For Christ Must Reign

Sermon Title: For Christ Must Reign

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:25-28

Occasion: The Lord’s Day | Resurrection Sunday

Date: April 20, 2025

Opening Prayer

Almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, We gather this Resurrection Sunday with trembling joy and holy expectation.

You have not left us in the grave.

You have not forgotten us in the dust. You have raised Your Son—our Savior, our King—and in Him, You have raised the hope of the world.

We come today with questions, with wounds, with doubts, with praise. But we come to the one place where it all meets its answer—an empty tomb and an occupied throne.

Open our eyes to see the reigning Christ. Open our ears to hear His voice. Open our hearts to believe and bow.

Lord, what we know not, teach us. What we are not, make us. What we have not, give us. And above all—give us Christ.

For He must reign. And we are here for Him.

In Jesus’ mighty and merciful name we pray, Amen.

Introduction: The Reign that Answers Every Fear

If it is true that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead, then everything changes.

If it is true that death has been defeated, then the deepest fear of the human heart—our mortality, our meaning, our ultimate destiny—has been met with the most extraordinary hope.

And if it is true that He must reign, then He is reigning now, and that reign is moving toward a glorious and unstoppable end:

The destruction of every enemy, including death itself, and the complete and unshakable reign of God over all things.

Today, we come to one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture.

If your heart is weary with fear, despair, confusion, or apathy—this is for you.

If you came today just trying to survive, trying to hold on, or even unsure if you believe any of this—then you're right where you need to be.

Because the resurrection doesn't ask us to clean ourselves up and come in faith.

It proclaims that Christ has already come to conquer death for us.

The Apostle Paul is writing to a divided, confused church in Corinth.

Some have begun to question the resurrection entirely.

So Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, lays out the most sweeping and cosmic vision of the resurrection in the New Testament.

He has already declared in verse 20: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead.”

And now, in verses 25–28, he shows us why this matters.

Not just for theology students, but for addicts, skeptics, and weary saints alike.

So here is the title and outline of today’s sermon for all the note takers in the room:

Title: For Christ Must Reign

1. Christ Reigns in Victory (v. 25)

2. Christ Defeats the Final Enemy (v. 26)

3. Christ Subdues All Things (v. 27)

4. Christ Submits to the Father (v. 28)

Transition:

So then, what does it mean that Christ must reign?

What does this victorious reign look like right now—in a world still groaning under the weight of sin, suffering, and death?

Paul begins by showing us the certainty and present reality of Christ’s reign—a reign that isn’t waiting to begin, but is already unfolding.

1. Christ Reigns in Victory (v. 25)

1 Corinthians 15:25 ESV

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

Paul begins with a divine necessity: “He must reign.”

The Greek word dei ("it is necessary") conveys more than a possibility or a wish.

It is a divine certainty.

Jesus must reign because God's redemptive plan cannot be stopped.

No politician can vote it away.

No emperor can override it.

No devil can derail it.

No grave can silence it.

Why?

Because the resurrection was not just a miracle—it was a coronation.

It was the Father declaring, “This is My King!”

As Peter thundered at Pentecost in Acts 2:36,

“God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

His reign is not waiting to begin.

It is already in motion.

And it is not fragile or partial—it is triumphant, unshakable, and global.

He is reigning now.

Over every inch of creation.

Over every trial in your life.

Over every system of evil, every demonic power, and every ounce of despair.

Illustration:

In the Roman world, Caesar was called pater patriae (Pauter Pautree-i)—“father of the fatherland.”

His word was law.

His image was on the coins.

His power seemed eternal.

Corinth, a Roman colony, would’ve felt the pride of that power.

But Paul declares a different King—a crucified and risen Lord whose throne is not in Rome, but in heaven, and whose reign does not come through military might but through mercy and righteousness.

Martin Luther once said,

“Christ's reign is like the sun behind the clouds. You see the light it gives, but one day the clouds will part, and we will behold the fullness of His glory.”

