The Resurrection of the Body & the Life Everlasting
Foundational Truths: Striving for Unity in a Divided Culture • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 7 viewsI believe in the resurrection, and the life everlasting
Notes
Transcript
Series Introduction (3 min)
Series Introduction (3 min)
We have been going through a sermon series on the Apostles’ Creed called…
Foundational Truths: Striving for Unity in a Divided Culture
Foundational Truths: Striving for Unity in a Divided Culture
In a world that loves to find ways to separate and divide over anything and everything…
How do we as God’s children strive for unity?
Is there common ground on which we can stand and work together even though we may disagree on some things?
What we have been saying throughout this series is: YES!
There are theological issues related to Christian belief and practice that we may disagree on because maybe:
the Bible isn’t explicitly clear; or
we are dull in our understanding.
But there are important doctrinal issues that we CANNOT disagree on!
That is where the Apostles’ Creed comes in.
The Apostles’ Creed
The Apostles’ Creed
The earliest written form of this creed dates back to AD 341,
but is believed to have been written about 200 years earlier than that.
With different views of who Jesus was popping up all over the place,
The Apostles’ Creed was written to affirm the core teachings of the Christian faith.
The Apostles’ Creed is a collection of belief statements,
that are essential to Christianity.
Though we may disagree on some issues…
We must strive for unity on these important issues which are most central to the gospel…
as we work together to make “the gospel of the glory of Christ” known.
As we begin our time together, let’s read the Apostles’ Creed together
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Sermon Introduction (3 min = 6 min total)
Sermon Introduction (3 min = 6 min total)
ILLUSTRATION
ILLUSTRATION
Rachel Cruze, Dave Ramsey’s daughter,
in the book, Smart Money, Smart Kids,
shares what motivated her to save her money when she was a teenager.
For two years of my life — from age 14 to 16 —
I had a single, overriding, obsessive thought.
One desire kept me focused.
One goal made me willing to give up weekend nights out with my friends.
One ambition made the endless hours of babysitting and odd jobs worthwhile.
One dream kept me from blowing all my hard-earned money on clothes, music, and movies.
Just one thing: a bright yellow Nissan Xterra.
Every time Mom dropped me off at a babysitting job instead of the mall… or
my sister Denise and I were driving to Dad’s office with food in the car for Your Integrity Snacks instead of heading to the pool on a hot summer day,
I dreamed about sixteen-year-old Rachel sitting in the driver’s seat,
music on, windows down—
in her very own car.
That SUV was more that just a car for me.
It represented freedom.
Every time I thought of what my life would be like after my sixteenth birthday,
that yellow Xterra was in the background.
Summary
Rachel was willing to sacrifice the pleasure of the moment,
for the hope of a desired future, which was owning a yellow Nissan Xterra.
We are willing to sacrifice things in the present,
for something in the future that we believe will be better.
Maybe you’re looking ahead to this next year,
making New Years resolutions and goals.
Usually they involve some sacrifice…
the reason you’re willing to make those sacrifices,
is because you believe the results will be worth it….
that you will be a better, happier person.
Transition
This morning is the last sermon in this series...
as we look at the closing lines of the Apostles’ Creed…
Which says… We believe in…
The Resurrection of the Body & the Life Everlasting
The Resurrection of the Body & the Life Everlasting
Though we are often only focused on the things in life that we can see...
We have a glorious hope that goes beyond the grave!
We believe that our bodies will be resurrected, and we will live in the presence of God forever.
Transition
As we take a closer look at 1 Corinthians 15…
We are going to see:
The reason for our hope…
The reality of our hope… and
The Response of our hope.
Body of Sermon
Body of Sermon
First…
1. The Reason for Our Hope
1. The Reason for Our Hope
(4 min = 10 min)
We believe in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting…
but what reason do we have to hope in these things?
EXPLANATION
EXPLANATION
The first reason for our hope is…
a. Christ’s Resurrection
a. Christ’s Resurrection
In his letter to the Corinthians,
Paul gives a summary of the gospel message he taught them...
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
Paul wanted the Corinthians to have confidence in the fact that Jesus rose from the dead.
Paul himself had seen Christ,
but so had over 500 other people,
most of whom were still alive.
Essentially he’s saying,
“If you don’t believe me, go ask them!”
Jesus had risen from the dead, just as He said He would!
Since He could rise from the dead, this proved He could be faithful to His promise to the disciples in John 14:1-3…
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Summary
Since Christ was resurrected,
we have reason to trust His promises,
and set our hope in our future resurrection.
Transition
Another reason for our hope is…
b. Christ’s Victory
b. Christ’s Victory
Through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ,
He has been victorious.
For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
Through Adam, sin and death entered the world.
That sin and death has been passed on to every generation since then.
But Christ has overcome sin!
Through His perfect life of righteousness, He satisfied the requirement of God’s Law…
Through His death on the cross, He paid the debt of sins for all who put their faith in Him…
Now, through Christ’s victory, we have been given new life through His Spirit…
and the hope that our bodies will be raised from the dead!
Summary
The “Reason we have hope” in the resurrection is through
Christ’s Resurrection and His Victory.
ILLUSTRATION
ILLUSTRATION
Story of people paying for our meal at Cancunsito…
Our family loves going to Cancunsito!
I know there’s many of you that love it as well.
We don’t go there very often,
but when we do our kids love to get their cheesy quesadillas.
One day last year we went there and enjoyed a wonderful meal as a family.
I don’t know if anyone here is like me,
but through the course of the meal I am calculating what I think the meal is going to cost.
I’m trying to assess the damage this is going to cause to my chequing account.
And with 4 kids you can do a lot of damage in a short amount of time.
After we finished eating, I walked up to the counter, hoping my calculations were right.
But then I had an unexpected surprise…
The waiter told me our bill had been paid by someone else.
If you’ve ever had that happen to you, you know the wide range of emotions that come with it.
You’re shocked and surprised…
You feel incredibly blessed and grateful…
You feel unworthy of someone else spending their hard-earned money on you…
and then…
you feel curious…
Who was it?
Well we knew exactly who it was.
We had seen and briefly talked with someone we knew during our meal.
and so we knew it was them!
We were very thankful for their generosity toward us!
And then came the best part…
We were free!
Free to leave the restaurant!
Transition
Even though it cost us nothing…
we had the confidence to walk out of the restaurant.
Someone had gone before us,
and paid the debt we owed.
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
We can have confidence to walk ahead and put our hope in our future resurrection…
We can do this because Christ has paid the debt of sin that we owed!
We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s standard of holiness…
How many times have you ...
lied…
lusted…
been angry…
said something hurtful…
or even thought something sinful…
For all the kids in the room, how many times have you…
disobeyed your parents…
called your brother or sister names…
or argued and fought with them…
We have all sinned, and sin separates us from God!
Because of our sinful nature, we have all racked up a big bill of sin!
What is the cost of all that sin?
Death!
That is the only way it can be paid.
But Jesus died in our place…
He paid the price our sin demanded…
He paid our bill…
And when we repent of our sins, and believe in Jesus,
our debt of sin has been covered through His sacrifice!
And now we are free!
Not free to live however we want, going back to the sin that enslaved us…
Free to walk in newness of life through the power of His Spirit…
walking in holiness and purity, seeking to do good works according to His will.
Summary
Because of Christ’s sacrifice,
we have the confidence that one day we will be raised from the dead…
and will be in God’s presence forever.
This gives us a wonderful confidence in the future, as we await that day.
Transition
That is the reason for our hope...
Next we see…
2. The Reality of Our Hope
2. The Reality of Our Hope
We know that we will be resurrected,
but what will our bodies look like?
What will the reality of our hope be?
EXPLANATION
EXPLANATION
The first reality is that we will have…
a. A Physical Body
a. A Physical Body
The Apostles’ Creed says
I believe in the resurrection… OF THE BODY!
Paul, seeking to answer this question, makes this point in…
35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.
38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.
40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
God has given us bodies here on earth…
and it is our physical bodies that are resurrected from the dead.
It must be transformed in order to experience the glorious reality of eternity…
but we will not just be spirit’s floating around…
we are, and will be physical beings.
We see this reality in the resurrected body of Christ.
After He rose from the dead, He had a physical body.
See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
Summary
Though Jesus now had a transformed body, it was a physical body.
So too we will have physical bodies.
The second reality of our hope, is that we will have…
b. An Immortal Body
b. An Immortal Body
We will have physical bodies…
but they will be wonderfully upgraded!
1 Corinthians 15:50–52 (ESV)
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
1 Corinthians 15:53 (ESV)
For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
Since flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,
we must be changed.
When Christ returns,
our perishable bodies will be tranformed into imperishable bodies.
We will then have immortal bodies…
we can no longer die!
Paul goes on to say… 1 Cor 15:54-55
When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
Summary
No longer will we have to fear death…
for we will have immortal bodies,
in the safety of God’s eternal kingdom!
ILLUSTRATION
ILLUSTRATION
To explain the process of change that our bodies must undergo to inherit eternity,
Paul uses the illustration of a seed…
1 Corinthians 15:36–37 (ESV)
What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.
