LEADER’S STUDY GUIDE 4.18.2021
1 Corinthians 15
Chapter 15 In a Nutshell
In this chapter, Paul affirmed that the Christian faith rests upon the resurrection of Christ. Paul defends the Christian doctrine of the resurrection of the body. His defense reached into the very heart of the Gospel of Christ. We are saved by a risen Lord so that we may be raised with him.[1]
Discussion 1: Read Chapter 15
- Did Paul assume that most of the Corinthians had or had not believed the Gospel?
- What did Paul consider to be of first importance?
- What was the Gospel message Paul preached?
- Verses 5-8 were written before Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and stand as the earliest historical record of the eyewitness accounts of the resurrection of Jesus. How do these verses speak to the resurrection of Jesus as an historical fact? How might this passage reassure and fill believers with hope?
- Did Paul try to prove Christ’s resurrection, or did he assume that his readers accepted it? In light of this, why do you think Paul wrote this chapter?
- What things would be true if Christ had not been raised from the dead?
- Why is bodily resurrection important? What’s wrong with the idea that believers will not have bodies in eternity?
- What is the antidote to the sting of death and the power of sin?
- In what ways does the resurrection of Christ push back despair and a feeling of hopelessness?
Application:
The facts of faith in the resurrection of Christ have ethical, relational, and emotional impact on our lives. Our faith in the resurrection of Christ fills believers with a hope that empowers us to stand firm in the victory we have through Christ Jesus.
“Therefore, because the resurrection is a reality, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, because your labor in the Lord is never in vain. (see 1 Cor. 15:58)
If you have believed and received the gospel…ask God, beg God to give you are heart for those who are far from him.
The reality of your hope is not just for you to enjoy…it is for you to share, along with your life, with others.
[1] Pratt, R. L., Jr. (2000). I & II Corinthians (Vol. 7, p. 273). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.