Appearances of the Risen Lord

Beyond the Present Time
Resurrection Hope
The Lord Appears

1 Corinthians 15:1-9

The Message

Resurrection

15 ^1-2 Friends, let me go over the Message with you one final time— this Message that I proclaimed and that you made your own; this Message on which you took your stand and by which your life has been saved. (I’m assuming, now, that your belief was the real thing and not a passing fancy, that you’re in this for good and holding fast.)

^3-9 The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says; that he presented himself alive to Peter, then to his closest followers, and later to more than five hundred of his followers all at the same time, most of them still around (although a few have since died); that he then spent time with James and the rest of those he commissioned to represent him; and that he finally presented himself alive to me. It was fitting that I bring up the rear. I don’t deserve to be included in that inner circle, as you well know, having spent all those early years trying my best to stamp God’s church right out of existence.

 

For Reflection

This is one of Paul's major pillars of belief. He offers as proof the names of those (including himself) who can attest to the resurrection. Paul's argument loses the power of living witnesses to the resurrection in our present time. It is now one of the mysteries one has to find his or her own proofs to support belief.

 

Last Sunday, Easter, many testified as witness to the resurrection. They told stories of the living Christ in their lives. Their conviction was as powerful as Paul's. Look for evidence of the living God in your life and act on it.

 

Pray

that you will be alert for the resurrected Christ in your life.  Pray that others will see the hand of god through Jesus in their lives. Give credit to the living God for what is right in your life