'The Mystery of the Resurrection'.

Happy feast! It is wonderful to see everyone. There are beautiful smiling faces, and that is God's spirit radiating through each of us today. We've had wonderful praise being led in hymns. We've had a wonderful opening message. I am so excited to be with you at this time because we are going to cover in our sermon one of, if not the, most exciting chapters in all of the Bible. So I hope you're ready. The title of our sermon today is, The Mystery of the Resurrection. And I invite you to open your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the mystery of the resurrection. 1 Corinthians chapter 15. We are going to begin in verse 1. We begin with this incredible letter from the Apostle Paul. He was writing to God's church at that time, God's people. It spoke to them. It speaks to us today. And as we come to these 58 verses of this chapter, we do come to one of the most profound doctrines in all of the Bible. It is the doctrine of the resurrection. And so let me state this as clearly as I can at this moment. The truth of the resurrection. It is the absolute essential issue of true Christianity. In fact, the very foundation of the gospel stands upon the resurrection. But we know it remains such a mystery to so many. So therefore, we must be clear on these matters. Our very hope resides in having this mystery revealed to us today. So we want to hear what Paul says regarding this matter. So let's begin. Let's set our foundation and read together. 1 Corinthians 15. And we're going to read verses 1 through 11. The Apostle Paul begins here to reveal this great mystery. Paul writes, Moreover, brethren, it's a term of endearment, brothers and sisters in Christ, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which you also are saved if you hold fast that word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I deliver to you, first of all, that which I also received, here it is, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures, and he was seen by Cephas, he was seen by the twelve, he was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, the greater part remained to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that he was seen by James, then by all the apostles, and then last of all, Paul says, he's seen by me also, as one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who may not worthy to be called an apostle, because I, Paul, persecuted the church of God. Verse 10, But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me is not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach, and so you believed. Let's stop there. So here we have Paul beginning this resurrection discussion, and he does so in quite a compelling way here. You know, here in verse 1, he says, More over, brethren, I declare to you this gospel, which I also received in which you stand. You know, Paul was dealing with so much conflict there at this time with the Corinthian church, so much chaos, so much division. And by beginning the resurrection discussion in this way, perhaps what he's endeavoring to do is to reset the minds of the brethren to that which is preeminent. Reset their minds to what should be most important in their life.

So often we can get distracted, we can get into conflict, and dealing with matters of lesser importance. But Paul does not want the men and women of God to whom he writes to lose sight of that which is foremost. And that which is foremost, Paul says, is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here it is, verse 3 again, For I deliver to you, first of all, he says, Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was buried. He rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. So this is the Gospel. He says, I received it, I preached it, you received it, and you believed it. This is first. This is preeminent of all matters. You know, in other words, if you would have asked God's people at that time, what is the very foundation of your life? They would have said, Jesus Christ died and rose again.

Remove that and there is no meaning to life. Remove that there is no hope. Remove that there is no future. The true Christian's faith is founded upon this truth. Christ died. He rose again. This is the Gospel. The good news. And it's always been the good news. Paul says, you know, this didn't originate with me. I just received it and I'm passing it on to you.

So here we have in these first 11 verses here, Paul is simply purposing to establish this truth. According to the Scriptures, Christ died. He rose again on the third day. He was seen by Cephas. He was seen by the 12. In fact, he was seen by over 500 brethren. James saw him. The apostles saw him. Not to mention I saw him, he says. We're here all witnessing this to you today. And again, he begins in this way because again, the Gospel stands or falls upon this truth. Remove this truth and there's dreadful consequences. Dreadful consequences. And it is to those dreadful consequences that Paul now goes on to consider with his readers here. And so moving on into this letter here, verses 12 through 19, we have Paul now in a very remarkable way speaking to the logical consequences of not believing in the resurrection. Verse 12, he says, So again, he's not going to be refuting the resurrection of Jesus Christ or the resurrection here. What he's going to go on to do here is go through the logical progression, the progression of thought, if there is no resurrection. So it's really a kind of a masterful apologetics here. So he says, you know, I know some of you are in disbelief. You're ignoring the fact of all these witnesses. But nevertheless, I'll take you through this. He says, let's assume, let's just assume for a moment, there is no resurrection of the dead. He says, well, what would be the consequences? Let's think this out. And what Paul does is he gives them seven consequences, seven consequences to consider if there is no resurrection of the dead. So let's think these out with Paul. This is fascinating. This is the kind of defense that Paul gives so wonderfully here.

