(2) The Resurrection of Christ in Early Christian Preaching Some of us put so much emphasis on the death of Christ that we neglect his resurrection. But to do that is to make the gospel less offensive than it was intended. The gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing. Why? Both because it is a message about a dead Jew hanging on a Roman cross that purports to have some relevance to my life; and because that dead Jew allegedly came to life again. And precisely because of this, he can forgive my sins! Now that, my friends, is a foolish message . . . to those who are on their way to hell. And admittedly, it took plenty of persuasive powers for God to convince us otherwise. The early church took the resurrection of Christ seriously. It was the cornerstone of their preaching. Look at the sermons in Acts: ◦Acts 1:22 (criterion for selection of an apostle)--”one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” ◦Acts 2:23-24, the keynote in Peter’s first sermon on the day of Pentecost: “this Jesus, who was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up, having destroyed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” ◦Acts 3:15 (Peter’s second sermon)--”you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.” ◦Note also the following: Acts 4:2 (“they were preaching in Jesus the resurrection from the dead”--that is, that because of him we too can be raised!); 4:10; 4:33; 13:30, 34; Acts 17:3; 17:18, 31; 23:6; 24:21; 26:23 . ◦Also, note 1 Thess 1:9-10 and 1 Cor 15: 3-5. The church embraced the resurrection as both true and central to the preaching of the gospel.
Posted on: Tue, 13 Aug 2013 22:15:59 +0000
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