Series: Action [#96]
A LETTER OF CONCERN-
THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
1 Corinthians 15:12-34
Introduction:
For many pastors, today is known as “Let Down Sunday”. Why? Easter Sunday is past and things at Church are back to normal. Back to normal should mean that nothing is different based upon the Sunday. Every day should be about the birth, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This morning, we are going to hear Paul’s message to the Corinthians about the resurrection of the dead. There were people spreading lies about the resurrection of the dead; and Paul needed to set them straight.
1 Corinthians 15:12-14
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christian…
1. You are wasting your time.
The purpose for Jesus coming to this earth in the form of a man was to seek and save that which was lost. It is through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead that we can be spiritually resurrected from the dead. You cannot have it both ways- Either Jesus was resurrected from the dead and so will Christians be resurrected from the dead; or no one is resurrected from the dead. If Jesus was not raised from the dead, then everything I have been about is a waste of time. If Jesus was not raised from the dead, then your faith is wasted.
1 Corinthians 15:15-19
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christian…
2. You have no hope.
If Christ did not resurrect from the dead, then God is a liar; and we are spreading false testimonies about God. Again, if Jesus was not raised from the dead, then our faith is a waste; and we have no hope of eternity. In fact, those who have died already are lost.
1 Corinthians 15:20-22
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christian…
3. You are stuck under Adam’s sin.
When Adam sinned, he brought the nature of sin to everyone except Jesus. Jesus’ Father is God; and therefore, Jesus did not have a sin nature. Adam brought death; but Jesus brought resurrection of the dead. In Christ, we are made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:23-28
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christian…
4. You do not have victory through Jesus.
Through Jesus’ resurrection, we have victory. Jesus has crushed all of His enemies including death. Death is the last enemy to be destroyed. God the Father will tell Jesus when to come back. The timing is from God the Father. God is all in all.
1 Corinthians 15:29-34
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christian…
5. Continue to follow bad company.
We see something in this passage that is only in the Bible 1 time and has created a lot of controversy- The baptism for the dead. Paul is using this practice that was going on in Corinth to explain to them that even that practice is useless without the resurrection. He was not justifying this. The Mormons practice this still today. Most likely they were being baptized for Christians who had died without being baptized. (This practice makes no sense because salvation comes through faith in Jesus; not baptism.)
If there is resurrection from the dead, then we need to be careful who we spend our time with; and who we believe. We need to stop sinning and follow Christ in all that we do.
Conclusion:
Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus? Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead? If your answer is yes, then you need to live everyday like it is your last day on this earth. We have eternal victory through Jesus Christ.
