Introduction

Good morning, church family! Today, we're diving into a passage from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians.

As James H. Aughey once said, "Death to the Christian is the funeral of all his sorrows and evils, and the resurrection, of all his joys."

With that in mind, let's read 1 Corinthians 15:

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Let's open in prayer together.

Lord, thank you for the hope that we have in Jesus Christ, our risen Savior. We ask that you would open our hearts and minds today as we study your Word, and help us to grasp the depth of your love and the assurance of eternal life that comes through faith in Jesus. In His precious name, we pray, amen.

Let’s dive in.

The Hope of the Resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not only a historical event that took place over two thousand years ago, but it is also a powerful and transformative reality that has a profound impact on our lives today.

The Bible teaches that God is a God of life, and that He is the source of all life. In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, He breathed life into His creation, and He continues to sustain and uphold all things by the power of His word. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a powerful demonstration of God's life-giving power, and it is a reminder that God is able to bring life out of death, hope out of despair, and light out of darkness.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we find numerous prophecies and promises that point to the resurrection of the Messiah and the hope of eternal life for all who believe in Him. For example, in the book of Isaiah, the prophet writes, "He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces" (Isaiah 25:8).

Similarly, in the book of Job, we find the declaration, "I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last, He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh, I shall see God" (Job 19:25-26). These passages, along with many others, provide a solid foundation for our hope in the resurrection and the promise of eternal life.

Another important aspect of the hope of the resurrection is that it is experienced in the lives of believers as they walk in faith and obedience to the Lord. The apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:4, "We were buried, therefore, with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." As we trust in Christ and are united with Him in His death and resurrection, we are empowered to live a new life, a life that is characterized by the hope, joy, and peace that comes from knowing that we are loved and accepted by God.

Because we know that Jesus Christ has conquered death and that He is alive today, we can face our own mortality with courage and confidence, knowing that death is not the end of our story. As the apostle Paul writes in I Corinthians 15:54-55, "When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?'" The hope of the resurrection enables us to face the trials and tribulations of this life with a sense of perspective and purpose, knowing that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us when Christ returns (Romans 8:18).

As we contemplate the incredible love that God has demonstrated toward us in the death and resurrection of His Son, we are compelled to respond in kind, seeking to love and serve others as Christ has loved and served us. The apostle Paul writes in II Corinthians 5:14-15, "For the love of Christ controls us because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised." The hope of the resurrection is not a passive or complacent hope, but it is an active and dynamic hope that inspires us to live lives that are characterized by the love, compassion, and generosity of Christ.

The Reality of Death

The reality of death is an inescapable aspect of our human existence ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO