1 Cor 15:33-58

Chad Myhre

1 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

1 Corinthians 15:33–58

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1 Corinthians 15:33–35 ESV

1 Corinthians 15:33–38 ESV

33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. 35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 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.

SLIDE 3

1 Corinthians 15:33–38 ESV

Intro:

Daniel Webster said: “If religious books are not widely circulated among the masses in this country, I do not know what is going to become of us as a nation. If truth be not diffused, error will be. If the evangelical volume does not reach every community, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will.

“If the power of the Gospel is not felt throughout the length and breadth of the land, anarchy and misrule, degeneration and misery, corruption and darkness, will reign without mitigation or end”.

Daniel Webster was a smart man… he had foresight and understanding that has proven quite true over the years… ++

It all happens so slowly.

Our standards change.

We reduce.. we compromise.. we make excuses.. we reason..

And pretty soon.

We are content, we are.. claiming satisfaction.. ++

.. with what?

A different kind of marriage… a different kind of work-place ethic… a different kind of parenthood… a different kind of perspective…

It’s gone through this digression..

And now.. what you have is quite different that what it used to be.

You co-exist..

And.. somehow… you’re content w/it. ++

The passion, the dates, the get a ways, the spontaneity..

No more! Now.. it’s simply a companionant coexistence..

And, you sometimes, quietly ask..

“How’d it get this way?” ++

maybe, it’s your job.

You went through this digression..

And now.. you’re just going through the motions..

Your drudging your way through it, day after day..

Just, getting by.. just, doing the bare minimum.. just, passing time..

The zeal.. the drive.. the integrity to do it good and do it right..

There are so many things in life that we can look at and ask… after some time… we wonder: “How did it get this way?” “How did this change happen?” - “Why are my thoughts, my perspectives, my outlooks, my convictions… so different now than they were before?”

… No more!

Now.. you barely can handle going to work.. you hate it..

But, what else is there to do?

And sometimes, you quietly ask..

“How’d it get this way?” ++

When we come to this place every week, and we consider what our Bible’s say… we are often led to ask this about our spiritual life… ++

++ “How’d it get this way?”

It’s not what it used to be… “How’d it get this way?” ++

Quietly: “How’d it get this way?”

It’s a pretty simple answer..

When the good stuff stops coming in..

Something else.. is going to take its place. ++

This was Daniel Webster’s projection..

When the Good Word of God stops coming in..

Something else will.. ++

When the truth of God’s Word is shut out and despised..

Something else.. is going to start pouring in. ++

Apply that to your job..

Apply that to the relationships you have w/one another.

Apply that to the relationship you have… with God! ++

We all should be able to make this honest admission. When we cut back on the Word.. when we cut back on the fellowship.. when we cut back on the service and the worship.. – something else.. will take that place.. ++

And the heart.. the attitude.. the joy that was once there, as a product of your spiritual life.. is not the heart, nor the attitude.. nor the joy.. that you are experiencing… after “cutting back” ++

If the good stuff is not coming in.. something else will.. AND IT WILL.. effect us greatly.

Today’s passage of study opens up w/this comment.

“ebad company ruins good morals.” ++

Things work best for us, as spiritual people..

When our minds are opened up, and we are pouring spiritual things into it. ++

As believers.. we are designed for this.. we need this.. this is what makes us operate well..

But when other stuff starts pouring in..

….the worries, the fears, the stresses, the mundane, the mindless, the anxious, the lustful, the greedy…..

What happens? ++

No longer is the influence of spiritual things upon our spiritual life pure..

Now.. it’s corrupt. ++

If you leave America or Canada.. and get a glass of water out of the spigot, it might look clean.. it might look clear.. it might seem to be.. w/o corruption.. ++

However.. unseen to the naked eye..

There are certain kinds of bacteria.. and .. single cell life forms..

And when they pour into your mouth, and run down into your stomach..

Something bad.. usually happens.. ++

I’m telling you from experience,

The outcome.. is unpleasant. ++

It’s painful.. it’s untimely.. and, if I may be so blatant.. it stinks!

