(#077) 1 Corinthians 15 - Resurrection Makes Death PowerlessSorry death but you're just a domino in God's plan.
Welcome To BARAH MINISTRIES a Christian Church
Rory Clark Pastor-Teacher
Good Morning!
Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with worldwide impact. My name is Pastor Rory Clark. Welcome to this Bible lesson! Who is Jesus Christ? At Barah Ministries we know this truth…that Jesus Christ is God. In Deuteronomy, Chapter 4, Verse 35 the Jews were reminded of this established and irrevocable fact…
DEUTERONOMY 4:35 To you (the Jewish race) your deliverance was shown to you through experience so that you might know that the Lord is your God…and there is no other God besides Him.
Our Almighty God, the Lord Jesus Christ, didn’t deliver the Jews only…He delivers ALL MANKIND!
Why does Barah Ministries exist? At Barah Ministries, we make a difference by introducing people to the Lord…teaching the Word of God from the Lord’s perspective and not from man’s perspective…verse-by-verse. Barah Ministries exists for the benefit of Christians… those of us who want a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with the Lord through the study of His Word. Why study the Word of God? The apostle Peter tells us why in Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verses 17 and 18…
SECOND PETER 3:17 Beloved (believers in Christ)…be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men so as to fall from your steadfastness…
We study so we are not tricked by false teachers!
SECOND PETER 3:18 …instead, grow in the sphere of grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We study Scripture to get to know the Lord! We implore you to always compare what you learn, both at Barah Ministries and in the world, with what the Bible says. That’s not just an invitation, it’s a responsibility!
God has an enemy…Satan…whom God made ‘the ruler of this world.’ First John, Chapter 5, Verse 19…
FIRST JOHN 5:19 We believers in Christ know that we are of possessions of God the Father… and we also know that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (Satan).
One of the traps Satan sucks us into? Sins of the flesh…immorality. We call to mind the prodigal son who was accused by his older brother of “loose living.” We all know those sins.
Much worse are Satan's traps that involve the sins of the spirit…the sin of legalism for example…where people put themselves above others. The triclinium believers in the first-century church at Corinth for example… elitist believers who proclaimed themselves better than everyone else. They committed the same sin as the older brother in the prodigal son story who in self-righteousness flaunted how good he is compared to his brother for not engaging in loose living. His judging of his brother is a much worse sin in God's eyes…the sin of pride…a sin of spirit. Satan readily sucks us into these sins, and we act as if there is nothing wrong with it. Don’t be fooled!
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Resurrection Makes Death Powerless
LESSON INTRODUCTION
“To conquer death, you only have to die.”
What a great line from the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. In today’s lesson we’ll continue to ask, is the resurrection from the dead real? If it isn’t, death is scarier than we thought!
SONG INTRODUCTION
We were born physically alive and spiritually dead…we were born under the sovereignty of sin…we were born into bondage…a state of slavery. The Lord Jesus Christ’s work on the Cross freed us. Galatians, Chapter 5, Verse 1…
GALATIANS 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us believers in Christ free…therefore keep standing firm in the freedom and do not be entangled again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians, Chapter 5, Verses 13 and 14…
GALATIANS 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren…only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh…but through unconditional love serve one another.
GALATIANS 5:14 For the whole Mosaic Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor unconditionally just as you love yourself… unconditionally.”
John, Chapter 8, Verse 36…
JOHN 8:36 So if the Son makes you free, and He does (when you place your faith in Him)…you will be free indeed!
Here’s Austin French to sing a FREEDOM HYMN.
MUSIC AND REFLECTION Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Enjoy the Singing of His Praises FREEDOM HYMN Austin French
MUSIC AND REFLECTION Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
FREEDOM HYMN Austin French
OPENING PRAYER Let us pray...
We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…
Father, thank you for the circumstances You bring into our lives…more and more You put us in circumstances that have no answer but You…it’s part of our training to depend on You and You alone…and to fix our eyes on the Triune members of the Godhead…You Father…and Your Son, our Lord, Jesus…the Christ…and God the Holy Spirit…
Guide us, Father…help us to pray ridiculous prayers…help us to expect things from You that defy the imagination…show us that when we count on You, we put divine power behind the desires of our hearts…
…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ's name...Amen.
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Resurrection Makes Death Powerless
We continue our study of First Corinthians, Chapter 15 at sections three and four. As a reminder, the issue the apostle Paul is addressing in First Corinthians, Chapter 15 is a concern the believers in the first-century church at Corinth have…is there really a resurrection of the dead? Some were saying NO…First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 12… FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:12 Now if Christ is preached, and He is…that He has been raised from the dead…how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
So Paul’s first argument deals with a fundamental question…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15 Is the Resurrection is Real?