I know that some of you have your own gardens…
and like to grow your own food.
There is a lot of work that goes into growing your own fruits and vegetables.
you need to find a spot with lot’s of sunshine…
you need to till the ground and prepare the soil…
you need to do the work of planting…
you need to water the plants and pull the weeds…
and then… you wait…
You do all of this work, trusting that in time… a transformation is going to take place.
That seed is going to turn into a plant that will grow food for you to eat.
but the only way for that to take place, is for the seed to die.
As it absorbs water, the seed begins to sprout…
and eventually the outer coat of the seed breaks open and is shed.
The seed has died, and transformed into something far greater!
Summary
In order for that transformation to take place,
the seed had to die.
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
In the same way,
our earthly bodies must die before we can be transformed into our heavenly glory.
As much as we would like to say we don’t, we fear death.
Probably the thing we fear the most is HOW we will die.
We don’t want to have to experience a lot of pain, or suffering in our death.
Unfortunately, we don’t know HOW we will die…
but we do know that we WILL all die!
But for us as believers,
we have the joyful expectancy that we will have resurrected, immortal bodies!
And we will no longer have to face the fear of death ever again.
But in order for us to get those bodies, we must die… BUT…
Just as a seed becomes far greater after it dies…
so will we become far greater after we die.
A New Focus
This helps change our focus while we are living here on earth.
Our world lives with a fear of aging and dying.
doing everything they can to prevent it.
But the hope we have in the resurrection,
enables us to live our lives for God’s glory,
producing fruit for His kingdom,
knowing there is eternity on the other side of death.
Summary
We no longer have to fear death,
since we know it is the door to a resurrected body that can never again die.
This leads us to…
3. The Response of Our Hope
3. The Response of Our Hope
We have reason to hope in the resurrection…
because of Christ…
We know the reality of our hope…
which is immortal bodies…
So what should our response be to such wonderful promises?
EXPLANATION
EXPLANATION
Our response should be…
a. A Life of Purity
a. A Life of Purity
We have been given the privilege of being called God’s children…
therefore we must act like God’s children!
1 Corinthians 15:34 (ESV)
34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
Those who excuse their sin, don’t really know God.
3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,
5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
God is holy, therefore His children are to be holy.
This is the distinguishing mark of a Christian:
We strive for a Life of Purity by:
following God’s commands…
keeping His Word…
walking in the same way Jesus walked…
We do this because of the promise of the resurrection…
it is a response of our hope.
Another response of our hope should be…
b. A Life of Praise
b. A Life of Praise
It should be our highest joy to give worship and praise to God,
for the wonderful hope we have in Christ!
54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The reason death is terrifying…
is because we all know that we are sinners before a holy God.
But all praise to Jesus,
for He has taken away the sting of death,
by opening up the way to the Father through His sacrifice.
Through faith in Jesus,
we no longer need to fear death, since:
He has forgiven the debt we owed, and
given us the hope of the resurrection and life everlasting.
So we respond by joyfully living a life of praise to our Saviour, Jesus Christ!
Another response of our hope should be…
c. A Life of Perseverance
c. A Life of Perseverance
Perseverance:
“steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.”
This is exactly how Paul encourages the Corinthians to live in light of the promise of the resurrection…
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
The hope of our future resurrection,
empowers us to live a life of perseverance.
No matter what difficulties come in this life…
We remain steadfast and immovable…
always looking for ways to bear fruit for God’s kingdom…
knowing our labour has eternal value.
ILLUSTRATION — Beautiful Feet
ILLUSTRATION — Beautiful Feet
J. Oswald Sanders tells the story of a missionary
who would walk barefoot from village to village in India, preaching the gospel.
His hardships were many.
After a long day of many miles and much discouragement,
he came to a certain village and tried to speak the gospel …
but was driven out of town and rejected.
So he went to the edge of the village dejected.
He laid down under a tree,
and slept from exhaustion.
When he awoke,
people were hovering over him…
the whole town was gathered around to hear him speak.
The leader of the village explained that they came to look him over while he was sleeping
and when they saw his blistered feet
they concluded that he must be a holy man and
that they had been evil to reject him, and
they were sorry, and
they wanted to hear the message that he was willing to suffer so much to bring them.
they wanted to hear the message that he was willing to suffer so much to bring them.
Key Idea
Why would someone endure such pain and suffering?
Why would someone give their life to sharing a message that leads to rejection and discouragement?
Why would someone “waste” their life here on earth?
I mean,
Shouldn’t he be more concerned about his health and wellbeing?
