Resurrection Hope

Adoration

Confession

Thanksgiving

1 Corinthians 15:1–11 ESV

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. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

This morning I want to begin by reminding you how short life is.

Ecclesiastes 1:2–3 NET 2nd ed.

2 “Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher. “Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!” 3 What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?

The word translated “futile” or “vanity” which literally means (hebel) “breath”, “vapor” or “fleeting.”

This word is used throughout the book of Ecclesiastes and continually reminds the reader of the shortness and brevity of life.

Proverbs 30:15–16 ESV

15 The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”: 16 Sheol (the grave), the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.”

This section turns toward focusing on the resurrection because it was an issue that the Corinthian believers had.

Some were question the physical resurrection and Paul wrote to clarify.

He begins by reminding them of the gospel, the “good news.”

1 Corinthians 15:1–2 ESV

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.

This “good news” for Paul was preached to him, he then received it, and preached it to the Corinthian believers.

They had received the message, were standing in it, and will be saved one day in the future if they continue in it.

The Resurrection is Fundamental to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Christianity isn’t merely a bunch of ideas.

Christianity isn’t just a bunch of high and lofty doctrines.

Christianity isn’t merely than a political opinion.

The bases of Christianity is fundamentally “good news.”

It’s good news about an event.

What is that message?

1 Corinthians 15:3–5 ESV

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.

Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection fulfills Scripture.

The life, death, burial, and resurrection of the Son of God was not an accident.

It was not a product of a misfortunate encounter with the authorities.

The death of Jesus was the intention plan the God-Head.

The Father planned, the Son redeemed, and the Spirit empowered.

All three persons working together for the same goal and intention.

The substitutionary death of Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world.

The resurrection of the Son of God for the justification of sinners.

And all of it fulfilling prophecy from long ago showing how God would indeed save His people.

Romans 4:24–25 ESV

It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

The resurrection of the Son of God means that He was counted as righteous before the throne of heaven.

The resurrection of Christ means that He was accepted before the Father.

What would it mean if NO BODY witnessed Jesus’ resurrection?

Or maybe it was only a few people and they only caught a glimpse of someone that looked like Jesus?

I think sometimes the way people think the disciples witnessed the resurrection is like when you drive by something quickly on the interstate and mistake it for something else.

You drive by a bush and it looks like a bear going 80 mph.

We think that Jesus somehow flashed before them briefly and then was gone but they were mistaken.

Jesus’ resurrection was validated by witnesses.

1 Corinthians 15:6–8 ESV

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.

The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus did not happen in isolation.

1 John 1:1–2 ESV

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands…

They touched Him.

They ate with Him.

They spoke with Him.

They saw Him with their eyes.

At one time more than 500 people saw Him together.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is fundamental to the gospel; its fact guarantees life, and its function gives significance to all that the Christian does in faith.

Now Paul asks two critical hypothetical questions in verse 12 and verse 35.

1 Corinthians 15:12 ESV

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?

“Why are some of you contending that the resurrection is not going to happen?”

“Why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead?” (NLT)

The Fact of the Resurrection Guarantees Our Own Resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:13–14 ESV

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.

If God does not raise the dead, then we are fools.

If the dead aren’t raised, than Jesus Himself hasn’t been raised.

If Jesus Himself has not been raised, then Paul’s preaching and our faith is worthless.

It’s worse than that though because if Jesus Himself has not been raised, then we make God out to be a liar.

1 Corinthians 15:15–16 ESV

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.

We make God out to be a liar.

We are also trusting in someone who was in fact a liar.

1 Corinthians 15:17–18 ESV

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.

Everyone who has passed on is in fact damned.

Everyone who has trusted in Jesus as Savior and Lord is in fact perished.

There is NO hope.

1 Corinthians 15:30–32 ESV

30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

If Christ is still in the grave, then Paul’s logic in quoting Isaiah 22:13 is in modern terms: YOLO (You Only Live Once). \

Do whatever you want!

Eat and drink because there is nothing else.

1 Corinthians 15:19 ESV

19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Every one of the men and women mentioned in the first 11 verses of 1 Corinthians 15 all died as martyrs.

The word “martyr” in the New Testament actually just means “witness.”

But think of all the martyrs that have come before us.

If Jesus is not raised from the dead, they died for no purpose.

If Jesus isn’t raised from the dead, then their life ended in a bitter tragedy.

Believers even today are murdered for their faith.

Just last month 70 believers were beheaded in central Africa.

Is this more futility?

1 Corinthians 15:20 ESV

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

But since Christ has been raised, we can expect resurrection.

In the Bible the phrase, “the firstfruits” is a harvest term that represents the first and best reaping of the crop.

Illustration of Planting a Seed

When I was growing up, we had a sandbox in our backyard beneath our treehouse.

One summer as a young boy, I was committed to having my own garden.

Though we had a huge garden, I wanted my own garden.

I remember planting the seeds and thinking to myself,

“How on earth will we get cherry tomato’s out of this?”

A tiny seed will produce something glorious and delicious.

As a young boy I scrapped the ground and made sure it had plenty of water.

Eventually, I had a plant.

Now what would happen if I had never seen a tomato before that day.

I had, but go with me.

If I had never seen a tomato, then I would have had no idea what that seed would have become.

When the plant came out of the ground, I would’ve rejoiced.

But can you imagine my joy when I actually saw the fruit?