It doesn’t take much.. Just a little bit of the bad..

can corrupt, a whole lot of the good. ++

Maybe they washed those tomatoes with tap water… and in the tiny amount of residue that is left on that tomato… there are bacteria... ++

Those bacteria alone won’t hurt you… but, in no time flat… they begin to multiply… and what was maybe a drop of water… turns into a whole lot of misery.

For there, it was a stomach thing.. a lower intestinal thing.. and it was all due to a tiny bit of corruption in something I shouldn’t have eaten or should not have drunk. ++

Spiritually speaking… it’s not that different. it doesn’t take much bad company… to ruin good morals. ++

things like: fear, regret, anger, pride, slothfulness and down right selfishness…

The outcome.. is similar.. – What comes out.. is painful.. untimely.. and.. if I may be so blatant.. it stinks!!!

Here’s what I know from personal experience… when a little bad comes into my life… and don’t counter react with a reliance upon God and His Word… then it quickly has an affect on me..

I shouldn’t be giving Biblical counsel.

I shouldn’t be up here teaching the Word.

If I’m upholding my end of the deal to be:

blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not 2 given to wine, not violent, 3 not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not 4 covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, .. 6 not a 5 novice, AND.. having a good testimony among those who are outside….

If I’m not walking in these qualifications..

which are laid before me.. in I Timothy..

Then what business do I have?

None.

But here I am, week after week.

And sometimes, I’m here to teach you the word.. and I’m disqualified.

There’s been some corruption.

There’s been some cutting back.. and, some unfavorable input.

Those of you who are more discerning..

You can tell when things are off..

And since I’m a husband, a father, a friend, and a pastor… it also has an affect on the people around me. ++

But here’s the thing.. for me..

I get to have this motivation.. this opportunity.. this responsibility..

When I think of what I’m called to do..

When I think of my position.. my place here in this family..

This has been a huge motivation for me..

I’m compelled.. to stop the corruption.. – and to get things back on track..

God put me here, as a pastor.

And there’s too much at stake, for me to allow corruption’s influence… to run amuck in my life.

The quickest way to stop bad personal behavior..

.. is to see how it’s affecting other people.

I could give you a list.. of spiritual casualties.. that I can trace personal responsibility to.

If I as a pastor mess up… it affects you, the church I serve… it affects my family, it affects the organization of churches that I’m part of… and it affects any other person who calls themself a pastor ++

But.. you don’t have to be a pastor to realize this.

If I mess up, as a Christian dad… it affects my children. If I mess up as a Christian husband… it affects my wife..

But in a broader sense… when any of us mess up, as Christians… yes, it damages relationships in the here and now… but it also affects the testimony of Jesus that we are called to proclaim…

… not only with our words… but with our relationships… and with our work ethic… and with our deeds… and with our behavior… and so on…

You can be a dad.. a S.S. teacher.. in the Worship band.. an employee who’s known as a Xtian.. a boss who’s known as a Xtian..

The term “Christian” is literally defined: “a little Christ”

And so on.. and so on…

You simply need to be a Christian..

Literally defined: “a little Christ”

OR: an example.. of Christ. ++

When you say, “I’m a Christian”.. this is your literal admission..

You are saying.. “I’m an example of Christ.”

And that should be enough of a motivation…

To help us.. get back on track. ++

We all routinely get off track.

We should also be.. realizing who we are..

And .. routinely.. we should be getting on track. ++

Here in chapter 15.. the context is still.. the resurrection..

The context is still.. “don’t deny it.. don’t take it out of the gospel.. don’t change God’s truth, in exchange for your own opinion.” ++

What is the evil company that Paul speaks of here?

It’s that crowd.. that fellowship.. that communion.... with ideas and philosophies.. that are contrary to the Word of God. ++

With ideas and philosophies.. that are contrary to the Word of God.

Look at the beginning of vs. 33 - “Do not be deceived”

Literally, do not allow yourself to be taken in a different direction.. ++

Do not, be turned!

How are we turned?

Are we turned simply by having friends, acquaintances and co-workers that believe differently?

No.. - You should have friends, acquaintances and co workers that believe differently… ++

The next part says : bad / evil company.. ++

That word company.. in the original language.. speaks of intimacy..

