No Resurrection?

1 Corinthians 15:12-19 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 
 
PAUL certainly spoke to our future as Christians. If Jesus is not raised, we have no eternal life. There is no point in believing, following and worshiping a “Lord” who still lies in a grave.
   Paul wondered how some could hear the resurrection preached and not believe. We could ask about 25% of people in America today who reject the resurrection even though they say, “I’m a Christian.” Hearing, of course, is not always believing. But, how indeed, can one listen to such preaching and then say, “I believe most but not all of the Bible?”
   Of course, this points to sin’s hold on our hearts. Paul’s question was perhaps rhetorical. In other words, he knew the answer. As he had received the favor of God’s grace, most of the world and some in the church had not yet experienced this transformational gift to believe.
   Paul was speaking into their doubt to use it as a means of convincing them. It’s as if you had someone in your home, standing by your front door. Your guest was not believing the door was there even though you told him specifically of its existence. “How can you say there is no door?” when the door was right before them.
   To the unbeliever we say, “How can you say there’s no resurrection when the evidence of the resurrection is put before you? Are you not listening, seeing and hearing? What shield is over your mind to keep the evidence from you? Do you think gospel teachers are false witnesses? Do you wonder why we preach what we preach, do what we do? Are you not convinced Jesus’ resurrection is the hinge for your eternal life? Think about it! Your loved ones who did not confess Jesus before their deaths are lost. There is no hope for them. Have you no hope for eternal life?” If we live in such unbelief we are to be pitied.
   Paul had an absolute knowledge of Jesus’ resurrection for the same reason the other apostles did. He had seen and spoken to the risen Jesus. He also knew 500 others saw Jesus alive and teaching them after the cross. Thousands of Jews came to be saved in Jesus’ resurrection truth. Paul was urging the unbelievers in Corinth to understand the truth.
   This remains the church’s task for the world.