Daily Lesson for Monday 17th of August 2026

In 1 Corinthians 15:9-19, Paul explains how severe and dreadful the consequences of denying the Resurrection are. Without the Resurrection, believers have no hope in the present, much less in the future.

By and large, ancient pagans did not believe in resurrection, especially in the Greek world, with its belief in body-soul dualism (at death the soul soars off to wherever the souls of the dead supposedly go). Paul begins the paragraph in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 with a rhetorical question that shows his deep bewilderment: “What? How can some of you say that there is no such thing as the resurrection of the dead?” (1 Corinthians 15:12, author’s translation). For Paul, disbelieving in the Resurrection is inconceivable, especially because there were so many eyewitnesses (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). But even worse, without the Resurrection, their hope is built on a lie, and they are still in their sins.

Image © Lifeway Collection at Goodsalt.com

He says, in fact, that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then (1) Christ has not been raised (1 Corinthians 15:13,16); (2) our preaching is empty (1 Corinthians 15:14); (3) our faith is also empty (1 Corinthians 15:14); (4) we are false witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:15); (5) our faith is futile (1 Corinthians 15:17); (6) we are still in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:17); and, obviously, (7) those who have died are no more (1 Corinthians 15:18).

Without the Resurrection, both preaching and faith are empty (1 Corinthians 15:14). The Greek term rendering the word “empty” is kenos. This is a good translation, but it is too broad. Interpreters debate whether kenos means “empty” in the sense of lacking truth (so, “untrue”) or lacking results (so, “without result or effect”) or lacking purpose (so, “without purpose,” “in vain”).

Whatever the specific meaning, in a scenario in which resurrection does not exist, faith is portrayed as futile, from the Greek mataios (1 Corinthians 15:17). Although mataios is not much different from kenos, the idea is that if Jesus is not alive, faith is fruitless, a delusion, because our sins have not been forgiven (1 Corinthians 15:17). We would be false witnesses, deceiving and being deceived (1 Corinthians 15:15).

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26c-08-the-risen-christ-our-only-hope/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26c-08-the-risen-christ-our-only-hope

T / ST / F – Without the resurrection of Jesus, there is no victory. Join the Hit the Mark panel as they discuss Sabbath School Lesson 8 – The Power of Christ’s Resurrection. It’s the fastest hour of the week! Get this week’s Keyword Workbook HERE.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/the-power-of-christs-resurrection-hit-the-mark-sabbath-school/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-power-of-christs-resurrection-hit-the-mark-sabbath-school

Prepared for Sabbath School Class on August 22.

Photograph by William Earnhardt

Key Text: “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty. . . . And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” (1 Corinthians 15:14-17, NKJV).

Read in Class: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Luke 24:44-47, and Romans 1:1-4.

Study: What do these passages have in common?

Apply: What reasons do we have for believing in Christ’s resurrection? Also, what other things, secular or sacred, do we believe even if we haven’t seen them ourselves?

Share: Read Revelation 2:8-10. Share why you believe Jesus tells the church of Smyrna that He was dead and alive again, and why is that important to us as well?

Read in Class: 1 Corinthians 15:9-19.

Study: What do we lose if Christ has not been raised?

Apply: Read John 14:3. What does Jesus say here that helps us understand that we are not in heaven immediately when we die, but must wait until the second coming and resurrection?

Share: How does one make sense of 1 Corinthians 15 if the dead soar off to heaven immediately after they die? Why, then, is understanding that the dead sleep such an important teaching? Share your thoughts.

Read in Class: 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.

Study: What does it mean to say that Jesus is the “firstfruits”?

Apply: How does the certainty of your own resurrection help you face the trials of everyday life?

Share: Your friend says he believes you go straight to heaven when you die. How does 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 help you answer your friend? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: 1 Corinthians 15:35-41, 51-57.

Study: How do verses 36-41 answer the question in verse 35? What does this passage tell us about our ultimate victory over death?

Apply: Who hasn’t bemoaned how quickly life passes us by? In our own experience, that’s how quickly the second coming of Jesus will seem. Perhaps our first thought at His return will be “Wow, Lord, Your coming really was soon!” How does this idea help us better come to terms with what is seen as “the delay”? See When Prayer Doesn’t Move Mountains.

Share: Share how the assurance that our bodies will be transformed into perfection helps us be resilient regarding our physical limitations today?

Mission: Can you send an inspirational greeting card this week to someone who recently lost a loved one?

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/8-the-power-of-christs-resurrection-sabbath-school-lesson-teaching-plan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=8-the-power-of-christs-resurrection-sabbath-school-lesson-teaching-plan