"Sharing The Resurrection"

I Corinthians 15:50-58

Many people in the ancient Greco-Romans world believed that death ended life completely or led to a permanent but shadowy existence in the underworld. The concept of having a physical body after death was known mainly from popular fables. Educated people thought the idea was ridiculous. Paul deals with the Corinthians denial of and confusion about the future, bodily resurrection of Christians (vv.12,35). These issues were probably raised in their letter to him (7:1)

When you begin reading or studying I Corinthians 15, it shares some truths that are for some hard to swallow or gather. Paul first establishes the historical reliability of Jesus’ resurrection. This lays a firm foundation for his argument that it was only the first step in the resurrection of all deceased believers. We will explore that first step concept later in the sermon. The overall theme or context in this chapter addresses “sharing the resurrection” or should I say the mystery of Death. Death has been a troubling mystery for centuries to mankind and continues to confuse our society. . If you had a list of the top 5 most mysteries in society today.

5. Poverty/homelessness,

4. War and Terrorism,

3. Addiction,

2. Illness (Mental/ALS),

1. Death.

If you look at this list ultimately they all lead to death

We may not always want to admit it but we struggle with death. It takes us in places we hate to feel, experience or continue to be reminded. In my family we have experienced allot of death, to the point that the only time I have gone to see my family in the cemetery is when I was buring another family member. today I want to share with us the awesomeness of death and how it plays a major role in us as the church. Before we get to chapter 15, let’s go back and do an overview of how we got here and it’s purpose. I’m glad Paul develop his letter to the church of Corinth.

He first addresses:

Chapters 1-6, he addresses Christian principles to carnality in the individual as well as the church. (Self-examination or better yet, we all got issues.)

The message of Christ is designed to transform the lives of believers and make them different from the world. Chapters (7-10)

Designed to refute improper attitudes and conduct and promote a spirit of unity in our relationships and worship. (Chapters 11-15)

Paul introduces a key player in our transformation. The role of the Holy Spirit and how significant its presence is huge in making our natural to spiritual journey successful. The spirt will provide:

Spiritual Truths, Spiritual Words, Spiritual Discernment

This will always play as a key component to helping us embrace the topic and discusion of the the death burial and resurection of Jesus Christ. We jump into chapter 15, which happens to be one of the longest chapters in the Bible with actually one theme, “The resurrection” In my years as a minister, I’ve been honored to do a handful memorials and I say honor because it really is an honor to be able to have the opportunity to walk alongside someone in the time of grief and mourning. It’s an honor to be able to reflect the love of God to them to be present with them, and to be a voice about the hope and comfort that one can find who places their trust in Christ. Not only that but sharing a Memorial is also a very unique moment, because not only is the family and many of those attending grieving, but there are many who are sober for that moment by the reality of living in a broken world, and that death will ultimately come for us all. Now maybe this is not the most hopeful thing you’ve heard today, but keep listening we will get there, so then what kind of messages is it that can bring hope to heavy moment like this? well one that speaks of the power and the reality of the resurrection firstly, of the risen savior’s resurrection, but also of future hope and resurrection for those whose Faith’s in placed in Him.

Now, Corinth was a Greek city, and the Greeks did not believe in the resurrection of the dead so when Paul taught Christ’s resurrection in Athens his listeners scoffed. The common thought in Greece was that the body was simply in a prison that a person needs to escape from. The idea of a physical body being part of eternity was foolish to the Greeks. This philosophy had also invaded the church. So Paul writes this chapter to combat the dangerous problems that resulted. first Paul reminds them of the truth of the resurrection.

Paul has written all previous chapters to provide confidence when addressing “resurrection” in chapter 15. Verses 1-2,says this

1 Corinthians 15:1–2 (NKJV)

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

He begins with a reminder of the Oath in which they took to preach the Gospel (truth) and to stand firm, because what I’m about to share with you may be difficult for some to receive and it’s going to take you and your belief to help encourage others and we must have unity through our faith.

church we have to talk about death, share His gospel because if we don’t then we must have believed in vain

verse 3 for what I received I passed on to you as a First importance that Christ died for us, since according to the scriptures that he was buried that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures.

Remember this church:

A dead savior can’t save anyone. Paul’s Readers have placed their trust in a risen, Christ, one who’s resurrection proved His defeat of Death and resurrection was in accordance with the Scriptures. It’s pretty easy to find passages that speak of Jesus and His sacrifice. But what does the Old Testament talk about the resurrection? Matthew 12:1-8, (I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation) At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. 2 But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. 5 And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? 6 I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! 7 But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’[a] 8 For the Son of Man[b] is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”( NLT Version)

This scripture points to how Jesus is going to be first to set things in order. and in Chapter 15 of Corinthians Paul calls Jesus the first fruits of the resurrection. What are first fruits? well under the law of Moses at harvest a farmer would go into his field, swing his sickle ( which was a short-handled farming tool with a semi-circle blade) and gather the grain that fell. This was to be an offering to the Lord the first fruits of his field. The farmer would then take the grain to the temple and as the priest made the offering it symbolize the entire harvest belonging to the Lord. So the first fruits were just that, the first fruit of much more that was to come, and here’s what is super cool about this offering the priest was to offer the first fruits the day after the Sabbath, following the Passover, the very day that Jesus rose from the grave. So the scripture prophesied the resurrection, and I witnesses could testify to, the resurrection as well.

