Because He Lives

1 Corinthians 15:50-58 (CSB)

Theme: “I’ve Got The Victory”

April 9, 2023

In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul teaches us about the purpose of the Resurrection! He paints a sobering portrait of how things would be if Jesus were still in the grave! He says, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” We must be changed! “This corruptible must put on incorruption!” Before we receive our inheritance, we must be changed!

I. The Inheritance - We have the only religion that serves a living Messiah! Mohamed is dead; Confucius is Dead; Krishna is dead; And if it were not for Jesus even Moses would be dead! Remember that Jesus said that His Father “is not a God of the dead, but of the living:” That means that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses are alive because they are in Jesus. This is why Paul says in the beginning of this chapter, If there is no resurrection then…V. 14 Our Preaching is in Vain - Paul tells us that if Jesus is still dead, then all the preachers have wasted their time proclaiming the message of the resurrection. If Jesus is still in the grave, then everything we preach is false, phony and foolish! Our Faith is in Vain - Paul tells us that if Jesus is still dead, then you would be just as well off worshiping a rock, an animal or a potted plant. If Jesus did not rise from the dead then you are the victim of the most cruel hoax ever played on humanity and the Christian faith is the greatest joke of all time. V. 15 Our Witness is in Vain - Paul tells us that if Jesus is still dead, then all those who share the message of hope of the cross of Christ are liars and a false witness. Every time we worship, sing, testify or preach, we are wasting time if He did not rise from the dead. V. 17 No Forgiveness for Our Sin - Paul tells us that if Jesus isn't alive, then we are still lost, hell bound and still in our sins this morning. If He is dead today, then we are still looking for a redeemer and we are all headed to Hell! V. 18 The Dead in Christ Are Gone Forever - Paul tells us that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then everyone who has died is forever lost. There is no hope and there is no future in glory. If Jesus is dead, then we are all but dust and when we die, we are gone forever! V. 19 We Have Lived Our Lives in Vain - Paul is saying that if Jesus did not rise, then the Bible lied about the resurrection, and you and I can believe nothing this Book tells us! But thank God, Paul did not stop writing? Thank God we know the rest of the story! BUT NOW, CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD! A Song writer said, BECAUSE HE LIVES… I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future. And life is worth the living just because He lives. Verses 50 teaches that we cannot inherit the Kingdom like we are. These bodies are defiled by sin and cannot enter Heaven. These bodies are mortal and are not designed to exist for eternity. If we are going to heaven, these bodies must be changed! Here is where the “mystery” comes in! Paul reveals the truth that some of us will not see death, but that we will be “changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” Paul is speaking of the Rapture of the Church. When that moment comes, we will be caught up together with Him and the dead in Christ will rise up and receive their resurrection bodies. The living saints will be instantly changed and all will go up together to meet our Lord in the air.

II. The Immortal - So, when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written in Isaiah 25 and Hosea 13: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O Grave, where is your victory?” Paul mentions the enemies that will be defeated in the end… Death – O Death, where is your sting? The Bible says that “the sting of death is sin”. One day, when death comes for the unbeliever, they will feel the sting death and the penalty of sin! Romans 6:23 says, “the wages of sin is death” But I have victory in Jesus and death is defeated because the rest of that verse promises that “the gift of God is eternal life.” The Grave – “O Grave, where is your victory?” The grave is cruel to the unbeliever because they will never see glory! But, in Jesus, the grave has no victory! Because Jesus rose, we too shall rise! “it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him;” The Law - The law was intended by God to reveal to man that he was a sinner. It is law that reveals our true nature. The law is not sinful, but the law shows us that we are. But Paul said in Romans 10:4 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.”