Song number 33. You can begin this morning's service by singing song number 33.
Christ the Lord is risen today.
Can you name that?
Let's turn to the song number 36.
The song number 36, Price of Withers.
The attendances and salvations are only updated
through the 24th and 21st, respectively.
And then the March offerings are up to date
and updated to change there.
But if you're curious about that.
Over on the right-hand side, of course,
I have an Easter from me and mine to you and yours.
And don't forget tonight we're going to have
the Easter sundaes.
So we'll have ice cream sundaes with all the toppings.
Well, most of them tonight after the evening service.
Also, don't forget next Sunday, April 7th,
we'll be meeting here at 10 a.m. early
for coffee and donuts in honor of those celebrated
birthday in April.
Again, just a couple of, nothing new on the back here.
Just a couple of the same announcements
regarding some events going on elsewhere up at 10 p.m.
We had the Small Town Soul winning trip to Eloy
on Saturday, April 13th.
Thanks for finishing that.
If you would like more details about that,
please speak with me.
We'll put you in on that.
Below that, also,
Fairview is having,
Fairview Baptist Church of Sacramento, that is.
It's hosting their, seems to be an annual event
these days.
Their youth conference, which is always great.
If you want to make it out there, you have the gates.
The details and reservations are available
at Fairview Baptist Church.
Just to clarify, the church,
the faithful ward is not,
they're not paying for room and board.
They're not paying for any traveling expenses.
Well, this one's on you.
So if you want to go,
that's where to find information.
I highly encourage you,
if you can, make it, to do so.
It's a great event, great for our young people.
And also, continue to pray for the expectant ladies
in our church.
These are the tent meetings, of course.
Mrs. Lamb is expecting as well,
so continue to pray for her.
And that'll do it for announcements.
We'll go ahead and sing one more song
before we get into preaching.
Preaching?
Are we singing another song?
Are we getting ready?
Okay.
We're going to do another song.
We've got four songs on this one.
The bonus song we'll be doing,
song number 10, Dear the Cross.
Song number 10.
["Dear the Cross"]
Amen.
This time we'll pass it over.
As the play goes around,
let's turn our Bibles to
1 Corinthians 15.
That's 1 Corinthians 15.
I believe the entire chapter.
It's all alongside me.
1 Corinthians 15.
1 Corinthians 15, the beginning of verse 1.
Moreover, brethren, I declare it to you,
the gospel which I preach unto you,
also ye have received, and wherein ye stand,
by which also ye are saved, if ye keep,
in memory what I preach unto you,
unless ye have believeth in me.
For I deliver unto you, first of all,
that which I also receive,
how that Christ died for our sins,
according to the scriptures,
and that he was buried,
and that he rose again the third day,
according to the scriptures,
and that he was seen of Seacrest,
then of the 12th.
After that he was seen of above
five hundred bread men at once,
of whom greater, the greater part
remain under this present,
but as some are falling asleep.
After that he was seen of James,
then of all the apostles,
and last of all he was seen of me also,
as one of the born out of due time,
for I am the least of the apostles
that I am not mean to be called an apostle
because I persecuted the church of God,
but by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace which was bestowed upon me
was not in vain,
but I labored more abundantly than they are.
Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Therefore, whether it were I or they,
so be preached and so be believed.
Now if Christ be preached,
that he rose from the dead,
I'll say so among you,
that there is no resurrection of the dead,
but if there be no resurrection of the dead,
then is Christ not risen.
And if Christ be not risen,
then is our preach in vain,
and your faith is also vain.
Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God
because we have testified of God
that he raised us Christ,
whom he raised not of.
If so be that the dead rise not.
For if the dead rise not,
then is not Christ raised.
And if Christ be not raised,
your faith is vain.
Ye are yet in your sins.
Then they also,
which are fallen asleep in Christ,
have perished.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ,
we are all of men most miserable.
But now is Christ risen from the dead,
and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death,
by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all died,
even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
For every man in his own order
cries the firstfruits,
after where they better Christ at his coming.
Then cometh the end,
when he shall have delivered up the kingdom of God,
even to the Father,
even the Father when he shall put down all will
and all authority and power.
For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
For he hath put all things under his feet.
But when he saith,
All things are put under him,
it is manifest that he is accepted,
which did put all things under him.
And when all things shall be subdued unto him,
then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him,
that put all things under him.
That God may be all in all.
Alas, what shall they do,
which are baptized for the dead,
if the dead rise not at all?
Why are they then baptized for the dead?
Why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
I protest by your rejoicing,
which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord,
I die gated.
If after the manner of men
I have fought the beast at Ephesus,
what advantage it need,
if the dead rise not?
Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.
Be not deceived,
evil communications corrupt good manners.
Awake to righteousness and sin not,
for some have not the knowledge of God.
I speak this to your shame,
but some men would say,
How are the dead raised up,
and with what body do they come?
Thou fool,
that which thou sowest is not quickened,
except it die.
And that which thou sowest,
thou sowest not,
that body that shall be,
but bear grain,
it may chance of wheat,
or of some other grain.
But God giveth it a body,
as it had pleased him,
and to every seed his own body.
All flesh is not the same flesh,
but there is one kind of flesh of men,
another flesh of beasts,
and another of fishes,
and another of birds.
There are also celestial bodies,
and bodies terrestrial,
but the glory of the celestial is one,
and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
There is one glory of the sun,
and another glory of the moon,
and another glory of the stars,
but one star different from another star in glory.
So also is the resurrection of the dead.
It is sown in corruption.
It is raised in incorrupting.
It is sown in dishonor.
It is raised in glory.
It is sown in weakness.
It is raised in power.
It is sown in a natural body.
It is raised in a spiritual body.
There is a natural body,
and there is a spiritual body.
And so it is written,
The first man, Adam,
was made a living soul.
The last Adam was made a quickened spirit.
Howbeit, that was not the first which is spiritual,
but that which is natural,
and afterward that which is spiritual.
The first man is of the earth, earthy.
The second man is the Lord from heaven.
As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy.
And as of heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
And as we have borne the image of earthy,
we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Now this I say, brethren,
that the flesh and blood
cannot inherit the kingdom of God,
neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
Behold, I show you a mystery.
We shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed.
In a moment in the twinkling of eye,
at the last trump,
for the trumpet shall sound,
and the dead shall be raised incorruption,
and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when the corruptible shall have put on incorruption,
and this mortal shall have put on immortality,
then shall be brought to pass the same that is written,
death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting?
O great, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin,
and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God,
which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be ye steadfast, so moveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord,
for as much as ye know
that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Brother Adam, can you pray for us?
Our Heavenly Father, just thank you for today, Lord God.
We thank you for your goodness and mercy.
We thank you for opportunity to be in your house, Lord God.
We thank you for your son that shed his blood for us.
Not only did he die, but he rose again, Lord God.
We always want to remember that.
We acknowledge you today, Lord God,
and thank you for all you do in our lives, Lord.
In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
Amen.
And again, welcome everybody to Faithful Word.
It's good to see everybody out for Easter Sunday.
Of course, we're celebrating the resurrection,
and we've turned to really the quintessential chapter
on the resurrection and the Word of God.
Of course, the Bible and the New Testament particularly
speaks a lot about the resurrection.
There's a lot we could talk about this morning.
