Bible Study Materials

THE GLORY OF THE RESURRECTION

by   04/27/2012  

Question


1. What questions did the Corinthian Christians ask about the dead being raised? (35) How did Paul answer? What is the resurrection principle? (36-38). Think about the glory of the spiritual body. (39-40) 2. What is written in the Bible? (45a) What does this mean? Also, what does it mean that the last Adam became a life-giving spirit? (45b) Through the analogy of the earthly man and the man from heaven, what was Paul’s logical but remarkable affirmation? (47-49) 3. How does inheriting the kingdom of God work? (50) What kind of mystery will happen? (51-53) What is Paul’s song of victory over death? (54-56) Who gives us the victory? (57) In completing this resurrection chapter what was Paul’s final remark? (58)


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Question


1. What question might be raised? (35) Why such a question? What does Paul instruct in the explanation of a seed and its body? (36-38) 2. What does he say about flesh? (39) Then why does he bring up splendour (or glory)? (40-41) Finally, what does he say about the resurrection of the dead? (42-44) 3. How does he compare the first man Adam and the last Adam? (45) Who is the last Adam and why is he so? What is the point of this comparison? (45-46) How are the first man and the second man different? (47) Where are those who are of the earth and those who are of heaven destined? (48) In the end what shall those who are in Christ bear? (49) 4. What does Paul make sure here? (50) What is the mystery Paul is talking about? (51-53) What is Paul’s shout of victory? (54-55) How can he have this victory? (56-57) 5. What is Paul’s final advice? (58) Why is this advice needed?


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Question


1. What questions may be asked about the dead being raised? (35) What was Paul’s answer? What truth does he teach? (36-38) 2. What does Paul say about the differences of all flesh and of their splendours? (39-41) What does he conclude about the resurrection of the dead? (42-44) How is Jesus called in comparison to Adam? Why? (45-49) 3. How will we be changed from the perishable to the imperishable? (50-53) What is Paul’s victorious song over death? (54-55) How could it be possible? (56-57) What is Paul’s final exhortation? (58)


