Resurrection Realities Part 2: Abundant Life

Introduction

Hope is powerful. As powerful as fear is, and we know that fear can and is very powerful, hope is even more powerful. Hope leads us to power through difficult times. Work harder. Think better. Dream bigger. Love more. Hope is a powerful thing!

What are some of the things that we place our hope in?

Studies show that people in 2025 hope for several key things in this life:

Happiness

Health

Success

Positive Future

What if you had all of those things? Happiness. Perfect health. A bright future. Success in your job and relationships. You’d be the envy of everyone on Facebook with all of that! Some might even say that you have a perfect life!

On Palm Sunday, we think about that word success and we know that 2000 years ago, Jesus entered Jerusalem and many would say that He did so successfully. There was a parade and He was the center of attention as people shouted Hosanna! Yet, those same people that same week would shout “Crucify Him!” We have to aim higher than worldly success. Or aiming for an amazing life.

In John 10, Jesus says this

John 10:10 CSB

10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Sometimes we see that word abundance and think of material things like wealth or possessions, but Jesus here is talking about purpose and fulfillment and joy. Jesus came not so that you and I would necessarily always be happy, but so that we can experience joy in the midst of challenging times. Jesus came not so that you and I would necessarily always be successful from a earthly standpoint, but so that we can experience His strength in our weaknesses. Jesus came to give us a hope and a purpose and a future. This morning as we continue in 1 Corinthians 15, we’re going to see the abundant life that is promised to those who are in Christ - those who have repented of their sin and trusted in God’s gift of salvation. This morning we’ll see how we live between 2 incredible Easters - the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the Resurrection of the all who are in Christ. Let’s read from God’s Word

1 Corinthians 15:20–49 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. 35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have when they come?” 36 You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And as for what you sow—you are not sowing the body that will be, but only a seed, perhaps of wheat or another grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he wants, and to each of the seeds its own body. 39 Not all flesh is the same flesh; there is one flesh for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is different from that of the earthly ones. 41 There is a splendor of the sun, another of the moon, and another of the stars; in fact, one star differs from another star in splendor. 42 So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; 43 sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power; 44 sown a natural body, 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 became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 Like the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; like the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

What a passage of Scripture! We see brokenness and sinfulness all around us, but because of Jesus, we know that one day that won’t be the case. There is peace for today and hope for tomorrow because of the resurrection. Let’s ask Jesus to help us better understand this good news today, let’s pray.

The Resurrection Gives Believers a New Identity (20-28)

Does anyone here like Math? If you’re not so much of a math fan, you probably have asked this question a time of two in school and after school, “When will I ever need to know how to do this?” Whether it’s algebra, trigonometry, or calculus, this is a question that I’ve wondered before and thought of after high school as well! Do you remember those things called proofs? There were these problems that we would have in math where we had to “prove” that something was true. You’d have an equation or statement and you’d have to do a step by step process showing how this statement is true or how it is false. I loved math, but proofs took a while for me to figure out because I thought that if I knew the right answer, it didn’t matter how I arrived at that conclusion. We know from experience, though, that methods matter. Not only is the end important, but how we get there matters too! So in math class, we learned how to prove that math statements were true.

What we see in 1 Corinthians 15 is a proof of sorts - if you’re not a math fan, praise the Lord that it’s not a math proof! Paul is demonstrating that death is real and something that we all face, but that because Jesus defeated death, believers no longer have to fear it!

How does Paul “prove” this point? Remember from last week in verses 12-19 Paul explained the hopelessness we have if the resurrection was not true. We are still in our sins, our preaching is in vain, we are to be pitied more than anyone else! Verse 20, “But as it is Christ has been raised.” In the Greek, we see a conjunction “nuni de” which literally means “But now.” There are times in the Bible where we see the phrase “But God” show up and it literally changes everything. We were dead in our sins, Ephesians 2:1, but God made us alive with Christ, Ephesians 2:4. Two little words change everything and give us a new identity and purpose. So it is here in 1 Corinthians 15:20, But now Christ has been raised. Again, the Resurrection Really Changes Everything!