The joy of seeing the fruits from the tiny seed put in the ground.

So it is when we think of Christ’s resurrection.

When we see the resurrection of the son of God, we see the first fruits of our own resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:21–22 ESV

21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

In Adam, everyone is dead in their trespasses and sins.

They are doomed and headed toward the rightful destination of those who are rebels and sinners, death.

In the garden, God promised that Adam and Eve would die if they ate the fruit and since Adam we have all died as a sign of the judgment on humanity.

But the coming of Christ meant that as much as we are made sinners in Adam, we will be made righteous in Christ (Romans 5:17)

Just as we are made righteous, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the validation that we will also be raised in the rightful order.

1 Corinthians 15:23–26 ESV

23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Christianity is not merely wishful thinking.

It’s not me nearly a positive outlook.

It’s the reality that the son of God came from heaven was born of a woman, lived a life that we could not live, died a death that we deserved.

And as we remember on Friday, it was our sin that put him there.

It was my sin, the deserved the death of the cross.

But the story doesn’t end on good Friday, it ends with resurrection hope of Easter Sunday.

The resurrection is the exploding reality that the Son of God has conquered the grave.

And all who are found in him, can look forward to their own resurrection in him.

The resurrection is the reality that death is not the last word.

Colossians 3:3–4 ESV

3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

It’s only the Christian understanding of death in life that brings true Hope.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is fundamental to the gospel; its fact guarantees life, and its function gives significance to all that the Christian does in faith.

The Function of the Resurrection in Swallowing Death Forever.

The second crucial question that Paul addresses is found in verse 35.

1 Corinthians 15:35 ESV

35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?”

“How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?” (NLT)

Many were saying, because we cannot comprehend what the body will look like in the resurrection state, it must be false.

Listen to Paul’s answer…

1 Corinthians 15:36 ESV

36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

We remember what the Lord Himself said to skeptics of the resurrection…

Illustration of Mixing Up Seeds

We all know what a seed looks like.

Seeds generally all look the same.

Sometimes you can see slight variations, but let’s pretend for a second that you threw a bunch of seeds together into a container.

Not knowing the kind of seeds.

Let’s pretend you pulled out a hand-full of seeds and asked,

“What will these seeds produce?”

The answer is, you would have no idea.

All you see in front of you are seeds.

The seeds generally look the same.

So to imagine what the end product will be is almost impossible.

Maybe you would know what it will produce if you understood what kind of seeds they were.

But what if you didn’t know what kind of seeds they were?

You would be at a loss for telling what would be produced.

Our mortal bodies cannot inherit the kingdom God is bringing.

1 Corinthians 15:37–38 ESV

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.

1 Corinthians 15:50 ESV

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Our bodies in their mortal state are like a “naked kernel” or if you will picture a corn kernel.

Unimpressive.

Unsubstantial.

Yet God has made our “bare kernel” to exist in this life.

He has made us to dwell in a place that breathes oxygen, that enjoys warm summer days, that gets cold in the winter.

Every “body” has a particular glory.

1 Corinthians 15:39–41 ESV

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.

All the mortal bodies we see around us are different.

They are different yet God has made them to exist in the state in which they are currently in.

Mortal body is perishably sown; but raised imperishable.

In a similar way to the seeds that I planted in my small tomato garden.

I couldn’t have imagined the tiny seeds are placed in the ground, and a plant comes forth.

1 Corinthians 15:42 ESV

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.

The earthly body will die.

Whereas the heavenly body will last forever.

1 Corinthians 15:43 ESV

43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory.

The earthly body is lowly.

Whereas the heavenly body will be gloriously amazing.

1 Corinthians 15:43 ESV

It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

The earthly body is weak and suffering.

Whereas the heavenly body is raised in strength.

1 Corinthians 15:44 ESV

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.

Paul does not mean that the spiritual body will be “ghostly” in some etherial state.

It does not mean we will float around like ghosts without physical body.

Paul is speaking “not…[what it is] composed of, but what it is animated by. It is the difference between speaking of a ship made of steel or wood on the one hand and a ship driven by steam or wind on the other.” (N.T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God)

Our earthly bodies are empowered by ordinary human life.

Whereas the heavenly body will be empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Then he gives a great example of this…

1 Corinthians 15:45–49 ESV

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.

Essentially saying, “let us bear the image of the man of heaven.” The believer must live today in light of the future

Thus, we wait in hope for the mortal to put on immortality.

1 Corinthians 15:54–57 ESV

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.

Illustration of the Truck and the Shadow

“I was driving with my children to my wife’s funeral where I was to preach the sermon.

As we came into one small town there rode down in front of us a truck that came to stop before a red light.

It was the biggest truck I ever saw in my life, and the sun was shining on it at just the right angle that took its shadow and spread it across the snow on the field beside it.

As the shadow covered that field, I said, "Look children at that truck, and look at its shadow. If you had to be run over, which would you rather be run over by? Would you rather be run over by the truck or by the shadow?"

My youngest child said, "The shadow couldn’t hurt anybody."

"That’s right," I continued, "and death is a truck, but the shadow is all that ever touches the Christian. The truck ran over the Lord Jesus. Only the shadow is gone over mother."

1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV

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 resurrection of Jesus Christ is fundamental to the gospel; its fact guarantees life, and its function gives significance to all that the Christian does in faith.