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Message


The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important truth to all mortal mankind. Christ has indeed been raised from the dead. The resurrection power is that as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. Finally the Risen Christ will destroy all his enemies, establish the kingdom of Christ, and offer the kingdom to God the Father. Today we will study about the glory of the resurrection. May God help us to grasp even a bit of the glory of the resurrection. First, resurrection principle (35-36). Look at verse 35. “But someone may ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’” To some Corinthian Christians the dead being raised seemed to be horrible. In their understanding it was like corps’ rising and walking around here and there. Since nobody was raised from the dead in their sight, it was likely that they could hardly conceive the dead rising. Their question seemed to be understandable. But how did Paul respond to their question? He said, “How foolish!” He knew what was underlying their question. It was none other than unbelief. They were unbelieving because they didn’t want to die. They just wanted to live in this world as long as possible, enjoying small pleasures of the world. To Paul they looked foolish and pitiful. Paul did not answer to their question right away. Rather, he taught them a self-evident fundamental truth regarding death and life. Look at verse 36b. He said, “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” This is the principle of nature. A seed has life in it. When a seed is sown in the ground and dies, then it comes to life. After death life comes. It is an undeniable natural phenomena. This is true in human life and spiritual world. While on earth our Lord Jesus did so many beautiful things, healing the sick and preaching the good news of the kingdom of God. Crowds of people came to him. His disciples were happy to listen to him and follow him. But when he talked about his suffering and death on the cross, they showed their spiritual allergy. They closed their ears and rejected Jesus’ teaching about his cross. They did not want suffering Messiah. They wanted glory without suffering. Even if they closed their ears, Jesus repeatedly taught them the way of the Messiah that the Son of Man had to suffer much and die and then would come back to life. He clearly said to his followers, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mk 9:34-35) The way of the cross is the way of life. After death, resurrection comes. No death, no resurrection. Paul himself lived by this principle and said, “I die everyday.” We are living in a society where people tend to avoid suffering and hard work. Many young people cannot bear heavy work load and hard pressure, and just want to give up. When they grow without the cross’ spirit, they become even irresponsible for their lives and useless. But those who are willing to take the cross through painful struggle and discipline bear good fruit in the long run. May we newly accept the resurrection principle: No pain, no gain; no cross, no crown; no practice, no performance; no death, no resurrection. Especially all our young people be disciplined in the word of God so that God can use them as Bible teachers in our generation. May we bear painstaking 1:1 this summer so that we can raise disciples of Jesus. Resurrection glory (37-44). After teaching the Corinthian Christians the resurrection principle, now Paul gives answer to their questions: “How are the dead raised?” “With what kind of body will they come.” Look at verse 37 “When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else.” No seed is pretty as it is. However when it is sown, later on it comes so beautifully. Verse 38 says, “…God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.” Each spring we enjoy seeing beautiful flowers. Each flower has a different body because each seed is different. In each seed there is God’s determination. That’s why each flower or each plant is different coming out of each one’s own seed. It is not by chance but by God’s determination to give each one a unique beauty. Now Paul talks about all flesh. Look at verse 39. “All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another” We know how different men’s flesh, animals’, fish’s and birds’. Men’s body is made fit to walk. Animals’ body is for living in the jungle, birds’ for flying in the sky and fish’s for living in the sea. Paul continued to say in verses 40,41. “There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.” This is the beauty of God’s creation. Each created being has an own beauty and splendor or gory. Even billions of billions of stars are different in shape, size, brightness and splendor. We are fascinated by God’s creation. This is much more true with each human being! Every human being has not only a different body but also an inherent uniqueness and beauty and splendor to be revealed. That’s Genesis 1:31 says, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…” Each of us is to live in this world to reveal the glory of God with each one’s own given human conditions. After talking about God’s creation, now he goes back to the story of the resurrection of the dead. Look at verses 42-44. “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” Our physical body is the seed for the resurrection body or spiritual body. Though our physical body is imperishable, weak and dishonorable, it is the seed for the glorious resurrection body. Though the degree is