In the sermon titled 'The Resurrection of Christ: The Testimony of Eyewitnesses,' David Green explores the evidence of Christ's resurrection as laid out in 1 Corinthians 15. He emphasizes the importance of the gospel, particularly the resurrection, to the Christian faith. Green outlines the various testimonies that Paul presents: the testimony of the church, the testimony of the scriptures, and the testimony of eyewitnesses. The church, consisting of changed lives and continued worship, is a living witness to the resurrection. The scriptures, both Old and New Testament, prophesy and affirm the resurrection. Eyewitness testimonies, such as those of Peter (Cephas), the Twelve apostles, and over 500 brethren, are highlighted as credible evidence. Green discusses the transformation of Peter, who, despite denying Jesus thrice, was forgiven and used mightily by God. The sermon underscores the reliability of eyewitness accounts, paralleling their importance in historical and legal contexts. Green concludes with a call to embrace the risen Christ for salvation, emphasizing that the resurrection is the cornerstone of Christian belief.

1 Corinthians chapter 15. We'll begin reading to verse 1 and go down to verse 7. Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel which I proclaimed as good news to you, which also you received, in which also you stand. By which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I proclaim to you as good news, lest you believe for nothing. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures.

Verse 5, 6 and 7 will be our text. That he appeared to Cephas, then to the 12. After that he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. May God bless the reading and the preaching of His Word today.

In this chapter, We've already been in this chapter for a little while, but this is a very important chapter. Paul is dealing with the gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and primarily, primarily he's dealing with the resurrection. The truth of it. As he's writing about this subject, the truth of the resurrection, the truth of the risen Christ, He's dealing with this and bringing forth evidence of the truth that Jesus is alive. And like a good lawyer with a case, Paul is systematically bringing forth evidence, witnesses, if you will, and calling to the stand one group at a time.

And so in the first message we saw in verses one and two, we saw the witness of the church. The church at Corinth was a testimony of the truthfulness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That church is no longer in existence, but as I mentioned, there have been an innumerable groups of churches and peoples all across the world since that time, including all the way up to Sovereign Grace Baptist Church. That you and I are witness testimony of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fact that we meet on Sunday morning, the Lord's Day, in 2026, is testimony that Jesus Christ is alive, that he rose again from the grave.

Then in the second message, taking from verses 3 and 4, We saw the witness, the testimony of scripture. Now at the time of writing, when Paul took ink to papyrus, Mostly what they had, mostly what the early church had was the Old Testament. Mostly what they were preaching from and teaching from was Moses and the prophets, the Psalms. They were using the ancient writings of the Old Covenant. But those old writings, the Old Testament, is a testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ.

His death, His burial, His resurrection. And so, we have these testimonies. The testimony of the church, which what is the church? The church is not some building somewhere. The church is the people.

The people have changed lives. Lives of people. Monday through Friday, Monday through Saturday, Monday through Sunday through all week long, change lives, change lives, change lives, but on Sunday morning they assemble themselves together as a testimony that Jesus is alive. The Scriptures. Not just the Old Testament now, but we have the New Testament.

Testimony. Testimony. Testimony, testimony, testimony that Jesus rose from the grave. But that's not all. He's not done.

Throughout history, the testimony of responsible and honest eyewitnesses has been considered one of the most reliable forms of evidence in the court of law. And this is true whether you're in the courtroom or whether you're looking at historic evidence. You want to know what happened at the Revolutionary War? You want to know what happened at the Revolutionary War? You want to know what happened?

The war between the states? Don't read some dude who wrote a book about it in 2025. Pick up eyewitness accounts. Read the people who lived, who breathed, who ate, alongside of George Washington's men, if you want to know what took place at the Revolutionary War. I mean, it might be that somebody writing about it in 2025 can get it right, but go to the actual source if you want to know.

Same thing about the Civil Same thing about the Civil War. Read the journals of the soldiers who were here, who fought to defend their homes. Paul understood this as he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And he begins bringing up eyewitness accounts to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And they were there.

They were there. People saw the risen Jesus. The first one that he mentions, and this is not insignificant, he mentions Cephas. Who is Cephas? We know him usually by a different name.

We're usually calling Peter. The Apostle Peter is the first one that Paul mentions. Verse 5, that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Why Cephas? First of all, why not just call him Peter, if that's how we know him?

Well, understand something. In your Bible, sometimes you read of him as Peter, sometimes as Cephas, sometimes as Simon. Why the confusion? Well, it wasn't meant to be confusion. Just understand that Cephas...

