Eschatology: Resurrection

Introduction

Marvel Studios took 10 years and 21 movies building up to Avengers: Endgame.

When the payoff is worth the wait, it’s an awesome experience.

What is God’s endgame? Will the payoff be worth the wait?

Foretold in the Old Testament

Exodus 3:6, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

Psalm 16:10, “You will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.”

Psalm 49:15, “God will redeem me from the power of Sheol.”

Daniel 12:2, “Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal contempt.”

Expounded by Christ

Marriage discussion, Matthew 22:30ff; Mark 12:24ff; Luke 20:34ff, “In the resurrection from the dead [they] neither marry nor are given in marriage. For they can no longer die...”

Dual resurrections, John 5:29, “There is a time coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things; to the resurrection of condemnation.” (Cf Daniel 12:2)

Jesus is the resurrection, John 11:25

Foreshadowed

by OT resurrections

Elijah and the widow’s son, 1 Kings 17:17-24

Elisha and the Shunammite’s son, 2 Kings 4:18-37

Man being buried, 2 Kings 13:20-21

by Lazarus’ resurrection and others (John 11:43-44)

by mass resurrections at Jesus’ death Matt 27:52, “The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.”

Emphasized by the Apostles

Acts 2:24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

Acts 2:32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.

Act 3:7  And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.

Act 3:15  and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

Act 3:26  God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Act 4:10  let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.

Act 5:30  The God of our fathers raisedJesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.

Act 9:41  And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

Act 10:40  but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear,

Act 13:22  And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

Act 13:30  But God raised him from the dead,

Act 13:34  And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

Act 13:37  but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.

Acts 17:18, he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

Acts 17:31, of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.

Affirmed by Epistles

Paul

Romans 6:5, “If we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection.”

1 Cor 15:12ff

Philippians 3:10ff

2 Timothy 2:18

Anonymous

Hebrews 6:2; 11:35

Peter

1 Peter 1:3

1 Peter 3:21

John

Revelation 20:5-6

Transition: Resurrection is taught all across the Bible. But is there one text in particular that just dumps information on us? Is there one place in the Bible you can go and learn nearly everything you need to know about the resurrection? Yes, there is. That place is 1 Corinthians 15, and it’s where we’ll be spending the greater part of today and next Sunday.

Today, I want to give you three specific reasons that the resurrection should be important to you today.

Resurrection is the heart of our faith, 1 Cor 15:12-19

Christ’s resurrection is at the center of the gospel.

Paul begins this chapter with the gospel, 1 Cor 15:1-8

Paul preached the gospel when he invaded new territory, 1 Cor 2:1-2

Our resurrection depends on Christ’s resurrection.

If resurrection is impossible, then Christ’s resurrection is impossible and didn’t happen.

If Christ’s resurrection didn’t happen, Christianity has no meaning.

κενός: vain, empty, without results, senseless

μάταιος: futile, worthless, useless, empty

still you are in your sins

Hopeless (those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished)

Miserable (most to be pitied)

“If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die’” (1 Cor 15:32).

Resurrection is what makes Christianity make sense.

Illustration: The 6th Sense

Resurrection is the end of the age, 1 Cor 15:20-28

End of life, 1 Cor 15:20-21

We must pass through the waters of death before we can be resurrected.

Christian passing through the Jordan, Pilgrim’s Progress. Now, I further saw, that betwixt them and the gate was a river, but there was no bridge to go over: the river was very deep. At the sight, therefore, of this river, the Pilgrims were much stunned; but the men that went in with them said, You must go through, or you cannot come at the gate. The Pilgrims then began to inquire if there was no other way to the gate; to which they answered, Yes; but there hath not any, save two, to wit, Enoch and Elijah, been permitted to tread that path since the foundation of the world, nor shall, until the last trumpet shall sound. [1 Cor. 15:51,52] The Pilgrims then, especially Christian, began to despond in their minds, and looked this way and that, but no way could be found by them by which they might escape the river” (The Pilgrim’s Progress (Illustrated): From this world to that which is to come, p. 106).

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you” (Isa 43:2).

End of death, 1 Cor 15:24-25, 27-28

Revelation 20:11-15

Resurrection is where death goes to die.

Resurrection is the grave where death lays down never to rise again.

End of treason, 1 Cor 15:26

“The wages of sin is death.”

When death dies in resurrection, its wages need no longer be paid.

Rebellion begun in the garden will come to an end.

“Death will be no more” (Revelation 21:4).

Illustration:

Resurrection is the end of yourself, 1 Cor 15:29-34

Paul traded comfort for suffering because he believed in the resurrection.

Nihilism or resurrection? You will either live for self or God. There is no in-between (1 Cor 15:32-33).

Righteousness because of resurrection

Analogy: waking up from a bad trip / Otis in Andy Griffith

Drunk in sin

Wake up

Stop drinking

Bad company ruins good morals.

Associations

character, habits

Character is both formed and revealed by our habits, and our habits can be corrupted by our friends.

Knowledge of God

Conclusion:

Some of you will not be resurrected to life, because you refuse to come to the end of yourself. You won’t submit to Christ. If you will not die to self in this life, then you will die for eternity in hell. But if you die to yourself now, you will live forever in heaven.