So, first consequence, if there is no resurrection of the dead, number one dreadful consequence is Christ is not risen. So that's found in verse 13, you'll notice.

But if there is no resurrection, verse 13, of the dead, then Christ is not risen. Let's stop there. So this is the number one consequence. Christ is not risen. The logic goes forward. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Jesus Christ is not raised. Jesus Christ would fit into that scenario. So to deny the resurrection of the dead is to deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, by the way, who makes all other resurrections possible. So right out of the gates, there is no hope for us. You know? It's dreadful. If this is true, if there's no resurrection, then no risen Jesus, no risen Jesus, we're in a mess of trouble. So dreadful consequence brings us to the second consequence. Number two, we find that at the beginning of verse 14.

If Christ is not risen, number two, then our preaching is empty. So that's the number two consequence as we go down this logical progression of thought here. Jesus is not risen. Then the substance of what we preach, that gospel that you carry each and every day with you, absolutely useless.

It's nonsense, really. Remove the resurrection. Remove Jesus Christ being raised. We have nothing to say. Christianity has nothing to say. The one to whom the Old Testament writers wrote of and were pointing to, well, I guess he just came and he died and he stayed in that tomb.

So all of true Christianity was born out of a lie, then? A lie that so many died for?

So Paul is making it clear if you remove the resurrection, your preaching, that the gospel that you carry is of no use.

If this is true, you see.

Third consequence that comes to us, no resurrection. The number three is your faith is also useless. That's the end of verse 14.

If Christ is not raised, the preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. In other words, your faith is irrelevant, he says. So this logically follows the faith that depended on the gospel and the gospel is a lie, then so also is your faith, which was based upon it, he says. Why? Well, you know, true godly faith, it's not just some theory. It's not some mere theory, you know? It's not based upon some vague hopefulness. Our faith is not based upon some vague optimism or possibilities, if you will. Rather, true faith, it rests upon certainty. True faith rests upon reality. So, no resurrection. Jesus is not alive. Our preaching is futile. Our faith is irrelevant. If all that's true, then logically we come to the fourth consequence. If there is no resurrection, if that's true, we are all false witnesses. So that's number four. We're all false witnesses. That's there in verse 15. Here's the next logical consequence here. Verse 15, yes, Paul says, we are found false witnesses of God. Because we've testified of God that He raised Christ up, whom He did not raise up, if in fact the dead do not rise, he says. So, you know, think about this. I think about immediately Peter. You know, when he stood there on the Jerusalem streets and he proclaimed, Christ is risen, the tomb is empty, and the fact of that is, is because God the Father raised Him up. Well, Paul says, without that we could conclude then that Peter was just out there on the Jerusalem streets lying. He was an absolute false witness. And in fact, Paul says, we're all false witnesses, he says. False witnesses of these things, if this is the case. Fifthly, the fifth consequence, this is a big one, with Jesus not risen, if that is true, number five, you are still in your sins. That's at the end of verse 17 there. Verse 17, if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Look at that. So think about that. Every sin you've ever committed, every sinful thought, every sinful action, they are tied around your ankles. There's a big weight, and you're dropped in the middle of the sea, and you're just sinking and sinking. No hope, dreadful predicament, we all die in our sins, if this is the case. And you know, you think about those to whom Paul was riding there in Corinth, they understood who they used to be. You know, many of them, they had come out of lives, and they used to have been fornicators, they used to be idolaters, they used to be adulterers, and alike. And they knew themselves to be changed. They had been given the power to overcome these things. But Paul says to them, well, think about it. No resurrection of Jesus Christ, you're still in all those sins.

No way to overcome. And by the way, you're dying more and more each day. Sixly, number six, without the resurrection, if that's true, those who have died are simply perished. That's number six. Those who have died in Christ, those who dedicated themselves to Christ, are simply perished. That's verse 18.

Verse 18, then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ, even those, have perished, he says. So Paul's speaking to God's people, they're in Corinth, and he says, all those of your loved ones who have died in Christ, they've just perished. They just remain there. Now, I think about all of God's ministers. I think about myself, who have been to funerals, and I have preached on the strength of Scripture that although he or she has died, Jesus Christ is the resurrection in the life. And the fact that they've died in Christ, they will live again. I have preached that. We have taught that.