It’s also translated.. communion.. ++

It speaks of deep, meaningful conversation..

..deep, meaningful communication and interaction. ++

You see, we are not always the most influential person in any given relationship..

Often times.. we are more easily influenced.. ++

Where as others are going with the flow and doing what they feel is good and right…

We are pushing against the current… we are not doing what feels right… we are seeking to deny the flesh and the desires within and are trying to do what God declares as being right. ++

We still have the hungers and desires of our flesh..

We are living as those, who are attempting to denounce the flesh, and consider it as dead..

… while, all along, we are pressing forward, trying to live in spiritual excellence..

The hungers and desires of our flesh..

They are always there.. pushing back.. speaking to us.. calling to us.. making promises to us.. ++

In this life, we are pushing against the flow.. and it’s not easy…

This is why we, of all people, are easily influenced..

Think of it this way…

It’s easier to get a rock to roll down hill..

Than it is to push it up hill…

If that rock.. is the desire of our flesh.. then it’s obvious.. which is easier to do. ++

When we get close w/someone who has different philosophies.. - When our relationship enters into terms of communion… and we are prone to their influence… ++

We really have to be diligent..

We .. occasionally.. slacken up on our spiritual disciplines..

They are in a place where they can pour into our lives… and we aren’t actively pouring positive spiritual truth into our spiritual lives… - then something else… will come in.

And we will be more susceptible..

Some people want to change their outlook on life, but they still want to be a Christian… so, what they do, is they begin to change their outlook… their view… and their understanding on what the Bible really says.

More receptive..

To a compromised view.

And, to appease and affirm their compromise… they reinterpret what the Bible actually says.. ++

But here’s the trap…

As soon as we take authority.. to denounce one part of the scriptures..

it’s inevitable.. we will soon take authority to denounce another part.. ++

Why?

Because the basis of our first denouncement..

.. the prominence of our feelings and opinions over God’s Word.

Once that is established..

God’s Word.. will always bend.. to our whims.. ++

And as a result… our habits.. our morals.. our integrity will be effected.

Then comes the wake up call of vs. 34.. ++

SLIDE 4

1 Corinthians 15:34 ESV

34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

1 cor 15:

Awake to righteousness..

When Paul cries out… commanding them to “WAKE UP”…

He’s implying.. that they were in a state of slumber.. some translations say “Wake up to righteousness”… implying… that this was a slumber of unrighteousness. ++

Why were they in this state?

Because they didn’t have a knowledge of God..

Or.. more appropriately..

They did not have.. a correct knowledge of God.. ++

Instead.. they had their own form of a knowledge of God..

One that was the result of corrupt influence.. ++

Your doctor will tell you that the proper amount of sleep.. is a healthy thing..

Too much sleep, according to Proverbs, is a bad habit.. -

A sign of slothfulness.. and ineffectiveness.. ++

Expounding on this verse.. Keith Green sang that song “Asleep in the light”

With difficult and challenging lines like:

“how can you be so dead, when you’ve been so well fed. Jesus rose from the grave, and you, can’t even get out of bed.” ++

Wow! What a strong statement..

One.. that you might call.. condemning.. and harsh..

Which, I’m sure.. is how some in Corinth felt while reading this part of Paul’s letter… when he called them out of their drunken stupor..

When Paul called them out of their drunken stupor..

Out.. of their place of spiritual ineffectiveness..

Out.. of their twisted doctrine.. ++

Picking up in vs. 35.. Paul addresses the mocking questions of the skeptics..

SLIDE 5

1 Corinthians 15:35–38 ESV

35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 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.

How is it going to happen for us? HOW IS THIS RESURRECTION GOING TO HAPPEN? ++

PAUL knew that they could not comprehend such a thing?

So he gave them an illustration of something they could comprehend. ++

If you put that ugly brown seed into the ground..

It changes..

Something happens to it..

It dies..

And from that death.. comes a new life..

One that is completely different..

One that is incredibly more impressive.. than the ugly brown seed.

SLIDE 6

1 Peter 1:23 ESV

23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

Our resurrection… is like a seed… not a seed that can rot and perish… but a seed that is spiritual… and eternal..