Well, go with me to John chapter 1 John chapter 1 and verse 42. He brought him to Jesus. When Jesus looked at him, he said, You are Simon, the son of John. You shall be called Cephas, which is translated Peter. So Here's what's going on.

There's this fellow by the name of Simon. Simon is brought to Jesus. So Simon meets Jesus. And Jesus gives him the name Cephas. Cephas is Aramaic.

Small pebble, small stone, translated over to the Greek, it's Peter. That's the difference. So in your Bible text, when you see Cephas, you see Peter, it's just the difference of whether the Aramaic or the Greek version of the name is being used there. These people were bilingual, some of them trilingual. They weren't like us in America.

And that is that usually in America we barely have a master on English. Everybody else in the world usually knows more than one language. So that's the difference there. So whether you're reading your Bibles Peter or Cephas, this is Simon, son of John, same person, the Apostle, Peter. So why is he mentioned first?

Well, he was one of the primary, if not the primary, apostles. Now I'm not saying he was the Pope, like the Catholics try to say. There were no popes in the New Testament, but He was one of the most outspoken of the apostles, and he's mentioned first. And there's good reason why the apostles are mentioned first because over in Acts chapter 1, Acts chapter 1 and verse 22, Beginning with the baptism of John until this day that he was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection. So the context here is that the first church was determining to replace Judas Iscariot.

One of the requirements for an apostle is that he be a witness of the resurrection. It was a requirement for apostleship. So one of the reasons why that there's no real Apostles today. No one today could possibly be a witness of the resurrection. But back in those days, yes, and Cephas was one of them.

We're not told why the Lord appeared to Cephas first or separately. But I think there might be some good clues in the scriptures. Remember just before the crucifixion, just before our Lord died on the cross, where was Peter? Peter was where he shouldn't have been. Peter was denying the Lord.

Y'all remember that? Put yourself in Peter's situation there. Imagine you found your place where he had been right before Jesus died on the cross. That The last time that you had an opportunity to be with Jesus, and what were you doing? You were denying Jesus.

Not once, not twice, but three times. After He had done, warned you about it. You reckon there's probably some remorse there? I'm sure there was. And so, and so maybe, just maybe, this is why that there was some appearance to Peter first, separate from the others.

But also maybe because Peter had some great role of leadership among the others. He was, In fact, in a leadership position, we can see that being played out in the gospels and in the book of Acts. But what this all tells me is regardless of the reasons why, and God doesn't have to always explain to you or me why He does things. Not in your life, not in my life. And not in the life of the Apostles.

And we like to think to ourselves well we'll understand it all when we get up yonder to glory but guess what? News flash he may not even explain it all to us up there. Some things just ain't our business. There's God's business and then there's ours. But all the glory goes to God.

But understand something, as I read this, what I can see is this. Peter had denied the Lord, but the Lord didn't deny him. Peter had forsaken Jesus, but Jesus did not forsake Peter. And when he rose again from the grave, He went and appeared to Peter. You and I, we read what Peter did and we say, oh what a terrible human being.

Sometimes we ought to look in our own lives and in the mirror and consider the things that we do sometimes. Sometimes we make a mess out of our lives and stuff, but how we ought to thank God for the fact that we're still in His grip. And He doesn't forsake us. If you're one of His elect, if you're one of His people, if you've been saved by God's grace, He ain't gonna forsake you. Peter did not deserve to see him anymore or above anyone else, but he sure needed him.

And our Lord, He's there when we need Him in our own lives. And I'm thankful for God's grace when I read about it in the lives of others, but I'm also thankful for the grace of God in my own life, and in the lives of others. What a joy it is to see how God used Peter. You know, you and I, If Peter was a contemporary preacher, meaning someone that lived in our lifetime, we would have caught wind of what he did at the crucifixion by that time. It's all a dirty scoundrel.

He denied them. He cursed. He did what? Disqualified. Done.

Finito. Not going to pastor or preach anywhere in our circles anymore. But Jesus was not done with him. The Holy Spirit was not done with him. God was not finished with him.

Just look at the story, think about it for a moment. Peter denies the Lord three times. What a terrible, terrible situation. Then Jesus appears to Peter after his resurrection. I bet you there were some slanderous preachers all over that area.

Maybe we thought, oh, Jesus is going to come see me, but he saw Peter first. And then after Jesus was here, there's a time period from the resurrection and his ascension, about 40 days. He ascended back up into heaven. He told them to go into the upper room and wait. The day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down.