Well, without the resurrection, death for those in Christ is not falling asleep and awakening at Christ's return. No. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they're all simply perished, he says. We're all doomed, if this is true.

Bringing us to the seventh consequence, without Christ's resurrection, without the truth of the resurrection, the doctrine of the resurrection, if all this is true, then we are men and women to be most pitied. So that's number seven. We are to be most pitied. That's verse 19.

He finishes this logical progression with number seven. Verse 19, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are all men most pitiable. We're really a pitiful group, he says, because we've dedicated our life to a lie, he says. So these are our seven consequences which are brought about if there is no resurrection. And it's really heavy to think about, you know, really heavy. These are absolutely seven dreadful consequences here. And it's supposed to be heavy. That's the purpose as to Paul taking us through this discussion, this logical progression that he's given to us here. Considering these consequences, they should weigh us down. They should weigh us down to the point then we realize how amazing it is to know the truth of the mystery of the resurrection. And it's revealed to us. And this is the weight that men and women have upon their shoulders who do not have this truth. We don't have to have that weight. We can believe. And I'm going to propose to you today to believe and believe in a greater way perhaps than you ever have believed before. Because restore, restore the truth of the resurrection and everything changes, everything changes. Restore the truth and all these dreadful consequences immediately go away. They're all reversed. And in coming to verse 20, and in coming to verse 20, look what he says. Paul says, I can almost imagine him pausing here before this first part of verse 20. He had just weighed him down and then he says, but now, but now Christ is risen from the dead. He says. And now Paul's going to, in a wonderful way, turn to the confirming of the resurrection, the revealing of the mystery here. So he says, you know, let's begin to put away those thoughts that there is no resurrection because there is and it's an incredible mystery. And I'm about to take you through my brethren, he says, to this beautiful hope, wonderful, hopeful picture of the resurrection. So let's, let's shake off at this point. Let's shake off those seven dreadful consequences here and considerations of those things. And now let's turn our focus as Paul does onto the truth and the beautiful plan and picture that's awaiting us. Verses 20 through 24. Here it is. Verses 20 through 24. But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by man, Jesus, also came the resurrection of the dead. For in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ at his coming. Then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father and puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. So Paul says, let's stop there, he says this is the resurrection. It is true. This is the truth. Verse 22 again. In Adam all die. Even so in Christ all shall be made alive. That's the truth. In Christ, with Christ, all. All shall be made alive. That's the truth of the resurrection. But, verse 23, but each one in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ at his coming. So this is beautiful. So what are we told? Because Christ died and rose again, there will be a resurrection for everyone, a resurrection for all of mankind, but there is an order in which mankind will be raised. The first to be raised will be those who are Christ and they will be raised at his coming, at his return. They will represent the first, the first fruit, the first of the harvest of mankind, you see. So Paul is speaking about the first fruits, the first to be raised, the harvest of mankind, if you will, that will occur at Christ's coming.

So if there is a first fruit harvest, all of you farmers out there, you know there is a second harvest, a later harvest to come. We won't turn there, but of course the Bible details this second harvest of mankind, the rest of the dead. That's Revelation 20 for your notes. You know, those not raised at the coming, the return of Jesus Christ, they will continue to sleep. They will be raised again after a thousand years. We can anticipate that incredible study in just a matter of days on the eighth day when we turn our focus onto that second harvest. But again, what's fascinating here in verse 23, you know, Paul is speaking about the first fruits, and he's speaking to God's men and women who are called with the opportunity to be part of that harvest, that first harvest of mankind. And Paul is explaining all of this, we could say with farming language. This is a lesson from the garden, if you will. It's very effective. Again, verse 22, In Adam all die, even so, in Christ all will be made alive, each one his own order. Christ the first fruits, afterwards those who are Christ, that is coming. So the first fruit harvest, those in Christ will be resurrected at his return. The rest of the dead will remain sleeping until their time comes. And so what we find here, and perhaps some questions are arising in your heart today, we find the people that Paul was writing, God's people at that time, they became very intrigued. And questions begin to arise in their hearts, and they wanted to know more about this first fruit harvest of mankind. They wanted to know more about those to whom would be raised when Christ came again. And so Paul continues in his letter to give them the answers. And initially he's going to give them additional lessons from the Garden, more harvest imagery here to help us understand these things. So let's move down in his letter here to verse 35, if you will. Verse 35, because you'll notice it says, Now some of you have been asking, and here's the question, verse 35, But some will say, Paul says, these were the questions, How are the dead raised up?

