Brent Kuhlman

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

The apostle makes the case. Sounds like he’s in the courtroom. In court you call for witnesses. You present the facts. You make the best case you can. No fluff. Get right to the heart of it all.

The blessed apostle will not let the cynics in the print and TV media speak for him. Paul insists on speaking for himself. In fact, Paul is determined to preach not himself, BUT JESUS. JESUS. CRUCIFIED. DEAD. BURIED. RISEN.

Leave all this to the media and you’re left with more questions than when you started. Leave it to the caustic TV and print people and there’s really nothing left for you to believe in. Except these elite newspeople. And that’s vain belief. In fact, it’s idolatry.

“Now brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel,” says Paul. The Gospel by which you’re all saved. And that Gospel message is the message of Jesus. He’s the true God. He died. He rose from the dead.

So Paul makes his courtroom case. One that would stand up in any court of law. What he received he passes on. Things of first importance. Things that are a matter of life and death. No, not the Game Boy or Game Cube. Not the latest blockbuster movie. Not your retirement. Not your fun. What’s of first importance is that Jesus died for your sins according to the Scriptures. That He was buried and raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

Salvation only in Jesus was written in the Scriptures. The entire Old Testament was all about Jesus’ dying and rising. Loads of sacrifice, death, and restoration in the Old Testament. Jesus is the Passover lamb. Slaughtered on the Cross for the forgiveness of all our sins. His blood is smeared on our bodies and hearts. In Him we all died.

And then in Him we are all raised from the dead for a new life. Led out of Egyptian slavery to sin and death. Buried with Him through Baptism into His death. Led through the Red Sea of Holy Baptism. Fed in the wilderness with His Body and Blood. Brought to the Promised Land where He tabernacles with us in Word and Sacrament -- the cloud of His gracious presence. Jesus: His death and resurrection is firmly presented in the Scriptures in Israel’s history.

But then Paul calls more witnesses. This Jesus who rose from the dead appeared to people. To Peter and then to the Twelve. Then to more than 500. Many of whom are still alive to tell about it. Then to James his half-brother and then to Paul himself. Jesus is risen! They put their lives on the line proclaiming the resurrected Jesus they saw and what He said.

The resurrection of Jesus is a fact. This is one of Paul’s big points.

The resurrection is a bodily thing. A bodily event. The resurrected Jesus these people saw had a real body. His resurrected body could be seen. Touched. A body with a mouth and stomach that worked. He ate and drank. And a body that still carried the marks of His crucifixion: Nail prints in his hands and feet. The scar left from the spear in His side.

And because Jesus rose bodily from the grave so will you. On the Last Day. You confess the resurrection of the body. Jesus is the firstfuits of them that sleep. You are forgiven. Therefore you have life and salvation. And the resurrection of the body.

What does Paul expect from you? That you believe. Believe not in him. He’s not the Savior. Paul didn’t die and rise for you. Jesus did.

So whether it’s Paul, James, Peter, Burger, Berueter, Kuhlman or some other preacher -- they all preach the same thing. They pass on what they’ve received. Jesus. Dead. Buried. Risen. For the forgiveness of your sins. According to the Scriptures. According to the eyewitnesses who saw Him. Heard Him. Touched Him. Ate and drank with Him. These are the sure facts on which you can trust with all your heart.

So eat and drink with your Lord. Rejoicing to be fed by Him. A foretaste of the feast to come. Until our bodies are raised on the Last Day for that never-ending blowout: the eternal wedding supper of the Lamb in His kingdom.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Happy Easter.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen

Brent Kuhlman

Easter Sunrise "C"