A normal seed dies to create the new life of the plant… this is what resurrection is like. This body will die… and a new life… a full on spiritual life, which looks nothing like the seed… will spring from it.

In Paul used a different illustration..

SLIDE 7

2 Corinthians 5:1–2 ESV

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,

2 COR 5.

When Paul teaches resurrection… he uses something they already know about… seeds and tents… and compares those things to something they also comprehend..

A seed, to a full grown plant… and a tent to an eternal heavenly dwelling.

What is yet to come… is so much greater… and so different… and not even worthy of comparison… to what is here right now.. ++

SLIDE 8

1 Corinthians 15:39–42 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. 42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.

slide 9

1 Corinthians 15:43–45 ESV

43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 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. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

SLIDE 10

1 cor

1 Corinthians 15:46–49 ESV

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.

There are things.. on this earth.. in this flesh..

that we can be impressed with.. ++

This flesh, has it’s own kind of splendor..

But.. the amazement.. the greatness.. the splendor of this flesh..

Is going to be different.. than the splendor.. of the spiritual. ++

These bodies.. have tremendous limitations..

These bodies were designed for 14 lbs of pressure per square inch.

That’s why.. high up in the sky, or under the water, we need pressurized cabins. ++

These bodies were designed to be sustained upon a specific mix of gasses:

78% oxygen, 21 percent nitrogen, and 1 % of assorted gasses.. ++

Because of this..

We remain.. for the most part.. earthbound.

Even with these limitations..

We are still able to do amazing things.. ++

There is still a glory, in this terrestrial body..

Though, in comparison the body of our resurrection..

What we have now.. no matter how impressive it is..

.. is just.. an ugly brown seed. ++

Back in it says: ++

SLIDE 11

Daniel 12:1 ESV

SLIDE 12

Daniel 12:2–3 ESV

2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

(NKJV)

12 “At that time Michael shall stand up,

Daniel 2:1 ESV

1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him.

The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;

aAnd there shall be a time of trouble,

Such as never was since there was a nation,

Daniel 12:1–3 ESV

1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

SLIDE 12

Even to that time.

And at that time your people bshall be delivered,

Dan 2.2-3

Daniel 2:2–3 ESV

2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.”

Daniel 2:2–3 ESV

Every one who is found cwritten in the book.

2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,

dSome to everlasting life,

Some to shame eand everlasting 1contempt.

3 Those who are wise shall fshine

Like the brightness of the firmament,

gAnd those who turn many to righteousness

hLike the stars forever and ever.

It would seem, according to these words in Daniel… that the glory we experience in eternity..

Will reflect.. our wisdom.. and our ministry unto others..

.. in the here and now… here on earth. ++

Paul says.. there are different glories to behold in the sky..

Some are different.. some are brighter.. some are more spectacular..

… so also, is the resurrection.. ++

Imagine that.. for all eternity.. we may bear a reflection..

Of what we did here. ++

Is that to say, that feelings like.. disappointment will exist in the eternal?

I doubt such..

But I do believe.. there will be joy in heaven..

SLIDE 13

And it could be said.. that there will be great joy..

And greater joy..

Great glory..

And greater glory.

God told Adam.. in

From dust you came.. and to dust you will return..

Genesis 3:19 ESV

19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

It’s an incredible thought to ponder..

The same 17 elements that compose the dirt under our feet..

Are the same 17 elements of which our bodies are comprised. ++

Adam was the father of mankind..

We are all born into Adam..

We were all members of his race..

And as member of that race..

We have before us.. the curses that were given to Adam..

Ultimately.. the curse of death. ++

However..

There is a 2nd Adam.

The last Adam..

Under whom.. we have been re-born.. ++

Previously.. as members of the first Adan’s race..

We were bound for the grave..

The end.. which is death.. ++

But, as members of this new race..

Born into Christ..

We are now.. sons and daughters.. of the Life Giving Spirit. ++

The body..

It’s probably going to die.. unless it first sees the rapture..

But if it dies..

We need not fear..

It’s just a seed..

And death is part of the process.