And with what body do they come? That's a pretty logical question. You know, the resurrection discussion starts with Jesus. It always starts with Jesus, without Jesus Christ risen from the dead. You know, none of us have that opportunity. But very quickly, we are very thankful for that. But as human beings, we will quickly turn to ourselves, Well, OK, Paul, what about us? You know, can we get to us? How is this going to work? How are the dead raised up? What body will they come? Verse 36 is his answer. Foolish one.

What you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain, perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as he pleases, and to each seed its own body. Let's stop there. These are good questions. You know, eventually, we are concerned about ourselves and this opportunity to be part of that first harvest of mankind. How are the dead raised? What sort of body will they have, he says? Now, you know, addressing them as foolish... Okay, it's a little bit harsh, Paul. It actually... it's not an unkind response. In a sense, what he's saying, well, if you thought about it, it actually is quite obvious, is what he's saying. If you thought about just a few things, it's not actually too difficult to understand, he says, because the answer that you're asking, the answer to your very questions, is written in the very fabric of our daily experience. He says, if he's... let me answer you with just a few obvious illustrations here. First, he comes to the lesson of the seed. Foolish 1, verse 36 again, What you sow in the ground is not made alive unless it dies. So let's stop there for a moment. So it's really a wonder of it all. We lose some of the wonder of it because we're just so familiar with it. But we go and we take a handful of seeds, and we look at those seeds and we sow them, we bury them in the ground. These are living organisms, and in essence, we bury those seeds in the ground with the understanding that they will die, these living organisms. We bury them in the ground, they rest, they stay dormant for a period of time with the hope that they will die. Why? Because if they don't die, it's impossible for them to fruit or flower, you see. So verse 36 and 37 again, Foolish 1, What you sow is not made alive unless it dies. So start thinking about yourself in terms of this. In what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, he says. So just as the seed of the flower, you know, the seed is very different than the final bloom, right?

Likewise, likewise, when you are resurrected on that great day, you will be quite different. And you're going to be, and God willing by God's grace, we will be here this, if you will, this blooming flower of ourselves, if you will. And we'll have a new body, a new existence. We will go from physical to spiritual, of course.

But think about this, while you will be different than what you shall be, while you'll be different, you will still be you. Isn't that remarkable to think about? You won't be someone else. You know, the essence of the seed is still in that beautiful flower, isn't it? You will still be you. You know, I think of those loved ones that we've lost, and they're resting now. And you think about these questions, and what this is revealing to us is God is preserving, He's storing the beautiful character, the beautiful personality, perhaps the beautiful smile.

Just that beautiful essence of our loved ones who have died. He's preserving it. He's waiting in anticipation to put it in a beautiful, blooming new existence. You know, our loved ones, I just look so forward to seeing them. Again, it's going to be a wonderful family reunion. So this is the incredible illustration of the seed and the flower. Now, Paul is a good apologetic, and some of those rougher guys out there might not latch on to the seed and the flower.

So he said, let me give it a different way. You know, God has created variety, he goes on to say, and he gives another illustration, and he moves on to imagery of biochemistry, we could say. Verse 39. Look at verse 39. If the seed and the flower didn't speak to you, here it is another illustration.

Verse 39. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds, he says. Let's stop there. You know, man doesn't have the same flesh as animals. Animals have another. Birds have another. Fish have another. There's variety, he says. Perfectly obvious. It's even obvious to our eyes. You know, we know these things. God has determined this variety, and he will preserve this variety in the resurrection, Paul's saying. So just as you are unique now, you will be unique then.

What about if that didn't speak to you? Let me give it to you in a lesson in astronomy. Paul goes on to say, how about astronomy? Verse 40 through 41. Verse 40 through 41. Let me give it to you this way, Paul says. There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies, but the glory of the celestial is one. The glory of the terrestrial is one. There is one glory of the sun.

There's another glory of the moon. There's another glory of the stars. For one star differs from another star in glory. So, you know, the sun has one glory, the moon, the stars. You know, we look up at the stars with our naked eye, and we might not see the glorious variety, but if you ever put a scope on it, of course, you do see that. Beautiful variety. Variety and diversity, which exists. So again, we'll be raised different, but just as the seed is different than its bloom, just know God will raise you up, and you will still be uniquely and wonderfully you.

