Live for the Resurrection

Bottom line

We need to live our life in light of eternity!

Opening Line

There’s nothing new under the sun.

Introduction

To quote King Solomon exactly.

Ecclesiastes 1:9–11 NLT

History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.

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I find that the more years that past, I understand more and more what Solomon means. Fashion seems to be on a perpetual caousel. Everything that I wore in high school seems to be coming back. Movies nowadays are just remakes of old movies with a modern twist.

I appreciate a book title I cam across recently. It was called Old Demons New Days. The author talked about how the temptations and sinful behavior of people really isn’t all that different then it was in the days the bible was written, its just been repackaged. The truth is, there really is nothing new under the sun.

Main Point

This has been a subtle theme that we have encountered a lot as we go through Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Where there are times as you read and preach scripture, much of the challenge is drawing the connection between a 2000 year old letter and the 21st century. But as we’ve gone through this letter, there hasn’t been a lot of confusion. Much of what Paul is addressing are issues that the modern church is all too familiar with.

This morning, as we dive into chapter 15, Paul is trying to encourage the church to live in light of the resurrection. He starts by laying the evidence of the resurrection, followed by laying out the consequences if the resurrection isn’t real.

Why it matters

What had happened in the Corinthian Church was that the Epicurean philosophy, a popular line of thinking of the day, had started to seep into the church. The Epicureans didn’t believe in the resurrection. They believed in living life without stress, and instead to pursue the pleasures of life. Paul says it best in v. 32, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Its not called the Epicurean philosophy anymore, and no there’s no connection between the ancient way of thinking and modern company Epicure. I checked. But this line of thinking has certainly weaseled its way into the church. Live your best life. Show up at church when it works. Don’t give sacrificially, how will you ever afford the latest and greatest toys? Rack up as much debt as possible because someone else will pay it off. Live in the moment, with no consideration of tomorrow’s consequences. Sound familiar? It’s everywhere!

The reason it is everywhere, even in the church, is because the resurrection has been all but forgotten. Because there is difference between knowing that there will be a resurrection, and believing it enough to let it impact every area of your life.

So we are in 1 Corinthians 15, and Paul is going to make his case for the resurrection, and more importantly the implications of our life today.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:1–9 NLT

Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

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First and foremost, what is the Good News, or the Gospel that Paul is refering to? The Good News is that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and on the third day was raised from the dead. The Good News is that Jesus has conquered sin and death, and the free gift of God is that you can also experience freedom from sin and experience a new life in Christ.

Then Paul goes on to prove that the Good News can be trusted. Over 500 people saw him after his resurrection. The crucifixion of Jesus is not really debated. The Romans recorded, and lots of people were witness to it. But because of the miraculous nature of the resurrection, Paul knows he has to prove it. It is hard to ignore the sheer volume of witnesses who could attest to the resurrected Lord.

After proving the validity of the resurrection, Paul goes on to show why the resurrection was such a big deal.

1 Corinthians 15:12–19 NLT

But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

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Why is the resurrection such a big deal? First and foremost, it is a major point of the Good News. If Jesus has not been raised from the dead, then he hasn’t conquered death. If he hasn’t conquered death, then has he really conquered sin? And if he hasn’t conquered sin, what is the point of the hardships the church experienced? Paul says this a little later in the chapter.

1 Corinthians 15:30–33 NLT

And why should we ourselves risk our lives hour by hour? For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you. And what value was there in fighting wild beasts—those people of Ephesus—if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”

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What is point of the apostles putting their lives on the line for a lie? What is the point of losing family members and resisting the urge to sin? If this is all there is, then we might as well eat and drink and be merry. Even Solomon says this in Ecclesiastes. The sun comes up and goes, the rains come and go, there’s nothing new under the sun, everything happens in its season. Why toil and work hard in this life? You might as well enjoy this life while it lasts.

Unless this life isn’t all there is. That is Paul’s point.

1 Corinthians 15:20–28 NLT

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.) Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

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Paul says actually Jesus has been raised from the dead, and this is the hope. The hope that one day this broken, messed up world will finally and totally be put under the authority of Jesus. That sin will finally be completely conquered, so that even death will lose its sting in light of the Kingdom of Jesus. Since Adam is the father of all, and Adam brought death into the world because of his disobedience, Jesus gives new life to everyone who has declared him as their Savior.

So how do we respond to the Good News of Jesus eventual victory over everything?

1 Corinthians 15:34 NLT

Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all.

How can Paul say that? Because of how some in the church are living. Those who live in light of Jesus’ victory and resurrection live differently then the rest of the world, and Paul knows that there are some who would prefer live for today, rather then for eternity.

Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning! Why? Because Jesus has conquered sin, he has paid your debt so that you can be free from sin, so live accordingly!

Then Paul dives into the resurrection of the body.

1 Corinthians 15:35–38 NLT

But someone may ask, “How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?” What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed.

Paul goes on to say that human flesh is different from animals. Even the heavenly bodies differ from each other. The sun has a different glory then the moon, and each star differs from each other.

1 Corinthians 15:42–44 NLT

It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.

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Paul talks about how the spiritual body is going to be completely different then the physical mortal body. As different as the sun is from the moon. As different as a human is from a fish. And why do our bodies need to be so radically changed in the resurrection?

1 Corinthians 15:50–55 NLT

What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

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I want to pause on something significant that Paul says in v. 51. He tells the church that not all will die. Why? Because Paul genuinely believed that Jesus’ return was imminent. He preached with an urgency, sharing God’s desire that none would perish.

Do you share in the same urgency? Do not the events of the world catch your attention, stirring an urgency that time is short? Do you not realize that the number of your days is not a given, and that your life could be required of you this very day? Paul believed it, why don’t we share in the same urgency?

On that day, in a blink, in a moment, your mortal bodies will be replaced with immortal bodies so that you can enjoy the new heaven and new earth that Jesus is going to establish.

So what is our response to all this?

Transition to Application

1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

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Main To Do

What is Paul saying. He is encouraging you to remain immovable in the hope of the resurrection. Stay strong in the truth that this life is not all there is. No matter how hard things get, remember that the pain is momentary in light of eternity.

Always work enthusiastically for the Lord. Paul said earlier in the letter to do everything, even eating and drinking, to the glory of God, not simply for the enjoyment of life.

To live in light of the resurrection is to live in victory over sin. Jesus has defeated sin, so why would you tolerate sin in your life?

Why it matters

Closing Line

Discussion Questions

What stood out from the message?

How can we apply the message of living in light of eternity in our daily decisions?

What steps can we take to ensure that the resurrection impacts our lifestyle and priorities?

How do we foster a sense of urgency in our faith similar to Paul’s belief in the imminent return of Christ?