And 1 Corinthians 15 really is just a great chapter
to kind of focus in on,
on a day in which we are celebrating the resurrection of Christ.
And it covers several things
about the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection in general.
And, you know, it talks about how, you know,
what it's going to be like for us at the end, really,
which is really, you know, a real fascinating part of the chapter.
But if you want to start with me there,
1 Corinthians 15, but let's look over it again.
It says in verse one,
More of her brethren I declare unto you the gospel,
which I preached unto you,
which you also have received where any stand,
by which also you are saved,
if you keep in memory and preach what I preached unto you,
unless you have believed in vain.
For I delivered unto you, first of all,
that which I also received,
how that Christ died for our sins,
according to the scriptures,
and that he was buried and that he rose again
the third day, according to the scriptures.
So there again, Paul is alluding the fact that
the resurrection of Christ is something that's been alluded to
in the Old Testament.
These are things that they were well aware of,
things that when it came to pass,
they were able to connect the dots and see
the resurrection of Christ in the scriptures themselves.
The other thing I'd point out here in this chapter
is that we get a good definition of the gospel, right?
I declare unto you the gospel,
which by which you are also saved,
there's some more good doctrine on salvation.
What are you saved by?
You're saved by the gospel.
What is the gospel?
How that Christ died for our sins,
the end of verse three, according to scriptures,
that he was buried, right?
And then he rose again the third day,
according to the scriptures.
That is the gospel.
That's why the gospel literally means
good news.
You know, the good news of the gospel
is that Christ has died for our sins,
was buried, and rose again.
And those are all, you know,
essential elements in the gospel itself.
And today we celebrate really
one aspect of that,
the resurrection of Christ.
Okay, obviously without,
you can't have the resurrection without Christ having first died.
That's a whole other aspect that we can look at.
But this morning we're to look at
really just the resurrection of Christ itself.
And not so much his death.
That's what we tend to focus on on Easter Sunday.
Moving on here, it says in verse five,
and that he was seen of Cephas, right? Peter.
Then of the twelve, after that,
he was seen of five hundred brethren at once,
of whom the greater part remained unto this present,
which is the right time when Paul was writing it,
but some are fallen asleep.
After that, he was seen of James,
and of all the apostles,
and the least of all he was seen of me also,
as one born out of due time.
So the other thing we can get out of this chapter,
which is again really what's called
the resurrection chapter in the New Testament,
is that the resurrection itself was witnessed
first hand by literally hundreds of people
at that time.
When it took place, hundreds of people,
you know, at least here we have a number, right?
We say exactly how many people.
Well, we know five hundred and the twelve,
so five hundred and twelve,
and last of all Paul.
So at least five hundred and thirteen people
bore witness to the resurrection of Christ.
Truth be told,
there was probably many more other people
that witnessed the resurrection of Christ
that saw the resurrected Christ,
because after his resurrection,
we know that he did remain
for forty days upon the earth,
preaching and teaching
and showing himself alive to his disciples, okay?
So there's hundreds of people
that we know of at that time
that witnessed first hand
the resurrection of Christ.
The Bible here is telling us
that it contains eye witness testimony
of the resurrection.
Now you have to think about
what it is that we're professing
on Easter Sunday
when we're talking about the resurrection.
We're talking about the most profound event
in all of human history,
the resurrection of Christ.
You know, sometimes I think we lose sight of
how truly profound it is
that one has risen from the dead, okay?
If that were something that were to take place today,
it wouldn't just be, you know,
a seven day news cycle.
It's going to be something
that would be talked about
and spoken of for many, many centuries, right?
Think about if someone just came back
from the dead today
at a time when we have
the ability to just disseminate
information across the globe in an instant
where things could be recorded.
I mean, you could have video of this.
You could have audio of it.
I mean, you get a first hand testimony
that would be shared across the world
in an instant, right?
This would be a very profound event
if it took place today.
Well, here's the thing.
It's no less profound
just because of the fact
that it took place, you know,
2,000 and some odd years later
or earlier, correct?
It's still just as profound then
as it would be today.
The difference is, is that
obviously they didn't have the technology
to have this just spread across the globe
to where everyone's just going to go,
oh yeah, of course
Christ resurrected from the dead.
I saw it with my own eyes, right?
But Paul is here telling us that,
hey, 500 people at a minimum
saw the resurrection of Christ.
He showed himself alive.
There are eyewitnesses of this testimony.
So that would be, because some people
will doubt the resurrection.
They'll try to, you know,
say it was some kind of a conspiracy
or something like that.
That would mean like 500 people
have to get in on that, right?
There'd be a lot of, you know,
there'd be a lot of coordinating,
try to get people's stories to match,
make sure everyone's saying the same thing,
which is not easy to do, right?
Even when you're trying to, you know,
say something that's true,
you know, try to get everybody
on the same page
is difficult.
You know, if we recollected a story
and experience that we all,
you know, went through
and told that story to different people,
our stories, although true,
would probably have some differences
in them, wouldn't they?
But here we have 500 people
all agreeing we saw the resurrected Christ.
Okay?
So the Bible contains this
eyewitness testimony of the resurrection.
Now, the other thing I want to point out
is that no evidence
has been produced that would discount
their eyewitness testimony, has there?
So we say, well, how do you believe it?
Well, we have the eyewitness testimony
recorded in scripture.
Say, oh, yeah, but that's just a book
that somebody wrote.
Well, of course you would write about it.
Of course you would sit down
and write about that.
I mean, think about the things
that people write about today,
the things that people report today.
They report just the most bizarre,
strange, meaningless, vain things,
don't they?
I mean, people are just producing things
and writing things
that have really no value at all.
And people, you know, by the thousands
read it and take it in and believe it.
Of course, if someone resurrected
from the dead, someone's going to write it down.
Okay?
So we have the eyewitness testimony,
and there's no evidence that exists
to discount that testimony.
I mean, if they had found a body
in the grave, that would be pretty easy
to dismiss, wouldn't it?
You'd say, oh, there are a bunch of lies.
No such body exists, right?
And I know that, you know,
people have tried to, you know,
discount the resurrection by other means.
Even when it happened,
the Jews of those days, you know,
paid the centurions to say that
his disciples came and took him.
They gave him great, you know,
a large sum of money.
They bribed them, you know,
nothing new under the sun there.
You know, they're bribing them
to get them to, you know,
discount the resurrection of Christ.
Okay?
And that is a saying that is popular
even today.
However, you know,
we believe the Bible is the word of God.
We believe the testimony of the resurrection.
And therefore, we can read this chapter
and glean some things out of it.
Now, it's interesting that Paul here,
when he kind of goes,
the way he's kind of presenting this,
right, this chapter is a very
interesting chapter.
He said, he's saying, hey, look,
he was witnessed by 500 people.
We have firsthand eyewitness testimony
of Christ, right?
He's like, it's indisputable.
Right?
We believe this.
I saw him myself.
Right?
This is what Paul is saying.
But it's interesting getting into
verse 12 and onward that he then
kind of makes an argument.
He kind of puts forth this hypothetical
situation, right, where he says,
verse 12, now if Christ be preached
that he rose from the dead,
how say some among you that there is no,
that there is no resurrection of the dead?
So there's people coming in saying,
oh, there is no resurrection.
Okay?
And I really don't want to dive into that.
