Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Resurrection—Our Foundation and Hope
Bible Reading1 Corinthians 15:1–23 (ESV)> 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
> 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
> 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
> 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
> 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
> 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
> 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
> 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
> 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
> 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
> 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
> 12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
> 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
> 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
> 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.
> 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.
> 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
> 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
> 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
> 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
> 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
> 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
> 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Observation Questions- According to Paul, what are the three main parts of the gospel he preached to the Corinthians? (see verses 3–4)
- Who does Paul list as eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus, and why do you think he mentions them? (see verses 5–8; [09:02])
- What were some of the influences or beliefs in Corinth that caused people to doubt the resurrection? ([23:00])
- What does Paul say would be true if Christ had not been raised from the dead? (see verses 14–19; [30:04])
Interpretation Questions- Why does Paul make such a strong point that the resurrection is not just a spiritual idea, but a real, historical event? How does this challenge the way people sometimes talk about faith today? ([07:05])
- The sermon mentioned that some in Corinth were influenced by Greek philosophy and the Sadducees. How can outside ideas or culture shape what we believe about Jesus, even today? ([23:00])
- Paul says, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most miserable.” What does he mean by this, and how does the resurrection give us hope beyond this life? ([33:34])
- The sermon says that a changed life is evidence of the risen Christ. How does Paul’s own story show this, and what does that mean for us? ([48:41])
Application Questions- The sermon challenged us not to compromise the gospel, even when it’s unpopular. Can you think of a time when you felt pressure to water down or hide your faith? How did you respond, or how do you wish you had responded? ([01:51])
- Paul faced ridicule and even risked his life to share the gospel. What are some risks—big or small—that you might face if you boldly share your faith? What holds you back? ([18:16])
- The Corinthians were swayed by false teachings and cultural ideas. Are there any “new teachings” or cultural beliefs today that you think could pull Christians away from the truth of the resurrection? How do you guard your heart and mind against them? ([26:47])
- The resurrection gives us hope that death is not the end. How does this hope affect the way you handle grief, loss, or fear of the future? ([33:34])
- The sermon said, “It’s not time to fake this walk—it’s time to live about this walk.” Are there areas in your life where you feel like you’re just “going through the motions” in your faith? What would it look like to let the reality of the resurrection transform you from the inside out? ([37:07])
- Paul’s life was radically changed after meeting the risen Jesus. In what ways has your life changed since you started following Christ? Are there areas where you still want to see more transformation? ([48:41])
- The evidence of Christ’s resurrection is seen in the lives of believers. Who in your life has shown you what it looks like to live in the power of the resurrection? How can you be that example for someone else? ([48:41])
Closing Thought: Let’s remember, the resurrection isn’t just something we celebrate once a year—it’s the foundation of our faith and the source of our hope every day. Because He lives, we too shall live.
