Some people leave a mark and then fade into history. Others are remembered because their words still carry weight. But Jesus did more than leave behind a teaching or a movement. After the cross, He kept showing up, alive, seen, and recognized by those who knew Him.

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Paul reminds the church that the gospel rests on real events: Christ died for our sins, was buried, was raised, and appeared to many witnesses. The risen Jesus kept hanging around long enough to make sure His people knew death had not won.

Come hear a message about the risen Christ and the hope that still walks with us today!

Sermon Notes

Scripture References

• 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
• Acts 1:21

Overview

The message, preached on Ascension Sunday, centers on the 40 days the risen Christ “kept hanging around” before returning to the Father. Using 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Pastor Tim shows how each post-resurrection appearance reveals Jesus’ ongoing commitment to different kinds of people—stumbling saints, over-burdened leaders, the whole church, skeptical family, and even sworn enemies. The takeaway: even after His ascension, Jesus is still present, ready to restore, empower, and save anyone who calls on Him today.

Context

• Ascension Day occurs 40 days after Easter and always falls on a Thursday; the service celebrates it the following Sunday.
• Unlike Christmas and Easter, Ascension Day remains largely untouched by secular culture—no sales, cards, or folklore characters.
• 1 Corinthians 15 lists eyewitnesses to the resurrection, underscoring the reality that Jesus stayed on earth long enough to be seen repeatedly.

Main Points

1. The Significance of the Forty Days

• Jesus had completed His redemptive work, yet He deliberately remained 40 days to confirm His victory and prepare His followers.
• This period is the final recorded time the physical, resurrected Jesus is seen on earth.

2. Jesus Hangs Around for Stumbling Saints (Peter)

• Peter, once “the Rock,” felt like “a broken stick” after denying Christ.
• Jesus’ private restoration of Peter proves He lingers to forgive, heal shame, and reaffirm calling.
  Illustration: Threefold “feed My sheep” matches Peter’s three denials, showing complete restoration.

3. Jesus Hangs Around for Those from Whom Much Is Required (The Twelve)

• The apostles would shoulder leadership, persecution, and martyrdom; the future of the movement depended on their obedience.
• By appearing to them, Jesus supplied courage, clarity, and authority for their upcoming mission.
• Message to anyone carrying heavy loads: the risen Lord stays close, strengthening weary shoulders.

4. Jesus Hangs Around for the Whole Church (The 500)

• His appearance to more than 500 believers shows His lordship over every member, not just clergy or insiders.
• Affirms the priesthood of all believers and the necessity of the entire body for kingdom work.
• Wherever believers call on His name, He is present—no hierarchy can corner His presence.

5. Jesus Hangs Around for the Skeptical and Wounded (James)

• Jesus’ own brother once misunderstood and even rejected Him.
• The personal post-resurrection visit assures James it is “not too late” to believe and serve.
• Encouragement: family wounds or late starts cannot block Christ’s pursuing love.

6. Jesus Hangs Around for Open Opponents (Saul/Paul)

• On the Damascus Road, long after the ascension, the exalted Christ confronts Saul the persecutor.
• The blinding light and voice, “I am Jesus of Nazareth,” turn an enemy into the church’s foremost missionary.
• Proof that no past hostility is beyond Christ’s grace; His mercy “still stronger than any sin.”

7. Refrain:

“Jesus just keeps hanging around.”

Pastor Tim invites the congregation to repeat it, embedding the truth that Christ’s presence persists.

Key Truths

• The ascended Christ remains actively present and available to every kind of person.
• Restoration is immediate and complete for believers who have failed.
• Heavy responsibility attracts greater sustaining grace from Jesus.
• No social status, gift, or position grants exclusive access to Christ—He is Lord of the whole church.
• It is never too late, nor are we ever too far gone, to encounter the risen Jesus.

Response

• Receive Christ’s forgiveness where you have stumbled.
• Lean on Jesus for strength in the responsibilities you carry.
• Serve together as one body, trusting the same Lord to work through all believers.
• Refuse to let family misunderstanding or past indifference keep you from wholehearted devotion now.
• Pray for and reach out to those who still oppose Christ, believing He can meet them as He met Paul.

Closing

Pastor Tim ended by re-affirming that, though Jesus has ascended, He has “never left us nor forsaken us.” Whatever our struggle or stage of life, the living Lord is near, ready to restore, empower, and save.

“Jesus is still hanging around.”

Prayer

Pastor Tim thanked the Father for Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and post-resurrection ministry, celebrated that Christ is “still hanging around,” and asked for God’s help as the congregation goes out to serve a world that desperately needs Him.

Recorded May 17th, 2026
Message by Pastor Tim Ward
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-8