Bad Company Series

Theme: Bad Company

Text: 1 Corinthians 15:30-34

Joke: A new Pastor preached his first sermon for 10 minutes; the congregation was so happy. The second week was preached for 30 minutes. The third week he spoke for 2 hours. People got upset and asked, why did you do it?

His response was, the first time he had a new set of dentures in his mouth that hurt him terribly so he could barely preach 10 minutes. The second time he preached, he said that his dentures felt fine so he preached a normal 30-minute sermon. For third, He said morning accidentally I put My Wife's Dentures in my mouth, and I couldn't shut up! (Adopted).

Introduction:

Paul continued to teach the Saints in Corinth about the Resurrection. The resurrection of Christians from the dead is the greatest hope. Some groups of Corinthians did not believe in such a resurrection. He shows that natural death is not an end of life for Christians. It is the last step before receiving a glorified, resurrected body like that of the risen Christ.

Paul wrote the first Corinthians to explain the significance of Christian life. He emphasized the resurrection of the body after death. After several centuries the dead bodies would come to their original status through resurrection and will appear to men.

However, be careful about the hourly endangers to the spiritual life, be enlightened every day with the word of God, and be alert that Christ would appear on any unexpected day of your life. Be ready to meet him.

1. Endangered every hour (v. 30-32),

2. Enlightened every day (v.33), and

3. Expect Christ every moment (v.34). Maranatha! Maranatha!

Let us meditate:

1. Endangered Every hour (v.30-32):

The word every hour refers to constantly (Barnes). We are surrounded by world values, morals, and ethics which are often conflicting with the values, morals, and ethics of Christ. We have seen, and are aware that Christ and his values are neglected and thrown into dust by the world and its powers. We are colliding with them and endangered casualties. This is a constant struggle, mental battle, and heartburn. All ministers or private Christians are highly prone to blame, who continually expose themselves to dangers, and are for Christ's sake killed all the day long, are every moment liable to innumerable injuries, tortures, and death.

Denial of life after death changes our outlook on life on earth. Denial of resurrection changes the entire course of life on the earth. Unbelievers can cause even the strongest Christians to waver in their faith and adversely affect their walk with Christ and their witness to the world. We are surrounded by dangers of fall and peril. We are facing risks, jeopardy our lives every hour on the earth. Paul had gone through it. Peter had warned to be alert because the enemy prowls to swallow the prey (1 Peter 5:8-9).

Paul writes of the constant imminent danger to his physical life. It is important and useful for Christians to daily reckon themselves dead to sin with Jesus Christ (Romans 6:11 - Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord). Pulpit Commentary says that "no one would be so mad as to live in labor and perils if our instinctive anticipation of the future life were taken away."

Paul was a Christian who literally “hazarded his life” (Acts 15:26) for the sake of the gospel. Shortly after his conversion, his life was threatened at Damascus (Acts 9:22-23). At Lystra, he was stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). At Philippi, he was beaten and imprisoned (Acts 16:22-24). He had to leave Thessalonica because of persecution (Acts 17:1-10). He narrates the experiences of hardships and daily pressures in life (Read: 2 Corinthians 11:23-28).

2. Enlightened Every Day (v.33):

Bad company: “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Paul quotes from an ancient, secular comedy play, Thais, written by Menander. This sentence is neither found in OT nor the words and teaching of Christ. Bad company means evil associations, evil companionships, bad friends, evil communications, associating with bad people, wicked friends, bad influences corrupt good morals, characters, habits, manners, and values.

This is why Paul tells us, “Do not be misled.” Your friendship can either lift you or pull you down to the dust. He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father (Proverbs 28:7). Do not associate with the rebellious (1 Thessalonians 3:14). Come out from them and be separate (2 Corinthians 6:17). Israelites who have returned from the exiles had separated them from the unclean practices of their gentile neighbors (Ezra 6:21). Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners (Nehemiah 9:2). Save yourselves from the corrupt generations (Acts 2:40). Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness (Ephesians 5:11).