For in it..

We who are Christ’s..

Receive life.

But now.. according to (vss 47-49).. we bear, in this flesh.. the image of the first Adam.. ++

We are.. of the earth.. -we are… made of dust…

In .. it says of God.. “He remembers that we are dust”

SLIDE 14

In .. it says:

Isaiah 64:8 ESV

8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

IS. 6

..We are the clay, and You our potter, and all we are the work of Your hand..

In the next letter..

SLIDE 15

=But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, mthat the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

2 Corinthians 4:7 ESV

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

2 Corinthians 4:8 ESV

8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, mthat the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Sometimes we are prone to beat ourselves up… because we have a hard time standing… in righteousness… properly, for prolonged periods of time…

We.. mess up. Most of us do it.. routinely..

Most of us, are compelled to repent and get back on our feet..

And we do this often.. ++

And as we do this… again and again… her is another reminder..

That we are dirt.

And God knows it.. ++

Our state here, is humble and weak..

Easily crumbled.. unstable.. susceptible to erosion.

And yet, we are called to right living.. ++

And this is a challenge that the Scriptures lay out before us every time we open them… ++

But, at the same time..

In the face of our own weakness and humility..

We need to remember..

In the here and now:

We’re never going to be anything more.. than earthen vessels.. ++

I believe.. that we sometimes expect more out of ourselves.. than our Father does… ++

He knows we are dirt.

From time to time.. we might try to polish and paint our earthen vessels..

We do this, by putting on insincere acts of spirituality. ++

But in all honesty.. What does a great spiritual demonstration do?

Big words and hype.. dramatic prayers and grandious claims…

What does it do? ++

Maybe it causes people around us to say:

Wow!

Wow about what?

Do they say wow about the earthen vessel, or the treasure inside of it? ++

There is a lot that we can say “wow” about… when the human flesh does something impressive. Acrobatics, skateboarding tricks, running real fast, walking on your hands. par cor…

But trumped up, false demonstrations of spirituality.... that’s now ‘wow worthy’....

Hopefully, people do occassionally say wow to our spirituality… When, because we are relying upon Jesus to be our strength in a time of weakness...

...

…when we are trusting in God through acts of worship, or service, or generosity...

...

…when we are making life decisions that are God-centered rather than self-centered...

...

…Not because we are seeking it… no, we are generally walking in humility with the intent to please God… but sometimes people see us… and they say WOW… Not because of us… but rather… because our treasure is shining through… ++

Our treasure is Christ.

We might think.. we are not spiritual enough.. we don’t look right or talk right.. or dress right..

Therefore.. we’re not going to serve the Lord.. ++

Such thoughts are wrong.

The glory is not found in the vessel.

The glory is found in the treasure. ++

In .. God was very specific about how He wanted to be worshipped in that time..

The altar.. was not to be made of cut stones.. polished brass, or beaten gold..

No… just the natural stones.. just the natural earth.. the way they were found..

Why?

So that nothing would detract from the sacrifice that was laid upon it. ++

May we.. walk with this kind of a heart..

a heart of humility.. a heart of surrender..

a heart that desires.. in all things..

to manifest the treasure that is w/in us..

May Christ be seen..

And not us.

And yet, here’s the underlying hope..

Now.. I am that clay pot.. that earthen vessel..

But one day: vs. 49:

I’ll finishe bearing the image of the man of dust, and shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

And will bear.. the image of the heavenly Man.

SLIDE 16

1 Corinthians 15:50–53 ESV

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

SLIDE 17

1 Corinthians 15:54–56 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.

.54-

SLIDE 18

1 Corinthians 15:57–58 ESV

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 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.

.57-

The rapture is a mysterious thing.

Of course, rapture is a word that is not found in the bible.. but the term “caught up” is.. which, by way of the Latin..

.. is where we get the word “rapture” ++

SLIDE 19

It’s described again in:

1 Thessalonians 4:15–16 ESV

15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left 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 cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

SLIDE 20

15 For this we say to you xby the word of the Lord, that ywe who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are 4asleep. 16 For zthe Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with athe trumpet of God. bAnd the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 cThen we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them din the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus ewe shall always be with the Lord. 18 fTherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:17–18 ESV

17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 THES

For ages, people have been attempting to apply their logic to this..