I just want to dive into the argument
or the point that Paul kind of puts
forth here as a counterargument to
these people.
And this question, he says, but if
there be no resurrection of the dead,
then Christ is not risen, right?
So he's kind of putting this forth
and, hey, if there is no
resurrection, consider this, okay?
And that's kind of what the angle
I'm going to take this morning on
this passage is, if there be no
resurrection, if there be no
resurrection.
You know, we shouldn't take the
resurrection lightly.
I think, you know, that's why it's
a good thing to be in church.
You know, if you're not someone
who's regular in church, if you're
not somebody who, you know, makes,
has gotten in the habit of being
church on a regular basis, maybe
only visit church once in a blue
moon, you know, Easter is a great
day to do it because you're
literally there acknowledging this
very significant event in human
history.
And I think it's great that we
have a day that the whole world
recognizes as this very significant
day, even if they try to, you
know, whitewash it and make
it about some stupid bunny rabbit,
you know.
Even if they, at least they're
acknowledging that something
happened on that day, right.
And we're not, obviously we're
not celebrating, you know, some
rabbit laying eggs, right,
leaving little candy droplings
for your children to find or
whatever, you know, jelly beans
and things like that.
We're celebrating, you know, and
we're recognizing and
acknowledging the resurrection of
Christ this morning.
It's a very significant thing.
You say, and I'm just trying to
make the point here is that, you
know, I think some people,
sometimes we lose track of how
truly profound it is.
And if that's us this morning,
then we need to consider this.
What if there be no resurrection?
What if there is no
resurrection?
Because another angle that Paul
takes on this chapter is that
he's talking about the
resurrection of Christ, but
then he goes into our
resurrection, right, because
these people are saying, hey,
the resurrection is passed
already.
Saying, well, if there be no
resurrection, consider this,
okay.
He's saying if there be no
resurrection of the dead, then
it's Christ not risen.
Right.
If no, if there is no
resurrection to come, then
Christ must not have risen
because he is the firstfruits
of the resurrection.
And if Christ be not risen,
then our preaching is our
preaching vain and your faith
is vain also.
Yea, we have found false
witnesses of God because we
have testified of God that he
raised up Christ, whom he
raised not up, if so be that
the dead raise not, rise not.
For if the dead rise not,
then is Christ not raised.
And if Christ be not raised
and your faith is vain, you
are yet in your sins, then
they also which are falling
asleep in Christ are perished.
If in this life only we have
hope in Christ, then we are
of all men most miserable.
So he puts forth this
argument, says, hey, consider
this, if there be no
resurrection, and then he
follows up with several
points.
He says, if there be no
resurrection, A, B, C, and D.
So just quickly look at that.
Very quickly here, he says,
if there be no
resurrection, one, our
preaching is vain.
Our preaching is vain.
Think about it.
We are going out there and
preaching the resurrection of
Christ.
At least we ought to be.
You know, we're out there.
We're getting up on Easter
Sunday and saying, hey,
Christ is risen from the
dead.
Okay.
We're going out there and
preaching the gospel.
One of those elements of the
gospel that we just looked
at at the beginning of
the chapter is that Christ
rose again the third day
according to the
scriptures.
That's what we're going out
and telling people.
We're going out and
telling people, hey, the
good news of the gospel
is that Christ is risen
from the dead.
But if Christ be not
raised, then our
preaching is pointless.
There's no point to it.
Paul says it's vain.
It's empty.
It's meaningless.
It has no weight.
It has no merit.
It has no value.
It's worthless to go out
there and preach that
because it's not true.
And if Christ be not
raised and our preaching is
in vain, then we have
nothing to offer this
world.
We have no hope to offer.
None.
And look, people, you know,
they stress about death.
They are in bondage of the
fear of death all their
life.
Some people, you know, they
or they try very hard to
not think about it until
they absolutely have to.
They distract themselves
with things.
They put it off or they,
you know, just try to
live, you know, you know,
they try to optimize
their health and
everything to live as long
as they possibly can
on this earth because
they're terrified, even
if it's on a subconscious
level, of what awaits
them in the next world
unless they've done a
really good job of
convincing themselves of a
lie, right, or they
just swallowed the lies
that others have told.
Oh, when you die,
nothing happens.
You just go into nothing.
You know, you turn
into stardust.
You know, that sounds real
romantic and it sounds
very poetic.
You know, I'm going to go
in, I'm just going to go
back to the earth and
I'm going to come back,
you know, my body will
decompose and I'll come
back as a flower.
Well, that doesn't,
that's not really much
of a consolation to me.
You know, that doesn't
really exactly, you know,
put me at ease.
Oh, when I die,
you know, when I die,
I just cease to exist.
You know, I kind of
like existing.
You know, I like
experiencing things.
I like having a
consciousness.
I like interacting with
other people.
I like the fact that we
can learn and understand
and know things about the
world and universe and we
can grow in our knowledge
and grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Like, I like that.
The idea of me just
ceasing to exist, that's
no, you know, that's
no consolation.
It's better than hell.
That's really what
they're getting at
because they know that's,
you know, what the
Bible teaches.
When you die, you're
going to go to heaven or
go to hell, right?
We ask people a lot of
time, you know where
you're going to go when
you die?
Well, I'm not sure.
Heaven, I hope.
And I'm always like,
yeah, it beats the
alternative, right?
Because the alternative is
hell.
So people, you know,
they don't want to
believe in the resurrection.
They think, oh,
Christ be not risen.
He isn't risen.
There is no resurrection.
That means that our
preaching is vain.
We have nothing to offer
them.
There is no hope.
You know, they don't
have any hope of the
next life.
You know, some foolish,
stupid thing.
So, again, I'm trying
to get us to understand
the magnitude, the
importance of the
resurrection and the
impact that it has on
our lives today, okay?
If Christ be not
risen, you know, the
one way to make that
emphasis on the
resurrection is to
consider if it weren't
true, right?
Because that's what
Paul's doing in the
chapter.
Hey, if there be no
resurrection, right?
Consider this, that our
preaching is vain.
It's pointless.
What are we doing?
Verse, he goes on
and says, uh, your,
uh, Christ be not risen
in verse 14, and if
Christ be not risen,
then our preaching is
vain and your faith
is also vain.
Not only the preaching
that you're doing,
but what you believe
yourself, your faith is
also vain.
You, you believed a lie.
You're professing
something that isn't
true and you're also
believing something that
isn't true.
Your faith is in vain.
If Christ be not
risen, not only does
the world have no
hope, we have nothing
to offer them, but we
ourselves have no hope.
You know, Christ be not
risen, it's not like we
can just keep telling
us the story, this myth
of the resurrection just
to make ourselves feel
good, right?
If you knew it wasn't
true, you wouldn't
believe it.
If you were convinced
that there is no
resurrection, you know,
not only would you not
have anything to offer,
you yourself would have
no hope either.
Your faith would be in
vain.
It'd be pointless to be
meaningless to believe in
the Bible, to believe in
the resurrection.
I mean, what comfort
could you take from
something that you knew
wasn't true?
None.
You can't.
We would know that,
hey, we believed a lie.
You know, we believed a lie.
We perpetuated a lie.
As he goes on and says
here, he says,
verse 15,
yea, we are found false
witnesses of God.
We're false witnesses.
If Christ be not
raised, you know what?