SECTION 1 Verses 1 to 11 SECTION 2 Verses 12 to 19 SECTION 3 Verses 20 to 28 SECTION 4 Verses 29 to 34
It’s important for us not to lose the context of Paul’s argument. What if there isn’t a resurrection of the dead? Some in the first-century church at Corinth believed that there is life after death WITHOUT a resurrection from the dead. They are in a mental struggle between what happens in the earthly realm and what happens in the heavenly realm. They are confused. Paul is correcting the error in their thinking.
The resurrection from the dead is a central tenet of Biblical Christianity. It offers us hope! The members of the first-century Corinthian church believed the gospel message…they are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ…but they are pelted with questions from the philosophers of the society in which they exist…the Greek philosopher society…people who obsess with provocative questions as intellectual exercises…people who seek answers outside of the wisdom of the Bible. Is there a resurrection from the dead? Yeah, but… what if there is no resurrection from the dead? Many were hoping there is no resurrection from the dead, and many were even hoping there is no afterlife, so they can justify sinning in this life. Eat, drink, and be merry! Party like it's 1999!
If there is no resurrection from the dead, then there is a catastrophic domino effect. If Christ is not raised from the dead…we are worshipping just another human martyr. If there is no resurrection from the dead, Christianity is a practical joke being played on us. If there is no resurrection from the dead, your Pastor and God the Father are liars, because we both have reported to you that Christ IS raised from the dead. If there is no resurrection from the dead, you waste your time coming to church and thinking about God. Luckily for us the joke is on anyone who thinks there is no resurrection from the dead…THEY are the joke!
Last week you were introduced to First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 20 to 28…let’s study it verse-by-verse…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:20 But now (as a matter of fact) Christ HAS been raised from the dead…the Christ (the Messiah) is the firstfruits of those who are asleep.
If there are firstfruits in a harvest…there will be other crops following shortly! Christ has His resurrection body. All believers in Christ will get one, too! There are so many guarantees in God’s plan for mankind. Christ as the firstfruits of resurrection is the equivalent of a signature guarantee that if Christ is raised from the dead…and of course He is…that His believers will follow in a future harvest of souls! There is an intimate connection between the Christ, and Church Age believers who are in union with Christ.
Paul then uses the negative consequence of Adam’s sin, and compares it to the positive consequence of Christ’s resurrection from the dead.
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:21 For since by a man (Adam) came spiritual death (to all)…by a man also came the resurrection (the Greek word anastasis) of the dead (for all believers).
Adam represents the old man in the human race…as the federal head of the human race, his original sin brought spiritual death to all mankind. Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 12…
ROMANS 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man, Adam, sin entered into the world…and spiritual death entered the world through sin…and so spiritual death spread to all men…because all men were considered by God to have sinned when Adam sinned…
Jesus Christ represents the new creation. As the Savior of the world, His death on the Cross brought the possibility of spiritual life to all mankind. Second Corinthians, Chapter 5, Verse 17…
SECOND CORINTHIANS 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ…and all believers in Christ are…there is a new creation…the old man things passed away…behold, new humanity things have come.
As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are not a better version of your old man self…you are completely new. Adam brought spiritual death to us all…Christ brought the resurrection life to us all.
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:22 For in union with Adam all die spiritually…in union with the Christ, all will be made (spiritually) alive (the resurrection life for believers in Christ…the born-again ones).
Humans are in union with Adam by their very nature at physical birth…believers are in union with Christ at the new birth when they choose to invest their gift of faith in Christ for eternal life...the resurrection life.
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:23 But each (of us on the Shepherd-sheep team…believers in Christ…will be resurrected from the dead) in his own order…the Christ as the firstfruits… then after that those who are Christ’s at His coming (the Rapture…the exit resurrection [exanastasis] of Church Age believers)…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:24 …then comes the end…when the Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father…when Christ has abolished all rule and all authority and all power.
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:25 For Jesus must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
God the Father acts through Jesus to subject all enemies, all rulers, all authorities…to dethrone them so that Christ alone ascends to the throne of the earth just as He is on the throne of the universe.
Paul is sharing information on the future of human history…the Rapture… the Tribulation…the second coming of Christ…the Millennial reign of Christ on the earth…Christ’s domination of His enemies…Christ abolishing death…the destruction of the current heavens and earth…the creation of the new heavens and the new earth. Paul skips the details, but ensures us that the resurrection from the dead gives all believers in Christ a future of hope of an amazing life! Remember, “hope” in the Greek language means absolute confidence.
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:26 The last enemy that will be abolished (by Christ) is (the destroyer of the body)… DEATH.