Because Jesus died on the cross, again 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 tells us that He died for our sins, His followers have freedom. Hope. Peace. Life. The way that Paul explains this is in reference to a farming illustration. Now, I’ve pastored in some rural contexts and have had a good percentage of my congregation be farmers who instinctively understand 1 Corinthians 15:20. Even if you’re not a farmer, though, this isn’t rocket science! If you’ve ever had a garden, or if you’ve ever looked at your neighbor’s garden, let’s say they’re growing tomatoes. You know that you prepare your garden, you plant seeds, you fertilize the soil, your garden gets water and sunlight, and eventually, the first tomato pops out of the ground! This is called the first harvest or, 1 Corinthians 15:20, the firstfruits. What does this mean? It means that all the other tomatoes are on their way for harvest. The firstfruit indicates that the rest of the fruit is coming. Do you see how this is good news for us as Christians? Jesus, who died and rose from the dead, is the firstfruits of those who “fall asleep” - in other words, Jesus is the first harvest from the dead, but that means that others will rise from the dead as well. The resurrection demonstrated that Jesus is in fact God’s Son, and this promise confirms that all those in Christ are in fact God’s sons and daughters as well. This is our promise! If Jesus was raised, all those in Christ will also be raised!

Some wonder, though, why do we have to be raised? Why is death a problem that we face in the first place? Our text explains what much of the New Testament does as well

Romans 5:12 CSB

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.

We read in Genesis that God created Adam and then He created Eve, and everything was good. Perfect. However, we read in Genesis 3 that they sinned against God. God gave them a command, and Adam and Eve disobeyed as they ate of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. What the New Testament unpacks is that sin entered the world through Adam and sin leads to death. Adam is the first human. All humans identify with Adam simply because we are humans and we are born and whenever we are born we are born into a sinful world and we ourselves are sinners and sin leads to death and we can “thank” Adam for that identification. He is the head of the human race and he disobeyed and doomed humanity. In Adam all die… that’s not a good place to be, but it’s the truth. Thankfully, that’s not where God left us, though. We see that in Christ, all will be made alive.

One pastor shared a story about a group that went mountain climbing up a steep cliff. The guide leads the way and has a harness attached to him that the other climbers, who are less experienced, follow behind. For a while everything is going ok. But eventually the one in the back makes a mistake and he loses his grip and falls! Because he fell, the rope pulls the next climber down, this goes on up the line until the guide realizes that is happening and slings his axe into the mountain and holds on with all his strength! Eventually the other climbers got their way back to the mountainside and they were able to continue climbing to the top. See, what Adam did was he sinned and fell off the mountainside… but he also dragged everyone else down with him. Jesus remained strong. Jesus held firm. Jesus saves those who were hopeless!

There is a contrast here - Adam leads to death, Jesus leads to life. Titus told us about this several months ago

Titus 3:6–7 CSB

6 He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.

Some say that it’s not fair that we are born in sin because of Adam… What happened in the next generation? Cain would’ve ruined it. Even if not, you and I would have. We don’t want God to be fair with us because fair would mean that you and I hang on the cross that Jesus hung on in our place. We want mercy! We all are born sinners thanks to Adam, he is our head… but because of Jesus, we don’t have to stay in that position. We can have a change of status and identity. What must happen for this to take place? We are born into sin, and the Bible says that we must be born again. We must repent of our sins, place our faith in Christ, and be saved. There is a dangerous belief sweeping through the world that says that everyone will in fact be saved, or that there are multiple ways to be saved, this is as opposite as Biblical as we can get! Consider John 14:6

John 14:6 CSB

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

There is one way to be saved and that is by grace through faith in Christ Alone! We all need Jesus and whenever we belong to Jesus, we are given a hope that we didn’t have before. The hope of resurrection and the hope that one day everything will be made right as Jesus rules and reigns over all things.

We don’t deserve resurrection, we deserve destruction. This isn’t what the world says, but it is what the Word of God says. Consider the first Adam in the Garden, Adam was the head and God held him responsible for what took place. 1 Timothy 2 tells us that Eve was deceived, but Adam was not. He knew better. He was responsible. In Genesis 3, the First Adam said, “Don’t blame me, blame my wife.” On the cross, the Last Adam prayed, “Don’t blame my bride, blame Me!” The First Adam doomed humanity… the Last Adam died for humanity. Jesus died for His Bride, the Church! All who repent of their sin and are blood bought and born again. Is this your story today?

We must realize that to have a new identity, a Rebel requires a Redeemer who performs a Resurrection and this is what Jesus alone does - He saves us from darkness and death and gives us life in abundance and a hope that no power of hell or scheme of man can take away! Our identity is 2 words: IN CHRIST and that changes everything!

