Seen of Above Five Hundred
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:3-6Devotional Series: Effectual Fervent Prayer
Teaching: Effectual Fervent Prayer pt. 6 (SUN_AM 2023-04-09) by Pastor Star R Scott
“You’re going to deny me, but when you’re converted…,” when that repentance comes, this great Resurrection has facilitated for you and me the continual intercession of the risen Christ, constantly standing to remind all accusers. I want you to know something right now. Satan is still accusing us; amen? He’s still accusing us constantly. Jesus is continuing in His resurrection ministry to declare, “It is finished;” hallelujah. Redemption was not finished until there was the Resurrection, the Ascension, the seating at the right hand of God the Father; and now, as He continues to declare a finished work on our behalf, we’re seen solely through the blood of Jesus. Let’s not make Easter just that looking for the coming of the Lord, where the graves are going to burst forth, but let’s see Easter as that empowering of the Holy Ghost, that now reminds us on a daily basis we’re right with God. There’s nothing that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, praise God. When you can’t pray, He’s praying for you. When you won’t pray, He’s praying for you, because He’s risen; hallelujah. Death has no more power, and sin has no more power; praise God.
The fifteenth chapter of Corinthians, let’s turn over there for just a moment. We’re familiar with these verses. I think the apostle, as he was writing here, answered the question that the Corinthians had about whether or not there actually was a resurrection. You remember, there were false teachers that came in, and were trying to spiritualize everything. The Thessalonians were in confusion because they were being told that there had already been a resurrection, and they missed it. The Corinthians, asking this question, this is one of the answers that Paul was bringing them, those that they had sought wisdom on. He said, “Do you remember, (verse 3), how at the first I shared with you this message…how that 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: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).
Some think this might have been at the Ascension. I don’t think it necessarily had to be at the Ascension. But whenever it occurred, five hundred eyewitnesses, at one moment, saw Him. Those that had known Him, identified Him; knew who He was. The question of the validity of the Resurrection of Jesus has more evidence to support it than just about any other great historical act, if you would examine it forensically, without prejudice, because we know what the laws in the Bible times were, and they are the same today. “…In the mouth of (what?) two or three witnesses every word may be established” (Matthew 18:16). One person can have a prejudice, can be deluded. The safety of two witnesses that the courts would allow was binding. We know that it applied even in the church; you could not bring accusation against an elder without having two or three witnesses; amen?
The fifteenth chapter of Corinthians, let’s turn over there for just a moment. We’re familiar with these verses. I think the apostle, as he was writing here, answered the question that the Corinthians had about whether or not there actually was a resurrection. You remember, there were false teachers that came in, and were trying to spiritualize everything. The Thessalonians were in confusion because they were being told that there had already been a resurrection, and they missed it. The Corinthians, asking this question, this is one of the answers that Paul was bringing them, those that they had sought wisdom on. He said, “Do you remember, (verse 3), how at the first I shared with you this message…how that 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: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).
Some think this might have been at the Ascension. I don’t think it necessarily had to be at the Ascension. But whenever it occurred, five hundred eyewitnesses, at one moment, saw Him. Those that had known Him, identified Him; knew who He was. The question of the validity of the Resurrection of Jesus has more evidence to support it than just about any other great historical act, if you would examine it forensically, without prejudice, because we know what the laws in the Bible times were, and they are the same today. “…In the mouth of (what?) two or three witnesses every word may be established” (Matthew 18:16). One person can have a prejudice, can be deluded. The safety of two witnesses that the courts would allow was binding. We know that it applied even in the church; you could not bring accusation against an elder without having two or three witnesses; amen?