different, all suffer from physical illness or oldness. On one occasion a man with leprosy came to Jesus and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Filled with compassion Jesus indeed made him clean healing of his leprosy. His flesh became fresh like that of a baby. Yet, his body was perishable getting old again. Although one goes through cosmetic surgeries numerous times and eats Royal Jerry or other healthy foods, he or she cannot prevent his or her body from getting old and having wrinkles and white hairs and failing eyes and ears and rotten teeth and back pain. All desire to remain young and fresh without blemish and wrinkles on our body. But reality is reality. Everybody gets old or sick. Everyone has a perishable mortal body. This is an undeniable truth. But here is a deeper and greater truth that our lowly perishable bodies would be transformed into glorious ones. It is so sure that this transformation was emphasized four times. Let’s read these glorious words together: ““So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” You and I will be young and fresh forever in the glorious resurrection body with a new heart, new eyes and ears and new skins and new teeth. In Christ Jesus not only our souls are saved but also our bodies are transformed and renewed. We will be as beautiful as angels. Still each one will have each one’s unique unchangeable beauty. Such a thing is written in the Bible. This is a part of resurrection glory. The glory of resurrection goes further. Look at verse 45. “So it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.” In verses 45-58 Paul compares Adam and Jesus. Adam Jesus The first man Adam The last Adam A living being A life-giving spirit The natural The spiritual The first man The second man Of the dust of the earth From heaven The earthly man The man from heaven On saying of these differences now Paul makes a remarkable affirmation. Look verse 49. “And just as we have born the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” Even if we didn’t want, we bore the likeness of the earthly man Adam, through being born of our parents. Especially we bore disobedience, rebelliousness and pride of Adam. Sometimes we say, “He is just like his father. Or she is just like her mother.” If it is regarding good things, it is pleasant and encouraging. But if it is related to bad character, it is unpleasant and despairing. Some don’t want to hear such sayings. But we deserve to hear, “You are like Adam or you are like Cain.” It is because sadly to say, we all bore the likeness of the earthly man. But now here is truly amazing “just as.” 1 Corinthians 15:49 says, “And just as we have born the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” When we read the gospel story, we all like the person Jesus so much. From birth to death, he is full of grace and truth. He is so loving, selfless and sacrificial, gentle and humble, brokenheartedly, pure and holy, obedient, courageous, and triumphant. So there is a song, “I Want to Be Like Jesus” (“I have one deep, supreme desire—That I may be like Jesus.” Sing To The LORD 208) and “O to Be Like Thee.” (“O to be like Thee, full of compassion, Loving, forgiving, tender and kind” 490) According to what is written in the Bible, surprisingly our wish and want will come true: “So shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” We shall be as beautiful as Jesus. We shall be as loving as Jesus. We shall be as humble as Jesus. We shall be as obedient as Jesus. It will go on and on. There are many reasons why the gospel story of Jesus is written. One clear reason is that we may know who we shall be. We shall be like Jesus portrayed in the gospel story. It is hard to believe when we think of our sinful nature born in the likeness of the earthly man Adam. But God wants us to believe as we believe the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the reason Jesus rose again from the dead. This is included in the glory of the resurrection. Praise God for this glorious hope that we shall be like Jesus, the man from heaven. In verses 50-52, Paul talks about the second coming of Jesus Christ, which will be a cosmic event. He includes it as a part of the glory of the resurrection. For at the second coming of Jesus the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed. Look at verses 51-52. “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.” What a glorious moment it will be! Christians are those who have a mystery or a secret in their hearts. Here we are not talking about an interesting mystery of movies. It is about what is coming in history as real to us. We will all be changed imperishable in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. Now the song of victory over death comes out of Paul’s deep heart. “For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 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.’ ‘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. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” In Christ Jesus who was raised from the dead death has been conquered and swallowed up in victory. We thank and praise God for the victory and victorious life in our Lord Jesus Christ. Now he ends this glorious resurrection chapter with these words: “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 labour in the Lord is not in vain.” We thank and praise God for the glory of the resurrection. We all have glorious resurrection body and we shall be like Jesus. In this hope may we live with resurrection principle, giving ourselves fully to the work of the Lord.