In a nut shell, I Corinthians explains that in baptism, you gave up the natural body ways in order to accept the spiritual attitude. I once heard a preacher say, if you’re going to hell why go through the church? In order to fully understand the depth, height and width of God’s fullness, we must be willing to transform our attitudes like (Paul),This transformation is needed along with the guidance of the Holy Spirit to follow the instructions and teaching that Paul has instructed us to do even when we get to I Corinthians 15:12-58.

So Paul finds verse 12, troubling how they believe in Christ, but not in the resurrection?

12 Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became believers because you trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how can you let people say that there is no such thing as a resurrection? 13 If there's no resurrection, there's no living Christ. 14 And face it - if there's no resurrection for Christ, everything we've told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you've staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. 15 Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ - sheer fabrications, if there's no resurrection.

God wants us to truly know what to believe so that He has true bye in from us

It is expedient then that the understanding should be occupied in prayer, as well as the heart and mouth: “I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also.”

John Bunyan

Do we understand?

Look at this question and apply today. Finish this question how can we believe in Christ, but……… There is always a but as to why we cannot step up as collective body of believers and just stand firm on the truth. Paul left this for last because it was the most significant and he had to correct and reiterate some things prior to addressing one of the churches biggest teaching that they could fully believe in.

It’s very difficult to have an intellectual conversation about death when you’re trying to reason with a grandmother who accidentally ran over her grandson. Or better yet my mother explaining to me at the age of 12 why dad has died at the age of 48. Or better yet, telling people that if you don’t get your life together those who die out of Christ whether living or dead you’re going to hell. Remember people use to despise the church of Christ because we told people they were going to hell. It’s easy to share or talk about losing a job, social drinking and cigarettes, even adulterous relationships, but what about where their soul will spend eternity?

So this is why Paul is troubled and why sharing the resurrection is very important to the unbelieved but also to the believed. And how we should be shouting it at the mountain tops

Bob Deffinbaugh, Community Bible Chapel,Tx made the following statement about eulogy’s “A rather quick and easy way to judge the orthodoxy of any preacher, I have concluded, is to listen to a funeral message he has delivered. Usually, in less than a half-hour, one can know with considerable certainty where he stands on the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have attended funerals where the most profound thing the preacher said was, “Even God is crying” (it was raining at the time of the funeral). I have heard a preacher assure his audience that the death of a young mother was “not the will of God,” as though all death was the result of some tragic, administrative mix-up in heaven. I have heard deceased atheists and pagans spoken of as though they were charter members of the kingdom of God. The promises of eternal bliss, given to believers in the Scriptures, are doled out as if they are the right of all who are in attendance, whether or not they are Christians. Most certainly, it is thought to be politically incorrect for any preacher to even refer to “hell,” much less the possibility of anyone spending eternity there.”

So in chapter 15 the problem of sharing about Resurrection of Christ, and then about what will happen to our love ones where they will spend eternity is even a harder pill to swallow. But Paul wants to ensure that the church at Corinth will know and share the truth about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

A movie based on a true story called “Road to Freedom” the story of Vernon Johns a brilliant man coupled with an eloquent speaker, upsets his community through his radical ideas on social change and economic independence of blacks. From his pulpit, he attacks the inequality of blacks and their lackadaisical attitude of blacks excepting inequality. His biggest enemy is nonetheless his own congregation who hesitates to mobilize behind him. In the movie played by James Earl Jones, he is asked by his congregation to eulogize a guy who was stabbed to death. The deacons request his funeral be conducted at the church because his parents gave good money to the church. He finally decides to give in and gets in the pulpit and says that John Macob lived like a dog and died like a dog, undertaker take the body away and left the pulpit. Needless to say he was terminated shortly after that for his continuing mission to expose inequality.

It’s very hard to sometimes to hurt people’s feelings. I once provided marriage counseling to a couple and at the end our sessions share with them they were not meant to be together. They were not pleased with my findings, but months later I received a text from the man thanking me for telling the truth. They did not get married.

I hope that I have your attention as we bring this to a close, Paul says in verse number 50

Verse 50-I need to emphasize something

Verse 51-I tell you something wonderful ”You don’t get to know everything all we need to do is believe

Verse 53- everything all this mess, issue, hurt, pain will be removed

verse 58 when the apostle Paul encourages the church in Corinth to stand firm for you’re their labor is not in vain. Here we can apply Dr. Johns work to not be in vain by preaching

to show you how powerful Paul’s words are in verse 58, to stand firm and know that your work in the Lord is not in vain. And to encourage us today on our journey, let’s revisits the Dr. Vernon Johns story. After being fired from preaching inequality, the deacons of the Dexter Baptist church in Montgomery, al replaced him with someone they thought was different and ended with the most influential civil rights leader of all time. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who in 1964 led the Montgomery bus boycott with the help of the Dexter Baptist Church. Can we say that Dr. Vernon Johns labor was not in vain? So don’t be discouraged keep your head up and allow God to use you in a mighty awesome way. If you are wanting to come down for any reason, for prayer or to accept Christ in baptism, you may do so as we together stand and sing the saviors invitation.