(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

Amen. So we're in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and as you know this is a pretty long chapter but the whole premise of this chapter is really one which is the resurrection. This is what we would call the resurrection chapter but the chapter starts off here dealing with defining what the gospel is so if you want a really good definition of what the gospel is this is where you go. Look at verse 1 there it says moreover brethren I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you which also you have received and wherein ye stand by which also ye are saved if you keep in memory what I preached unto you unless ye 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 third day according to the scriptures. So that's the gospel the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and when it comes down to the simplicity of the gospel that's what we need to be preaching the death, burial, and resurrection and in this passage here he's declaring what that gospel is and the idea here is that he's going to be getting into that last portion which is the fact that he rose again this whole chapter is going to be dealing with the fact that if you take that portion out you're basically there's no gospel and it's not going to be profitable you're going to be in your sins you're not going to be saved if you don't have the resurrection in there and the reason he's rebuking them because there's people that are there stating or believing or whatever that that there is no resurrection and he's basically stating that if you don't remember this if you don't remember the fact that the gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection then you believed in vain and what this means it's not stating that they lost their salvation or anything like that is the fact that if you don't remember that Jesus rose from the dead then you're not saved and you didn't believe the right thing and so people can believe in vain all the time meaning that they're not believing the right thing and what he's stating here is that if you don't keep it if you don't have this in remembrance if you don't remember what you have to do to be saved then you didn't believe the right thing so and and I do believe this is that I don't believe someone's gonna forget unless there's some kind of medical reason for like having dementia or something like that but if you're just uh you know you have your your cogitations like they should be you know basically you have your reasoning like it you know like a normal person you're not gonna forget what the gospel is you're not gonna forget what you believe and if you did then you didn't really believe it you know a believer doesn't become an unbeliever and I don't think a believer is going to forget what it takes to get to heaven and if you if you forget you're like I'm not sure how you get to heaven then you're not saved I mean that's what we when we go out soul winning and someone says you know I don't know and then you know what it takes then you show them they're like oh yeah I believe that before I don't believe them you know like you could say that all day long but I don't believe that that person was actually saved I think people can be bewitched in the fact that like you know struggling with eternal security maybe because people have been trying to shove like you know works down their throat and but then you show them some verses like no that's right that's what the Bible says that's different than someone basically just saying I have no idea it's good works to get to heaven and then at the end of the you know conversation you're like okay well would you like to get saved and be like oh no I already believed that before you know no you didn't you didn't keep in remembrance you know what the gospel is you say well you know people all over the world believe that Jesus died you know on the cross and that he you know died for our sins and was buried and rose again a third day and people will confess that all day long but here's here's the thing they're missing they do not believe that he died for their sins because if you believe you can lose your salvation if you believe that there's some sin that that would send you to hell then you don't believe that part then you don't believe the gospel and so you can say that all day long just like the person that says yeah we're saved by grace I'm saved by grace brother it's not by works but you got to be a good person to go to heaven it's like well then you don't believe it's not by works then okay you can say that all day long but you're not really believing it and they're believing in something that's vain or something that's not going to save them so that's what I believe it's talking about there as far as believing in vain is the fact that if you don't remember the fact that Jesus rose from the dead then you're not saved you know as simple as that and because this is very simple this isn't saying like you need to remember that he took his blood up to the mercy seat you don't need to remember like like it's not telling you all these little details that you need to know like what does this represent what did the veil represent well the veil represents his flesh and that you know when the veil was rent is the new and living way through it's like you don't need to know all those little details you need to know that he died for your sins was buried and rose again the third day and you say what's it what's the importance of being buried well the fact is is that he actually died he was dead like no doubt he wasn't just in a coma he was buried he was dead for three days and three nights and he rose again from the dead now the gospel simply I mean if you were to think about we you hear the term good news but the Bible uses the term glad tidings so if you think about what the gospel means like I declare unto you the gospel because you could say like something is glad tidings are good news and not be the gospel see when we're talking about the gospel we're talking about the gospel that means something right because there's a lot of good news and glad tidings out there but the the the greatest story ever told are the best tidings that could ever be given is the fact that Jesus came into this world and died for us and rose again the third day that's the greatest news you know in the world so that is the gospel there's plenty of Gospels out there there's plenty of glad tidings out there that are legitimate glad tidings as far as you know good things to hear and and all that and we sing about that you know with Christmas you know bringing glad tidings of different things but bringing glad tidings of great joy in the fact that Jesus was born into this world and that he died for our sins and rose again the third day that is the gospel that is the true gospel that is the gospel that it will save you okay and so you could go to Romans 10 you don't have to but it talks about the fact that how beautiful are the feet of them that preached the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things and if you looked at Isaiah 52 7 and a.m. 1 15 which is our moniker verses for our church the idea there is that glad tiding is publishing peace you know preaching the gospel peace you know all that stuff is used interchangeably they're playing good tidings of good things now go to 1st Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 5 and we're gonna kind of just be chugging along