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Message


In the last lesson we studied about the power of the resurrection. As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. Christ will destroy all dominion, authority and power, and Christ’s kingdom will be established where God will be all in all. Paul warns us not to be misled but keep our faith in Christ’s resurrection and live accordingly with the assurance of Christ’s ultimate victory and the coming of his kingdom. Today in this last lesson of 1 Corinthians 15, let’s think about the glory of resurrection. First, resurrection principle (35-38). Look at verse 35. “But someone may ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” The question can be rephrased, “Let’s say there is such thing as the resurrection of the dead. Then how are the dead raised? Will the resurrected body be the same as the body we have now or totally different?” They could not imagine how the dead person could be raised from the grave. They could not conceive with kind of body the dead would appear. Paul responded, “How foolish!” (“You fool” in NASB; “What a foolish question!” in LNT) They must have heard of Christ’ being raised from the dead and appearing to his disciples. Yet, they asked such a question. Paul did not give direct answer to their question right away. He taught them resurrection principle first. Look at verse 36b. “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” This is a plain truth found in a natural world. When what is sown dies, it comes to life. Through dying process, life springs up. Paul explains this truth further in verses 37 and 38: “When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body just as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.” A seed itself is not beautiful at all. But after it is planted, the body that comes up is fascinatingly beautiful. Of course, a seed itself cannot produce its body. God gives its body to each seed according his determination and plan. Knowing resurrection principle is very important: “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” It is easy to just fantasize resurrection without thinking about the death process. It is obvious that resurrection comes after death. We need to learn resurrection principle while we live in this world. We know the cliché, “No pain, no gain”, “No cross, no crown”, and “No suffering, no glory.” Yet, these are to be renewed in our minds and we should grasp them better and better. Jesus entered glory through suffering (Lk 24:26). He died and rose again. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me” (Mt 16:24). As for Jesus’ disciples, denying oneself and taking up the cross is a part of dying process. As for students, “No hard study, no good grade.” “No perspiration, no inspiration.” As for workers, “No work, no pay.” As for athletes, “no training, no winning.” As for soldiers, “no fighting, no victory.” As for presenters, “no practice, no performance.” And as after dark night it is dawned, after despair hope comes. Although it is not easy, God wants us to learn resurrection principle. Second, glory through Christ (39-49). Look at verse 39. “All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.” Paul now talks about flesh. Men, animals, birds and fish all have different flesh. Men’s flesh is not strong like that of leviathan (possibly crocodile), whose chest is hard as rock, so the sword or spear has no effect (Job 41:24,26). Human flesh cannot be fast like a goat crossing the whole earth without touching the ground Daniel saw in his vision (Da 8:5). And humans cannot swim like fish or fly like birds. Yet men have two hands with which they have developed human life amazingly, beginning from carrying bricks and reaching to driving cars, operating computers and doing many other intricate things. The point is that they are all different. Then Paul says, “There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendour of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendour of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendour, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendour.” (40-41). Here Paul talks about the splendour or glory of each body (NKJV, NASB, NRSV). Each creation has its own beauty and glory. The sun’s glory is shining. What is the glory of human flesh? When we see Olympic Games, it seems that we see human glory through those who get gold medals. Also, when we see those who have reached the top of each, human glory seems to be displayed. Men who have flesh are desperate to obtain human glory. The glory of flesh can be directed to love, honour and wealth. They want to be forever young and beautiful, popular and rich. But at the top of human success and glory, despair comes. Some die too soon to enjoy their earned glory. Still others are so limited in keeping the glory of the flesh. Peter describes it this way, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall” (1 Pe 1:24). In truth human flesh longs for true glory and splendour.. Then how does real glory come? Look at verses 42-44. “So will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” Here we see that our natural, physical body is a seed for our spiritual body. The natural body is imperishable, dishonourable (when fleetin beauty is gone), and weak. But the spiritual body or resurrection body is, imperishable, glorious (attractive beyond anything imaginable) and powerful. We will not be raised with wrinkles, white hair, rotten teeth, pain and illness. We will be raised fresh and young, truly beautiful and healthy, and there will be no aging. You will be forever teenagers or in your early twenties. All people, including physically and mentally disabled people, will be raised with a perfect body and certainly with perfect intelligence. It will be a total dramatic change, yet not indistinguishable. There is continuity from a natural body to a spiritual body: Remarkable change, yet acknowledgeable. Paul explains how this can be done. Look at verse 45. “So