June 7, 2015
Morning Service

I Cor. 15:35-58

 

            Last Sunday morning, at the beginning of chapter 15 of I Cor., the Apostle Paul reminded the church at Corinth of the gospel that he preached to them, and they had accepted it. 

Then he began making arguments for the resurrection.  The resurrection is what Christianity has that no other religion has.  We have the only risen Savior.  The rest are still in the graves awaiting the resurrection. 

Then Paul told the church what was going to happen after the resurrection.  He said, “then comes the end.”   1Co 15:24-26  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.  (25)  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.  (26)  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.  

Let us now finish chapter 15, and see how Paul continues to explain the resurrection.

 

1Co 15:35-58  But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? 

·         I think these are very good questions.

(36)  Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:  (37)  And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:  (38)  But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. 

·         We know that like produces like.  You can’t sow wheat, and get corn, or peas, you’ll get wheat.    Following he makes it a little clearer.

(39)  All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.  (40)  There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 

·         Paul goes on.

(41)  There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 

·         We can see this.    Now the resurrection.

(42)  So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:  (43)  It is sown in dishonour; 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. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.  (45)  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 

·         Here Paul refers to Christ as the last Adam. 

·         Paul quotes from Genesis, and the creation, when he speaks of the first Adam becoming a living soul.   Then he states that the last Adam was a quickening ( or alive ) spirit.

(46)  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.  (47)  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.  (48)  As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.  (49)  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 

·         These Scriptures need no interpretation, they are easily understood.  It is very hard for us to comprehend, and that is why we must accept it by faith.  The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

·         I’ve heard it said, “I want to be so heavenly minded that I am no earthly good.”

 

 

(50)  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 

·         Basically the body we have now is not suited for heaven.  It will eventually go back to dust.  We are going to need a different body to live in the heavenly realm.  But let us not forget that eternal life is a gift from God to all those that accept Jesus of Nazareth as their Savior.  The wages of sin is death, no eternal life abides in sin.

(51)  Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

·         Paul told the Philippians,  Php 3:20-21  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:  (21)  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

·         And then the church at Thessalonica;  1Th 4:13-18 

·         These Scriptures are to build our confidence on what is going to happen when the Lord returns for His people.  Yes, now we walk by faith.   This faith comes from hearing the Word of God.

(53)  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  (54)  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 

·         Paul is quoting from Isa. 25:8; 

·         This all goes along with the description we have of Jesus before He went away into Heaven.

·         He met with His disciples, they recognized Him, and when He ascended back into heaven, they saw Him, and He was in His glorified body.

Then Paul adds as a kick in the head to satan;

(55)  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  (56)  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 

·         The Apostle’s letter to the church at Rome, in chapter 7, has a very good explanation of the law, and sin.  This chapter helps us to understand the warfare that goes on within our bodies.

And then he closes this chapter with these words.

(57)  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

·         The letter to the Hebrews explains how much better the sacrifice of Jesus is, than the sacrifices of bulls, and goats.  How much greater is our N.T. covenant, purchased by the blood of Jesus, than that of the O.T. and the law.

(58)  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

·         THERFORE:  Because there will be a resurrection;  because we have victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, we need not fear death, it has no hold on us.  We shall be resurrected, and live with the Lord eternally. 

·         Paul has told us what was going to happen when the Lord returns for His church, listen to Jesus.

·         Mat 24:30-31  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  (31)  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

OUR LORD IS COMING BACK FOR A PEOPLE THAT HAVE PREPARED THEMSELVES FOR HIS COMING.

 

ALMIGHTY GOD HELP US TO PREPARE WITH A BURNING DESIRE IN OUR HEARTS TO PLEASE, AND SERVE YOU.    AMEN.