through this chapter just so you know okay I'm basically just going you know verse by verse and we're gonna kind of look at it in pieces here first of all you see the gospel is defined clearly and you need to believe that and if you don't believe those pieces of the gospel there then you believe in vain verse 5 here shows us the fact that there were eyewitnesses of the resurrection so he's going into the fact that he uses the gospel to be a springboard into the fact that hey the resurrection is a part of the gospel that saves you and if you don't have that that part of it you're not saved and if no one if that doesn't if that never happened no one saved that's what he's gonna get into but he's gonna state here is that there were a lot of eyewitnesses of this this did happen there is a resurrection Jesus did raise from the dead and verse 5 here says in that he was seen of Cephas then of the twelve after that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once of whom the greater part remain unto this present but some are falling asleep now obviously those all are falling asleep this point right but obviously when when Paul's writing this letter to the Corinthians he's stating that a lot of them are still alive but some have died okay it says after that he was seen of James then of all the Apostles and last of all I want this to be very clear last of all he was seen of me also as of one born out of due time for I am the least of the Apostles and I'm not mean to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Church of God so is anybody else seeing Jesus now not according to Paul says that he was last of all seen of him now the next time someone sees Jesus is when he's coming in the clouds okay and this also shows you that being an apostle has to be has to do with being an eyewitness of the resurrection that that's what I believe one of the requirements to be an apostle is that you've seen Jesus in his resurrected state and I don't believe that there was just 12 because Paul's an apostle so you had the 12 apostles obviously Judas fell but then Matthias took his place but then you have James the brother of Jesus that's called an apostle you have Barnabas that's called an apostle you have you know there's other there's others that are called apostles and here I believe there's actually hundreds better apostles and I believe these 500 brethren that that saw him at once are all witnesses of his resurrection and that are apostles now I can't prove that indefinitely but the fact is is that he's stating all these people that saw Jesus Cephas the 12 James I believe which is the brother of Jesus you know the physical brother right and then you know going down the line here and then he says that last of all you see to me for I am the least of the apostles that I'm not called to be meet there that it not me to be called an apostle so he's basically I believe just listing off all the apostles here and the fact that hey these are all eyewitnesses now to give you some credence to that go to Acts chapter 1 and the fact that the 12 were definitely you know the the point of the 12 were to give a witness of his resurrection okay now to be the 12 you had a stricter requirement Paul couldn't have been one of the 12 because of the requirements that's on this okay but in in verse 1 there says the former treatise have I have I made O Theophilus of all that Jesus began both to do and teach until the day in which he was taken up after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them 40 days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God so actually for 40 days you say well you know how many how many apostles are I don't know why he had 40 days to appear unto them now obviously we know the famous stories where the day that he rose from the dead and then you'll see other places where you know they go fishing in John 21 you know but at the same time 40 days he was appearing unto them and showing himself and they were eyewitnesses of his resurrection and in verse 21 there notice what it says when they're picking they have to pick someone else since Judas obviously was a traitor and he killed himself and all that but in verse 21 it says wherefore of these men which have accompanied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us beginning from the baptism of John unto the same day that he was taken up from us must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection so to be the 12 you had to be there from when Jesus was baptized pretty much that's what he's saying like from the baptism of John basically when Jesus started his ministry so then right that that's where you were there for that whole thing and obviously Paul wasn't even there for the you know he wasn't even there for those 40 days he was one he was the exception that proves the rule meaning that he was one born out of due time he was after the day of Pentecost right so you seen of them 40 days or you know they saw Jesus you know showed himself unto them for 40 days but then at the 50th day is when you had the at Pentecost and you know Paul was not even saved at that point so in Acts chapter 4 the last thing I want to show you here Acts chapter 4 and verse 33 notice what it says in verse 33 it says and with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all so I believe that the point of the Apostles what one was they were actually gonna receive you know holy man of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost they were going to be receiving you know basically revelation to pen down the Word of God and give Commandments but also the fact is is that they were you know given the job of being the witness of the resurrection like they were eyewitnesses and obviously there was other things that they did they did had special miracles that were done by them there there was you know wonders you know special wonders that were done by the Apostles so that being said is that Paul is right and basically laying the groundwork here to the Corinthian saying first of all you don't believe that Jesus rose from the dead you're not saved second of all there were many witnesses of the resurrection and it wasn't just the 12 there was 500 brethren at once that saw him so this wasn't something that no one saw or just like one or two people saw no he was seen and he was showing himself for 40 days and there were many eyewitnesses and the Apostles are those that are giving witness and that's why he's you know obviously Paul is magnifying his office and the fact that he's an apostle and they need to be listening up because he is an apostle and Barnabas is an apostle and all that now first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 9 notice what he states here it it says for I'm the least of the apostles that I'm not me to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church so he's basically stating that I'm not worthy to be called an apostle because you know what I gave consent unto Christians you know the death of Stephen you know like basically he was holding the clothes when they were killing Stephen and he gave consent unto the death of Saints and he's basically stating you know I I shouldn't even be called an apostle but notice in verse 10 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 all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me therefore whether it were I or they so we preach and so you believe now this is under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost meaning that