Just in a better and beautiful, more existence, greater existence. So let's pause for a moment and ask why again is Paul giving us all these illustrations here? You know, the question you remember, how are the dead raised? What kind of body will they come? You know, Paul is giving them examples they can really grab onto.

We have a body for the living in this physical existence. We will have a body in the living of the spiritual existence to come. While you will have a different body, you will still be uniquely you. Again, go through all these illustrations of plants, creatures, stars. The point is, verse 42, the point is, so also is the resurrection of the dead. You see? So this is the mystery that Paul is revealing about the resurrection, and it's being revealed by Paul in this remarkable way.

Are you enjoying this? I love this. I mean, this is awe-inspiring to me to think about this. And it gets even better. It gets even better. Paul continues. Look at this. Verse 42 through 49. Here's the summary of it all. Verse 42 through 49. So also is the resurrection of the dead. Here's the totality of the whole process. The body is sown in corruption. It will be raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor.

It will be raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It'll be raised in power. It is sown in a natural body. It'll be raised in a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there's a spiritual body. So it is written, the first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam, speaking of Jesus Christ, became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and then afterward the spiritual. The first man was made of the earth, made of dust.

The second man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust. And as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have been born in the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man. There it is. Incredible. You know, we think of our bodies today. Many of us, you know, we're living with bodies that are broken. It is true. In so many ways, this physical existence, you know, we have power less. We don't have the power we would want to have.

In that way, we have some... it just feels dishonor. You know, we want to do more, but our bodies limit us, you know. And just as Adam came, we came from dust, and to dust we shall return. But I want you to know, Paul says, there's another Adam, referring to Jesus Christ. He is not of this earth, He's a heavenly man. And the body that He has is a spiritual body, and His body is the prototype that His own will obtain at His return.

Verse 49 again, We shall also bear the image of the heavenly man. So here it is. Jesus Christ is raised from the dead. He has become the first fruits of those placed in Him. What we see in Him is a prototype of what we, by grace, through faith, will become. This is the resurrection. This is the truth upon which we stand. Believe it. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead.

He will return, and He's going to call forth His own. And what a day it will be! What a day it will be! And here, verses 51 through 56, Paul says, Here, behold, I tell you a mystery. You know, as we heard in that beautiful special music, you know, this is the first day of forever. I love that. Let me tell you about the first day of forever. Here it is, verses 51 through 56, Behold, I tell you a mystery.

We shall all not sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the same, which is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is your sting? O Hades, the grave, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the law. Verse 57, But thanks be to God, who gives us victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. What a moment! In a moment, a twinkling of an eye, a trumpet sound, he says. The Lord of heaven will come, and he's going to, with a trumpet call, he's going to send out his voice to those who are his, those who are in this first harvest of mankind, and those who are his will hear his voice.

And we will rise, and we will be changed. All those in Christ will hear his voice and rise up. You know, this, what should well up in us, is such a degree of gratitude, thanksgiving. If someone asks you, what is preeminent in your life? You say, Jesus Christ died, and he rose again. And now, I live my life as a life of gratitude. I am just so thankful for that. I'm not trying to earn anything. I'm not trying to earn this through works.

I'm just living a life because I'm so thankful, so thankful for this. And I want to show him the love back that he's given me. And that's why I dedicate my life to this, to his way. In the end, thanksgiving is how Paul ends here. Verse 57 and 58 Paul concludes. Here it is, verse 57. But thanks be to God. Thanks be to God who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing your labor is not in vain in the Lord. This is the mystery. This is the truth of the resurrection. You know, I think of somebody here. You're feeling the weight of this world. Emotionally, physically, you're suffering, feeling overwhelmed. Listen, the resurrection is true. Jesus Christ is risen. So hang on. Hang on. Persevere. And I want us all to not just live a life hanging on.

Sometimes you have to do that certain days. But ultimately, I want us to live a life of abounding. Abounding in the work of the Lord. Abounding. Pray to God that He will make clear, what work do you want me to do for you, Lord? Give me the ability to do so. I want to glorify you with every day of my life. So let's let the truth of the resurrection cause us to be steadfast and movable, knowing one day we will rise. This is the mystery and truth of the resurrection.