it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.” This description is important. The first man was a living being, so is each of us. As descendants of Adam we are human beings, living beings. In short we inherited our natural body, human flesh, from Adam. Without a natural body there will be no spiritual body. Then Jesus, the last Adam, became a life-giving spirit. It is through his death and resurrection. It is interesting that Jesus is called the last Adam. It means there will be no more Adam in Christ, the firstfruits of the resurrection. Adam’s history was finished and a new era began. Christ became a life-giving spirit. Look at verse 46. “The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.” The order is clear. The spiritual body comes after the natural body. Look at verses 47. “The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.” In ESV, verse 47 is “the first man was from the earth, a man of dust…” The fundamental difference between the first man and the second man is that the first man was from the earth and the second, from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth. Those who are of the earth cannot get out of the category of the earthly man. And as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Those who are of heaven can enter into the realm of the man who is from heaven. Then Paul says in 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.” When we study the history of men and think about people more and more, Jesus stands up among al people. No is like Jesus. No one is as loving as Jesus. His love covers all range of people. He made the blind see, the deaf hear, the mute shout for joy, the lame walk, and he raised the dead. He made immoral women pure and live a new life. He made the despaired find hope that is true and everlasting. He made the proud humble and the selfish sacrificial. The rich and intellectual also surrendered and gave their lives to him. All those who were touched by his love were changed so beautifully. And all his enemies were defeated and powerless before him. He is like the lily of the valley and the bright and morning star. His influence of love and truth reaches to people of all generations and will be endless to the end of the age. Can you imagine that we shall be like Jesus? It is God’s sure promise that we shall be like Jesus (1 Jn 3:2) Not only shall we have the glorious resurrection body, but also shall we like Jesus. Wow! Inside and out we will be resurrected. We shall be as loving as Jesus. We shall be as sacrificial as Jesus. We shall be as pure as Jesus. We will be as gentle as Jesus. We will be as humble and obedient as Jesus. Can you envision to live in a community where everyone is loving, sacrificial, pure, humble and kind? This is our true longing and glory, and the glory is fulfilled through him. Praise God for his measureless grace. Third, victory in Christ (50-58). Look at verse 50. “I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.” The perishable with flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of God. Only the imperishable can. So the kingdom of God will not be marred by the perishable. It should be and we understand this. Look at verse 51. “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.” According to the gospel story the trumpet sounding signifies Jesus’ coming and gathering his people through the angels (Mt 24:31) At that time we will be changed. What a glorious moment it will be! It is truly the mystery of all the mysteries. Look at verses 53-54. “For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 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.’” Death seemed to swallow everything. But when Jesus rose from the dead, it lost its power. Now death itself would be swallowed up in victory, meaning it would completely gone with even no trace. The promise “Death has been swallowed up in victory” will come true. In this victory Paul shouts, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” This is the shout of all those who are in Christ. Those who have this shout are true victors. How would they become true victors? Look at verse 56. “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” Death has a sting that really hurts people. The sting of death is sin. But Jesus came to remove the sin. 1 John 3:5 says, “But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.” Sin was taken away, so the sting of death is gone; death has become powerless. And the power of sin is the law. All mankind became law-breakers and so became the target of sin the sting of death. But Christ Jesus fulfilled the law. Romans 10:4 says, “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” Sin has no claim for those who are in Christ. In Christ law, sin and death were all of no use. Christians are those who died to sin (Ro 6:2) and also died to the law (Ro 7:4), and on whom death has no mastery. God wants us to claim this grace in Christ Jesus. Law, sin and death were like three brothers. But they were overcome through the body of Christ, his death and resurrection. So Paul makes another shout in verse 57, “But thanks to be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Look at verse 58. “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 labour in the Lord is not in vain.” In this world to stand firm and immovable is not easy. So many things can make people shaky and swayed and tossed here and there. But we can stand firm with faith in Christ who died for our sins and was raised on the third day and thus gives us true glory and victory. In this world nothing is worthy of our devotion but the Lord and his work. Those who have faith in Christ’s resurrection from death can give themselves fully to the work of the Lord. Only our labour in the Lord will not be in vain. We thank and praise God for the glory and victory we have in Jesus. We will have a glorious resurrection body and we shall be like Jesus. In this glorious hope we may live with resurrection principle, giving ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. Amen.