We're false witnesses.
We have nothing to offer.
We ourselves are hopeless,
and we have perpetuated
a lie.
And not just us,
but centuries of people,
you know, of just
thousands of people
over the centuries
that have come before us.
Just think of the
centuries worth, you know,
the thousands of years
of preaching that has
taken place since the
resurrection of Christ
till today.
Just how many times
has somebody gotten up
and preached on the
resurrection of Christ?
I mean, it's without
number.
Like, you couldn't even
begin to count it.
How many people just
today alone?
How many people are
getting up behind a pulpit
and are preaching,
hey, Christ is risen, right?
It's happening all across
the country today.
All across this world
it's taking place.
That would mean if
Christ be not risen,
that everyone's getting up
preaching lies,
and that's been going on
for literally centuries
of just meaningless,
vain preaching, right?
Worst of all,
you know, that's bad
enough, right?
If Christ be not risen,
we have no hope to
offer.
We have no hope ourselves.
We've believed a lie,
and we have perpetuated
a lie through thousands
of years of preaching
the resurrection of Christ
if it be not true.
But worse than that
is the fact that
if Christ be not risen,
ye are yet in your sins.
Think about it.
If there was no resurrection,
what else has changed?
Nothing, really.
Would it change anything
about human nature?
Would it change anything
about sin in the world?
Nope.
That's still there.
We'd still have to find
an explanation for why
people are the way
that they are.
There would still be
evil in the world.
You know, it's not
going to change the fact
that the problem of evil
still exists.
It's still there, right?
It's not like we would
suddenly be in some utopia.
We would still have
to deal with sin,
except we would have
no way of dealing with it.
And that's, you know,
one of the profound things
about the resurrection
of Christ,
is that in Christ,
we have victory over death
and the grave.
We have victory over sin.
But if Christ be not risen,
you know, our faith is vain.
We have no hope,
and we still have
our sin to deal with.
That's what Paul says
there in verse 17.
And if Christ be not raised,
your faith is vain.
As we just explained,
ye are yet in your sins.
He's like, well,
Christ be not raised,
then, you know,
don't worry about sin.
It's like, no,
you still have a problem
called sin.
You still have to find
someone who still needs
to atone for that sin.
That doesn't change.
If Christ be not risen,
you know, we're false
witnesses of God.
God is still there.
God still exists.
God is still holy.
God is still just.
And you are still,
we all have still fallen short
of the glory of God.
And we have to find somebody
to atone for our sins.
You are yet in your sins.
The problem of evil
still exists.
You know, sin has to be
explained and atoned for
where God is not just.
OK, now it goes on here
and says, verse 18,
then they also which are
fallen asleep in Christ
are perished.
You know, that's it.
They're gone.
If there's no resurrection,
all those people you're
hoping to see in heaven,
you won't.
They're gone.
They perished because
they're still in their sins.
They put their faith in
something that didn't happen.
Right.
So hopefully this is kind of
helping drive home
the importance of the
resurrection this morning
when we think about what
if it wasn't true?
What if it hadn't happened?
OK.
You know, everybody that
you love that got saved
and died is perished
because they believed a lie,
a lie that we told them.
Right.
Verse 19, if in this life
only we have hope in Christ,
we are of all men
most miserable.
You know, if we just have
the if we just have
hope of Christ only
in this life, we just
you know, at least we
know there's no resurrection,
but at least we still have
you know, some good
moral teachings to help us
get along on Earth.
Right.
At least you and I still
know how to, you know,
love thy neighbor as thyself,
as Jesus said, to do unto
others as we would have
them do unto us.
Right.
At least we still have that.
At least we still have the
teachings of Christ, the
moral teachings that Jesus
taught.
At least he's, you know,
I know he didn't resurrect
from the dead, you know,
and his sacrifice and his
atonement is meaningless
and has no power.
But at least we have
the words that he said.
Well, you know, Paul said
if Christ be not risen,
we're still miserable people.
It doesn't matter how
good we are.
It doesn't matter, well,
you know, at least Christ
taught me how to be a
better person.
And look, the teachings of
Christ, if you embrace them,
will make you a better
person.
It's a fact, you know.
But we're still of all men
most miserable.
Why?
Because we still have the
problem of sin to deal with.
Because we still have to
find somebody atone for
our sin.
Because we are still yet in
our sins.
We are of all men
most miserable.
You know, there's only self
and sin to live for at that
point.
If Christ be not risen,
if the resurrection is
true, if our faith is
vain, if our preaching is
vain, if what we believe is
not true, then we're
miserable.
Why would we go around
perpetuating a lie?
Why are we spending our
time the way we're doing?
Why are we here this
morning?
Why do we get up and read
1 Corinthians 15?
Why are we praying?
Why are we singing these
songs?
What are we doing?
It's a waste of time if
Christ be not risen.
Because our faith is
in vain.
Isn't that what Paul's
saying?
If Christ be not risen,
your faith is in vain.
And you are of all men
most miserable.
We're the most miserable
wretched creatures there
are.
That's what he's saying.
That's kind of what he
gets at in verse 32.
If after the manner of
men, I have fought with
beasts at Ephesus, what
advantageeth it be?
Well, you know, what's
the point of me suffering
for Christ if Christ be
not risen?
What does it advantage me
if the dead rise not?
You know, if I'm not
going to have a resurrection,
if Christ didn't have a
resurrection, I'm not
going to have a
resurrection.
You know, why would I
put my neck on the line,
you know, tangling with
beasts at Ephesus if the
dead rise not?
He says, let us drink for
tomorrow we die.
Let us eat and drink for
tomorrow we die.
Look, if Christ be not
risen, you know, let's
just throw in the towel
and just go back into the
world and just be like
everybody else and just
make our life about the
flesh.
That's what he's saying,
right?
Why suffer?
Why go through with it?
Why put ourselves out there?
Why, you know, suffer the
persecution that we suffer?
We might not suffer to
the degree that Paul is
going to suffer, right?
But we all suffer to some
degree.
You know, if we're trying
to live for Christ, if we
believe in the resurrection,
we believe that Christ, as
he said, behold I come
quickly and my reward is
with me.
If we believe that and we
labor to enter into that
rest and be rewarded to
hear those words, well done,
good and faithful servant,
you know, that's going to
require sacrifice.
That's going to require
suffering to some degree.
If we believe those things
and we're going to
mortify the flesh as we're
taught, you know, if we're
going to put off the old
man and put on the new
man, if we're going to
walk in newness of life, you
know, we're going to
suffer.
That's going to be a
difficult thing to do.
We're going to be at odds
with the flesh every day of
our life.
Because these things are
contrary one to another.
You can't, you know, we
can't walk in the flesh in
the spirit at the same time.
It's impossible.
So Paul's saying, look, if
Christ be not risen, let's
not try to even fight that
battle.
Let's just give up.
Let's just give into the
flesh.
Let's just be like everybody
else because there's no
point if there is no
resurrection, if Christ be
not raised.
The only thing to live for
is self and sin.
And notice, I want to make
this point, that Paul says
if that's the case, if all
you have to live for in
this life is yourself and
sin, you're miserable.
That's an important point.
If you sit there and think,
oh, you know, it's going
to be so great when I can
just go out and indulge the
flesh.
When I can just, you know,
get out of church, quit the
church, get away from my
parents and just go live
like everybody else.
