Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.” - John 11:39
This morning we will wrap up our 3-part study of resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15. Paul began the chapter by establishing the fact of Christ’s resurrection, then proceeded to explain the order of resurrection. At the end of the chapter, he discusses the mystery of resurrection. What will the bodies of the dead be like when they are resurrected? Like decaying zombies? I sure hope not! In today’s message we will contrast our earthly bodies with our future resurrected bodies.
I. A FEW EXAMPLES (1 Cor. 15:35-41)
At the beginning of this paragraph, Paul posed 2 questions - “How are the dead raised?” and “With what kind of body?” He then proceeded to answer them both. Starting with how the dead are raised, Paul pointed out that seeds do not produce growth and new life until they first die. The death of a planted seed results in the new life of a seedling. This is not an outlandish or unheard of phenomenon. In much the same way, the death of a Christian’s temporal body gives way to the resurrection of their eternal one.
As for the type of bodies that resurrected believers will have, Paul provided 3 examples. Paul explained that bare grain sown into the ground has a very different body than the wheat or other type of crop that it becomes. In accordance with His divine wishes, God gives seeds a different body than the plants which sprout forth from them. Whatsmore, not all flesh is the same kind - Paul pointed out that people, animals, birds, and fish all have different types of flesh.
Then he stated that the glory of heavenly bodies and earthly bodies also differs. The glory of the sun, the glory of the moon, and the glory of the stars are each different and unique. Their visible brilliance constantly changes. In fact, each star is distinctly different from the others. Thus, creation itself declares that life emerges from death, that not all flesh is the same, and that not all bodies have the same type of glory.
II. THE RESURRECTED BODY (1 Cor. 15:42-49)
Based on the examples he’d given and the principles he’d established, Paul began teaching about the resurrected human body. It is sown as a perishable body, but is raised as an imperishable body. It is sown in dishonor, but is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, but is raised in power. It is sown as a natural body, but is raised as a spiritual body. When the dead are resurrected, their bodies will be wonderfully changed - they will have a new and greater essence, composition, power, and glory.
Paul wrote that God breathed life into the first man, Adam, and through him all people have natural lives. However, in the last Adam, referring to Jesus Christ, all people have the hope of spiritual and eternal life through faith in Him. The progression is simple - the natural precedes and ultimately gives way to the spiritual. The earthly comes before the heavenly. This explains why Jesus told Nicodemus that a person must be born first of water (naturally) and then of the Spirit (spiritually) in order to be saved (John 3:5-6).
Thus, Paul declared, there are 2 categories of people. Some are earthly, which means they are fallen, corrupt, and still under the curse of sin and death (all people start out this way). Others are heavenly, which means that they are redeemed, righteous, and freed from the curse of sin and death. What accounts for the difference? Some have trusted in Jesus for salvation and others have not. Describing himself and his colleagues, Paul stated that they once bore the image of the earthly, but now bore the image of the heavenly because they had believed.
III. LIFE IS VICTORIOUS (1 Cor. 15:50-58)
Paul made it clear that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. In other words, natural bodies are incompatible with and thus cannot exist in heaven. That which is perishable is not suited for imperishability. Having said this, Paul revealed a spectacular mystery. In a moment, in just the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet sounds, at the coming of Christ the dead will be resurrected and instantaneously changed. So also, those who are alive in this moment will be changed. I believe these verses are describing the rapture. The fleshly, mortal, perishable bodies of all Christians will be transformed into imperishable, immortal, glorified bodies fitted to abide for eternity in heaven. As necessary, these eternal bodies will be reconciled with their souls.
When the righteous have been resurrected and their bodies glorified, then the prophecy that death will be swallowed up in victory will be completely fulfilled (Isaiah 25:8). Furthermore, the taunts that death’s victory and stinging power are forever absent will be fully realized (Hosea 13:14). The sting of sin led to death and the Law defined sin thus contributing to its fatal potency. But thanks be to God, who gives victory over sin and death to those who trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.
As so, having finished his teaching on resurrection, Paul urged the Corinthians - his beloved brethren - ‘to be steadfast, immovable, [and] always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” They need not be anxious about their deceased loved ones or even their own eternal destinies. They could serve God with confidence knowing that the resurrection would come in accordance with the LORD’s perfect will and timing.
CONCLUSION
In the passage of Scripture we looked at this morning, Paul focused primarily on the glorious change that will take place to the physical bodies of believers. But let’s not forget that nonbelievers will be raised also. They too will be fitted with everlasting bodies, but theirs will be fashioned for unending suffering and judgment. If you like creepy movies, I’m sorry to break it to you… there will be no zombies in either heaven or hell.
And so, what are some of the main lessons that we’ve learned about resurrection? Let’s take a few minutes to review them, shall we?
1. The gospel of Jesus Christ includes His death, burial, and resurrection. The resurrection is absolutely essential.
2. Literally hundreds of people personally encountered the physically risen Lord Jesus in the days and weeks following His resurrection. His resurrection is a well-established fact.
3. Apart from the resurrection, Christian preaching and faith is worthless and pitiful.
4. Jesus’ resurrection was and is the fruit fruits of those who have died and will be resurrected.
5. The righteous will be physically resurrected next at Christ’s Coming.
6. The unrighteous will be physically resurrected last immediately prior to the end of the age.
7. The death of our earthly bodies precedes and gives way to the life of our eternal bodies.
8. Our eternal bodies will be different from our earthly bodies in numerous ways.
9. The transformation of our bodies will take place in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye.
10. All people we abide forever - both body and soul - in either heaven or hell.
There you have it. 10 major lessons about resurrection. I am sure there are others that I’ve failed to point out. Nevertheless, next week we will move into the final chapter of 1 Corinthians. Until then, I pray you have a blessed week.
