Did the Resurrection of Jesus Really Happen? Part 4 – 1 Corinthians 15:8-9

…and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 1Cor 15:8-11

There aren’t many in the New Testament who persecuted the church as vehemently as Saul, but there are fewer others who loved and sacrificed their lives for the church like Apostle Paul. Paul had the testimony of testimonies. He testified to the world how he was saved, not by his works, but by the gospel. As a Pharisee he was set against God, but the resurrected Lord appeared to Paul to save him. The gospel is mighty, and those who are touched by it are transformed. Paul was an eyewitness to the resurrection of Jesus, and he became a new man upon his personal encounter with Christ. In these verses, Paul describes the impossible dilemmas he faced before the risen Lord saved him.

He was one untimely born. To be “untimely born” points to both Paul’s physical and spiritual problem. Based on Paul’s letters and historical accounts, Paul was physically unimpressive. He frequently referred to his poor bodily condition, and people within the church often spurned him because of his physical appearance. (2Cor 10:10; Gal 4:13-14) Spiritually, Paul was born dead in sin. He had absolutely no hope had God not intervened.

He was the least of the apostles. Paul felt inferior to the apostles. He had all the qualifications to be an apostle and was acknowledged by other apostles, but he referred to himself as the least. (Acts 18:9-10; 2Pet 3:16-18)

He persecuted the church. Paul thought he was not fit to be an apostle because he persecuted God’s church, a sin that he felt was impossible for God to forgive. (Acts 26:10-11) He was a blasphemer, who attacked the body of Christ in the name of God. (Jn 16:2) Paul was fully accustomed to the law- he knew the just consequences of his sins against the Almighty God.

In the depths of Paul’s dilemmas, Jesus shined light into Paul’s heart and appeared to him. Paul was completely transformed by the power of the resurrection, and immediately testified of the gospel. We will continue with God’s work of grace in Apostle Paul in next week’s sermon.