Something major happened that day. Some 3, 000 people were saved, baptized, added to the church. You know who The preacher was that the Lord used that day, Peter. No one would have seen that coming, but Jesus did. And what did he boldly tell that crowd?

Go with me to Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2 verses 22 through 36. Acts chapter 2 verses 22 through 36. Men of Israel, listen to these words. Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God, with miracles and wonders and signs, which God did through him in your midst.

Just as you yourselves know, this man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of lawless men and put him to death. But God raised him up again, putting an end to the agony of death since it was impossible for him to be held in its power. For David says of him, I saw the Lord continually before me because he is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exalted. Moreover my flesh also will live in hope because you will not forsake my soul to Hades nor give your Holy One over to see corruption.

You have made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence. Me and brothers, I may confidently say to you regarding the Patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet, knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to set one of the fruit of his body on his throne. He looked ahead and spoke the resurrection of the Christ.

He was neither forsaken to Hades nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up again to which we are all witnesses therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God having received from the father the promise of the Holy Spirit He has poured out this which you both see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, The Lord said to my Lord, sit in my right hand, Till I put your enemies as a footstool for your feet. Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. You see, he boldly preached that Jesus died, he was buried, but he rose again.

He preached an empty tomb of Jesus that had risen from the grave. The Lord used it. The Lord used him in a way that I don't believe was ever repeated nowhere since. And so he appeared to Cephas. But he also appeared to the Twelve.

Now they were referred to as the Twelve even though Judas had already gone and had not yet been replaced. Over in John chapter 20, John chapter 20, verse 19, Verse 19, So while it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, while the doors were shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, Peace be with you. When he said this, he showed them both his hands and his side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you.

As the Father has sent me, I also send you. When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, they have been retained. But Thomas, one of the 12 called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

So the other disciples were saying to him, we have seen the Lord. But he said to them, unless I see in his hands the imprint of the nails, put my finger into the place of the nails and put my hand into his side. I will not believe. After eight days, his disciples were again inside and Thomas with them. Jesus came and the doors having been shut, stood in their midst and said, Peace be with you.

Then he said to Thomas, bring your finger here. See my hands and bring your hand here and put it into my side and do not be unbelieving, but believing. Thomas answered and said to him, My Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, Because you have seen me, have you believed? Blessed are those who did not see and yet believed.

So these Apostles, they were foundational to the church according to Ephesians 2 and verse 20 says, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. And the teaching, the preaching that we do, Biblical preaching is equivalent with the Apostles' doctrine. As the early church was continually devoting themselves to the Apostles' teaching and fellowship, so we do also. Their eyewitness matters. They weren't just a group of people among many is a big deal.

They lived, they proclaimed, they even, many of them died for this truth. But they weren't the Only eyewitnesses to this fact of the resurrection of Jesus. There were others. In fact, Paul goes on. He says in that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.

After that, he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. Who these 500 were, we don't know. But to the saints, according to that church, to the churches of the first century, to Paul these were people that they knew. In fact, even though Paul was writing maybe two decades after the fact. Many of these people were still alive.

They could be called upon to testify publicly. So yes, I remember. I remember. You know, as I think about that, I think about it's an illustration. It's an imperfect one, but it's an illustration.

Think about something like 9-11. That was 20, 25 years ago. It's a time that there are people alive that are coming into adulthood, that are in their 20s, that they don't remember that, they've only heard about it in the history books, and so Maybe they start to question things and so on and so forth, but there's people who are alive. Yes, I was there. Yes, I remember.

I can tell you about it. But there are others who were there and who have died. Think about living in that time period. There were witnesses to our Lord's resurrection. Some who were alive say, yes, I remember that.

It was about 20 years ago. I saw him. I shook his hand. I hugged him. I ate fish with him.

I was in that crowd when he taught. There were witnesses. Over 500. But that wasn't all. Besides Cephas and the other apostles in the 500, he says after that, he appeared to James.

So I mentioned in our study of Jude, there were multiple people in the New Testament with the name James. James was a pretty common name just like it is in our day. I'm not going to go back over everything I said about the different James in the New Testament, because I believe that this James that Paul is mentioning is the same James that Jude wrote about. I believe this is the half-brother of Jesus. Originally, if you'll remember, the brothers of Jesus were skeptical.

Us about that. John chapter 7 verse 5 says For not even his brothers were believing in him. Think about it for a minute. You are born into a family. Your older brother is there and you start to hear stories that, yeah, your brother here is your half brother because your mom had him before she had any relations with any man.