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In the last lesson, we thought of the gospel of the resurrection and the power of the resurrection. The resurrection of Christ is essential to the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. The gospel contains both the death of Christ for our sins and his resurrection for our eternal life. The resurrection of Christ is scripturally and historically true, and personally true to Paul and each of many individuals. It is also logical to the sound minds of the believers. The power of Christ’s resurrection is that as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. And the power of the resurrection includes the second coming of Jesus, the completion of the kingdom, and the handover of the kingdom to God. We also thought about how to live with resurrection faith. Resurrection faith should be practical. It is to die to our sinful nature and to be ready to die for Christ, believing that the risen Christ is alive and with us. It is to believe that in Adam all die but in Christ all will be made alive. This empowers us to overcome any elements of death in Adam and experience the power of being in Christ all the more. Today’s passage is about the actual answer to the question of the resurrection of the dead, how the dead are raised: the resurrection of Christ is directly connected to the resurrection of the dead. It is the bodily resurrection, which is glorious beyond human comprehension. Today’s passage also tells us when it will happen and how victorious our life in Christ is. First, the glory of the bodily resurrection (35-49). Paul says in verse 35, “Some may ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’” This can be the question of our modern scientifically minded people. When people get old, their bodies become less attractive and weaker to the point of having difficulty moving by themselves. Dead bodies are eaten by worms and maggots. Then how are the dead raised, even after there seems to be no trace of the person once dead? Would they rise to walk around like zombies? Totally unthinkable. So, the question, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they come?” is reasonable. But Paul responds, “How foolish!” Yes, the question is a sensible question to unbelievers, but not to believers. This is a senseless question to those who say that they believe in the resurrection of Christ. Paul did not give a direct answer to their question right away. He says first in verse 36, “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.” It is true: “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” What a succinct and enlightening statement! This is a plain truth found in a natural world. When what is sown dies, it comes to life. Through the dying process, life springs up. No death, no new life, no resurrection. This is applicable to the world of plants. When we sow, no one plants the body that will be, but just a seed. No one has the body yet, even does not know what the body looks like. Subsequently Paul says in verse 38, “But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.” The body’s coming is not an accident, by chance, or at random. There is God’s determination in his design for each seed. All the seeds do not have the same bodies. Each seed has it own unique body, although all the seeds look the same. Each seed itself looks ugly with no beauty at all, but each body that comes out of its seed has a fascinating beauty even with delicious fruits. Now Paul extends the truth of no death and no resurrection from the world of grain and plants to the world of those that have flesh, and to the astronomical world. He says in verse 39, “All flesh is not the same; men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.” This is also true. The flesh of men is different from the flesh of a lion, monkey, horse, giraffine, or elephant, etc., definitely different from the flesh of birds and fish. Even within animals, birds, and fish are various species. It is because God created them according to their various kinds as we studied in Genesis. Paul continues in verses 40 and 41, “There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendour of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendour of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendour, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendour.” Here now Paul even talks about splendour, glory. When we think of God’s creation, each creature is made to reveal the glory of God. How glorious the sun is! Also the moon and each star. Especially human beings are made to display the glory of God. However, fallen men seek human glory, the glory of the world, throughout their lives. But human glory cannot truly satisfy them and furthermore the life of seeking human glory tramples and rides on the lives of others, demanding their sacrifices. All those who seek human glory die in misery. So, Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:23 that all human glory is like the followers of the field which eventually fall to the ground and are gone without any trace. Anyway, we all long for glory, actually the glory of God. Now Paul is ready to say this in verses 42-44: “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body” (42-44). What a powerful statement about body with four-folded emphasis! Here we see that our physical body is perishable and dishonourable. Of course, there is the time of youth and beauty, but it is soon gone. Everyone gets old with wrinkles, white hair or bald head, and rotten teeth. Corpses are really dishonourable. According to the Bible dead body conveys uncleanness (Num. 19:11). Also, our body is weak, so weak that it cannot overcome even corona virus. We long for an imperishable, honourable, powerful and spiritual body (Ro. 8:23-24). This natural body is not fit to our spirit, limited by time and space. Right now, we have online worship in this natural body, although our spirit wants to see each other face to face, in person and without any barriers. We need a spiritual body that is fit to our spirit. I believe that our spiritual body does not even need a car. With our spiritual bodies, we can go anywhere we want, without any obstacle. It is truly amazing that each of us will have an imperishable, honourable, powerful, spiritual body. But the important thing is that our physical body is a seed, to be sown. In verses 42-44, the word “sown” is written 4 times. We should know that our body is to be sown, not be preserved. This is the reason Jesus said in John 12:24, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” This is also the reason Paul said, “I die every day.” This is the reason Jesus said to his followers, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk. 9:23). It is true that no death, no resurrection; no cross, no crown; no pain, no gain. May we really live with this life principle with the hope of being clothed with an imperishable, glorious, powerful, spiritual body. In this hope we may do any task with dying spirit – that is, life-giving spirit, not with half-hearted spirits trying to preserve our