Shouldn’t he stop spreading the gospel for a season so that he could go and work a steady job for a while so he can save up and by some good shoes so his feet are protected?
Maybe even enough money to get a bike that he can ride so he doesn’t have to work so hard…
Certainly he would be able to cover a lot more ground that way right?
But then again, a moped would be even better…
then he could preserve his energy for sharing the gospel!
But they can be more dangerous to… what would happen if he got in an accident!?! He should probably get a car.
But where would he park it? He needs to have a house!
And who’s going to take care of the house while he’s gone? So he needs a wife!
and then they have kids…
and the kids have all their activities and programs…
and every once in a while he needs to play golf or watch the game to relieve some stress…
Before you know it he’s saying…
“You know God, I would really would like to serve you, but now’s just a really busy of my life. I just don’t have time.”
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
And that right there is our problem…
We are so concerned about our comfort and pleasure,
that we wouldn’t even dream of purposely doing something that would bring suffering and hardship into our lives!
I want to be very clear…
I am not saying that we should say yes to every opportunity that comes up in church…
We need to have boundaries, and prayerfully consider how God wants us to use our time…
The problem is,
that many of our boundary lines don’t allow ANY sacrifice or service for God.
Our schedules are already full,
so there’s no room for God…
My talents are already being used,
so there’s nothing left to serve God…
My money’s already spent,
so there’s none left for God.
We do not want to sacrifice anything for God,
since that would mean we would lose out on comfort or pleasure in this life.
But listen to what Paul said in Colossians 1:24…
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
Paul is able to rejoice in His suffering… why?
“I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions…”
Does Paul mean that there is something lacking in what Christ has done for us?
Is there something that needs to be added to it?
NO!
It is finished…
It is done…
Christ has satisfied the just requirement of God’s law.
So what is Paul filling up that is lacking?
Christ’s work is sufficient, but what is lacking is that people don’t know what He has done for them!
Christ has died as the once-for-all sacrifice…
everyone who places their faith in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.
But how can they believe in what they have not heard?
See, Paul understood that all those who die in their sins, will spend eternity in hell…
So Paul is willing to suffer himself,
in order that others might come to the saving knowledge of Christ.
Paul’s perseverance came as a response to the hope he had in Christ.
As you think about 2024…
and the goals you have…
where does God fit in?
If you have placed your faith in Jesus and repented of your sins,
you have been saved from your sin,
and have the hope that you will be raised from the dead,
and spend eternity in heaven…
How will that affect the way you live here on earth?
What is your response to
such grace…
such mercy…
such hope…?
Summary
May we willingly give our lives for Him who has given us new life.
Conclusion
Conclusion
So we conclude our series on the Apostles’ Creed.
It is these truths that we can stand on together as believers in Christ.
This is the glorious hope we have in Christ…
But what if it’s not true?
John Piper shares a story of a Cistercian Abbot who was asked that question.
A Cistercian Abbot is a Roman Catholic order that doesn’t talk all their life…
except when they sing together and confess their sins to one another.
Other than that, they never talk.
They live in a monastery and have made a vow of silence.
An Italian television newscaster interviewing the Abbot asked him,
“What if you were to realize at the end of your life that atheism is true, that there is no God?”
Here’s what the Abbot said,
“Holiness, silence, and sacrifice are beautiful in themselves. Even without the promise of reward, I still will have used my life well.”
That sounds noble doesn’t it?
But let’s take a look at how Paul answered this question…
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
If we spend and sacrifice our lives here on earth for something that isn’t true…
then people should look on us with pity!
They should feel sorry for us…
which is exactly what they do,
since they don’t believe it is true.
1 Corinthians 15:20 (ESV)
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead
It was Paul’s confidence in this truth that enabled him to say…
I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!
Paul risked his life everyday to share the good news of the gospel.
And it was the hope that he had in the resurrection that motivated him to endure suffering.
God has been so merciful to us by not giving us the we deserved… which is death!
Rather, He has graciously given us an eternal hope.
It is with this in mind that Paul writes to the believers who were in Rome…
Romans 12:1 (ESV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Paul says…
because of all that God has done for us…
join me in dying every day!
You are alive because of Christ,
so use your life in sacrificial service to Him!
Our hope in a future resurrection motivates us to die to ourselves every day
Our hope in a future resurrection motivates us to die to ourselves every day
In what ways is God calling on you to die to yourself?
Brothers and sisters,
we all know how deceptive Satan is.
He lures us into complacency…
so that we tend only to think about our comfort and pleasure.
We make the mistake of trying to make our lives here are on earth heavenly…
But John says in…
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Pray…