Just drop all these standards
and just go live a life of
sin.
Well, you're setting yourself
up for a miserable life.
And people get to say, oh,
that's not true.
I don't believe that.
That's not true.
Yeah, we'll see about that.
Yeah, we will see.
You know, and take it from
some people that have been
around long enough and
understand and know what
life's actually like and what
it has to offer and the
consequences of it and just
trust them when they say that,
hey, if you just make your
life about yourself and
about sin and not the
things of God, it's going
to be a miserable life.
Well, it's like, well,
that's not what I see when
I look out there and I
see all these people having
such a good time.
You don't see them behind
closed doors.
You don't see them, you
know, when they're in their
doctor's office with an STD.
You don't see all the pills
they have to take because
they've contracted some disease.
You know, Satan doesn't show
you, oh, here's what it's
like to die from being an
alcoholic.
Oh, here's what it's like to
be a loser pothead.
Oh, here's what it's like to
just be some fornicating
idiot.
That's not what he shows
you.
He just paints a little
picture, oh, sin's great,
it's wonderful.
And there's pleasure in sin
for a season, but the wages
of sin is death.
And Paul's saying, look, if
there's no resurrection, why
suffer?
Why try to live for Christ?
Just throw in the towel.
There's no point.
Let's just be like everybody
else.
Let's just go eat and drink
and be married, for
tomorrow we die.
And he says, and if that's
the case, if that's where
we're at, if that's the
truth, that there is no
resurrection, if Christ be
not raised, and there's no
point, if our faith is vain,
if our preaching is in vain,
let's just go live for the
flesh.
He says, then we are, all
men, most miserable, because
we have no hope.
Now, so these verses 12
through 19 is kind of where
he puts forth this idea of
like, hey, consider the fact
of Christ be not risen.
And I'm trying to use that
this morning as a springboard
to emphasize how truly great
the resurrection is.
Sometimes you don't know what
you got until it's gone.
If we were to take away the
resurrection this morning and
say it came out, actually,
you know what, it didn't
happen.
Like I say, you woke up on
Easter morning and turned on
the news and there was just
indisputable evidence that had
come out and said, yep, the
resurrection turns out never
happened.
You know, how ironic it would
be on Easter, right?
But let's say that was what
had happened this morning,
where I got up and said,
you know what, this morning
I'm here to blow the lid
off the resurrection.
The resurrection debunked.
That's Paul's argument here,
kind of, if you look at it
that way.
If that had happened, you
know, that would be bad news.
We'd be miserable.
That's kind of the argument
he takes.
But he goes on and he assures
us in verse 20, right?
But now the Christ is risen
from the dead.
But now is Christ risen from
the dead?
And become the first fruits of
them that slept.
So he's saying, hey, don't
worry, Christ is risen from the
dead.
We've got 500 witnesses, as
well as the disciples and
myself.
He is risen from the dead, and
not only that, but he's
become the first fruits, right?
He's the first that
resurrected from the dead.
Now, some people will say,
well, wait a minute.
Didn't other people resurrect
from the dead when Christ was
crucified?
Remember the story that the
graves opened and the saints
were seen in Jerusalem, that
some people came back from
the dead?
Yeah, but they died again,
right?
The resurrection that Christ
has, he's risen to die no more,
right?
He said, behold, I am he that
liveth and was dead, and
behold, I am alive forevermore
and have the keys of hell and
of death.
And he's risen to die no more.
That's what makes him the
first fruits.
You know, you say, how great
it must have been at the
crucifixion of Christ to be
one of those people that
raised from the dead.
I don't know that it would
have been that great.
I'd be like, great, what?
You know, I was in heaven,
you know, now I'm back
here again, it's like
this again, right?
And now I got to go.
Now I got to go die again.
Think about it.
There's people that literally
have died twice in this
world.
Isn't that weird?
Well, not in this world,
right?
There's people that died.
Christ was crucified.
They rose again and then
died again, right?
I can't imagine dying is a
very pleasurable experience,
right?
We're all going to do it.
I'm just trying not to be
there when it happens,
okay?
But we're all going to have
to.
And eventually, you know, but
these poor folks, they had
to do it twice, right?
This again, right?
But he's saying, look, if
Christ is risen from the
dead, he's become the
firstfruits.
The good news about
Christ's resurrection is
means that you have one
too, right?
We're celebrating Christ's
resurrection because it's a
great event.
It's the most powerful
event in human history.
But what does that mean
to us?
It means that our faith
is not in vain.
It means that we are not
of all men most miserable.
It means that our
preaching is not in vain.
It means that we have
hope in this life and
that we are not of all
men most miserable.
It means that our
preaching is not in vain.
It means that we have
hope in this life and
that we have hope in this
life of the resurrection
because if Christ be risen,
then we also shall be
risen because he is the
firstfruits.
Meaning that there shall be
secondfruits and thirds
and fourths and fifths,
right?
There's more coming after
him.
There's more resurrections
to come and those
resurrections are our own,
okay?
He says now Christ is
risen from the dead and
he's become the firstfruits
of them that slept.
He is the first of many
and we have the
promise of eternal life
because of the fact that
Christ is risen from the
dead.
He goes on and says in
verse 21, for since by
man came death, by man
also came the
resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die,
even so in Christ,
shall all be made alive.
The good news of the
resurrection is that we
have an atonement for
our sin.
That we don't have to go
find somebody else to
pay for our sins.
We don't have to go out.
We are not yet in our
sins, as he said, because
remember that's the
argument he made.
If Christ be not risen,
ye are yet in your sins.
But he says, even as in
Adam all die, right, by
one man sin entered the
world and death came upon
all men, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive
because Christ is
resurrected from the dead.
Meaning we are not yet
in our sins.
Do you follow?
We have the promise of
the resurrection because
of the fact that
Christ raised from the
dead, as it says in 1
Thessalonians 4.
We have the hope that we
and we do not mourn as
others, right?
Because we believe that
Jesus died and rose again,
even so them also shall
Jesus that which sleep in
Jesus shall God bring
with him.
There will be another
resurrection of those
that sleep in Christ.
All shall be made alive.
We have been delivered
from sin.
And he goes on and
talks about the fact how
death itself has been
defeated.
And I think that's an
important point to make.
That death has been
defeated because he spends
you know some time
talking about this.
Excuse me.
Verse 23 he says but every
man in his own order
Christ the firstfruits
afterward they that are
Christ in his coming.
Then come at the end
when he shall deliver up
the kingdom to God even
the father and he shall
put down all rule and
all authority and power
for he must reign till
he hath put all
enemies under his feet.
The last enemy that shall
be destroyed is death.
And I love the fact that
he says death is an enemy.
I think it's important
to remember because we're
living in a day and age
where people again they
romanticize death.
They try to make it into
something it's not because
they have no hope because
they don't believe in the
resurrection.
They try to minimize
death right.
They try you know they
get Elton John you know
to get up and say it's
the circle of life right.
You know from the Lion King
in your Disney movies you
got some queers singing
to your kids.
That's the only verse I
remember from that.
It's the circle of life.
I don't know if I'm getting
the harmony or any of the
tune right at all I don't care.
Right but that's they
indoctrinate people.
Oh death is just it's
just part of life.
It's just part of the
big circle we all go
through and yada yada yada.