That day is coming.

But for now, we live in the light of a reigning Christ.

So beloved, if you are in Christ, or today you place your faith in this Christ, that means you are now longer under the tyranny of sin or the reign of death.

You are under the gracious rule of the risen King.

He reigns over your past.

He reigns over your anxiety.

He reigns over your family, your fears, your failures, and your future.

And He is putting all enemies under His feet.

Transition:

But Paul doesn’t just tell us that Christ is reigning—he shows us where that reign is headed.

And at the very heart of it is a promise that touches every human soul: the defeat of our greatest enemy.

2. Christ Defeats the Final Enemy (v. 26)

1 Corinthians 15:26 ESV

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Let that settle in your heart for a moment: death is an enemy.

It is not natural.

It is not a gentle friend.

It is not something we are meant to accept as just “part of life.”

According to Scripture, death is the consequence of sin—the great interruption of creation’s design, the robber of joy, the divider of families, the shadow that haunts every human life.

But the good news of the resurrection is this:

Death has already been dealt a mortal blow.

Look closely at the tense Paul uses: “is being destroyed.”

It's present and passive.

That means someone is actively doing the destroying—Jesus—and that process began at the resurrection.

When Christ stepped out of the tomb, He didn’t just defeat death for Himself—He crushed its power for all who are united to Him by faith.

He turned the grave into a passage, not a prison.

Illustration:

In 1865, Union troops marched through the smoldering streets of Richmond, Virginia, as the Civil War came to an end.

President Abraham Lincoln entered the city and was greeted by newly freed slaves.

One woman fell at his feet and cried out, “My deliverer!” But Lincoln gently lifted her up and said, “Don’t kneel to me. Kneel only to God. Thank Him for your freedom.”

That moment—freedom in the ruins, dignity restored, hope rekindled—is just a small glimpse of what Jesus has done through His death and resurrection.

He entered our wreckage, crushed the chains of death, and declared our freedom.

Charles Spurgeon said it like this:

“Death is no longer a prison but a passage. The grave is no longer a dungeon but a doorway to glory.”

And if you need proof that this isn’t just poetic theology but real and living hope, you will see it today with your own eyes.

Two dear brothers, Reece Tatum and Angel Alonso, will be baptized after service (join us!)—publicly declaring that they have passed from death to life.

From sin to salvation.

From the domain of darkness into the kingdom of the risen Son.

This is what it looks like when death loses.

When the grave gives up its grip.

When Christ, the reigning King, snatches souls from the enemy’s hand and brings them into resurrection life.

So take heart—death is defeated, and the evidence is right here among us.

Transition:

But the resurrection doesn’t just promise that death will be defeated.

It also promises that everything—every power, every sin, every ruler, and every force of darkness—will be brought under the authority of Christ.

Let’s look at verse 27.

3. Christ Subdues All Things (v. 27)

1 Corinthians 15:27 ESV

For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.

Paul is quoting Psalm 8:6, a passage that reflects God's original purpose for humanity:

Psalm 8:6 ESV

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,

God created mankind to rule over creation under His authority.

But something went terribly wrong—sin entered the world, and that original design was fractured.

Humanity, instead of reigning with God, became enslaved—to sin, to death, to chaos.

But Jesus—the Last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45)—came to do what the first Adam failed to do.

Where Adam lost dominion, Christ is reclaiming it.

That’s what Paul is saying here:

God has put all things under Christ's feet.

He is restoring the world back to its rightful order, one enemy at a time.

Let me give you a picture:

Imagine a construction crew working on a massive restoration project—like the Sagrada Família cathedral in Barcelona.

They started building it in 1882.

That’s right—over 140 years ago, and it’s still not finished.

Honestly, I’m not sure it ever will be!

Every time I check, it seems like they’ve added more scaffolding than stained glass.

But here’s the thing:

Despite delays, despite wars, despite changing architects and centuries passing, the project continues.

