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Weekly Message | March 29th, 2009
Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:35-58
Key Verse(s): 49, 57
Good morning! My name is Brian Karcher from Detroit UBF. This is my most joyful conference I've ever attended. It is because my beautiful wife Mary, one faithful Bible student Kathy and our daughter Ruth Barry Karcher (who just turned 14) attended with me. There was a time in my life that I expected to live alone as a hermit all my life, because of my extreme shyness and highly awkward social skills. But God has a greater vision for me: to be a husband, a father, a Bible teacher and a messenger.
Up to now we have heard many wonderful words of God. Do you remember? “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17) “You are the salt of the earth.” (Matthew 5:13,14) “Get up, take your mat and walk.” (Mark 2:9) “You are the Christ” (Mark 8:29). “All things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27) and “Follow me” (Mark 2:14). Through these messages we meditated on Jesus.
Jesus leads us to the true hope of God. This world offers all kinds of false hope in things that pass away. Money, honor, comfort and fame all have their share of glory. However, these cannot be our real hope. Hope that is visible is not real hope. Hope is something that is yet to be seen. In today’s passage, Apostle Paul explains the real living hope that Jesus Christ gives to us. Now, let us take eyes off from the things of this world and meditate on the exceedingly great glory that is ahead of those who believe and follow Christ Jesus. This is about the glory of our resurrection. Let's pray.
First, “The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable” (35-44). Thousands of years ago, a man named Job asked a question: “If a man dies, will he live again?” (Job 14:14). Death seems so final. Is there any assurance that there really is life after death? People answer this question in different ways. The atheist will answer, “No, there is nothing else after death.” However, they are not really sure this is the correct answer. Those who adopt Eastern religions may answer, “Yes, there is surely life after death: you will be reincarnated-- probably as a fish or as a cow.” But those who adopt this view have a nagging doubt that something is wrong with this picture. In Apostle Paul’s day, some philosophers believed that people would live forever as ghosts, mindlessly lost in space.
What did Jesus say about life after death? In John 11:25, Jesus told Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” Several times Jesus taught his disciples that he must suffer, die and rise again after three days (Mark 8:31). Apostle Paul deeply meditated on Jesus' words about the resurrection. He studied Jesus' words until God revealed the hope of God to him. Christ has indeed been raised from the dead (15:20). Likewise, we who belong to Jesus will be raised from the dead and live forever (15:22,23). After writing these things, Apostle Paul paused to consider the people reading what he wrote. He realized that people would probably have some questions about this resurrection of the dead.
Look at verse 35: “But someone may ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’” In other words, it’s great that we can believe the gospel of Jesus and be raised from the dead, but doesn’t that mean we would have zombies walking around? Doesn’t the resurrection mean we would just live our miserable lives all over again? Paul says “How foolish!...” (36a) Paul immediately dispels ridiculous notions about the resurrection. Through the mouth of Paul God reveals the glory of resurrection.
Look at verses 36,37: “…What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else.” This natural world demonstrates the principles of sowing and reaping. We plant seeds. The seed dies and the new plant grows. From a small rose seed, beautiful red, yellow, white, and purple roses come out. This amazing natural process explains the resurrection principle: a seed that is sown dies and then comes back to as a more beautiful body. In this world, God gave each of us a specific kind of body (38,39) with a certain kind of splendor (40). It is the same with our resurrection body. We will each have our own splendor in our new body (41). When I see Mark Gamber in heaven, he will be glorious. Yet I will still recognize that he is Mark Gamber.
Look at verse 42: “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;” The contrasts between the body we have now and the body we will have after the resurrection, are striking. Our bodies will go from: perishable to imperishable, dishonorable to glorious, weak to powerful, and natural to spiritual. Here, God teaches us the essential characteristics of our current bodies. They are perishable, dishonorable, weak and natural bodies. Our bodies are designed to last no more than about one hundred years. Then, these bodies perish—die away. How do people die? They typically die in a dishonorable fashion—as they get old, women lose the beauty of their youth. Men become powerful no more in old age. Our natural bodies are governed by the laws of nature—birth, growth, decay and death. No one is free from this absolute dying process.
The good news is that we will be clothed with imperishable, glorious, powerful and spiritual bodies. This is the reason why in hope we wait for the day of having our glorious resurrection bodies. This hope of God assures us of the glorious resurrection. This certainty of our glorious resurrection enables us to be so peaceful about the imperfections and shortcomings of our natural bodies. Young people thank God for their healthy and flexible natural bodies. As we get older, we graciously accept our reality and instead live with resurrection hope. This makes us quite hopeful and joyful with our natural bodies which carry all the natural constraints. Instead of getting frustrated over ourselves, we regard these natural bodies as the seeds for the glorious days ahead.
With this resurrection hope I no longer fight with my shy character. I do not become so fatalistic about my small, unimpressive body. Rather, I honor this body as the seed for the glory and therefore have reason to respect and honor myself. I really thank God for helping me to accept my weaknesses and shortcomings because of my resurrection hope. As we heard the testimonies last night, it was so clear that many struggle so hard about their self-esteem and identity. Many tried to find the reasons for the hope within themselves but only despaired so much. Praise God who enabled them to find their hope in Jesus. How wonderful it is to know that our natural bodies are the seeds for the resurrection bodies. We neither envy others’ seemingly gorgeous bodies, nor do we despise others for their appearances. Instead, we have a realistic assessment of who we are and what we can become with the glory of resurrection. Our healthy self-esteem and sense of confidence in our own identity is possible as we accept both the inherent limitations of our natural bodies and their glorious potential for glorious resurrection bodies.
