The Resurrection | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Nov 2, 1882

The Resurrection.

The following is a report of a Bible reading by D. L. Moody, at the First Baptist Church, in San Francisco. Mr. Sankey sang, "We shall sleep, but not forever." Mr. Moody led in prayer. He then asked all to turn to 1 Cor. 15. Few chapters are read so often as this. Some portions of it are usually read at every burial service. Many who lose friends think by reading this chapter to find out something about where they have gone. Paul's object in writing this epistle was to meet certain heresies that were creeping into the Corinthian Church. And one heresy was that the dead should not rise. The apostles and early Christians preached the doctrine of the resurrection. Paul brings in as witnesses of Christ's resurrection, first, Cephas—not that he was the very first, he does not follow the order strictly—then the twelve saw him; then five hundred; then James; then he himself saw him.

But there were not only unbelievers then, but there are unbelievers now, of the resurrection of Christ's body; they say it was only his spirit that rose. But this chapter proves that his body was raised.

Gentiles now, and Jews then, contend that his disciples stole away his body. In Matt. 27:11–15, we read how the story of the theft of his body was manufactured. It was death to any man to break the Roman seal. If the disciples had broken the seal on his tomb they would certainly have been put to death. What object could they have in going up and down the land lying about his resurrection? But in Acts 2:32, Peter says: "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses." If this was a fraud, sharp, keen Jews would have detected it. The Roman governor would have found the body if it had been stolen. It would have been the greatest miracle in the world to have succeeded in this fraud, if it was a fraud. Five hundred witnesses, and not one of them turning State's evidence! Going to the stake, one after another for a fraud, and not one confessing! What motive could they have to perpetrate such a fraud—to say that they had eaten and talked with him. The Jews had a motive, and so had the soldiers, to say that the body was stolen away; they were bribed. But what had the disciples? It forced them to live in dens and caves; they were counted the off-scouring of the earth. And yet, with their testimony, many will not believe. Jesus said, Luke 24:48, "Ye are witnesses of these things." Jesus left them behind to testify to this very thing. A witness is one who knows; who has facts, not opinions or impressions. They were to be witnesses of his death and resurrection and ascension. And they all went and were true witnesses.

They talked and lived and died for nothing else; and they all died for their testimony. Read Acts 17:18. Athens was the last place to be pleased with such testimony. Modern preachers would have given them geology and philosophy, but Paul preached Jesus and the resurrection. Verse 31: "Hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." I pity the preacher who don't believe this doctrine. The power of this doctrine was seen on the day of Pentecost; when it was preached the Spirit was poured out.

But I never in my life have heard a sermon on the resurrection. Preachers don't preach it, because they and the people don't believe it. A lady once asked me why I did not fellowship a certain preacher. I said, "You ask him if he believes that Christ rose from the grave." She returned and said, "Yes, he believes it." "You ask him if he believes his body rose." She came back and reported that he did not think that doctrine was essential to Christianity. If a man is unsound on the resurrection, he is unsound on the atonement and justification, and everything else. "If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." 1 Cor. 15:12. If I didn't believe this doctrine, I would not preach any more. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." Verse 19. And how true this was of the apostles; how they suffered! Paul was often stoned for preaching the resurrection. He would not have preached it if it had not been essential. Yet men say it is not an essential doctrine. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Verse 22.

Many a battle has been fought on this text. Some say it teaches universal salvation; that the drunkard and the thief and all are saved. But it says those that are in Christ shall be made alive. In Dan. 12:2, we read: "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Also read the 23d verse. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." 1 Cor. 15:26. Death comes to all—all except two who have been translated. But Christ will destroy that enemy. "The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live." John 5:25. All shall hear his voice and come forth. There is a resurrection to life and a resurrection to damnation. 1 Cor. 15:35: "But how are the dead raised up?" . . . "Thou fool,"—it sounds harsh, but only means one void of scriptural understanding. A grain of wheat dies, and so new life comes. There are differences in the resurrection; we are not all to be just alike. I know this is a mystery, but so there is mystery in a great many things.

In the north of Scotland there are many miles where there are no trees. Suppose a boy who had never seen a tree should be told that if an acorn is put in the ground and dies, a great tree would come forth. He wouldn't believe it. A worm of which you are afraid, becomes a butterfly. A little black seed dies, and a beautiful flower is the result. This is the sweetest doctrine in the Bible. Paul says it is "sown" in corruption; we say "buried." We ought to abolish that word. We don't say we "bury" the wheat, we "sow" it. Read verses 42, 43, and 44. Thank God for this chapter. You say good-by to friends in the grave; but we shall soon meet again. Upon Dean Alford's tomb is inscribed, "The inn of a traveler on the way to the New Jerusalem." Jacob will lose his lameness, Paul his thorn in the flesh, and you all your blemishes, in the resurrection. A glorious day is before us. Everything before us is glorious. I pity the man who don't read this chapter, certainly once a month. It lifts us out of our poor selves.