I don't know how education worked in the ancient world, but I do know that boys and girls, being around farm animals, figure things out pretty quickly. They begin to understand, wait, that just doesn't sound right mom, that doesn't sound right dad. So they were skeptical about Jesus. Okay wait a minute, We don't believe this. Something happened with his brothers though.

We know Jude, he's writing the book of Jude. We know that James, Paul would later refer to James as one of the pillars of the church over in Galatians. Galatians chapter two. Galatians chapter 2 and verse 9, In recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles, they to the circumcised. Well, I believe that this one is the brother of a Lord because back up in chapter one, verse 19, he says, but I did not see any other of the apostles except James the Lord's brother.

Now James the Lord's brother was not an apostle, but what he was saying is I didn't see any of the other apostles. He had seen Cephas, but he didn't see any of the other apostles, but he did see James the Lord's brother. James the Lord's brother was not an apostle, but he saw him. By the time Paul was saved, James was a follower of Jesus. What happened?

How did James become a believer when before he wasn't? When before he was a skeptic? Well, I believe that his conversion came about very similarly to the way that Paul's conversion did in so insofar as that when the resurrected Jesus appeared to James. And that's why Paul mentions him here. What a great testimony this is.

As he calls these eyewitnesses forward, he says we've got the apostles, Cephas, we've got the apostles, the twelve. We've got the eyewitness of the 500, but also we've got James, this eyewitness who was once an unbeliever who comes from the family of Joseph and Mary, the Lord's half-brother. What a great group of witnesses. But he's not stopping there. Because he writes and he says, and then he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

After that he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep, some have died. After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Then to all the apostles. And so, as we bring this portion of scripture to a close, he mentions all the apostles again. You see, Jesus didn't just appear once to the apostles.

He appeared to them on many other occasions, so much so that Dr. Luke, the physician, put Dr. Luke, the physician, put it this way when he wrote in the book of Acts, and you know I have to bring up this passage. I love how Luke opens up Acts chapter 1. When you deal with the resurrection of Jesus, This isn't just a doctrine of Christianity.

This is foundational to Christianity. Without it, we have no hope. We have no Christianity. We have no church. Look what he says here in verse 1, 2, and 3.

The first to count Otheophilus I composed about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day when He was taken up to heaven after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom he had chosen, to whom he also presented himself alive after his suffering by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over 40 days and speaking about the things concerning the kingdom of God. He says he presented himself alive after his suffering by many convincing proofs. In the Old King James the word or the phrase is infallible proofs. But in the Greek, Luke used a term, a phrase. It's only used this one time.

It's tegemerion. I may be mispronouncing it, but the way I understand it is it means many criteria of certainty. Many criteria of certainty. You see, and by the way, this is the only time that this phrase is found in all of Scripture and it's significant that it's only used here dealing with the resurrection. Were the apostles sure of a lot of different things?

Was Luke sure of a lot of different things? Absolutely. He was a doctor. He was a Christian. But he had given up a lot to follow Christ.

And for good reason. It's not some shot in the dark. It wasn't based on blind faith or I hope so, maybe so. Fingers crossed, I hope this is right. No, it was based on solid, eyewitness facts.

Not some blind leap in the dark. Only God could defeat death. Only God could defeat death as he presented himself alive after his suffering. They knew beyond all shadow of a doubt that Jesus had risen from the dead. They had seen Him.

They touched Him. Eaten with Him. They'd been with Him alone in a room, they'd been with Him in crowds. Christ's resurrection is the most certain fact of all of history. Fact of all of history.

Charles Spurgeon said the resurrection of Jesus is a fact better attested than any event recorded in any history whether ancient or modern. No one else could do what he did. Paul could call all of these witnesses over 500 because he showed Because he showed himself alive. These men and women of the first century, They knew it. They lived it.

Many of them died for Him. What about you? What about me? Is it what I live for? Are you willing to die for Him?

God was incarnate, Jesus Christ. He was born in the flesh. He lived here as a man, holy and perfect, without blemish. Died on the Cruel Cross for sinners, buried and on the third day he rose again. Some 40 days, many witnesses.

He ascended back up into heaven where he now is. One day he will return. If you're listening to this message and you're lost, know this. The only hope you have of salvation, the only hope you have of heaven, the only way to God is through Jesus Christ. Will you repent of your sins and believe in the risen Christ Jesus today?

May God end the blessing to the preaching of His Word.