Second, “We [will] bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” (45-50) Look at verses 45-48: “So it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.” Here is another set of contrasts. The first Adam is the first man God created from the dust of the ground, as we read in Genesis 2. The last Adam is Jesus Christ who came from heaven. Through the first Adam we all receive physical life in this cursed world, the sinful nature and death. Through the last Adam, Jesus Christ, God gives forgiveness, eternal life, and the kingdom of God to all who repent and believe in Jesus.
Let’s read verse 49: “And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” Before we come to know Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we only carry the image of Adam. However, as we come to know Jesus Christ, God pours a new mind, heart and image into this body. Just as it is God’s will for us to share the physical likeness of Jesus Christ in heaven in our new body, so it is God’s will for us to grow in Jesus’ spiritual likeness here on earth in this body. Philippians 2:5 declares: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” God is pleased when Christians are Christ-like. We are clothed with the likeness of Christ not only when we die. The Risen Jesus also makes our inner man beautiful like Jesus now. Whatever the condition of our body in this world, God's expectation is that we imitate Jesus Christ. Christian life therefore may be best described as a “journey to be like Christ”.
Look at verse 49 again: “And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” The full meaning of these words is not quite clear. Does this mean that everyone will be just like Jesus? Will all people have the same kind of resurrection bodies? No. In John 5:28-29 we read, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” There are two types of resurrection bodies. We rise with resurrection bodies either for glory or for condemnation. This is the reason why in this world we must not live as fallen men like the first Adam but live as people saved by the grace of Jesus. This is the reason why we must have a clear confession of faith in Jesus and live for Christ and his kingdom.
Third, “Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (51-58). This section contains victorious songs because of our glorious resurrection hope. Look at verse 51-53: “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” The transformation of our mortal bodies into glorious bodies is a mystery. It happens instantaneously. In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye (less than one tenth of a second), those who know and love Christ will be risen and transformed. We will all be changed.
So we can joyfully say: ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” (56) To those who live with the resurrection faith the sting of death has no lasting impact. Although we sometimes fall into sins, the power of sin no longer works in us. Death happens. But the power of death is gone. Its sting is removed. The condemning power of the law is behind us. Through Christ Jesus we are forgiven. God has dealt with us in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (57) Each of us may experience set backs and defeats in our battles. But the war is ended. Christ has won already. Therefore, the outcomes of small skirmishes do not affect our position or destiny at all. Instead, we participate in the victory of Jesus Christ. In Christ Jesus we are treated as the victors. This is what it means that God gives the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 58 is the conclusion of this passage: “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Here, Paul is not instructing us to be “pig-headed” or “stiff-necked” people. Rather we are instructed to have conviction and perseverance. With hope in a new body and a victorious spirit, what do we do? With hope in a new body and a victorious spirit, we labor for the Lord. We are free to work hard.
Jesus described the work of God in John 6:29: “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” Our labor in the Lord is to keep our faith and to help others keep their faith. This requires labor. Labor is physical or mental effort. Throughout this conference I saw so many messengers and testimony sharers laboring to reveal their faith in Jesus. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon studied all the labor under the sun. He observed that “Everything is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) But verse 58 proclaims: “you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” All labor in this world eventually becomes meaningless. But labor in the Lord is one work that is not in vain.
For example, last night we heard beautiful and heartfelt testimonies by Krysten Beech, Anthony Coca, Chang You, Ruthie Copeland, Diona Woods, Courtney Richards, Travis Grant, Aaron Thomas, Kati Cawood and Douglass Fortman. Their labor to be like Jesus is not in vain. In fact, many have labored along with them for their wonderful testimonies. The labor of shepherds, Bible teachers, parents and friends for these 10 souls is not in vain. Our labor is to honor Christ in every way. Because this labor bears fruit, we stand firm. We let nothing move us. Instead, we give ourselves all the more to the work of the Lord.
In conclusion, we now know why we should live for Jesus and for the gospel. It is to share the glory of resurrection. Our perishable, dishonorable, weak and natural bodies will be raised with imperishable, glorious, powerful and spiritual bodies. We will not merely receive resurrection bodies after we die. Rather, our inner personality becomes more and more like Jesus right now. Yesterday through Jeremy Holloway’s message we learned that one soul is worth more than the whole world. Why is this so? The world passes away, but our soul is eternal. Our resurrection body will never pass away. Therefore we must take care of our bodies now. Because of our glorious future, we do not despise our bodies now. We do not throw away this body, but rather we become stewards of our own body. Even with all its imperfections and shortcomings, our body now contains our glorious soul, which is being transformed to be like Jesus.
Instead of pursuing the perishable hope of the world, we pursue eternal life. We anticipate the glory that never fades away. For this indestructible life and exceeding glory, we have a reason to stand firm and hold firmly to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We now know why it is so critical of us to confess our faith in Jesus. We now know why it is so important for us to live for Jesus and for the gospel. May we comfort one another with this glorious hope of resurrection in Christ Jesus. May God help us to live with the sense of victory through our Lord Jesus Christ in all things.
Let's read our key verses one more time:“And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
