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).
Blessed are those who have a god-fearing, bible reading, ministry loving church-going person as their friend, family friend and they shall lead others to Christ. They shall grow in holiness and high morals of Christ. Associations with evil people harm your spiritual outlook. Fellowship with eagles will help you to fly high and be seated on the rocks. Fellowship with Pigs makes you look for the dirty things on the earth and are satisfied. Pigs overthrow the pearls and trample upon them. because it doesn’t know their values of them. Your companion will ruin your spiritual life. I am a friend to all who fear you to all who follow your precepts (Psalm 119:63), he who walks with wise grows wise (Proverbs 11:20).
Reading, listening to the scriptures are blessings to us. It enlightens us every day with Christ’s values and light for the day. Bad company can spoil your career, your future life, and your blessings. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon had become a king after the death of Solomon. He consulted the elders of the cabinet. They advised him to speak softly and lead them tenderly so the kingdom would be established in his hand. But he was not willing to listen to them but he consulted with young men who had grown up with him. They advised him to say “my little finger is thicker than my father’s waist” I will lay a heavier yoke upon you. I will scourge you with scorpions. The result was he lost the majority of his subjects and his kingdom has shrunk into a smaller nation (1 Kings 12:1-17).
People who followed Balaam’s advice lost their purity, holiness and died with wickedness (Number 31:16-17). Job 2:9, ‘Are you still holding on to your integrity curse God and die’.
3. Expect Christ Every moment (v.34):
Maranatha! Maranatha! were the greetings on those days. The early Church confessed whenever they saw one another and told Maranatha! The whole creation is waiting for God (Romans 8:22-24). Experience the strength of the Lord every morning (Isaiah 32:2). The mercies, faithfulness is new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-24). He satisfies us with his love and grace every morning (Psalm 90:14).
John R Rice: God does not operate on our timetable, and Jesus will surely return right on schedule. It is important for us not to be lulled into complacency by the fact that Jesus has not yet returned. Jesus pointed out that such false thinking can quickly lead to bad conduct on our part. Each day of our lives should be filled with a conscious awareness that it may be this day that the Lord returns. “But and if that servant says in his heart, my lord delayed his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken” (Luke 12:45). Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming (Matthew 24:42).
Today, all kinds of disasters around the world grow even worse, and many prophecies of the Lord’s return are fulfilled. “Therefore, be you also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes” (Matthew 24:44). “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). “And I saw another angel fly in the middle of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6).