Bible says it's an enemy.
You know death is a
punishment.
Death is something is a
curse upon mankind.
You know but people
romanticize it because they
have no hope because in
their minds Christ be not
risen.
But for us Christ is risen.
And we are not like them.
We don't have that same
viewpoint we are not of all
men most miserable.
We're not miserable like
that we don't we don't we
don't mourn as others
which have no hope.
For us we hear the rest
resurrection and say well
that means that been
defeated the last enemy
that shall be defeated is
death.
And for us Christ has
already given us that
victory that's what he
goes on.
Verse twenty seven for he
has put all things under
his feet but when he
says all things are put
under it is manifest that
he's expected accepted
which did put all things
under him and when all
things shall be subdued on
him then shall the son
of also himself be
subject on him that pull
all things under him
that God may be all
and all.
This is alluding to at the
end of millennium when
Christ is going to deliver
up the kingdom of the
father.
Look at verse fifty five.
Oh death where is thy
sting.
Oh grave where is thy
victory.
It's not there.
It doesn't exist.
It's been taken away.
The sting of death is sin
and the strength of sin is
the law but thanks be to
God which giveth us the
victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
And how did he do that.
Through the resurrection.
Christ is risen.
And he has conquered sin
and death and hell and
has that has transferred
that to us if we be in
Christ then we can say
the same thing as Paul
said in verse fifty five.
Oh death where is thy
sting.
Oh grave where is thy
victory.
I mean think about the
finality of death.
Oh grave where is thy
victory.
When people die without
Christ that's it.
Death wins.
You die without Christ
next second you'll wake
up in hell.
That's what the Bible
teaches.
And that's a popular
message and people want to
convince themselves that's
not the truth.
And I've heard people say
some strange things over
the years to try to
avoid that painful truth.
But the fact is that if you
die you know if you die
death wins.
You die without Christ
death wins.
And death is going to have
a sting to it isn't it.
We all know people that we
probably love that have
died without Christ.
You know this is a very
profound thing to sit there
and think that someone you
love has passed and gone
into hell.
You know I've experienced
that.
You know I experienced that
very recently in fact.
Last week my father
died.
And I tried to preach to him
the gospel you know several
times over the last few
years.
And he shut me down every
time.
And it's an interesting you
know I don't want to say
it's interesting but it's a
very it makes an impact
when you realize when you
get that phone call hey
he's gone.
And you realize in all
likelihood.
In fact with almost 100
percent certainty.
At that very moment he's in
hell.
In torments as the Bible
says.
You know but that and that
has a sting to it doesn't it.
To think that about people
that there's people that we
know and love that have
died and gone to hell.
But so how can you say oh
death where is thy sting
and it's not like Paul
saying that through the
resurrection the sting is
just taken away completely.
Right it just it doesn't
have the same impact for us
as it does when people die
without Christ.
Look we're all know it
I'm not going to get up
and say that death is
a breeze for any of us.
Right.
I'm sure when we all get
close to the end.
If we see it coming.
It's going to be if I have
to imagine it's a fearful
thing to die.
Just that you know just on
a physiological level.
Just the idea of your body
dying right.
There's still going to be
that sting but the sting
that isn't going to be
there is that when we die
those of us that believe
that Christ is risen from
the dead when we die.
There will be no sting
because we'll wake up in
heaven.
We'll have victory.
We'll say where is the sting
of death it's gone.
It's there for others it's
for those for those that
have died without Christ
it's still there.
But for me and you which
have believed in the
resurrection of Christ.
And because the fact that
Christ is risen it's not
just our faith it's the
fact that Christ is risen
from the dead.
It's not just our faith
that save us but it's a
faith that we have that
it's something that
actually happened.
Because the Christ be
without it be not risen
then our faith is vain.
It doesn't matter what
we believe.
But we have believed and
Christ is risen from
the dead and therefore
there is no sting in
death.
It's gone.
Yes there'll still be
the pain of death the
physical aspect of it the
fear that comes through
passing through into the
next world I'm sure
that's you know and
it's something you have
to experience for yourself
to really know what it's
like.
And we all will.
Right.
But for us the sting
will be gone in the
sense that when we're
in heaven and the
glorified body which he
kind of goes on to
describe in this chapter
will say.
Where is the sting of
death.
Oh grave where is that
victory.
It's a it's a it's a
it's a hypothetical
question.
It's not there there is
no victory there is no
sting.
It's been taken away.
Why.
Because Christ is risen
from the dead.
What are we celebrating
when we're celebrating
the resurrection of Christ.
Just the fact that
Christ raised from the
dead.
Yes.
What does it mean to us.
Well what does it mean
to us.
Well one way to think
about it to get a sense
of what it means to us
is to think well what
if Christ be not risen
from the dead.
Our faith is vain.
We're liars.
We've believed lies.
We have nothing to
offer this world.
We might as well just
go live like the rest
of the people and be
miserable and then die
and have no comfort
in that death and
everyone that's died
that we love we don't
well I don't know
what happened.
Christ be not risen
I guess they're just
you know gone.
But the fact is is
that Christ is risen
what it should mean
to us is that we have
victory in Christ.
We should let that settle in.
He's given us the
victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Goes on and says
you know I got to
hurry up here I know
it's Easter Sunday.
You know I should
probably just go as long
as I want but.
He goes on talks about
the resurrection the
resurrected body right.
I mean I don't care
if this is the you
know the more you
think about God and
everything he's done
the more true the
saying becomes God is
good.
God is so good.
Every good and perfect
gift you know
descendeth down from
the father of lights
right I mean every
good gift comes from
God.
And the more you
think about what God
has done for us this
is the better he gets.
I mean if I were to
die and end up and go
and go to heaven.
Right.
Which will happen.
Right.
It's not an if.
When I die and go to
heaven.
I don't care if I
woke up there you
know with the same
body I have now.
Which isn't a possibility.
Because you know the
body is is sinful right
but let's just say like
I went there and I
didn't get a glorified
body I'd still be pretty
happy with that.
I'd rather you know go
there with this same
body go to heaven than
to have this glorified
body go to hell.
Right.
But God is so good
because not only has he
taken the sting out of
death and he's only
given us victory
through Christ Jesus and
his resurrection has
become our first.
Not only has he done
all that when we get to
heaven we get the
resurrected body like he
had.
So you could see why
this is such a great
chapter on the
resurrection because Paul
emphasizes the importance
of the resurrection what
it means to us and he
kind of does it kind of
a back you know a
roundabout way by saying
think about if it didn't
happen.
Right.
But it did happen.
We do have the victory
and not only he
explains that aspect of it
but then he goes on
and kind of emphasizes
it again gives us
the victory on the
resurrection where he
talks about a resurrected
body.
OK.
And this is one of my
favorite subjects.
I love this chapter.
He says in verse 35 and
I'm gonna take the time
real quick.
OK.
And I'll try to wrap
this up in this last
point.
He said but some men
will say how are the
dead rice and with what
body do they come.
You know it's funny
like when people start
to wonder about these
things like well how do
they resurrect from the
dead and with what
body do they come.
It's a supernatural thing
like it doesn't it
doesn't need some
scientific explanation
behind it.
Right.
Like people say well if
you're cremated how
is God going to
resurrect that body.
