Raised – Indispensable
This is a special time of year. Thursday is opening day for MLB! This year there are some changes in MLB – pitch clock, bases are larger, no infield shifts. Some people have issues with any changes – but for the most part baseball is still baseball. If someone was transported from 1923 they would notice changes but the core of the game is still there. 3 strikes and you’re out. 3 outs to an inning. 9 innings in a game. 90 feet between the bases. They would say this is baseball.
Church has changed a lot – even in your lifetime. It has changed a lot from the New Testament times. But there are some things that have not changed. We praise God. We pray. We read the word. And we celebrate the resurrection. Things have changed but they would say this is church.
We are in 1 Corinthians 15. In Paul’s letter to the church he does admit that some things are negotiable. You can eat meat or not eat meat. You can be married or you can be single. You can pay your preacher or not pay your preacher. You can change some things but there are some things that you cannot change and still have church and one of those things is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul spends considerable time talking about the resurrection.
Last week, 15:1-11, he said it is an undeniable historical fact. Jesus appeared to Peter, Twelve, James, the other apostles, to 500, and even to himself. Today we want to look at 15:12-34.
1 Corinthians 15:12–34 (NIV) — 12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all. 29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.
I think these verses are the key verses that emphasize that the resurrection is indispensable.
1 Corinthians 15:17–19 (NIV) — 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
The resurrection is indispensable! For so many reasons but let’s look at three that Paul will highlight.
A. The resurrection is indispensable for our hope.
Our hope is that those we love who died in faith are still alive. Many of us have lost loved ones. This church has said goodbye to so many over the years. But since Christ was raised we can have confidence that they still live. Paul will remind the Christians in Thessalonica of this very fact.
1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 (NIV) — 13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
Think about those people. You can be confident that because of the resurrection they are still alive. Don’t you love how Paul uses the word sleep to refer to death? He uses the same term in 1 Corinthians 15.
1 Corinthians 15:20 (NIV) — 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Sleep is so much more comforting than dead. With sleep you expect to be waken. Sleep is not fearful. Sleep is temporary.
I also love the term he uses, “firstfruits.” The term implies that more are on the way. Because Jesus was raised more resurrections are coming!
Not only do we have hope for others, we have hope for ourselves! Let’s jump further down the chapter for one of Paul’s great concluding remarks in this chapter:
1 Corinthians 15:54–57 (NIV) — 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul expresses that hope for himself:
Philippians 1:21 (NIV) — 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
With the resurrection we can live with that kind of hope.
B. The resurrection is indispensable for our endurance.
The Christian life can be hard. We are called to live sacrificial lives – to carry our crosses. What motivates us? For Paul the resurrection was his motivation.
1 Corinthians 15:30–32a (NIV) — 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained?
2 Corinthians 1:8–9 (NIV) — 8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
Without the hope of resurrection, we will easily tire. The resurrection keeps us going knowing there is reward. It’s not about this life. It’s about the next!
Romans 8:18 (NIV) — 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV) — 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
There will be benefits here, but the real payoff is the resurrection! Are you weary? Tired? Worn out? Keep your eyes on the resurrection to find endurance. The resurrection keeps us going!
C. The resurrection is indispensable for our holiness.
Without the expectation of judgment we are likely to lapse into unholy, sinful lives. That is a natural conclusion to Paul. No resurrection, then let’s just party on!
1 Corinthians 15:32b–34 (NIV) — 32b If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.
There is a day of reckoning coming. We will have to answer for this life.
Jesus tells this parable about a man who didn’t live this way:
Luke 12:16–21 (NIV) —16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
In view of the resurrection, I must be conscious of how I live this life. I must be conscious of how I use the gifts God has given me. I must be conscious of who I allow to influence me. Christ is coming back some day:
2 Corinthians 5:9–10 (ESV) — 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Knowing we will stand before God we should be pursuing holiness. Do you make it your aim to please God? Do you want to hear well done?
The resurrection is absolutely indispensable in so many ways. It gives us hope, it gives us endurance and it keeps us holy.
Life changes. The world changes. Church changes. But thanks be to God some things do not change and these unchangeable truths make all the difference in the world. And one of those unchangeable truths is Jesus was raised.