The Resurrection Gives Believers Life Transformation (29-34)

Because we have a new identity of being in Christ, the way that we live and the things that we do also change whenever we become Christians. Think of some of the transformation that you’ve seen in your life or in the life of someone you know. Maybe you’ve seen someone change their life with a new diet and workout plan and they become healthier as their body transforms. Maybe you’ve seen this as someone changes their life and their looks and their actions in order to try and fit in with a certain group of people because their identity is placed associating with those people. We also see transformation happen whenever someone becomes convinced of a belief that they previously didn’t hold. Say you used to believe that Dr. Pepper was the best soda out there but they you got introduced to Dr. Pepper Zero and your taste buds were immediately hooked! A transformation occurs as instead of getting normal Dr. Pepper, you get Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar. We live in a world of transformation as people change, preferences change, ideas change. Consider how the resurrection changes us - not only with our identity as we are now “in Christ” but it also changes our motivation behind why we do what we do!

Paul unpacks these resurrection motivations in these middle verses and begins with one of the most debated verses in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 15:29. “Otherwise what will they do who are being baptized for the dead?”

Did you know that there are some people who claim to be Christians who do in fact get baptized for dead people? They use this verse as justification for that action! Others believe that this is in reference to being baptized for someone who is about to die but who cannot physically be baptized. One commentator noted that there are no less than 30 different interpretations of this single verse!

Anthony Thiselton advocates that this is not in reference to living people being baptized for the salvation of those who have passed away or so that they can be promoted in heaven to future levels of glory… Instead, he argues that there are parents and grandparents who long for their children to come to know Christ and be saved. Some of them, on their death bed, pleaded with their loved ones to come to know Christ and that one day they would be worshiping Jesus together for all eternity. Time goes by and eventually that loved one’s life of faith and appeal in death left such a mark that God worked through that person in such a way to change and transform that person and eventually they did in fact get saved and they were in fact baptized. Parents, don’t stop praying for your children and don’t stop having Gospel conversations about life after death.

Baptism does not save anyone, but saved people should be baptized as it is a visible act of obedient that displays what Christ has done internally in bringing you from death to life! Because Jesus rose from the dead, we identify with Him and He transforms our lives to the point that we do get baptized. We do, verse 30, face danger and death and persecution. Every person on the planet faces suffering - we all do because we are broken people living in a broken world, we all know what it’s like to suffer. Let me ask you this: Is suffering pointless? Take working out as an example. That type of discipline is like suffering as you intentionally train your body in a certain way and that hurts at times! But is it pointless? No, it’s purposeful. Our world might say that suffering is meaningless and pointless, but Biblically we know that this isn’t the truth. We know that God accomplishes something in our suffering

Romans 8:28 CSB

28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

Without the resurrection, we would have no hope… but because of the resurrection, we endure through difficult times because we know how it all ends. We know that our salvation is secured in Christ and that we will be with Him for eternity, and between now and then, God has a plan for us and that plan is for His glory and our good, and that plan involves our transformation. If the resurrection isn’t true, he says “Let’s eat and drink for tomorrow we die” in other words, party it up because this life is all that there is. But to do this is to be deceived, brothers and sisters. As those who have been raised by Christ to walk in the light, we have 3 imperative commands to live a transformed life today:

Don’t be fooled

Wake up

Stop tolerating false teaching

As those who know what the Bible says about the resurrection, we must not be fooled by the views and teachings of a world that hates our Savior and despises His Word. Don’t be fooled by having one foot in the Word and one foot in the world. We must also wake up! Many know about the resurrection in their head, but they lack a transformed heart. They know the truth, but they don’t live a life of hope. Friends, bad behavior leads to bad behavior… right behavior leads to right behavior. If we say that we believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but we ourselves have no change in our lives from before we met Jesus to today, there’s something wrong!

Consider the example in the book of Acts of my favorite deacon, deacon Stephen. Acts 7 we find one of the longest sermons in the Bible as Stephen preaches to his Jewish friends how Jesus is the Messiah and how they are guilty before God. The Jewish crowd didn’t like that too much and they took Stephen outside the city to stone him. What does Stephen do as the stones are flying at his head? He asks God to forgive those throwing them. How could Stephen have this type of confidence? Because the truth of the resurrection had transformed his life and it must transform our lives today as well!

