I Believe in the Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting
The Apostle’s Creed • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
A recent in depth research study was done by Barna on Gen Z (kids 13-24 years of age).
They asked, “when thinking about your life, what is the number one goal you have for yourself?”
The top answer (65%) was “being happy.”
How many of you would agree that you desire a happy life?
So then the question is, how can we be happy? How can we have a happy life?
The Bible uses the word “blessed” to describe a person who is happy and favored by God.
Those who are “blessed” and happy in Scripture are those who hear the word of God and do it. . . those who love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. . . those who have decided to follow Jesus and have a relationship with their Savior.
This is the abundant life. . . the good life. . . the resurrection life. . . and this is the life that Jesus came to bring us.
Jesus said. . . “I am the resurrection and the life.” . . . so through faith in him, we not only will be raised from the dead but we will find eternal life in following him.
But what does it look like to have abundant life both now and for eternity. . . and what will life look like at the resurrection?
These were some of the questions the church at Corinth were asking. . . and I think we are asking these same questions today. . . so, we are going to explore these questions tonight as we journey through 1 Corinthians 15:35-58.
Key Point: Through faith In Christ, our resurrected bodies will be physical and transformed, and we can enjoy eternal life with Jesus both now and for eternity.
As we walk through 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 the first two points will focus more on what life will be like in the resurrection. . . the third point will then expound upon the blessings of eternal life that we can enjoy with Christ both now and for eternity.
So, with that in mind, lets look at our first truth, which is that our resurrected bodies will be physical.
1. Physical
1. Physical
Foundational truth: We will rise from the dead because Christ has first risen from the dead.
Its also important to note in the creed that the “resurrection of the body” refers to the corporate body of Christ. . . its not just about our individual resurrection but the resurrection of all believers together as the body of Christ.
Contrasted with early Gnosticism/Greek Dualism that said the physical world was evil and the non-physical world was good. (v. 35)
God’s physical creation is good.
Our resurrection will mimic Jesus’s resurrection.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Seed analogy. . .
1 Corinthians 15:36–37 (ESV)
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.
Apple seed to Apple Tree (not Orange Tree).
Continuation of our bodily identity.
Application
Demonstrates the goodness of our physical bodies. . . hence we should cherish them right now!
Don’t be a gnostic!
Restoration, not replacement of God’s good creation. . . v. 36-41 refer back to creation account.
“Earthly vs. Heavenly” does not mean physical vs. non-physical.
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.
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Instead, we should understand these terms as follows:
Earthly Body = Physical Body that is Empowered by Natural things/The Flesh (Natural)
Heavenly Body = Physical Body that is Empowered by Spiritual Things/The Spirit (Supernatural)
13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
2. Transformed
2. Transformed
The second truth about our resurrected bodies is that they will be transformed.
Although their is continuity between our earthly body and our heavenly body, there is also discontinuity.
Seed Analogy (v. 37-38)
Apple seed to Apple tree (not seed).
Greater glory. . . all that has been corrupted in the fall will be restored and made new.
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. 42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is 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.
This is a mystery. . . we don’t have all the answers.
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.
Connected to the first Adam and the last Adam.
45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
v. 49 should read “let us bear” instead of “we shall bear.”
This is important because Paul instructs believers now, who are not yet dead and raised, to bear the image of Christ. This means that believers present lives must mimic what their future lives will be.
“Specifically, because we know that we will receive heavenly bodies in the future, we should be and behave like Jesus now while we are in our earthly bodies.” -Andy Naselli
Write down one of your favorite characteristics about the person of Jesus.
Are you seeking to imitate this characteristic now?
3. Eternal Life
3. Eternal Life
The third truth about our resurrection life is it is eternal.
“Eternal” refers to quantity in that we will live forever as v. 50-55 say we will put on immortality.
However, “eternal life” more so refers to the quality of life we have with Jesus.
Victory in life and death
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.
Write down one sin that you are specifically struggling with that you can’t seem to overcome.
Now put down “__________” where is your victory and sting? Praise God that he has given you the victory over this sin in Jesus. . . and it will be eradicated completely at the resurrection.
Purpose, meaning, and confidence in our life and our work.
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.
Write down one thing you do in your life that feels meaningless.
Now put down 1 Cor. 15:58 beside it. . . know it is not in vain.
Don’t live like an eternity amnesiac!
Eternal life communicates an abundant life. . . a life to the full. . . IOW. . . the good life!
John 10:10 (ESV)
10 I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Eternal life. . . both now and forever when we trust in Jesus.
John 3:36 (ESV)
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life;
Eternal life can be defined by Jesus himself.
2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—
So, eternal life is not so much about the duration of life but a relationship.
The closer you get to Jesus, the more you experience the good life.
Analogy of time standing still by being in love.
In contrast to human love. . . our eternal life in a relationship with Christ will never end in tragedy!
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
Therefore, our abundant life with Christ will never end. . . death is not the end, but simply another place and opportunity to enjoy abundant life in our relationship with Jesus!
What will we do in heaven and what will life be like?
We won’t just lounge around. . . but worship, work, think, and communicate, while enjoying activity, beauty, people, and God.
First and foremost, however, we shall see, love and savor Jesus, our Savior, Master, and Friend.
Our abundant life with Jesus now will continue for eternity, bringing us endless joy. . . and so we can say that our lives as Christians are similar to fairy tales. . . except they are actually true. . . we live happily with Christ now. . . and we will, by his endless mercy, live happily ever after for eternity!
Response
Response
But the question tonight is. . . do you have this abundant life and are you enjoying it with Jesus?
After Jesus proclaimed that he was the resurrection and the life, he asked Martha. . . “do you believe this?”
To enjoy abundant life, you must first believe in him and trust Jesus with your life.
Call people to repent and believe. . . to leave their homelessness and come home to Christ.
If you are in Christ tonight, are you enjoying the abundant life you have with him right now?
Jesus did not die for us solely to forgive us of our sins so we can live forever. . . but he removed the barrier of our sins so that he could have fellowship with us!
In Christ, we don’t just have redemption, but a relationship.
Jesus did not just pay our sin debt on the cross to make our bank account read $0, but has made us millionaires in a relationship with him.
Jesus did not just free us from slavery to sin to be homeless . . . but has invited us into his palace to live with him forever!
So why are we still living like we have $0?
Write down one thing you can do to experience abundant life in a relationship with Jesus.
Blessings of the good life with Jesus. . .
Possession of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Everlasting love, comfort and security.
Inheritance of the earth.
Complete and Lasting Satisfaction.
Abundant Mercy.
Communion with God and being able to see him face to face.
Sons and Daughters of God.
A Great and Eternal Reward in Heaven.
