Mission Yearbook: Oak Flat vigil draws faith leaders from around the country

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Mission Yearbook: Oak Flat vigil draws faith leade...: Image Oak Flat by Russ McSpadden, Center for Biological Diversity Faith leaders from across the nation recently gathered for a prayer vigil,...

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, April 26, 2026

On Sunday, April 19, we started a new sermon series entitled The Good News of Resurrection: An Exploration of 1 Corinthians 15. During this five-past worship series, we’ll look at how the Apostle Paul viewed the resurrection of Jesus and discuss how it might shape our faith and outlook. We’ll consider the following topics:

• April 19 - The Foundation of the Resurrection (15:1-11)
• April 26 - Why the Resurrection Matters (15:12-19)
• May 3 - The Order of the Resurrection (15:20-34)
• May 10 - The Resurrected Body (15:35-49)
• May 17 - Victory and Application (15:50-58)

In the second message, we focused on 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 and discussed why the resurrection matters. Below is a video of the service, a presentation of the sermon, and the program & bulletin for the service. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).  You can hear a podcast of the service at the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel or the Sligo Presbyterian Spotify Page.

Sunday's Message - Why the Resurrection Matters (15:12-19)

On Sunday, April 19, we started a new sermon series entitled The Good News of Resurrection: An Exploration of 1 Corinthians 15. During this five-past worship series, we’ll look at how the Apostle Paul viewed the resurrection of Jesus and discuss how it might shape our faith and outlook. We’ll consider the following topics:

• April 19 - The Foundation of the Resurrection (15:1-11)
• April 26 - Why the Resurrection Matters (15:12-19)
• May 3 - The Order of the Resurrection (15:20-34)
• May 10 - The Resurrected Body (15:35-49)
• May 17 - Victory and Application (15:50-58)

In the second message, we focused on 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 and discussed why the resurrection matters. Below is a presentation and the text of the sermon. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).  You can hear a podcast of the service at the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel or the Sligo Presbyterian Spotify Page. 

Well, here we are, week number two in our exploration of the resurrection as explained by the Apostle Paul in the fifteenth chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians. And as y’all might recall, during our first discussion, we talked about how the resurrection of Jesus Christ rests on a pretty solid foundation, in other words, it’s something in which we can trust because it’s grounded in genuine history, eyewitness testimony and divine grace. Now, that’s what we talked about last week. 

And this morning, we’re going to continue through the chapter by considering why the resurrection matters, at least, why it mattered to Paul and should matter to us. You see, for the next fifteen minutes of so, we’re going to focus on the importance of God raising the dead, but primarily not as it applies to Jesus, that was last week, instead, how it’ll apply to us, in other words, why is it important to believe that we’ll raised from death. And in that discussion we’re going to look at what Paul actually wrote to the Corinthians. And then we’re going to talk about how his view of and reason for the resurrection of the dead may be different from what we’ve been taught in the past. And then, we’ll consider how the truth that lies behind our coming resurrection can affect us in three pretty profound ways. And hopefully, by the time we leave here this morning, we’ll all be on the same page about why the resurrection matters.

Of course, as Paul wrote this letter, well, he was directing it toward Christians who were not really like us, and I think that’s important to remember as we listen to what he wrote. I mean, since they lived two thousand years ago, their culture and knowledge and assumptions were different from our own. For example, based on what we have here in this letter, evidently, they had some doubts that I’m not sure anybody here this morning shares. Just listen to what he wrote to those first century believers: 

If we preach that Christ was raised from death, how can some of you say the dead will not be raised to life? If they won’t be raised to life, Christ himself wasn’t raised to life. And if Christ wasn’t raised to life, our message is worthless, and so is your faith. If the dead won’t be raised to life, we have told lies about God by saying he raised Christ to life, when he really did not. [1 Corinthians 15:12-15, CEV]

Now that’s what he wrote. You see, evidently, there were some Corinthians Christians who didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead. And although that may seem a little odd for us, it made some sense back in the day. You see, this business about the dead rising, well, that was really a Jewish idea, because, based on the Old Testament, they believed that every person had a body and a soul that couldn’t be separated. In other words, you couldn’t have a body without a soul anymore than you could have a soul without a body. Now that’s what they believed; therefore, to have any kind of life after death, both the body and soul had to rise, you know, a resurrection of the dead. Well, the Gentile Corinthians didn’t believe that. They believed that the body contained the soul and when the body died, the soul went somewhere else. In other words, the two weren’t bound together. Now that’s what they believed; therefore, it didn’t make sense for a soul that had been freed from suffering and disease and death and may have actually joined God in heaven, it didn’t make sense to force that eternal soul back into a physical body just so that it could be raised. Let’s just say that, for them, the resurrection of the dead was, at best, unnecessary and at worst, ridiculous. 