Are you afraid to die? The Lord doesn’t want that for us…Hebrews, Chapter 2, Verses 14 and 15…
HEBREWS 2:14a Therefore, since the children (believers who are possessions of God the Father) share in flesh and blood (we are human)…Jesus Himself likewise also partook of the same (He took on the form of a human)…
HEBREWS 2:14b …that through physical death Jesus might render powerless (neutering) him who had the power of death, that is, the devil (who has the power to hold death over our heads to scare us)…
HEBREWS 2:15 …so that Jesus might free (from slavery) those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
Believers in Christ need to keep on remembering who our Redeemer is…the one who purchased us with His blood from slavery. Death has no power over us. These bodies we have will wear out, but our lives will not end. And the body we will be gifted with in the future will be amazing…just like Christ’s resurrection body. Resurrection is something to look forward to!
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:27 For the Christ has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when God the Father says, “All things are put in subjection (by God the Father)” … it is evident that God the Father is excepted (from subjection) who put all things in subjection to Christ.
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:28 When all things are subjected to God the Father (through the resurrection of the dead), then the Son Himself also will be subjected to God the Father who subjected all things to Christ, so that God the Father may be over all and indwelling all.
God the Father…the creator of the Divine Plan…reigns Supreme through the Christ who is in subjection to His will. In Luke, Chapter 22, Verse 42 Christ proclaims…
LUKE 22:42 “Father…not My will, but Your will be done.”
And so it is. When we return from the break, we’ll take the offering, and then we’ll study section four of First Corinthians, Chapter 15.
FIVE MINUTE BREAK NOBODY Casting Crowns
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Resurrection Makes Death Powerless
Our God is always encouraging generosity. Proverbs, Chapter 11, Verse 25 says…
PROVERBS 11:25 The generous person will be prosperous…and he who waters, will himself be watered.
Be generous so that those you help with your contributions may receive the gospel message implanted…and let the Word of God sprout from within them through the seeds nourished by God…and let the Word give them the strength to put one foot in front of the other during times of spiritual turmoil.
Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with one of His always inspiring offering messages.
THE OFFERING Deacon Denny Goodall
OFFERING VERSE
SECOND CORINTHIANS 5:1 For we believers in Christ know that if the earthly tent (our physical body) which is our house is torn down…and it will be…we have a building from God (a resurrection body)…a house not made with hands…an eternal home in heaven.
OFFERING SONG THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU Don Moen
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Resurrection Makes Death Powerless
Paul continues his argument for the resurrection of the dead by pointing out the absurd practices of the day…First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 29…if there is no resurrection from the dead…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:29 …what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are these people baptized for them?
If there is no resurrection, why would the dead, who are just dead, need a proxy baptism? Why would those who are getting baptized for the dead make fools of themselves?
More important than this, it has to be clear to Christians that praying for the dead is pointless. It’s one of the ways Satan, the enemy of God, gets us to fear death. He inspires the thought, “What if we don’t make it to heaven and no one prays for us?” Yikes! Let me be clear…because the Bible is clear…praying for the dead accomplishes nothing…Hebrews, Chapter 9, Verse 27…
HEBREWS 9:27 …it is appointed by God for men to die once…and after this comes judgment (the evaluation)…
The only way for anyone to be saved is to make a decision for Christ on their own, for themselves, when they are alive. Being baptized as a baby accomplishes nothing…a parent can’t make a child’s decision for them. Praying for the dead accomplishes nothing. Yet these pagan practices are still alive and well in many religions of the world.
What Paul is likely pointing out here is that death and resurrection are partners. In Christianity, if we die, we assume we will be resurrected. If we die only, life makes no sense, especially for Christians who worship in expectation of being resurrected from the dead.
Paul continues…if there is no resurrection of the dead…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:30 Why are we also facing danger every hour?
Paul is referring to himself. He’s saying, “What am I…stupid?” Yes Paul…you are…IF!
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:31 I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily (my life is in jeopardy every day).
The Jews wanted to kill him…Satan wanted to destroy him…the Christians didn’t trust him…he was in jeopardy of physical harm all the time…if there is no resurrection from the dead, Paul would be stupid to be a minister…as he attests…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:32 If only from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink (and be merry), for tomorrow we die.
There’s no need to be ethical or moral if Christianity and faith in Christ are a joke! Let’s just avoid pain and pursue pleasure. Really…that’s the focus of most of us anyway! Now Paul lowers the boom…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
Paul points out that being around the wrong influences corrupts you! The influence of the Greek philosopher society that there is no resurrection from the dead…their question of whether the resurrection is real…must be ignored. Paul exhorts!
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:34 Become sober-minded (wake up!) as you ought…and stop sinning…for some have no knowledge of God (and they need you to tell them about Him). I speak this to your shame.
Paul encourages us to not be distracted by false teachers and false teaching…instead to trust the Word of our God…and to evangelize. There IS resurrection from the dead. The resurrection from the dead is REAL. Resurrection from the dead conquers death.