And even in its unfinished state, it is breathtaking.

One day—maybe not in our lifetime—the scaffolding will come down, and the full beauty of the architect’s vision will be revealed.

That’s a picture of what Jesus is doing.

He’s not tearing down the world—He’s restoring it.

Brick by brick, soul by soul, heart by heart.

His reign is the scaffolding, His Word is the blueprint, and His power is the tool.

Right now, it might look messy—your life might feel like it’s covered in scaffolding.

But make no mistake:

The work is underway.

And one day, when the final piece is set- the scaffolding will fall away, and the glory of God's restored creation will shine in full.

Or think of a puzzle—maybe you've tried putting together one with 1,000 pieces.

At first, it’s a chaotic mess.

But as the corners are placed and the edges aligned, you begin to see the bigger picture.

That’s what Jesus is doing.

One piece at a time, He is bringing all things into their proper place—subduing every enemy, every evil, every loose and broken piece of our lives and this world—until the whole image reflects the glory of God.

Paul even clarifies something critical:

When he says “all things,” he means everything—EXCEPT for God the Father, who gave this authority to the Son.

There’s no power struggle in the Trinity.

The Son rules in joyful submission to the Father, and the Father delights in the reign of the Son.

It is perfect, beautiful harmony.

But here’s where it gets personal:

If Christ subdues all things, then He can subdue what feels unconquerable in your life.

That addiction that’s owned you for years?

That bitterness that eats away at your heart?

That depression that clouds every morning?

That shame from something no one else knows about?

He’s not afraid of your darkness.

He’s not reluctant to enter your mess.

He came for it.

Let me tell you a story:

There is a man that I know and dearly love who lived decades carrying guilt for abandoning his family.

He thought he was beyond forgiveness and repair.

But Christ reached him.

Forgave him.

Slowly, steadily, Christ began to break his pride, heal his wounds, and rebuild his life.

Today, he walks in freedom.

Why?

Because Christ is in the business of subduing (OVERCOMING, BRINGING UNDER CONTROL) all things.

No power is too strong.

No past is too dark.

No soul is too lost.

As Ephesians 1:22 reminds us:

Ephesians 1:22 ESV

And he [God] put all things under his [Jesus] feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

So when you feel like everything is falling apart, remember:

Jesus is putting everything back together—not always in the way we expect, not always in the time we want—but always in a way that glorifies the Father and brings healing to the broken!

And as a side note- Jesus is never early or ever late. He’s always on time.

Transition to our final point:

But here’s the question:

What happens when every last enemy is subdued?

When the puzzle is complete and the cathedral restored?

Paul lifts our eyes one more time—to the breathtaking finale of Christ’s reign.

Let’s look at verse 28.

4. Christ Submits to the Father (v. 28)

1 Corinthians 15:28 ESV

When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

This is the grand finale of the entire passage—and really, of the entire story of redemption.

Everything has been moving toward this:

The moment when Christ, having conquered every enemy and restored all things, joyfully hands the kingdom to the Father.

Now, don’t misunderstand this.

This is not Christ stepping down in weakness—it is Christ ascending in glory.

This is not a demotion but a declaration!!

What’s the declaration?

THE MISSION IS COMPLETE!

This is the Son, crowned with thorns and now crowned with glory, lifting the entire redeemed cosmos to the Father in love and obedience.

J.I. Packer said it beautifully:

“The obedience of the Son is not a temporary role but the eternal delight of His nature.”

Jesus doesn’t submit because He’s lesser—He submits because He delights in the Father.

This is the beauty of the Trinity:

Perfect love, perfect unity, perfect joy.

And what is the goal?

That “God may be all in all.”

That’s Paul’s way of saying:

No rival powers.

No competing thrones.

No shadow left.

God will be central, glorious, and fully worshipped in all things and by all people.

This is what the entire Bible has been building toward.

Illustration

Let me give you a picture.