this isn't just Paul speaking as far as like there's a conversation going on he's stating this to somebody this he's the narrator okay that means is that that's true that means Paul out of all the Apostles labored more than them all so when we say that Paul was the greatest Christian to live right I mean that's what the Bible stating stating that he labored more than them all and I believe there's a reason why now in verse 11 there is interesting too because he says whether I it were I or they so we preach and so you believe in the idea that how should they hear without a preacher and the idea that there has to be someone there to preach it and he's like whether it's me or whether it's them you know what we preach you believed because that's how it works okay that how should I hear without a preacher and how should I preach except to be sent as is written how beautiful are the feet of them to preach the gospel peace and bring glad tidings of good things now the thing is is that you say well why did Paul labor more abundantly than them all I believe there's I believe there's a reasoning and this is you know something that you can see a lot of times when you're dealing with specifically first generation Christians but first generation Christians that that end up having a you know maybe a past you know where God brought them out of some kind of like past okay go to Luke chapter 7 Luke chapter 7 because what was his what what did you just get done saying he's basically saying I'm least of the Apostles because I persecuted the church you know basically he had a bad past of persecuting the church okay not like a bad past necessarily like an alcohol or you know like the botry of things like that but a bad past and actually persecuting the Church of God and you know what the Bible even said he even states in you know first Timothy in the fact that he's the chief among sinners okay and I believe the reason he states that is because he was almost to the point where of no return he was at the point where it's like you either get saved or you're done right and he got saved because he was like literally on his way on a journey to go like persecute Christians pull them out of their house and take him over to be punished or killed right so I mean he was in he was at the point of where God I'm sure was either you're either gonna get saved or you're gonna be turned over to a reprobate mind that's why I believe he's called he called himself the chief you know the cheapest among sinners not that he's done the worst things in the world necessarily as far as like what reprobates do but the chief in the fact of that's as far as you can go before you know you're losing hope of salvation meaning that you're not you're not gonna be able to get saved after that but in Luke 7 verse 40 Jesus gives basically he is talking to Simon not Simon Peter but but verse 40 here it says in Jesus answer answering said unto him Simon I have somewhat to say unto thee and he saith master say on there was a certain creditor which had two debtors the one owed five hundred pence the other fifty and when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both tell me therefore which of them will love me most or love him most and he states well to whom thou forgaveth most you know to whom he forgave most and he says thou has rightly judged and in verse 47 it says wherefore I say unto thee her sins talking about Mary who was basically wiping you know his feet with her hair and tears and all that her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little and this is a this is something that seems to come true a lot meaning that those that that have a lot meaning like this is something we have to be careful to with our kids because you have the opportunities that our kids have at this church with good doctrine with good soul winning and just the the fellowship that we have it's it'd be very easy for them to take that for granted and not do anything with it then those that didn't grow up in a home that was saved didn't know the way of salvation had to find out the way of salvation and then you know what end up having to maybe get their family saved and I had to you know work out from that realm of a situation and or you know just just those type of situations that you'll see a lot of times those that you know basically had none that growing up end up doing greater things for God than the people that grew up with everything that doesn't mean that you can't do great things for God if you grow up with everything but you it's gonna be harder for you and listen up children it's gonna be harder for you because you have everything handed to you right now everything's being spoon-fed and a lot of us we weren't spoon-fed that we had we got say you obviously someone taught us to salvation okay but once we got saved you know what we had to read it for ourselves and we had we had to get our rear ends in the church ourselves and that that type of thing is something that we have to teach our kids is that you need you don't earn salvation but if you want to do great things for God you have to do the reading you want to do great things for God you're gonna have to get yourself up because there's gonna come a time when your parents aren't gonna be there to get you up out of bed to get you up and read your Bible to get you out soul winning you know there's gonna come a time when when you know we're just not gonna we're not gonna force you anymore because you're gonna be outside the home and we're not gonna just be knocking on your door me like time to get the church so when it comes to Paul his background caused him to be one of the greatest Christians ever because he took that as far as like how much God had mercy on him and he caused that to have so much more mercy on the world this I think of this when it comes to preaching doctrines you know there's there's certain doctrines I used to believe and when people come up to me like yeah I believe that doctrine I tend to have a little more mercy on them right you know then when someone comes up with some oneness doctrine I'm like snow mercy for you but if someone came up to me like Abraham's bosom you know or the Jews or God's chosen people you know I have mercy on them because you know what I used to believe that out of ignorance and so Paul I believe had a lot of mercy for those that were not believers those that you know even blasphemed you know the true God with their idols and just different things like that to where he's just like where was I and he just had a different perspective and so something to think about there but I want I want to state this is that I'm not saying children that you should just wish that you grew up in some like crackhead home where you didn't have anything that you should have and you feel like come out of the dregs of society okay no you have you this is where you want to be okay you want to be in a good Christian home where you're being brought up in a good church but don't take it for granted okay because it's easy to do you're gonna have a lot it's gonna be a lot easier for you to take it for granted than someone that doesn't have that okay so go to first Corinthians chapter 15 in verse 12 it's really gonna hit on the fact that there's there's people there that they're saying that that the dead rise not and he's making a point he's like if you're saying that there's no resurrection you're saying Jesus didn't raise from the dead and if you're saying that Jesus didn't