Natural to Supernatural

1 Corinthians 15:35–47 NIV84

35 But someone may ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” 36 How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39 All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. 42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.

1. The power and influence of the natural

Sub-Point 1.1. The temptations of the flesh

Romans 7:18–19 “18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”

The flesh desires things that go against the will of God

Those things lead to sin and death

Sub-Point 1.2. Our choices have consequences

Galatians 6:8 “8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

When we give in to the desire of the flesh, it leads to destruction and separation from God

Sub-Point 1.3. Overcoming the flesh through a self-disciplined

1 Corinthians 9:27 “27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

The Holy Spirit will help you resist the temptations of the flesh

2. The process from the natural to the supernatural

Sub-Point 2.1. When you sow, you do not plant the body

1 Corinthians 15:37–38 “37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.”

Sub-Point 2.2. The Seed must die

John 12:24 “24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

You have to die to self in order to produce a harvest

Sub-Point 2.3. The natural was a living being

1 Corinthians 15:45 “45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.”

We are just sucking up air

We are just existing

3. The struggle from the natural to the supernatural

Sub-Point 3.1. The internal conflict in the flesh

Galatians 5:17 “17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.”

The struggle is real

The struggle is constant

Sub-Point 3.2. Seek God’s help in the battle

Psalm 51:10 “10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

You cannot do it alone

We must surrender to His Will in order to overcome

Sub-Point 3.3. Renew you mind

Romans 12:2 “2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Philippians 4:8 “8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Stop thinking of your failures

Stop thinking of your past

4. Living in the Supernatural

Sub-Point 4.1. There is no condemnation

Romans 8:1–2 “1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”

You are free to live in the Spirit

Sub-Point 4.2. Become a life giving person

1 Corinthians 15:45 “45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.”

The immature cannot give life

The mature give life

Sub-Point 4.3. Produce the Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22–25 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

We need an Attitude Transformation

Love, Joy, Peace

We need Behavior Transformation

Patience, Kindness, Goodness

We need Character development

Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control

Be Faithful

Be there

A faithful person can be taught skills

A skillful person may not learn faithfulness

Give life, just like Jesus became a life-giving spirit