body, for the glory of God and his kingdom and to serve others. Now Paul wants us to think more fundamentally. We learned the wonderful truth in 15:22, “As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” The most serious distinction in the world is whether one is in Adam or in Christ. Again, Paul compares Adam and Christ, the last Adam, the first man and the second man, the earthly man and the man from heaven. Look at verses 45-49, “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 it is the man from heaven, so are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” God’s plan for us is not just for each one to have a glorious resurrected body. His whole plan is that we all shall be like Jesus, in and out, still each having each one’s unique personality. We shall be as humble as Jesus, as obedient as Jesus, as pure as Jesus, as loving as Jesus, as gentle as Jesus, as patient as Jesus, as courageous as Jesus, as sacrificial as Jesus, as glorious as Jesus with our own glorious resurrected body. This is the reason God sent his Son Jesus into this world to die for our sins and be raised from the dead. I will be like Jesus, and those I serve in Christ and for whom I pray will be like Jesus. Then what a life it will be! This blessing comes to those who belong to him. In this world there seem to be much suffering and hardships and agonies of life, some we cannot understand. Yet, all things have come so that we shall be like Jesus. So amid many sufferings life is worth living. The more suffering, the more joy, the more glory. Praise God for his wonderful plan. Second, the victory in Christ (50-58). Look at verse 50. “I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.” When we hear the word, “flesh”, it signifies moral frailty. Paul said in Galatians 5:16, “…Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” But when the words, flesh and blood, are used together, it indicates two of the most important constituents of the physical body, and two which are peculiarly liable to decay. According to Hebrews 2:14, Jesus also came into this world with flesh and blood so that he might also experience death for us. Paul makes it clear that with the physical body of flesh and blood, we cannot inherit the imperishable kingdom of God. Then now Paul says something really sensational in verses 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. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the moral with immortality.” What can be more mysterious than this? In John 2, when the servants in a wedding obeyed Jesus’ command to fill the empty jars with water and to take some of the water to the master of the wedding banquet, the water changed into wine in a moment. Jesus was in the grave during Friday evening, the whole Saturday, and then just before the early Sunday morning in a moment rose from the grave according his promise. We will be changed in a moment at the last trumpet sound when Jesus comes again. The dead in Christ will be raised first and those who are living on earth will be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye. We will be immortal beings with the imperishable glorious body. It is too fantastic to believe. But this is the word of God which is trustworthy and true and so we can believe. Then Paul writes further in verses 54 and 55, “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.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting.’” What a victorious song over death! Throughout history since death came through Adam’s sin, death has swallowed up every single human being. People sorrowed over and cried endlessly at the death of beloved ones. It had been so generation after generation. Yet, since Jesus rose from the dead, death has been swallowed up in victory and man’s situation has been completely changed. Now believing in the resurrection of Christ Jesus, Paul shouts the song of victory, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Death’s victory is no more, and death’s sting is no more. According to Revelation 20:14, death is waiting to be thrown in the lake of fire. O poor death. Like Paul, we can speak to death and gloat over death in Jesus Christ. Paul says continually, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” Actually death has no sting. The sting of death is sin. Because of sin men die for the wages of sin is death, as we studied. And the power of sin is the law. Paul said in Romans 7:7, “I would not have known what sin was except through the law.” The law condemns sin; all sinners were condemned to death and eternal punished. But Christ Jesus was condemned in our place, fully paying all the requirements of the law. So Paul says in verse 57, “But thanks to be God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Precious Jesus Christ! There seem to be many victories in the world, victory in sports games, victory in exams, victory in academic world, victory in entering good companies, victory in promotion, and victory in political election, etc. These victories in the world produce many losers who are endlessly sad. But the victory in Christ Jesus is different, not making others losers. This victory in Christ Jesus is the victory that defeats death and sin and law. This victory has no limitation in number. As many people as possible can have this victory. For this victory comes through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Here we should make sure that Jesus Christ who died for our sins and was raised from the death is our Lord. We are to deeply accept and recognize the Lordship of Christ Jesus over everything in our lives. This is as Peter said in 1 Peter 3:15, “In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.” In that we have victory over death and over everything. Resurrection faith and faith in the Lordship of Christ Jesus cannot be separated. Again, thanks be to God. He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Lastly there is Paul’s final exhortation in verse 58. “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 labour in the Lord is not in vain.” In this world when all things end in death, all the labour are in vain. Since in Adam all die, all the labour in Adam are in vain. After living our whole life, if we realize that that entire life was in vain, what a frustration! At the threat of death through COVID-19, the whole world is crumbling and all human accomplishment is crumbling, and all human labour is going to vanish and be in vain. But all our labour in Christ is not in vain. No, but very meaningful for his kingdom, the kingdom of Christ, which is eternal. May we not be deceived by the things of the world or the glory of the world, but stand firm in Christ Jesus and always give our fully to the work of the Lord. We thank and praise God for the glory and victory we have in Jesus. We will have a glorious resurrection body and we shall be like Jesus. In this glorious hope we may live with resurrection principle, knowing that our body is a seed to be shown and so giving ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. Amen.


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