Jesus Rose from the Dead, So Will I

Last Sunday we talked about how the resurrection is central to the gospel.

Jesus had to rise from the dead and if he didn’t then our faith is futile.

Our faith isn’t futile and we find our hope securely in the death, burial AND resurrection…

1 Corinthians 15:20–34 CSB

20 But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at his coming, those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he puts all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be abolished is death. 27 For God has put everything under his feet. Now when it says “everything” is put under him, it is obvious that he who puts everything under him is the exception. 28 When everything is subject to Christ, then the Son himself will also be subject to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all. 29 Otherwise what will they do who are being baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are people baptized for them? 30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I face death every day, as surely as I may boast about you, brothers and sisters, in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus as a mere man, what good did that do me? If the dead are not raised, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 Come to your senses and stop sinning; for some people are ignorant about God. I say this to your shame.

Jesus’ resurrection is the promise for a coming harvest.

Paul refers to Jesus as the “firstfruits” - these are the first portions of the harvest are given to God as an offering - Jesus was the sin offering and He is also the first of what is to come.

The resurrection of Jesus represents the beginning of something much larger.

For those that garden - let’s say you have a tomato plant, you watch as all the blooms begin and inevitably one or two grow and ripen before all the others. It is a sign that your plant is producing fruit and that the rest of the blooms will most likely produce fruit too.

Jesus is the first one of “those who have fallen asleep” to wake up from the dead.

The full harvest will come when the time is right…

It started with one and ended with the One.

The sin of all mankind enter the world through the fall of one man… Adam.

Thanks to Adam we come into this world corrupted with a sinful nature that we cannot overcome.

No human in history could fix what Adam unleashed - all efforts could only temporarily appease the wrath of God… we needed help.

We needed someone more than just a human… so God stepped in.

Get this - all people of all time stand guilty because of one man, Adam but the sins of all people of all time have been paid for by one Man, Jesus.

This does not mean that Jesus’ death burial and resurrection automatically makes us free but He has paid the debt giving us the opportunity to receive the gift of salvation.

Jesus has defeated every enemy… including death.

Every enemy of the kingdom of God has been defeated - sin, Satan, violence, hate, the world, etc.

Every enemy had been put under His feet.

Eventually all of His enemies will be abolish - no more sickness, no more hate, no more pain, no more suffering, no more tears and finally… no more death.

We must live for eternity not just the here and now.

If this is all there is than we can live it up, right?

This life is nothing, it is a vapor that passes too quickly.

We cannot ignore this life because God has a mission for us in this life, God had blessed us in this life as a glimpse of what is to come but this life is not enough to live for.

There is life after this current physical life - we enter the presence of God and there we remain forever, this is what we are to live for.

We have hope in Christ, even in death.

Paul ends this passage with a warning - do not listen to “bad company” those who do not believe in the resurrection and thus do not really believe in the gospel of Jesus.

Those who deny the future resurrection of believers are sinning and ignorant of God - they don’t understand the basic things of the gospel revealed in Christ.

Walk in faith, live in the hope of Christ…

Jesus rose from the dead….so will I!!