Well he made man out of
the dust folks like he
literally formed man out
of the dust of the
earth.
Like let's not forget
who we're dealing with
here.
Doesn't need some
scientific process.
In fact Paul when people
start navel gazing about
these things and just
going on he calls them
fools.
Right.
Verse 36 thou fool.
Right.
Don't sit there and
have these foolish
things.
Thou sowest is not quick
and except it die and
that which thou sowest
thou sowest not that
body that shall be but
bare grain it may be of
chance of weed or some
of the grain.
He's saying you put a
seed in the ground a
plant dies its seed
falls to the earth it
doesn't it grows another
fruit.
Right.
Doesn't grow another
seed.
It's changed.
Right.
Just the way so
shall it be with us but
God giveth it a body
as it pleaseth him
and to every seed his
own body.
All flesh is not the
same flesh but there's
another kind of flesh of
men another of beasts
another of fishes another
of birds.
There are also celestial
bodies and bodies
terrestrial but the glory
of the celestial is one
and the glory of the
terrestrial is another.
So celestial and terrestrial
talking about heaven
celestial and terrestrial
earth.
Earth you're thinking
like the word terra like
terra firma is a reference
to literal physical dirt.
Right the earth celestial
you know celestial beings
celestial bodies talking
about heaven.
Yeah that which is above.
Right.
And he's saying that
there's a difference
between our earthly bodies
our terrestrial body
just like there's a
difference between our
body and that of an
animal.
Right.
He's saying there's a
difference between our
body here on earth and
our body which shall be
in heaven.
OK.
And I wish there was
more detail on this.
The Bible doesn't go
into great depth on this
because this is fascinating.
But I guess this is
kind of God it's kind
of like Christmas morning.
Right.
You wonder what's in the
package what's behind all
that shiny you know
wrapping paper what's
underneath the bow that's
this is kind of God's
Christmas morning.
There is a celestial
body.
I'm only going to tell
you I'm going to give
you a hint what it's
like.
I don't think we can
really fathom what it's
going to be like to be
in heaven and to have
this body.
And he's saying there is
a difference.
And look you say why
are you going into this
because this is part of
the resurrection this is
what the resurrection
means to us.
This is what it ought to
mean.
OK.
It's not about the Easter
Bunny for us this
morning.
It's not about some egg
hunt somewhere.
It's about the resurrection
of Christ and it's not
just about the fact that
Christ resurrected.
It's that that hasn't has
an impact on our lives.
What it means to us.
It means that our faith
is not in vain.
It means we have not
believed in life.
It means this actually
happened.
And it means that there
is the sting of death
is gone.
The victory of the grave
is gone.
And it gets better.
Wait there's more.
Not only are we going
to be resurrected in
heaven have no sting
have no victory.
We're going to be
defeated in those things
but on top of that
we're also going to
have this resurrected
body like Christ's body.
It's going to be
magnified.
It's going to be glorified.
And look that's great
news.
Right.
I don't want to drag
this stinking corpse up
there.
You know I'm hoping
you know if I end up
spending 80 or so years
in this thing that's
enough.
Right.
I'm already kind of
despising it as it is
right now.
It gets sick.
It doesn't look good.
You know I'm done
with this thing like
this is this thing's
got some he's getting
some miles on it I'm
ready to trade it in.
Right.
It's like you get
that new vehicle it's
exciting for the first
little while but then
it's like the all the
all the you know debris
gets on the floor you
stop washing it and
starts having problems
you're like it's time
for a new one.
You know sometimes
that's how we feel
about our bodies.
Just like.
I don't want to go to
heaven and spend eternity
in this flesh.
And we're not going to.
And there's some
theological reasons why
we can't we're not
going to go into that.
But he's saying look the
good news of the
resurrection is that it's
real it happened and
this is what it means to
you.
You're going to have
victory over the grave
and God is going to
give you a glorified
body.
There are celestial bodies
and bodies terrestrial.
Verse 41 there is one
glory of the sun and
other glory of the moon
and other glory of the
stars for one star
differ from another in
glory.
So also in the resurrection
of the dead it is sown
in corruption it is raised
in incorruption.
You know it's sown in
death it's sown in
corruption it's a sinful
body that goes into the
ground.
It's sinful flesh that
is going to be buried
one day.
It's something has died
just like a seed you
know it has to die a
plant has to die to
give that that life.
It is sown in dishonor
but it is raised in
glory.
It's changed.
It is sown in weakness.
It is raised in power.
Look in the resurrected
body there will be no sin.
One of the great truths
about the resurrection is
that we will have we will
be resurrected and will
be resurrected like Christ
meaning that we will not
have sinful flesh.
It is raised in power.
The resurrection when you
have that resurrected body
that sin you struggle
with is gone.
It won't even it won't
even be on your radar.
Those temptations will
have no power over us
because we'll have this
resurrected body.
It is sown a natural body
is raised a spiritual body
there is a natural body
there and there is a
spiritual body.
So it's not it's going
to be different the body
that we have right now.
And so it is the first
Adam was made a living
soul the last and was
made a cooking spirit
how be it that was not
that which is first is
spiritual that which is
natural and afterward
that which is spiritual
saying we have to have
this natural body.
Then we get the
spiritual one.
We will be resurrected
as Christ was in a
glorified body.
And it has to be this
way because of verse 50.
Now this I say brethren
that flesh and blood
cannot inherit the
kingdom of God.
Neither does corruption
inherit in corruption.
This corrupt sinful
flesh cannot go into a
perfect incorruptible
heaven.
They don't mesh.
It's oil and water.
If you would I'll
close on this thought.
Go to Luke 24 Luke 24.
When our old man is
dead and we are raised
in the new man
completely right.
Because we are a new
man you know we are a
new creature in Christ
behold all things are
made new.
The new man is in us
but it's a spiritual
new man right.
We're still in this
sinful flesh.
I don't see any
glorified bodies out
there this morning.
No offense.
We still have to deal
with it.
Why are we going to
get a new body?
Because corruption
cannot inherit in
corruption.
The body of sin
must be destroyed
so that we can have
that new body.
So let's just very
quickly look at its
attributes.
Just one of them because
again you know I like
this subject and it's
part of the resurrection.
It's resurrection Sunday.
It's Easter.
We're talking about it.
And you know we don't
get to see the full
package but God does
let us kind of pull
back the wrapping
paper a little bit and
get a glimpse.
You know let's just
shake it and try to
get an idea of what's
in there right.
You've all done it.
You know I've got an
uncle had an uncle he
passed but he
literally on there and
when his first Christmas
together with his wife
after they got married
one Christmas he
sat down and he
shook everything he
guessed every single one
of his presents.
Correctly he had every
last one of them right.
What a bummer of a
Christmas morning right
and it takes all the
thrill out of it just
like I knew it you know.
Tear it open like yes
that's what I thought.
You know I'm glad God
doesn't tell us
everything about our
resurrected body right.
He kind of he kind of
gives us a taste.
Does he want you know
here's a glimpse at it.
Here's what it's going
to be a little bit
like and we get to
just kind of peel the
paper back a little bit.
Verse 24 this is of
course after Christ
resurrection.
He says in verse thirty
six and as they thus
spake the disciples being
gathered together.
Jesus himself stood in
the midst of them and
saith unto them peace
be unto you.
Remember that and they
they've locked the door
right there they're
assembled.
