The hope of the resurrection

Introduction

The Apostle Paul was a man who gave himself completely to the cause of Jesus Christ. We read the 2 Corinthians 11 of all that he suffered for the sake of the Gospel, we read in the book of Acts of his missionary journeys and the thousands of miles he travelled to make Christ known. We also know from 2 Timothy that he was ready to be poured out as a drink offering, in other words to give face martyrdom. If we were to sum up the life of Paul in one sentence it would be the words of Phil 1:21 For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

If we were to ask the question what was it that spurred Paul on? How could he live with such resolve? How could he lay everything down so confidently for Jesus Christ?

Paul answers in his own words Phil 3:10-12 “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

Paul’s mind was fixed upon his future resurrection from the dead. He knew that the body he had though worn out, beaten and eventually killed. He would rise again. He would receive a glorified body and would dwell in the new heavens and the new earth. This was his hope.

It is a sad fact that today we seem by and large to have forgotten about our resurrection from the dead. Most believe in heaven by thats all they really believe about the afterlife of the Christian. But if that is all someone think about then they are missing a wonderful part of what believers will enjoy in the new creation.

It was the certain hope of receiving a glorified body that caused Paul to live as he did. Theology affects behaviour. What we believe affects how we live.

How can we live for the glory of Christ with such resolve like the Apostle Paul? There are a few possible answers but one of them is certainly having our hope fixed upon our future resurrection.

In order for us to do that we need to understand what the Bible teaches about this wonderful hope we have in Jesus. That is what we are going to be looking at this evening. What does the Bible teach us about the resurrection of believers?

I want us to look at this topic under three headings.

I. The certainty of our resurrection

II. The glory of our resurrection

III. The way to live in light of our resurrection

We are going to us 1 Cor 15 as our foundation and then look at other passages that touch on this truth.

Firstly, then we have the certainty of our resurrection.

I. The certainty of our resurrection v.20-26

a) Christ’s resurrection guarantees ours 20-22

The Bible teaches that the future resurrection of believers is absolutely certain because Jesus himself has risen from the dead. Christ’s resurrection guarantees ours, because he has risen we will rise.

This is what Paul teaches in 1 Cor 15:20-22. Look with me at these verses.

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”

i) he is the first fruits

Here Paul makes two points.

The first is that Jesus by his resurrection has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Here Paul is referring to a principle in the Old Testament when the Israelites had a harvest they had to bring the first fruits of the crop to God as an offering. This meant they took the first sheaf into the temple as an offering to God.

The first fruits are those that grow first and are ready for harvest before the rest of the crop.

The first fruits were a taste or a guarantee of what was to come.

So this verse tells us the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the guarantee of our resurrection.

He was the first to rise again and he is an example and guarantee of what will happen to those who believe in him.

Just as Christ was raised so Christians will be raised. Just as he now has a glorified body. See we will have a glorified body.

ii) everyone in him shall be made alive

The second point made in these verses is that everyone who is in Christ, will we raised from the dead. Paul says just as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Here we are reminded of the biblical teaching that Adam was the head of the human race. He was our covenant head, representative before God. When he fell we all fell. Death came through him and passed to every person. All in Adam die. We are in Adam by natural descent, we are his offspring and so we inherit his sin nature and his mortality.

The wonderful truth in 1 Cor 15:22 is that although we are all born in Adam, through faith in Jesus Christ we become united to a new covenant head, which is Christ. Just as in Adam all die, so all in Christ shall be made alive. If a person has repented of their sin and put their faith in Christ, he becomes their covenant head and in him they receive every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. This includes our resurrection from the dead. Jesus is the first fruits of the resurrection. He is our new covenant head, we are united to him by faith. As a result of these two truths our resurrection is certain. It will definitely take place. Jesus has risen and so we will rise.

Jesus himself said in John 11:25-26 “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Jn 11:25–26.

b) The dead will be raised at the return of Christ 23-26, 51-52

1 Thess 4:13-16

II. The glory of our resurrection v.35-57

a) Perishable is raised imperishable v.42-44,

i) Perishable/ imperishable

We could also translate these words as corruption and incorruption.

v.53-55

ii) dishonour/ glory

iii) weakness/ power

iv) physical/ spiritual

Like Christ’s body- Luke 24:36-43 he had physical properties and yet he could pass through walls and appear.

b) Conformed to the image of Christ v.45-49

Philippians 3:21, 1 John 3:2, Romans 8:30

1 John 3:2- This is beyond our understanding but we know we will be like him. He will be the firstborn among many brethren.

We will still retain our identity- Moses and Elijah transfiguration

III. The way to live in light of our resurrection v.30-32, 58

a) Live for the glory of Christ v.30-32

Hebrewss 11:35, Phil 3:10-14

b) Labour for the Lord as nothing is in vain v.58

Conclusion