But for Paul, a former Pharisee who believed what the Jews believed about the unity of the body and the soul, well, the resurrection of the dead, in other words, our resurrection, man, it was a big deal. And I think that was why he wrote this:

So if the dead won’t be raised to life, Christ wasn’t raised to life. Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins. And those people who died after putting their faith in him are completely lost. If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else. [1 Corinthians 15:16-19, CEV]

You see, for the Apostle Paul, it was very simple. If the dead, including both the body and soul that were bound together, if the dead were never going to be raised to new life, then the resurrection of Jesus was just a spectacular miracle, but really not much else. And if what happened to Christ was something that only applied to him and not to us, then, when you get right down to it, man, we’re just wasting our time talking about the resurrection. It really doesn’t involve us at all, not in any personal way. I mean, if the soul is going to leave the body anyway, the resurrection of the dead kind of gets in the way, doesn’t it?  No, outside of its “Wow factor,” the resurrection of Jesus, something that Paul grounded in genuine history and eyewitness testimony and divine grace, for Paul, this event has no real meaning unless it was directly related to something we’re going to see ourselves. And for him, man, it did. And for Paul, that’s why the resurrection mattered. 

And you know, I believe it can matter to us as well, even though we might not be fully on board with this business of bodies and souls being inseparable. I mean, I understand that most of us tend to view people more like the Gentile Corinthians than Paul; therefore, we generally believe that when a person dies, the soul leaves the body and goes somewhere else, while the body, the shell, is buried in the ground, right? I’ll tell you, that’s what I’ve heard in nearly every Christian funeral I’ve attended. And so, the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ really doesn’t have a lot to do with what my father faced on April 3 or what we’ll face sometime in the future. In other words, the same thing’s going to happen whether Christ was raised or not. The soul is going to leave the body behind. Now that’s what I think most of us tend to believe, and we believe it, because it’s what we’ve been taught and frankly, it offers us a lot of comfort, especially when we think about those who’ve already passed. Personally, it offers me a lot of peace imagining that right this second the souls of my mom and dad are up there in heaven with their families and friends, standing in the presence of Christ. Now, I’ve got to admit, I really like that vision, even though I understand it’s not what the Apostle Paul nor all those other Jews who wrote the New Testament believed. You see, for them, the resurrection of the dead, something that started with Jesus, was and is the only thing keeping us from actually being worse off than anyone else.

But you know, even though a lot of us may not be ready to turn from what we’ve always believed and to adopt the words of Paul, I still believe the truth behind the resurrection of the dead, and I’m talking about our resurrection, it can shape our lives and our faith. In other words, regardless of whether, on one hand, we share the perspective of Paul and believe that since the body and soul can’t be separated, eternal life demands the resurrection of the dead or, on the other hand, believe that when we die, our soul is released from our the body; therefore, our resurrection is actual the rising of our soul to be with God; you see, regardless of how we define what’s going to happen, at its core, it’s still about something that God will do for us. And for that reason, I believe focusing on the resurrection can still impact our lives in three very profound ways. 

For example, regardless of how we see it, first, I believe the resurrection enables us to hope. In other words, because we believe that we’ll be raised to new life either in a new heaven and a new earth or a spiritual place that already exists, we can look forward to what’s going to happen with assurance and confidence and conviction. As a matter of fact, because we believe in our resurrection, we just may be able to understand the same kind of emotion Peter expressed in this first letter: 

Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on. God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear. [1 Peter 1:3-4, CEV]

You see, we can have hope because of the resurrection. And I’ll tell you, from where I stand, hope sure seems to be in short supply now-a-days. For example, according to a poll taken last year, only about 59% of Americans gave high ratings when asked to evaluate how good their life will be in about five years. And even though when compared to other poll numbers, that may sound pretty good, 59% is the lowest percentage since Gallup began asking this question almost 20 years ago. In fact, that’s a 10 point drop in the last decade. Let’s just say, historically, we’ve become a fairly pessimistic people. And when you add to it all the personal stuff we all face in our lives that just don’t seem to ever get better, I think we have plenty of reasons to see the glass as half empty as we look forward. 

But that changes when we remember that, thanks to the power of God, resurrection is right there in our future and since it’s not something we control, it’s not something we can screw up. I mean, even though we might feel disappointed when we take a careful look at the direction we’re heading and even though we might feel discouraged as we try to figure out how today is going to affect us tomorrow and even though we might feel ready give into negativity because, as we all know, a pessimist is never disappointed, just remembering that, because Jesus was raised from death, we will be too, man, that changes the way we see the future, even if we’re not on the same page about how and when it’s going to happen. I mean, since it’s in God’s hands, it’s not going to be determined by a political party or a utility bill or a doctor’s report. You see, in spite of how everyone around us sees the future, the resurrection enables us to hope. And for me, that’s the first thing it does.

And second, it also helps us to endure. In other words, while it can change how we see the future, it can also shape how we live in the present, and in particular, how we get through the kind of problems and pain we all face from time to time. And I’ll tell you, that was something I think the Apostle Paul recognized when he wrote this to the Philippians:

But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, so that somehow I also may be raised to life. [Philippians 3:7-11, CEV]

You see, his faith in his own resurrection shaped the way he dealt with life in the fast lane.