Such a thing.. is not going to work.. ++

People have theorized that our souls will sleep.. in death, until the day of the rapture..

But scripture says: absent from the body.. present w/the Lord.. ++

If the dead in Christ, are present w/Him.. how is it, that their bodies are not raised up until this day? ++

Well, again, we are not beings comprised exclusively of flesh..

And it’s likely, that we will be w/the Lord, in Spirit.. immediately after our death..

And on the day of the rapture, when God miraculously transforms what is left of our flesh..

Into a glorious body..

It will be joined to our spiritual self..

This is one theory.. ++

But this next theory, is by far, my favorite. ++

Is not time, a limitation that God has created for us, in this world and in this flesh?

Is He bound by it?

No.

Therefore.. could it be possible..

That the very moment we all awaken on the other side of death..

It is, this day spoken of here… in and in ??? ++..

Those who have died in the past.. those who are dying now.. and we who will die in the future..

.. will shed the bonds of time, and all, at once, immediately.. . will be together in that moment of rapture and resurrection…

Being resurrected and transformed into glory.

This also is theory.. ++

And no matter what we foresee as a method and as a timing for resurrection and rapture… it’s going to be a theory. We don’t have all the details…

but I like the theory of us all entering into that great moment of “now” at the same time after our death.

++++

Before we close…

Very quickly.. let’s consider for a moment the content of chapter 16..

IN the first four verses, he advises them on taking collections..

Let it be a weekly thing..

Then, when I come, there will be no collection..

I’ll simply take what you’ve collected over time, and disperse it to the Saints in need. ++

From vs. 5, down to vs. 12..

he discusses various details on his travel plans, and the potential visits of Timothy and Apollos.. ++

In vs 15 – end.. He closes with an encouragement..

by laying before them the example of a servant named Stephanas.. ++

a man who was devoted to the saints..

and A man, they should recognize, and learn from.. ++

In the middle of all these formalities..

Paul gives one final challenge.. ++

SLIDE 21

Read vs. 13-14

1 Corinthians 16:13–14 ESV

13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.

i cor 16.

Watch!

Watch for what?

Two things.. the enemy, and the Savior..

Then enemy.. .. is a roaring Lion.. seeking whom he might devour..

But watch also.. for the return of our Lord.. ++

Stand Fast In the Faith!

Be, unmoving. Complete what you have begun.

.. especially, and specifically.. in the things of the faith. ++

Be Brave!

It’s a choice we make.. in faith..

To denounce the emotions of fear..

And say before the Lord..

I’m going to do it. I’m going to hold my ground.. and move forward. ++

Be Strong!

We heard this of Joshua.. often..

He was often being told: be strong and of good courage..

Why?

Because God was leading Joshua to take some mighty steps of victory for His glory. ++

And finally: “Let all that you do be done with love.”

This takes us directly back to chapter 13..

What you do.. is unimportant.. it’s nothing..

Even if you’re standing fast.. being brave and being strong..

Those things are nothing..

Unless.. they are done in love. ++

Conclusion: There, we’ve done it. We’ve completed I Corinthians.

We continue on, with Paul’s 2nd letter to the same church..

The next time. ++

Invite up band.

I’m not going to call you to anything specific today.

The passages we studied covered a broad spectrum of topics..

And, it’s very likely, that the H.S. may have spoken to your heart about something completely different.

If today, you want someone to pray w/you about something..

You have a challenge before you.

You need healing.

You’re ready, to give your heart to the God.. and receive Jesus as your Savior..

You need Jesus to pour His Spirit on you afresh..

Hey, whatever it is..

I encourage you..

To come up, and pray.

Prayer works..

Close w/song!

2 addicted

3 NU omits not greedy for money

4 loving money

5 new convert

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d [; , ; ]

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1 Lit. abhorrence

f ; , ;

g ; [, ]

m ;

x ; ; ;

y , ;

4 Dead

z [, ]

a []

b []; ; ;

c [];

d ; ;

e ;

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