didn't raise from the dead that means you're still in your sins because if there's no resurrection the gospel doesn't save you notice what says in verse 12 it says now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead and if there be no resurrection of the dead then is Christ not raised you know what that means they're not risen you know what that means is that that means Christ is dead that means Jesus is still dead and it says and if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain yea we are 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 rise not for if the dead rise not then is not Christ raised and if Christ be not raised your faith is vain year 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 we are all men most miserable I mean think about that I mean yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution I mean if they hated me they will hate you and marvel not if the world hates you what in the world are we doing if this is the only thing we got left I mean if this life is the only thing that we have and then it's over and it's just nothing then what in the world are we spending our life being hated and persecuted and like why are we preaching people the gospel what's the point literally it's all vain if that were the case and he's stating that if the dead rise not that means Christ isn't raised and if Christ isn't raised then we're false witnesses because we're saying we're going around telling people that he rose from the dead he's just like I mean this is baffling I'm sure that Paul's writing this like what how am I right why do I have to write this you know like because and even you know like basically he's like you know I speak this to your shame you know are you so foolish like he really hits on them hard on this because this is a crucial doctrine there's no mistake of why this is such a big chapter here and why it's so long because he's nailing this down that hey the resurrection is real the resurrection did happen and if the resurrection didn't happen then we might as well eat drink and be married because what are we doing and this is the doctrine of the Sadducees okay so this is in Corinth but in Jerusalem there are there's the the sect of the Pharisees and Sadducees right so you think of the Pharisees and Sadducees the difference between the Pharisees and Sadducees is the fact that the Pharisees believe that there's a resurrection they believe in a spirit they believe in an angel whereas the Sadducees don't believe in any of that that's why they're sad you see right that's how I remember it anyway so but go to Acts chapter I'm yeah Acts chapter 23 actually 23 I just want you to see that that this is a doctrine that Sadducees had before Jesus ever I believe that the you know those in Judea were believing that there was no resurrection before that no marvel that Judaism today most those that are of Judaism don't believe that there's even a heaven or that there's an afterlife or anything like that I mean you probably seen marching design where you have that a Brahmi guy you know that it's just like getting all heated he's like you know we tell that the children you know that grandpa is went to heaven that's what children you know I can't do this his accent but but it's like like they don't believe that there's an afterlife what are we doing you might as well just be an atheist at that point like what's the point if this is I mean if you die and that's it what's the point there's no consequences there's no reward like what's the point of doing anything and so anyway in Acts chapter 23 and verse 8 it says for the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection neither angel nor spirit but the Pharisees confess both so I just want you to see that very clearly so when you're reading through the New Testament and you see Pharisee Sadducees you're like what's the difference Sadducees they're like a bunch of Eors going around thinking that there's no resurrection and you know what they I get here's the thing with the Sadducees you know what they got a rude awakening when they when they realized that there was an afterlife because you know they there is a resurrection but they're not part of the good part of the resurrection they're gonna be a part of the the resurrection of the unjust but in in Acts chapter 5 in verse 17 it's interesting because the high priests were Sadducees did you know that you think Caiaphas and Annas right Caiaphas was the nephew of Annas right or father-in-law I'm sorry not nephews if Annas was Caiaphas's father-in-law okay which is always interesting because Caiaphas that means he'd be younger right and then Annas later on anyway they think apparently they take turns you know I'm not saying that's biblical I'm just saying that's what happened right because you have Caiaphas when Jesus was crucified but then you have Annas later on but in Acts chapter 5 verse 17 it says then the high priest rose up and all they that were with him which is the sect of the Sadducees and were filled with indignation so think about who are the religious leaders who's in the office of a high priest during Jesus day a bunch of people that don't even believe in the resurrection they don't even believe in an angel or spirit I mean good night think about all the passages in the Old Testament talking about angels and spirits I mean this completely denying the Bible so if you thought if you think well no they were holding to they were holding to the Torah and what universe they don't even believe that the angel that spake out of the burning bush you know I mean so just to kind of give you that that this doctrine of not believing in a resurrection it's not there's nothing new under the Sun okay but it was it was obviously in the Corinthian Church and he was nipping it in the bud now when it comes to the resurrection listen if he didn't if he didn't raise from the dead go to Revelation chapter 1 then we don't have the keys of hell in the dead we don't have the keys of heaven we don't we don't get to enter heaven if there's no resurrection and in Revelation 1 verse 17 it says and when I saw him I fell at his feet is dead and he laid his right hand upon me saying unto me fear not I am the first and the last I'm here to live it and was dead behold I'm alive forevermore amen and have the keys of hell and of death and here's the thing though he didn't just raise from the dead and die later on he ever liveth to make intercession for us this is very important that that Christ is still alive he rose from the dead and he's still alive that is why we're saved okay so when people try to say well you know when he when we say well Jesus went to hell for three days like oh you're adding to it it's just the death you know what he died on the cross he said it is finished to tell us day you know that is why you know they used a great term there and they're just like well it means that it's done it's done it's like well if he didn't raise from the dead we're yet in our sins so putting that you're in your pipe and smoke it meaning this is that there's other things that have to happen and not only that is it because he rose from the dead but it's because he ever liveth and that death hath no more dominion over him he is alive forevermore he's a high priest forever after you order Melchizedek and he ever liveth to make intercession for us and so that is very very important if you don't have the resurrection you don't have the keys and you know Jesus would