They've locked the door
and then Christ just
appears in the midst of
them.
Right and he's in this
glorified body now.
He's resurrected to die
no more.
OK.
So he's in his glorified
form in the midst of
them.
Meaning he just he just
in a moment appeared.
Now is that something
we're going to be able to
do.
I think so.
And it makes sense when
you go into the you know
the millennium and start
considering the millennial
reign of Christ.
That we will rule and
reign with Christ.
You know that as he said
you know in his parables
to to the good servants
you know be thou over
five cities be thou over
ten that we shall rule
and reign with and the
Bible literally says that
in the resurrection we
shall judge angels.
That we will be kings
and priests unto our God.
So we're going to be
serving Christ in his
millennial reign.
We will be given authority.
Right.
And it might be that we're
over cities.
I don't know that I want
to be over Tucson at that
point you know.
Maybe somewhere in Europe.
I don't know.
Right.
Whatever.
Whatever I get.
You know.
But here's Jerusalem.
And I need to get down
to whatever city I'm
ruling over.
I need to I can't take.
I need to be able to
get there right now
because in the in in the
millennial reign.
It's instant justice.
You know people aren't
just going to get away
with it there's not going
to be some long drawn
out legal problem.
That's what the Bible
says first John three
verse two beloved.
Now we are the sons of
God.
Are we the sons of God.
And it does not yet
appear what we shall be
just like Paul saying in
First Corinthians chapter
fifteen.
There is a body
terrestrial and body
celestial.
Right.
There's one glory of the
sun the moon and the
stars that they differ
from these things.
And John is backing it up
says it does not appear
what we shall be.
Meaning we're we're one
thing now but we're
going to be changed.
We're going to be just
something different.
It hasn't been.
It does not fully appear
we don't completely
understand what it's
going to be like but
there will be a
difference and it will
be significant and it
will be magnificent.
But we know that when
he shall appear we
shall be like him.
Which is what Paul says
in First Corinthians
fifteen again.
That in the moment the
twinkling in my eye.
You know we should all
be changed.
Right.
When Christ comes and he
receives you know the
those that are dead in
Christ and then they
which we were alive
remain shall be caught up
together with them in
the clouds and so shall
we ever be with the
Lord.
Right.
In that instant in that
moment in that twinkling
of an eye when Christ
returns to me the
resurrection and the
rapture and in that
moment we're going to
change.
That quickly in the
twinkling of an eye we
shall all be changed
that's what he says.
And again John's
backing that up.
We shall be like him for
we shall see him as he is
and we're going to be
hold God in his glory.
This sinful flesh cannot
inherit the kingdom of
God.
We have to be changed
and that's how quickly
it's going to happen so
that we can see him as
he is.
We have to be like he
is we have to have that
glorified body.
Verse three and every
man that hath this open
hand purifies himself
even as he is pure.
So you know Paul takes
the time in first
Corinthians 15 to really
dig down into the
resurrection right and
what it means to us and
what it would mean if
Christ be not risen.
And he kind of ends with
this reminder about hey if
Christ be risen we're
going to be changed.
He's the first fruits and
then us.
We come after him.
And part of that
resurrection is that new
body.
Go back to first
Corinthians 15 and I'm
done and I'm done.
And he says well what's
the point of all that?
Like what's the point of
talking about it?
What's the point of
writing all that Paul?
What's the point of
getting up and preaching
this?
How does that that's
great that's down the
road but what does that
mean to us here and
now?
What impact does that
have on us this
morning?
What can we take out of
that?
It's like great yeah I
believe that Christ is
risen from the dead.
I believe as as the
Bible teaches as Paul
has written this morning
that one day you know
we're going to be as
he is.
We shall see him as he
is.
I believe that there's a
different body that we're
going to see.
There's a celestial
body.
There's this glory that's
waiting for us.
There's this victory that
we have.
That's great but you
know that's kind of off
in the future.
You know I don't know
about you but I'm in no
rush to get that
glorified body right.
I've got some other
things I'd like to
accomplish in this life.
There's some other things
I'd like to do and
experience.
You know that so that's
kind of these far it's
this far off thing to us
but what does that mean
here and now?
Well John said you know
we're going to be as
glorified by himself even
as he is pure.
You know just because we
don't have a glorified
body doesn't mean we
can't start acting and
living as if we do.
And you know we don't
like to do that because
it means we have to
put down the flesh.
Right.
Look if you're going to
receive a sinless
incorruptible body.
Why not start acting
like it?
That's why he says if
we live in the spirit
let us also then walk
in the spirit.
Right.
We're sealed by the
spirit of the day of
our redemption.
Let's act like it.
You might as well live
like it.
And that's kind of
interesting because Paul
kind of closes the
chapter on that same
type of thought.
Verse 58 we all know
this is a very famous
verse.
Therefore my beloved
brethren be steadfast.
Unmovable.
Always abounding the
work of the Lord for
as much as you know
that your labor is not
in vain in the Lord.
What is the what does
the resurrection mean to
us this morning?
What what you know
what impact can it have
in our lives here and
now?
You know Easter Sunday
we're at the resurrection
of Christ.
We're looking back to
Christ's resurrection and
everything that it meant.
But that that's a long
way off.
You know that that was
some time ago.
And you know First
Corinthians 15 Paul goes
on and talks about what
what's going to happen.
But that's also a long
way off.
I mean it's not as far
off for some of us as
others.
Right.
That resurrected body might
be a little bit closer
than than we'd like.
I don't know.
Right.
And for any of us it
could come at any moment.
Right.
But it's still we don't
sit there and think well
any minute now you know
I'm gone.
I mean that resurrected in
our minds it's always way
off in the distance.
So what does it matter.
Like what impact you have
well in the meantime between
those two events the
resurrection of Christ and
our own resurrection.
Let's be steadfast.
Let's let's not waver in
our faith.
Our faith is not in vain.
Be steadfast in it.
Be unmovable.
Don't be don't be moved
away from the faith.
Don't be moved out of the
Christian life.
Don't be carried away with
sin.
And always be always
abounding in the work of
the Lord.
You know if we have this
hope you know let's
purify ourselves and let's
do the work of God.
Let's work as if.
Let's let's let's always
abound the work of the
Lord.
As if Christ be risen from
the dead because Christ is
risen from the dead.
And our faith is not in vain
as he goes on and says for
as much as you know that
your labor is not in vain.
Let's keep going out and
preaching the resurrection
keep going out and
preaching the gospel.
Let's go out and keep
laboring for the gospel
sake.
Because our faith is not in
vain because Christ is
risen from the dead.
Let's go and close the
word of prayer.
Lord again thank you for
the resurrection the
resurrection thank you for
saving us from our sins
thank you for the great
sacrifice that was made
thank you for sending your
own son to die for us
Lord that we might have
the hope of the resurrection
in our own lives.
And Lord I pray help us to
bring that same hope to a
lost and dying world the
people that are without
Christ in this world.
People that are of all men
most miserable Lord help us
to bring the truth.
Of the light of the glory
of the gospel of Christ to
them.
So that they can know as we
know the power of the
resurrection.
In time to come we ask
these things in Christ's name
Amen.
All right we'll go and sing
one more song before we go.
Let's open up our head
and roll.
Song number 66.
Song number 66 half caliber.
Song number 66.