The Delivery of The Kingdom

Introduction:

A. I Corinthians 15 largely deals with the doctrine of the resurrection.

B. The reason we are looking at it this morning is so we can see how the doctrine of the resurrection connects to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

C. We have been through the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24-25 and we saw the Last days according to Jesus and the application to us in Matthew 25 in the form of the Parables of the Kingdom.

D. Scriptures like we see in I Corinthians 15 help us fill in some of the gaps. They serve as a divine commentary on other Scriptures. They help us see many of the reasons that God does what He does and why He does things in sequence that when it comes to the Kingdom of Christ in the last days.

It may actually surprise us that all the events of history are pointing us to a certain theological revelation that has a crowning purpose to it.

For many of us that purpose is primarily about us arriving in heaven at our final destination.

As good as that is there is something more ultimate and grand than that.

And we see it in our text this morning being put forward in the context between the Father and the Son in the relationship of the Godhead.

Paul, writing to the Church at Corinth points to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and its implications as being a Kingdom indicator. Look at verses 22-23:

I. The Indication (22-23).

A. All are made Alive in Christ. Christ is the second Adam but unlike Adam He obeyed the Father flawlessly.

Therefore all the dead will be raised under the authority of Christ. We know this from Daniel 12:2 that the resurrection will take place even for the godless.

B. But Paul is speaking specifically about the Kingdom here.

Christ was raised from the dead as the firstfruits. This term firstfruits is a reference to the sacred nature of Christ resurrection by which in the end sanctions others to be raised from the dead in the future.

The Order is Christ first and then at His coming those who belong to Christ.

This coming will be at the end of the tribulation period as we saw in Matthew 24:29 in the Olivet discourse.

The trumpet of God will sound and the dead in Christ will rise first at His coming (I Thess. 4:16).

C. Now we all know our Lord is coming but what is going on in the meantime in regards to the Kingdom? Well, our text answers that question in verses 24-26. Look back at your text:

II. The Destruction (24-26).

A. Verse 24 tells us that when Christ returns it will be the end and at that point He will deliver His Kingdom over to the Father.

But before that there was a destruction that was taking place. God the Father was destroying the the enemies of the Son and His Kingdom.

Psalm 110:1 tells us: The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

Then we see that this happened in relationship to Christ death, burial and resurrection. Christ has been seated at the right hand of the Father, as the Father progressively destroys His enemies.

Hebrews 10:12-14 makes this clear: 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Every enemy of Christ will be destroyed at the point of the Kingdom being delivered over to the Father. And as we see in I Cor. 15: 26 that the final enemy to be destroyed will be death itself.

Christ must reign over His Kingdom until all of His enemies have been destroyed.

B. This is the context that we are currently in as we live in the world as the people of God.

We are in the business as the Church in the world of advancing the Kingdom through gospel proclamation and doing the good works of the Kingdom as the sheep of Christ.

We saw this last Sunday. We are to be ministering to the least of these just as if they were Christ Himself.

Christ is reconciling His enemies to Himself with the gospel message as He transforms people by His Spirit. We are the conduit that He is using.

(Example of Conduit in my house).

We have power in us for a reason Christian.

Church we are not hear to just hold the fort until Jesus comes we are here to take ground for the Kingdom.

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. (2 Cor 10:4).

They are the weapons that God empowers. Like gospel proclamation and prayer and encountering the Word of God and acts of service in His name and living out Christian community in the World with the display of spiritual gifts in the body. All being done in the Holy Spirit’s power.

Christian these are the things that God uses to advance His Kingdom in the world. They may be foolish in the eyes of those who are perishing but they are the things that God uses to advance the Kingdom.

He is doing this for the glory of the Son that in turn will result in the Father’s glory. The radiance of glory is all reflected back to the Godhead. Look at verses 27-28:

III. The Subjugation (27-28).

A. We see here that the Father acts on behalf of the Son.

The Father is destroying the enemies of the Son and putting them under the feet of the Son. The Father is making all things subject to the Son.

This does not mean that the Father is in subjection to the Son as Paul feels it necessary to clarify. The Father is the exception in verse 27.

God has created all things and He has worked the plan of redemption all for the glorification of the Son. All of history is pointing us in that direction.

To live out your Christianity with something else as the priority will in the end distort your Christianity.

If you make it primarily about yourself then there will be a distortion and you will find it hard to incorporate meaningful and ultimate purpose in your life.

We where made to be supporting cast in the historical narrative, but Christ is the star of the show.

B. Then the Son will be in fulfilled subjection to the Father when all things, including death, are put under His feet. Christ will have submitted to the Father’s plan and purpose in full and total completion.

And the Son and the whole of the Kingdom will be in subjection to the Father. The Kingdom is handed over to the Father as is stated back up in verse 24.

This doesn't mean that King Jesus no longer reigns but that He reigns in subjugation of the Father who established the Kingdom on His behalf.

Jesus will always be our King Christian. And every last person who has ever lived will either be redeemed by Him or they will be condemned as one of His enemies.

In the end it all comes down to this one important issue. Are you redeemed by the Lamb or are you still headed for judgement before a Holy God. That is all that matters is your life about Christ and His glory?

Conclusion:

A. In the Chaplin’s Office in Morristown Hospital in Morristown, NJ.

B. Nothing else matters for eternity except where you are in Christ.

Unbeliever: You need the gospel

C. Believer: Your security and Hope is in Christ. God has redeemed you for His purpose in the world you are the trophies of His divine grace.

The 1959 trophy Sacramento High School (Maybe).

Christian you are the trophy of the Father’s work of divine grace. The Cross reminds us. It doesn’t take us back to 1959 but it takes us back to the day our redeemer died in our place to pay our penalty.

To satisfy God’s wrath to reconcile us into His family. Confess and receive of His grace. Let’s Pray!