Resurrection Realities
Notes
Transcript
The resurrection of Jesus Christ provides …
I. The Reality of New Life (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
I. The Reality of New Life (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
Resurrection Reality
Resurrection Reality
Paul has just ended by saying in 1 Corinthians 15:19, “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.”
BUT (!)
Christ has been raised is in the perfect tense, meaning it happened in the past, but has ramifications for the present and the future.
There is only one individual in all of history who rose from the dead and still lives — Jesus Christ.
The First Fruits
The First Fruits
The first fruits represented the best of what would be offered, and were a representative sample that everything belongs to the Lord.
Harvest could not take place until the first fruits had been offered.
Christ’s death and resurrection is the first fruits of all who died. When God raised Jesus from the dead, He was announcing to all
This alone is what is acceptable to Me
This is the only payment that satisfies
This is the only payment that will ever be required
He [Jesus] is the only One who is worthy of worship
Nothing else is required or demanded for salvation to be imparted to others
Christ as the first fruits provides us with certainty
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.
Pledge — a downpayment given signifying that the full amount will be paid.
Certainty of New Life
Certainty of New Life
By man came death, in Adam all die
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—
When you were born, you were born in sin. We live for us; we live for our own:
Desires
Feelings
Ambitions
Interests
Everyone sinned. Everyone will die.
By Man came life, in Christ all will be made alive
17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. 18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.
The exclusivity of the gospel — v. 22 does not mean everyone will be saved. Salvation is qualified by being in Christ, and the promise is that for those who are (cf. Rom. 10:9-10), all will be made alive.
Will everyone in Christ be made alive now or in the future?
Yes.
We often think of being made alive, of resurrection, as a future reality, and it is! When you submit your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, He gives you the Holy Spirit as a downpayment, as a ticket, and your destination is set. You will one day experience the fullness of resurrection in Christ in all its glory.
But Jesus Christ died not only for the future, but so that new life could be experienced presently.
If you are in Christ, you are a new creation
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
If you are in Christ, your new life takes place through a divine exchange
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
You are only able to be reconciled because God made a way through His Son, Jesus Christ.
You give your deadness and receive His life
You give your brokenness and receive His completeness
You give your shame and receive His joy
You give your
If you are in Christ, you can live life abundantly
10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
If you are in Christ, He is accomplishing the change in you
20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
If you are in Christ, you are tasked with heralding the message of reconciliation
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ provides …
II. The Reality of Hope Because of Kingly Victory (1 Corinthians 15:23-28)
II. The Reality of Hope Because of Kingly Victory (1 Corinthians 15:23-28)
The Order of Events
The Order of Events
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
Christ was resurrected as the first fruits
Then those who are His are resurrected at His Second Coming
The dead in Christ will rise first
Then we who are alive and remain [in Christ]
Then comes the End—the goal, the completion—of Christ’s reign
No matter your perspective on the timeline of these verses, here is the point:
Jesus Christ is coming back physically, bodily, and victoriously.
SThere is great hope in that!
Our hope is NOT in
Nations
Governments
Politicians
Pastors
Media
Natural Resources
Technology
etc.
Our hope is in Jesus Christ
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
We have hope because Jesus Christ is victorious
Despite our sinful past, we have hope because Christ provides a future.
Despite conflicts, suffering, and persecution, we have hope because Christ provides peace, fulfillment, and contentment.
Despite the ever-present reality of death, we have hope because Christ provides the reality of new life.
We have hope because of Jesus
8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” 9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
Jesus is the Focus
Jesus is the Focus
The focus of the resurrection, salvation, and eternity is NOT me focused.
It is not about getting to see loved ones
It is not about the place He has prepared for me
It is not about the scenery
It is not about the absence of pain or suffering
These are all added benefits
The focus is on Jesus Christ
The focus here in this passage is on who Jesus is and what He has accomplished.
The focus here on earth is on who Jesus is and what He has accomplished.
The focus in heaven is on who Jesus is and what He has accomplished.
Revelation 4:11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
That is what the resurrection of Jesus, and even more the resurrection of those who have trusted in Him demonstrates
DEATH HAS BEEN PUT TO DEATH THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL
In other words, this is the fulfillment of Christ’s redemptive work, and ALL of creation is restored to God’s original design.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ provides …
III. The Reality of Christian Living (1 Corinthians 15:29-34)
III. The Reality of Christian Living (1 Corinthians 15:29-34)