still be in hell his body would still be in the tomb and there would be no forgiveness for sins it's by the resurrection obviously the the death is part of it too right there what would be the need for the resurrection if he didn't die okay he died in our sins meaning that he condemned our sins by death but the resurrection shows us that he actually paid for okay so this is very important to know that the resurrection is crucial to the gospel now then in verse 20 so first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 20 we get into the order of the resurrections meaning this is that there's actually three different resurrections that take place now it doesn't say that but it does call one of them the first resurrection okay and if there's a first that means there probably is a second okay felt like when you say you know Mary brought forth her firstborn son but that was it it's like well why did you just say her only son you know if that was the case so first implies there's a second but what I want you to see here is that there's an order of the resurrection of the dead and it even uses that term everyone in his own order okay and notice in verse 20 there it says but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept I love it I love that verse because he gets done saying if Christ be not raised and we are yet in our sins and and he's going back and forth with like the hypotheticals and he and he's in verse 20 said but now is Christ risen from the dead okay he's just like he's risen from the dead deal with it you know that is it's a fact and it says be and become and become the first fruits of them that slept this this means that Jesus is the only one right now that has a resurrected body and there were people obviously you know that that are recorded in you know second Timothy for example where it says that they air from the truth saying that the resurrection is passed already right and obviously that's incorrect meaning that some people are thinking that while we're already resurrected not physically Jesus is the only one that has a glorified body right now in verse 21 it says for since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead for as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive so he's giving you the the example that that because of Adam sin came into all the world you could row if you want the Romans 5 you'd see the same correlation talking about Adam and how Adam condemned the world but Jesus justifies the world and then it goes on to say here that in verse 23 but every man in his own order okay so here's the order Christ the first fruits so there's number one that's already happened Christ the first fruits afterward they that are Christ's at his coming so there's the second one okay then come at the end there's the third okay so if you want to see the the order of resurrection here you have Christ the first fruits that happened about 2,000 years ago you have they that are Christ's at his coming well we're still waiting on that then you have then come at the end okay it says 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 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 said 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 so it really goes in detail to explain then come at the end what is the end the end is after the thousand-year reign okay when he delivers up the kingdom unto God the father and it even states here you may ask yourself why does he have to reign for a thousand years right why isn't it just like you know let's just get Satan done you know and just go into the new heaven new earth it explains here that he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet the last enemy to be destroyed is death do you know what where that happens at the great white throne what's cast into the lake of fire death and hell and what happened what is stated in Revelation 21 what's what's one of the main things that says there's gonna be no more death death is defeated because at that point all those that are unsaved will be in outer darkness in the lake of fire and all the saved will be in glorified bodies and they'll walk into New Jerusalem and there'll be no more pain no more death it's completely defeated okay so that's the end so I think the first two are pretty simple to understand the first fruits Jesus when he rose from the dead this also goes into the Feast of the Lord one of the feast is the first fruits which happens the the day after the Sabbath which happens to be on the first day of the week from the Passover and that's when Jesus rose from the dead actually on the Feast of first fruits and then you count seven Sabbaths after that and then the next day would be the day of Pentecost okay which is exactly what happens okay but that being said is that the first fruits the first resurrection okay now the reason I call the first resurrection because that's what it states in Revelation Revelation 20 before the thousand year reign you have the first resurrection they're all given you know like their rewards you have the the judgment seat of Christ but at the end that's all saved people at the first resurrection it's just saved people does that make sense no one say people just say people when the end comes you're gonna have what the Bible calls the resurrection of the just and the unjust that's where you'll see in John chapter 5 where it says all that are in the graves shall awake and it talks about how there'll be someone to life everlasting and some to eternal condemnation and I I'm gonna paraphrase that because I can't remember exactly how it says it but basically that's the second resurrection okay that's where at the end of the end of the thousand year reign you have I believe a judgment seat for the saved just like the first resurrection had but then you had the great white throne which is all the unsaved and it says that the it talks about you know people coming up out of the sea all the dead out of the sea all the dead out you know and this is talking they're gonna physically stand there and this is where this is true that he's gonna destroy both soul and what body and hell so that what is that talking about that's talking about the lake of fire it also shows you that the lake of fire is also called hell okay hell beneath but then also the lake of fire is hell which makes sense because hell is literally cast into it therefore wouldn't it still be called hell but at same time that is the the end okay that's and then you have the new have new earth and all that okay so let's keep rolling here first Corinthians chapter 15 that's a whole sermon I mean you could I could literally spend my whole time on that this chat every single little portion I read to you I could spend my whole I could spend a whole sermon on that so let's keep rolling here and if you have questions maybe I'll preach a sermon on it verse 29 this is this is a passage that's always brought up and you're like what does this mean verse 29 else 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 and why stand we in jeopardy every hour I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die daily if after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus what advantage is that me if the dead rise not let us eat drink for tomorrow we die be not the seed 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 now the question that you'd ask is like well what is this you know being baptized for the dead okay now there's a lot of different thoughts on this