After the tragedy of 9/11, Ground Zero in Manhattan was a scene of utter devastation—smoke rising, steel twisted, lives shattered.

But in the years that followed, a new plan emerged.

Architects, construction crews, families, and leaders worked tirelessly to rebuild—not just buildings, but hope.

Today, where rubble once stood, there’s a memorial, a new tower, and a powerful symbol: not of defeat, but of restoration.

Now imagine that on an even greater scale.

Christ stepped into our Ground Zero—the wreckage of a sin-shattered world.

He didn’t direct the rebuilding from a distance.

He came down into the ashes, bore the weight, took the nails, and began a restoration project that spans the cosmos.

And one day—when every enemy is defeated, when every wound is healed, when the final breath of death itself is silenced—He will hand over the fully restored world to the Father and say, “It’s finished. All things are Yours.”

That’s not weakness.

That’s victory.

That’s the heartbeat of redemptive history: “That God may be all in all.”

That’s what Paul is showing us.

Christ is the faithful Son, and when the last enemy falls, He will raise up the entire restored creation and return it to the Father—not in resignation, but in victory.

And friends, that’s the story we are living in.

That’s the hope that makes sense of your pain.

That’s the reason your heart longs for more.

Because this world is not finished yet—but the plan is already complete.

Transition to Conclusion

So where does that leave us?

If Christ is reigning, if death is dying, if all things are being subdued, and if everything is moving toward the glory of God—then the only question left is:

Are you part of that story?

Let's bring it home.

Conclusion: The King is Alive, and He Is Reigning

If Christ must reign… and He does…

If death has been defeated…

If every broken piece of this world is being restored…

If one day the Son will hand over the fully healed cosmos to the Father, and God will be all in all…

Then you are standing on the edge of eternity right now.

This is not just theology.

This is not abstract.

This is not just something to think about once a year on Easter.

This is reality.

And that reality calls for a response.

If you do not yet know this King—hear me clearly—today is the day to bow the knee.

Not in terror, but in trust.

He does not come with a sword against you but with scars for you.

This reigning King bled for you.

He bore your shame.

He entered your grave.

He rose in power.

And He is inviting you—right now—into His kingdom.

You don’t have to climb your way to Him.

He’s come all the way down to you.

The door is open.

Come.

Lay down your guilt.

Lay down your fear.

Lay down your striving.

Come to the throne—not of condemnation, but of grace.

And believer—dear saint—you who walked in here weary, hurting, wondering if any of this really makes a difference…

He must reign. And He is reigning.

So lift your eyes.

Your suffering is not meaningless.

Your struggle is not wasted.

Your tears are not forgotten.

Because your King is alive. (Repeat!)

And He is reigning over your cancer, your prodigal child, your broken marriage, your private grief, your quiet prayers, your darkest night.

He is reigning when you feel Him and when you don’t. He is reigning when the world rages and when your heart is still.

And one day—one glorious day—you will see with your own eyes what Paul saw in this text:

Every enemy gone.

Every grave empty.

Every knee bowed.

Every heart whole.

And God… all in all.

That’s the story.

That’s the future.

That’s the hope.

For He must reign.

And beloved, because He must, you can rest. You can rejoice. You can rise again.

Let’s pray.

Closing Prayer:

Risen and reigning Lord Jesus, You have conquered the grave. You are subduing all things. And You reign with power, mercy, and unmatched glory.

We bow before You now.

For those who have not yet trusted You—O Spirit of God, open eyes to see the beauty of Christ. Let today be the day of salvation. Let the doubting believe. Let the weary surrender. Let the sinner come home.

For those who belong to You—remind us again: You reign over our fear. You reign over our sorrow. You reign over our sin and shame. Help us to rest, to rejoice, and to live with hope because You are alive.

O King Jesus, reign in us now. Be our Savior. Be our strength. Be our song. And be our all in all.

In Your victorious name we pray, Amen.