecuted the Church before his conversion.

discuss/consider

1. Discuss how the Old Testament Scriptures pointed forward to Christ’s death and resurrection. Include in your discussion Isaiah 53, Psalm 16, and types such as in Genesis 22.
2. Paul was frank about his past and used it as a testimony of God’s grace in saving a lost sinner. What about your past? Can you give a testimony about God’s grace in your life?

challenge

How do you show appreciation to the Lord for His grace that He has shown to you?

memorize

• “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
• “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain.”
  1 Corinthians 15:10