I I personally don't believe that he's talking about people that are literally like the Mormons that are baptizing they're like you know like where they dress up like their relatives and they baptize themselves for a dead person I believe what he's stating here is that you know what what are all these people gonna do that are baptized you know if the dead rise not right if you think about it like he's talking about the fact that the dead rise not what's the point of baptism what's point of spiritual baptism what's the point of physical baptism what's the point of any baptism when it comes to this because what is baptism represent baptism represents being immersed but if the dead rise not that means you're just immersed okay so if you know and I always kind of joke about this if this were talking about people doing physical baptism that means you need to just hold them down there and don't let them up okay you know we joke about we're like well I'll hold you down till you bubble you know like that's what it would be because the baptism I'm gonna read one verse to you first Peter chapter 3 in verse 21 it says the like figure where unto even baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ okay why does baptism save you and we're talking about the death penalty resurrection by the way why does it save you because he rose from the dead because it's by the resurrection and if you think about this statement you know what shall they do which are baptized for the dead meaning this is that when you get baptized the whole point of baptism that you're raised to walk in newness of life like what are you doing getting baptized if the dead rise not so you know I don't personally believe this is talking about like some weird occultic type of you know baptism ceremony I think it's just a kind of a different way of stating the fact you know like how would you state this right I guess the question you'd ask yourself if you're talking about why would you then get baptized if the dead rise not okay I mean that's the kind of the way you would think about it like what are you getting baptized for what are these what are all these people getting baptized for if the dead rise not that's what I believe this is talking about now I usually believe that you know well when it says the dead is talking about Jesus right meaning they're baptized for the dead meaning that if Christ be not risen then he's dead right so why are you being baptized for Jesus because the chapter the whole book starts off with saying are you baptized in the name of Paul you know was Paul crucified for you or where I you know what was I crucified for you meaning that you're baptized for Jesus right so you could take that interpretation but I I don't know if that's actually you know if that could be the interpretation or not okay I preached that before where I'm basically stating that you know what shall someone do that's baptized for basically a Christ that's dead okay but more so I just think it's stating in general like what are what are we getting baptized for what are those people getting baptized for who what is anybody getting baptized for if the dead rise not what's the point doesn't make any sense and he goes on to say you know why are we in jeopardy every hour right why are we dying you know he's basically saying I die daily I'm dealing with beasts and Ephesus I don't know what was going on at Ephesus but when he says beasts I'm sure he's talking about reprobates I'm sure he's not talking about like you know like a bunch of dogs at the door you know or something like that maybe but I think he's talking about dogs as far as what the Bible talks about when it talks about dogs and he's stating there you know what's the point we might as well eat drink for tomorrow we die I think it just goes into that same premise you know what's the point of getting baptized baptism supposed to be represent the death bell resurrection you know what's the point of that what's the point of being in jeopardy every hour what's the point of dying daily what's the point of dealing with all these beasts that are you know like all these people that hate me and want to kill me what's the point we might as well just live it up and then he says be not deceived evil communications corrupt good manners you know what that means is that depending on the type of communication or who you're who you're hanging out with who you're fellowshipping with will end up corrupting you okay if you're around people that cuss all the time it'll be like osmosis if you're around people that are you know I don't know let's say they're rude okay then you may end up being rude you pick up people's mannerisms right but if you're around people that have bad doctrine you're gonna end up having bad doctrine because you're gonna end up picking up some of that stuff okay so you know evil communications corrupt good manners that's why you need to be around and communication sometimes isn't just talking about like what we're saying but what we're doing okay so it says a way to righteousness and sin not for some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame meaning like you need to get this right so he's really hitting this hard then he goes on to to the fact that let's talk about the resurrection let's talk about what it is so he didn't just say there's a resurrection he's like there's a spiritual body okay like he is getting getting he's gonna get to the nitty-gritty here and the fact that you're dealing with a different body than what you have now what you have now is a natural body that's not gonna be the same body that you have when you're resurrected I'm not saying you're gonna look different as far as like your whole face facial you know features are gonna be different but it's not gonna be like your spirit or your physical body in the fact of it's not flesh and blood and it's gonna be better okay it's what it's gonna get to here verse 35 but some man will say how are the dead raised up and with what body do they come thou fool thou that which thou sowest is not quickened except to die so you can see in here that he's right he's like you know I speak this to your shame and thou fool like this is a foolish question it's basically what he's getting it he's like you're you're being a fool about this because he's gonna state a fact he's gonna give it a correlation here that that thou sowest is not quickened except to die and meaning that it's not made alive except to die it says in that which thou sowest thou sowest not the body that shall be but bare grain it may chance of wheat or of some other grain so he's giving this as an example is like you're putting seed into the ground it dies and then it brings forth something greater right and so you think about think about the correlation between the natural body and the spiritual body is a correlation between a seed and what grows from a seed okay that's a stark difference right I mean think about the grain of a mustard seed right and then think about that tree that it produces so that's the stark difference between natural body and the spiritual body but he's also showing he's like you know what that has to die you know in order to bring forth you know the spiritual and and he's also basically showing you know because people like well it turns into dust you know people use these arguments like well how about all the people that like literally they have nothing left right I mean the bones are just completely dust yeah you