This morning we will wrap up our 3-part study of resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15. Paul began the chapter by establishing the fact of Christ’s resurrection, then proceeded to explain the order of resurrection. At the end of the chapter, he discusses the mystery of resurrection. What will the bodies of the dead be like when they are resurrected? Like decaying zombies? I sure hope not! In today’s message we will contrast our earthly bodies with our future resurrected bodies.
I. A FEW EXAMPLES (1 Cor. 15:35-41)
At the beginning of this paragraph, Paul posed 2 questions - “How are the dead raised?” and “With what kind of body?” He then proceeded to answer them both. Starting with how the dead are raised, Paul pointed out that seeds do not produce growth and new life until they first die. The death of a planted seed results in the new life of a seedling. This is not an outlandish or unheard of phenomenon. In much the same way, the death of a Christian’s temporal body gives way to the resurrection of their eternal one.
As for the type of bodies that resurrected believers will have, Paul provided 3 examples. Paul explained that bare grain sown into the ground has a very different body than the wheat or other type of crop that it becomes. In accordance with His divine wishes, God gives seeds a different body than the plants which sprout forth from them. Whatsmore, not all flesh is the same kind - Paul pointed out that people, animals, birds, and fish all have different types of flesh.
Then he stated that the glory of heavenly bodies and earthly bodies also differs. The glory of the sun, the glory of the moon, and the glory of the stars are each different and unique. Their visible brilliance constantly changes. In fact, each star is distinctly different from the others. Thus, creation itself declares that life emerges from death, that not all flesh is the same, and that not all bodies have the same type of glory.
II. THE RESURRECTED BODY (1 Cor. 15:42-49)
Based on the examples he’d given and the principles he’d established, Paul began teaching about the resurrected human body. It is sown as a perishable body, but is raised as an imperishable body. It is sown in dishonor, but is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, but is raised in power. It is sown as a natural body, but is raised as a spiritual body. When the dead are resurrected, their bodies will be wonderfully changed - they will have a new and greater essence, composition, power, and glory.
Paul wrote that God breathed life into the first man, Adam, and through him all people have natural lives. However, in the last Adam, referring to Jesus Christ, all people have the hope of spiritual and eternal life through faith in Him. The progression is simple - the natural precedes and ultimately gives way to the spiritual. The earthly comes before the heavenly. This explains why Jesus told Nicodemus that a person must be born first of water (naturally) and then of the Spirit (spiritually) in order to be saved (John 3:5-6).
Thus, Paul declared, there are 2 categories of people. Some are earthly, which means they are fallen, corrupt, and still under the curse of sin and death (all people start out this way). Others are heavenly, which means that they are redeemed, righteous, and freed from the curse of sin and death. What accounts for the difference? Some have trusted in Jesus for salvation and others have not. Describing himself and his colleagues, Paul stated that they once bore the image of the earthly, but now bore the image of the heavenly because they had believed.
III. LIFE IS VICTORIOUS (1 Cor. 15:50-58)
Paul made it clear that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. In other words, natural bodies are incompatible with and thus cannot exist in heaven. That which is perishable is not suited for imperishability. Having said this, Paul revealed a spectacular mystery. In a moment, in just the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet sounds, at the coming of Christ the dead will be resurrected and instantaneously changed. So also, those who are alive in this moment will be changed. I believe these verses are describing the rapture. The fleshly, mortal, perishable bodies of all Christians will be transformed into imperishable, immortal, glorified bodies fitted to abide for eternity in heaven. As necessary, these eternal bodies will be reconciled with their souls.
When the righteous have been resurrected and their bodies glorified, then the prophecy that death will be swallowed up in victory will be completely fulfilled (Isaiah 25:8). Furthermore, the taunts that death’s victory and stinging power are forever absent will be fully realized (Hosea 13:14). The sting of sin led to death and the Law defined sin thus contributing to its fatal potency. But thanks be to God, who gives victory over sin and death to those who trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.
As so, having finished his teaching on resurrection, Paul urged the Corinthians - his beloved brethren - ‘to be steadfast, immovable, [and] always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” They need not be anxious about their deceased loved ones or even their own eternal destinies. They could serve God with confidence knowing that the resurrection would come in accordance with the LORD’s perfect will and timing.
CONCLUSION
In the passage of Scripture we looked at this morning, Paul focused primarily on the glorious change that will take place to the physical bodies of believers. But let’s not forget that nonbelievers will be raised also. They too will be fitted with everlasting bodies, but theirs will be fashioned for unending suffering and judgment. If you like creepy movies, I’m sorry to break it to you… there will be no zombies in either heaven or hell.
And so, what are some of the main lessons that we’ve learned about resurrection? Let’s take a few minutes to review them, shall we?
1. The gospel of Jesus Christ includes His death, burial, and resurrection. The resurrection is absolutely essential.
2. Literally hundreds of people personally encountered the physically risen Lord Jesus in the days and weeks following His resurrection. His resurrection is a well-established fact.
3. Apart from the resurrection, Christian preaching and faith is worthless and pitiful.
4. Jesus’ resurrection was and is the fruit fruits of those who have died and will be resurrected.
5. The righteous will be physically resurrected next at Christ’s Coming.
6. The unrighteous will be physically resurrected last immediately prior to the end of the age.
7. The death of our earthly bodies precedes and gives way to the life of our eternal bodies.
8. Our eternal bodies will be different from our earthly bodies in numerous ways.
9. The transformation of our bodies will take place in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye.
10. All people we abide forever - both body and soul - in either heaven or hell.
There you have it. 10 major lessons about resurrection. I am sure there are others that I’ve failed to point out. Nevertheless, next week we will move into the final chapter of 1 Corinthians. Until then, I pray you have a blessed week.