And I’ll tell you, it can do the same for us. And you know, that’s a good thing, because sometimes the problems that we face sure seem overwhelming. Of course, it’s not the exact same for everybody. I mean, for some, it’s financial stress, you know, that the cost of living is just rising too fast and that debt has become this huge, gaping hole and that one unexpected emergency could bring the whole house of cards down. And for others, it’s all about health issues, you know, like those chronic illnesses and emotional struggles and even lifestyle diseases that always seem to be lurking in the background. And for some others, it may involve relationship conflicts, and I’m talking about breakups and disputes that result in loneliness and alienation. And these are just three examples. Let’s face it, from time to time, I think we all face problems that can overwhelm us. 

And it’s right here where I believe remembering our resurrection can help us to endure. I mean, even though it won’t miraculously solve the problems nor eliminate the stress, focusing on the one who holds our destinies in his hands, well, that just might remind us that our suffering is only temporary and that ultimate victory awaits on the other side of death. In other words, we have a living hope that transcends finances and health and human relationships. And for that reason, we have absolutely no reason to be afraid of living, because, as Paul reminded the Romans, “I am sure what we are suffering now cannot compare with the glory that will be shown to us” [Romans 8:18, CEV] and “If God is on our side, can anyone be against us?” [Romans 8:31b, CEV] I’m telling you, regardless of the problems and pain we may be facing, resurrection helps us to endure. And for me, that’s the second thing it does.

And third, I believe it also motivates us to share, and I’m talking about conveying this good news to others and, as I’ve said before, to do so through the words we use and the works we do and the attitude we show. Man, we can share with others the resurrection, you know, our resurrection and their resurrection. In other words, it can be the focus of our message. And you know, I think that’s exactly what happened to Paul. Just listen to what he wrote to the Romans:

You are no longer ruled by your desires, but by God’s Spirit, who lives in you. People who don’t have the Spirit of Christ in them don’t belong to him. But Christ lives in you. So you are alive because God has accepted you, even though your bodies must die because of your sins. Yet God raised Jesus to life! God’s Spirit now lives in you, and he will raise you to life by his Spirit. [Romans 8:9-11, CEV]

Now that’s what he wrote. And just imagine if this was the kind message we decided to share with others. I mean, as we’ve already talked about, we live in a world that seems to be really pessimistic about the future, a world where people seem to believe that today is worse than yesterday and that tomorrow will be worse than today and where they’re so desperate for direction, so desperate for something to believe and someone to follow that they’ll believe anything and follow anyone who offers anything close to hope. And let’s get real, there are a lot of folks who feel like they’re drowning, and it doesn’t matter whether they’ve done it to themselves and it’s been done to them by others. Man, they don’t know where to turn, and they sure don’t know how to endure. Now that’s our world.

But brothers and sisters, in this world, I’m telling you, we have a message, a message that just might offer hope to the discouraged and strength to the weak. You see, we can share with them the hope that comes when we trust that the destiny of the universe is in hands of the one who’s perfect in both his freedom and his love, a freedom that he demonstrated when he caused Jesus Christ to rise from the dead and a love that’s going to cause us to rise as well. And we can show them how to endure, and I’m talking about, how to focus on God when life seems overwhelming and how to find strength and direction when we’re not sure how to deal with the issues that we face and how to lean on God’s people when we feel isolated and alone. You see, this is the message we have, one that the resurrection motivates us to share. And for me, that’s the third thing it does.

Now, as we continue through the fifteenth chapter, Paul wrote about the resurrection based on what he believed, that the time is coming when the dead will be raised to new life. And even though that’s also what I believe, I understand this may be different from what you’ve been taught. And that’s O.K. As the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews said, “God’s word is alive and powerful! It is sharper than any double-edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts.” [Hebrews 4:12, CEV] Personally, the times when the cuts are the deepest, I’ve grown the most.

But whether or not you decide to share Paul’s perspective, we can still claim our coming resurrection. And I’ll tell you, when we do, I believe we’ll see that it can enable us to hope when the future is scary and it can help us to endure when life seems overwhelming and it can motivate us to share when we’re around those who lack confidence and strength. And my friends, for me, that’s why the resurrection matters.

Bible Readings for April 28, 2026

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for April 28, 2026: Let's read the Bible together in the next year.  Today, our passages are  Judges 8:18–9:21; Luke 23:44–24:12; Psalm 99:1-9; and Proverb...

Mission Yearbook: In churches, stewardship doesn’t have to be hard or perfect

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Mission Yearbook: In churches, stewardship doesn’t...: Image Maggie Harmon spoke as part of Stewardship Kaleidoscope. (photo by Gregg Brekke) Maggie Harmon began her workshop at Stewardship Kalei...

Mission Yearbook: Caucus of young adults ponders faith, purpose and technology

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Mission Yearbook: Caucus of young adults ponders f...: Image William Gibson, at right, and the Rev. Sabrina Slater spoke to the Young Adult Caucus Wednesday during the 27th Council of the World C...

Mission Yearbook: 1001 leaders share a sacred pause at gathering

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Mission Yearbook: 1001 leaders share a sacred paus...: “O God, as we reflect on this divine invitation that you've afforded us to gather on this night for this experience, to worship and to s...