use these arguments like how in the world can they be resurrected it's like well it's just as much as a seed that goes into the ground and dies and then that becomes what it is it doesn't matter but this also shows you that you know what it's very biblical to bury loved ones okay because what is bearing represented very it represents this correlation of you know the seed that dies it goes into the ground and then it's gonna be resurrected okay I don't believe we should be cremating people I believe that is something that's definitely a pagan thing you don't see in the Bible where he's you know like God is telling us to do that actually he's telling you know God buried Moses okay so if anything I mean God literally buried somebody and so that is very biblical and it's something that we should do verse 38 says but God giveth it a body as it had pleased him and into every seed his own body so I love this because when it comes to the resurrection it's according to as it pleased God you know as far as this resurrection is concerned it says all flesh is not the same flesh but there is one kind of flesh of man another flesh a beast another fishes another 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 he's basically stating like you know there's all kinds of different bodies out there right I mean just even you thought of like the different types of animals and all that stuff but he's basically stating that there's different types of bodies and flesh and up by the way there's different you know of angels too because he didn't you know when Jesus came in he didn't take on the nature of angels but the seed of Abraham okay so those are two different things as well but it says that there's body celestial and terrestrial so what do you think of celestial and terrestrial well if you think of like the term like extraterrestrial that means like something that's not of this world right so terrestrial means like earthly celestial you think of like celebrity or like which is like the stars right that person is a star there's celebrity celestial means like though that which is like like the star Sun Moon and stars type of thing those are heavenly bodies okay and in verse 41 it says there is one glory of the Sun and another glory of the moon another glory of the of the of the stars for one star differth from another star and glory so also is the resurrection of the dead it is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in dishonor it is raised in glory it is sown in weaknesses raised in power it is sown a natural body it is raised the spiritual body there is a natural body and there is a spiritual body I love how you just states that there's a natural body and there is a spiritual body facts but when it comes to the resurrection the the thing that notice here is that he's basically saying that glory meaning like brightness right there's there's a certain brightness of the Sun there's a certain brightness of the moon and obviously the moon is a reflection of the Sun but then the stars in it you all know this but there are stars that some stars are brighter than others and this gets into the resurrection and the fact that there's going to be able to have a better resurrection than others not everybody's resurrection is going to be the same because the resurrection is based off what you do as a Christian so something to think about when it comes to this is that not everybody's getting the same upgrade if you will now everybody's getting an upgrade hey when it comes to a spiritual body and I don't think anybody's gonna be disappointed but I do think that you know what there's gonna be a higher upgrades for those that live for God and there's gonna be better resurrection and basically people that shine brighter how about this in Daniel chapter 12 dealing with the the resurrection to couple with this in Daniel 12 verse 2 it says in many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt and they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever so what is this talking about it's talking about winning people to Christ and so you say well how do I shine brighter well how about be the light of the world in this world now and you'll shine even brighter when you're in the world to come and that is something that's gonna be eternal so don't take that for granted either don't put that off as if that's nothing go to first reading chapter 15 and verse 50 because then it gets into the rapture so if you remember you had you know Christ the first fruits then it says they that are Christ that is coming talking about the resurrection it links this with the rapture doesn't it because now we're gonna be talking about being changed and I love this because this correlates perfectly with 1st Thessalonians 4 but also it correlates perfectly with Matthew chapter 24 but it gives us some elements here in verse verse 50 it says now this I say brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God neither does corruption inherit incorruption I'm sorry I skipped some verses here sorry I was like man I'm getting I'm going through this now I'm sorry I was I got off on Daniel 12 because we were up there let me let me finish up what it says here in verse 45 verse 45 it says and so it so it is written the first man Adam was made a living soul and the last Adam was made a quickening spirit so we know that obviously God breathed into Adam and breathe the breath of life and he was made a living soul but the last Adam which is we're gonna be talking about the Lord Jesus is made a quickening spirit it says the first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from heaven I love this verse because it's just straight-up says it's the Lord Jesus is the Lord he is the Lord from heaven that is the second Adam that came down that is the Lord Jesus Christ and it says verse 48 as is the earthy so are they also that are earthy and as is the heavenly so are they also that are heavenly and as we have borne the image of the earthy we shall also bear the image of the heavenly and in verse 50 it says now this I say brethren that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God and it says neither the corruption inherit incorruption now this is a great verse to show those play all those places where it says flesh and blood shall not inherit or it says that you know those that commit these sins you think of 1st Corinthians 6 Galatians chapter 5 talking about the works of the flesh it says shall not inherit the kingdom of God why because it's talking about the flesh because your flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God and this is for those out there because you're going to die right your flesh will die that's not gonna inherit the kingdom of God you say well what if Jesus comes back you know then wouldn't my flesh inherit the kingdom of God no actually because what is it gonna state here it says verse 51 behold I show you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed 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 for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality so yeah no actually even those that are alive and remain when he comes in the clouds that flesh and blood is gonna be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye and that's not a blinking of an eye that's a twinkle so if you think of like you know I started twinkles right but think about like that light that twinkles off the like like the eye right and so it's instantaneous is what it's showing here now it