The Resurrection Gives Believers Eternal Life (35-49)

Our physical body that we have in this life is a fallen, broken, frail one. It breaks down. It gets sick. Things don’t work. Things just hurt at times. The reason why is because we inherit our physical body because we belong to Adam. We have a perishable body. A corruptible body. A weak body. But… as a Christian, as one who is born again, as one who is In Christ, we will inherit a supernatural body one day. Again, Jesus is the firstfruits, but He isn’t the last fruit. Friends, just as we live and breathe and move in our physical bodies today, we one day will live and breathe and move in a supernatural body one day - it is certain and it’s because the tomb is empty and because Jesus walked out of it RISEN! As a believer, you are a new creation. It’s like there is a seed that is planted inside of your body today that will sprout in eternity and you have a glorified, resurrected BODY.

1 Peter 1:3–5 CSB

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

This is our hope. This is our assurance. This is what is awaiting us - eternal life and a glorified body. I went to a funeral on Friday, seems like we’ve had lots of funerals lately, and this is the hope we have as believers. We have a living hope because of the resurrection. We have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. We will have a body that is uncorruptible and glorious

See, there are some who so emphasize healing in this life that the lines blur between this life and the next life. We live in a fallen, broken world and in this life, things break down. Sicknesses happen. Cancer happens. Diabetes happens. Sometimes people have to wear glasses. They lose their hair. Our bodies break down. Can God heal those things? Can God restore eyesight? Can God heal someone of cancer? Can God speak to your hair and tell it to regroup and regrow? You’d better believe so! But as one who suffers from a chronic condition, let me tell you this - I’ve stopped asking God to heal me of T1D. I know He can. I fully believe that He will in 1 of 3 ways:

Immediately through Miracle

In Time through Medicine

In Eternity through Resurrection

We have earthly bodies in this life, friends. They are natural. They break down. They fail us. They are weak. And even if God healed us miraculously of one thing, down the road, we’ll face another serious problem because of our sinful, broken bodies. For this reason, it is great news that one day we will receive a body that that doesn’t face these problems. A heavenly body. And it’s all because of Jesus. Consider Hebrews 11:35

Hebrews 11:35 CSB

35 Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.

You know what’s a billion times better than a temporary healing in your physical body? Hearing well done and receiving one day a glorified, resurrected body that is completely freed from the stain and pain of sin. That is a better resurrection than the one that Lazarus received. Can you imagine Lazarus? He walked out of his tomb because of the power of the Lord Jesus, but his body got sick again. He died again. But one day, Lazarus will have a glorified body that won’t break down and get sick. Whenever our time is up, our souls go to be with the Lord - as Jesus told the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with Me in paradise!” Our souls go on. But one day it will be harvest time and just like Jesus, our bodies will be raised and they will be perfected. Incorruption. Glory. Power. Spiritual. Just as we are made in God’s image, in eternity we will reflect that image perfectly. Not as gods, but as those Whom He loves and as those made in His image. What a day that’s going to be!

But the resurrection isn’t just good news for the future - the resurrection gives us good news today too!

What about today, though? We know the life we’ll have in eternity is going to be grand and glorious… but how does the Resurrection give us abundant life today?

Trust - Your Savior Has a Perfect Plan

Tell - Your Savior Proclaims Good News

Think - Your Savior Provides For His Sheep

Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He leads us beside green pastures and beside still waters. He keeps us from harm. He gives us what we need. He doesn’t require perfection or brilliance or beauty or anything else. He requires us to deny ourselves and follow Him. Whenever we follow Jesus, we have an abundant life. Are you experiencing life in abundance today? This doesn’t mean a perfect life. A life free from problems. But it does mean that we have a life that is satisfied because Jesus is supreme and whenever He reigns supreme in the lives of His people, we lack nothing. We have peace. We have a purpose that is bigger than ourselves. We have a hope that is certain. We have a Savior who died in our place, but who is presently alive and who one day will return for His people. Today, trust in Jesus and experience a transformation unlike anything this world can offer you.

The Resurrection gives us the ability to live, love, and enjoy life to the fullest without fear - we know how the story ends! If you want that certainty and that hope, we’re going to pray and I’d love to talk with you and pray over you and share how Jesus truly changes everything!

As JI Packer once said, “If I ask ‘Why is this happening?’ no light may come, but if I ask, ‘How am I to glorify God now?’ there will always be an answer!”

Big Idea: The resurrection of Jesus provides strength for today and hope for tomorrow, confirming our faith and transforming our perspective on life and death.