SONG INTRODUCTION
Let’s close with music. Life is our most important gift from God. As believers in Christ, our life is our union with Christ. As John says in Chapter 4, Verse 1 of his gospel…
JOHN 1:4 In the Lord…God the Son…was the resurrection life…and the resurrection life was the Light of men.
Our physical life comes from Him…our spiritual life comes from Him…our created life comes from Him. JESUS CHRIST IS GOD, and here’s June Murphy to sing about Him.
MUSIC AND REFLECTION Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
JESUS CHRIST IS GOD June Murphy
MUSIC AND REFLECTION Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
JESUS CHRIST IS GOD June Murphy
GOD WANTS YOU! Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life
There is one inescapable truth that is at the very root of Christianity. Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God…and there is only one way to get to heaven…by placing your faith in Him and in what He has done at the Cross on your behalf. He is the Sovereign God of the universe. He is the most important being in the universe. He loves you unconditionally. He created you, and He wants a relationship with you. That’s good news for you!
The bad news is that you were born with a problem. From the moment of your physical birth, God considered you a sinner. Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 10…
ROMANS 3:10 …it is written, “There is no creature who is righteous, not even one…”
Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 23…
ROMANS 3:23 …all creatures have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…
It’s not your fault that you’re a sinner from physical birth, but it is your circumstance. Unfortunately, being a sinner has a penalty. Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 23…
ROMANS 6:23 For the payment earned for being a sinner is both spiritual death and physical death…
In addition to being a sinner, you commit personal sins…as a result you don't meet God's standards. God requires perfection for you to get into heaven. So being a good person, or trying to work your way into heaven with good, but imperfect deeds does not impress God at all.
This gospel message is the good news concerning what the Lord did to fix the bad news for a sinner. Jesus Christ paid a price with His blood so that you can be saved. Responding to His gospel message is your chance to have a personal relationship with Him. Here’s what the Lord said to a self-righteous Pharisee, Nicodemus, in John, Chapter 3, Verse 3…
JOHN 3:3 Jesus answered and said to Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you are born again (the spiritual birth) you cannot see the kingdom of God the Father (in heaven).”
God the Father wants you in heaven. Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 8 says…
ROMANS 5:8 God the Father demonstrates His own unconditional love toward all mankind…in that while we were yet sinners (while we were unrighteous, ungodly, unbelievers) … Christ died (a sacrificial death) for us.
Who is this God who saves you? The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ…in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3 For I (Paul) delivered to you as of first importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4 …and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…
Absolute righteousness is the admission ticket to heaven. It is the key to eternal life…the resurrection life…and it is yours FREE OF CHARGE… RIGHT NOW…if you want it. Romans, Chapter 10, Verses 9 to 11…
ROMANS 10:9 …if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord (that He is God) … and if you believe in your heart that God the Father raised Him from the dead…you will be saved…
ROMANS 10:10 …for with the heart a person believes…resulting in the imputation of absolute righteousness (your admission ticket to heaven) … and with the mouth a person confesses (choosing faith in Christ alone) … resulting in salvation.
ROMANS 10:11 For the Scripture says, “Whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will not be disappointed.”
So, heed the invitation and the warning of John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…
JOHN 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment… but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”
There is a hell…a very real place…and it is described this way in the Bible… Matthew, Chapter 13, Verses 41 to 43…
MATTHEW 13:41 The Son of Man (the Lord Jesus Christ) will send forth His (elect) angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks (unbelievers), and those who commit lawlessness (unbelievers)…
MATTHEW 13:42 …and (the elect angels) will throw unbelievers into the furnace of fire (the Lake of Fire) … in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
MATTHEW 13:43 Then the righteous (believers in Christ) will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father…
For those without a relationship with Christ, He’ll just ask them to step to the left and to take the “HELLIVATOR” … just press down.
Getting to heaven is easy… Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…
ACTS 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”
Sinners need a Savior. That Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe in Him and you will be saved!
CLOSING VERSES
A Doxology of Praise to Our God
Let’s close with words of worship for our Almighty God1
PROVERBS 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge Jesus, and He will make your paths straight.
DEUTERONOMY 31:8 “For the Lord is the one who goes ahead of you…He will be with you…He will not fail you or forsake you…so do not fear or be dismayed.”
ISAIAH 30:18 The Lord longs to be gracious to you…He waits on high to have compassion on you…for the Lord is a God of justice…blessed are those who wait for Him.
FIRST PETER 5:6-7 Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may promote you at the proper time……slamming all your cares on His back, because He cares for you.
God considers your problems to be His responsibility.
CLOSING PRAYER Let us pray...
Thanks for coming! Thanks for watching! Thanks for listening!
|