doesn't say necessarily that it's instantaneous that we're caught up in the clouds because it talks about the angels now it could be because angels are obviously quick right it talks about that moving like lightning okay but it states that we're gonna be changed in a moment it doesn't necessarily say that we're gonna be up in the clouds in a moment I think we'll be up there pretty quick though but at the same time I just want you to see that there is a difference there between being caught up and being changed okay so in verse 54 verse 54 there was a verse that I was wanting to get to and I must have read over it really quick yeah no it was in verse 46 where it says how be it that which is not that that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and afterward that which is spiritual so it's interesting how it takes Adam who obviously was natural of the earth he's literally of the dust of the earth then the then Jesus who's the Lord from heaven and how it's the natural to spiritual but that's even how it is in this life you know we have the natural body but then comes the spiritual body and it's just kind of showing you that correlation there so but in verse 54 notice what says here it says so when this corruptible shall I 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 so when it says death is swallowed up in victory that's talking about the resurrection the physical bodily resurrection okay verse 55 Oh death where is thy sting Oh grave 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 now how do we get victory for whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God so the Bible is very clear that you know what the victory Jesus overcame the world but we overcome the world by faith in him through Jesus Christ is how we overcome and how we have the victory but in Isaiah 25 verse 8 this is where it states that that phrase death is swallowed up in victory and Isaiah 25 I just want to show you that hey you know what the resurrection is in the Old Testament hey just they kind of give you a little glimpse here now obviously there's other passages that teach on the resurrection but in Isaiah 25 verse 8 it says he will swallow up death and victory and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off to all the earth and the Lord has spoken it for the Lord has spoken it and it shall be said in that day lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him he will be glad and rejoice we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation so this is where it's quoted and it's talking about the resurrection which is interesting because notice in chapter 26 in verse 19 chapter 26 in verse 19 chapter 26 in verse 19 of Isaiah thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awaken seeing you that dwell in in dust for the dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out dead well that's interesting so it's interesting how it obviously pre-sees it with he shall swallow up death and victory and then talk about like an awesome you know resurrection verse there now when it comes to Oh death where is thy sting Oh great where is thy victory that's not phrased that way in the Old Testament but notice what it says in Hosea chapter 13 and verse 14 Hosea chapter 13 verse 14 or Hosea for those that don't like the way I say it or Hosea or the Hosea I'm gonna say OC I'm just gonna start saying OC because that's the way it says in the New Testament I will ransom them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death Oh death I will be thy plagues Oh grave I will be that destruction repentance shall be hid from mine eyes so I believe this is the response to what God does here God is speaking saying I will ransom them from the power of the grave and he's saying Oh death I will be thy plagues Oh grave I will be that destruction because he's gonna be the one that destroys you know that that conquers death and he has the keys of Helen of death and repentance shall be hidden from mine eyes meaning that he's not gonna he's not gonna turn from it he's not gonna change his mind he's going to do it and Oh death where is thy sting Oh great where is thy victory meaning that when when we're resurrected nothing you got nothing see right now we're spiritually speaking we don't have it you know death doesn't have any you know victory over us but physically it does but you know at that point nothing holistically death is completely conquered now last verse here in first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 58 is a great verse to have memorized a great verse to know especially you know if you're if you're gonna be at a church that goes soul-winning and does it does works because you want to know that you're not just spinning your wheels okay I mean if there's anything in life you just want to know that what you're doing is actually accomplishing something and that you're gonna have something to show for it and first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 58 it says therefore my brethren are my beloved brethren be steadfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord not vain all those people that you want the Christ it's not in vain all that the stuff that you do for the Lord whether it's reading your Bible or you know just keeping his commandments and doing what you should be doing day in day out that is not in vain the Bible says this in Philippians chapter 2 do all things without murmurings and disputings that you may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom you shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life that that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither labored in vain meaning that we're in this crooked and perverse nation and we're supposed to shine as lights in this world but how do we how do we make sure that we don't run in vain or labor in vain we hold forth the word of life we have the Word of God that is our anchor you know I've set the Lord always before me because he's at my right hand I shall not be moved you get the Word of God and you're doing what the Word of God tells you to do in your labor laboring for the Lord that will not be in vain okay and obviously this whole chapter is a fantastic chapter that can be preached on so many different levels but ultimately we get anything out of this Jesus rose from the dead and because Jesus rose from the dead we have victory through his overcoming of death and hell and we're saved because of that and we have a great promise that as he was resurrected bodily from a natural body to a spiritual body so will we and we're waiting for that talk about how the whole creation groaning for it you know we're waiting for that one day it will happen whether whether we're you know dead in the grave physically and in heaven spiritually or we're here alive and remain when he comes that's going to happen so it's not a word of prayer they're down they probably think for today thank you for the promise of eternal life first of all thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and rising again third day and just praising you for that and just also the promise of the the spiritual body that you're preparing for us and what we just pray that you would help us to labor for you help us to have a better resurrection because of the labor that we do for you and Lord I appreciate you be with us throughout this week and help us to to be be glorifying to you and see many souls saved and Lord we love you and pray all in Jesus Christ's name amen