Bible Materials

THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION

by   04/03/2009   1_Corinthians 15:12~34

Message


Thank God for blessing our Easter Bible conference so abundantly. We studied the gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Severely punishing his Son on the cross showed how much God loved us. The resurrection of Jesus Christ showed that we have a living hope in the kingdom of God, so we can live with resurrection faith in this world. Today we are going to study the power of the resurrection on 1 Corinthians 15:12-34. Let’s think about what power Christ’s resurrection has. First, the necessity of the resurrection (12-19). In verses 1-11, Paul writes about the events of Jesus’ death and resurrection, introducing resurrection witnesses. In verses 12-19, Paul argues for why resurrection is necessary using seven literal “if” statements. In this way he makes a logical case for Christ. He appeals to the sound minds of Christians. Resurrection is something logically sound, though it is revolutionary in history. Fact is important, so is a logical dispute. Sometimes when we talk with campus students, we say, “If the resurrection of Jesus is true, then this is the most amazing news to all mankind.” Then they all agree. But as for Paul, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a sure fact. So he uses negative “if” statement mostly, saying, “If Christ has not be raised.” In short without the resurrection of Christ the world would be horrible and and Christianity is non-sense and Christians are most miserable people. We never heard of someone’ being raised from the dead, except the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So, “not even Christ has been raised,” meant the world would be the sea of death. And all people are swimming in the sea of death. People work hard and eat some grummet food and have some fun and sometimes fight one another only to be buried in the graveyards. This kind of life is no better than that of animals, probably worse. But human life is so precious and our life is not to be like that. Human life going in that way is not logically right. And verse 14 says, “…if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” If a professor prepares a lecture wholeheartedly, yet it turns out to be useless to the students, how frustrating it will be? I prepare Sunday message wholeheartedly with my best. But if it turns out to be useless, it is really despairing. Then I have been doing the useless job for the last more than 20 years. You also have been doing useless 1:1 studies year after year, sacrificing your time and money. “Our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” Our faith is truly a matter of life and death. A life of faith is, in a sense, a adventurous journey. Our faith is to choose between God and the world. When we believed in Christ, we chose God giving up worldly life. But if our faith turns out to be useless after a long life of faith, where can we find compensation? Nowhere. Just full of regret and sense of loss. And then we are found to be false witnesses about God only to be punished most severely. For according to the Bible false teachers will be punished most severely at the time of final judgment. What kind of life a Christian has! It is non-sense. Christian life is not to be like that. And verse 17 says, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” We worked hard to prepare 2009 EBC. We renewed out faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Without the resurrection of Christ, then we renewed what is futile. Who could do such a thing in the world? When we heard the messages of Jesus on the cross, it moved our hearts. Jesus did not save himself to save us. There was no hint of saving himself, in soldiers’ mockery, on the way to Golgotha, at the time of crucifixion, when he was hanging on the tree. It was to save us. When Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”, It was God’s thorough and dreadful judgment upon his Son due to our sins. At the same time it was the demonstration of how much God loved us. God’s love is forgiving and embracing repentant sinners through his Son Jesus Christ. At the conference people received God’s grace of forgiveness and his acceptance through repentance. But without the resurrection of Jesus Christ our faith in such a beautiful cross is futile and we are still in our sins. How could such a life be on earth? It is non-sense. Paul continued to say, “Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” As we heard in the resurrection message, the resurrection of Jesus Christ gave us a living hope in the kingdom of God. Then no resurrection means no living hope. Whenever we think about the living hope of the kingdom of God, we are greatly encouraged and comforted, imaging to live in the paradise eternally, where there is no sin and Satan but are only our Good Shepherd Jesus and his redeemed and sanctified people. What an amazing and fascinating hope we have in our Lord Jesus Christ? If only for this life we have hope in Christ, Christians are the most pitiful people in the world, just pretending to be happy with plastic smiles. Christian life is not like that. It is a logically total nonsense. Second, the power of the resurrection (20-28). After writing the fact of Jesus’ resurrection and logical discourse, now Paul declares with full conviction, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.” When Paul used the word, “indeed,” this statement is the most truthful, most important statement; and inflexible beyond time and space. The resurrection of Christ is the most significant and reliable truth to all mankind. Then what does it mean that Christ has indeed been raised from the dead? His resurrection is the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. The firstfruits signifies hope. The firstfruits are to be followed by the second, and the thirdfruits. And it goes on and on. There are various kinds of the firstfruits. Farmers are happy to see the firstfruits of crops. As for us we have the firstfrits of Ph.D., M. David Kim. We earnestly pray that M. Moses Jung be the secondfrits of Ph.D. Knowing the importance of the firstfruit, we also earnestly pray that God may establish one ancestor’s family from U of T. But the most important firstfruits is the firstfruits of resurrection. And it has no human boundary at all. Look at verse 21. “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.” What an understanding of mankind! At first there was no death. But death came through a man’s sin and influenced all men. If the resurrection of the dead comes through an angel or other celestial being, then it has no part with human beings. It is true that the resurrection of the dead should come through a man, and it did so. Now this is what Paul wants to declare. Look at verse 22. “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” What a vision; what a hope! At that time Christianity was less than 1 century. But Paul has such a sure hope and vision in Christ! From time to time we wonder why Adam’s influence is so strong. It is hard to understand God’s way of working. But in 1 Corinthians 15:22, we can understand it satisfactorily. It is because there is the same counter punch (??). “For as in Adam all die,” what a truthful statement! Numerous people throughout history tried to get out of the territory of Adam. However, it was of no use. Only we cried and cried. But the solution comes. Here is a truly wonderful declaration, “…so in Christ all will be made alive.” The solution is “in Christ.” It is so simple and profound. The influence of Christ overrides the influence of Adam for those who are in Christ. There is no human condition but only a spiritual condition, that is, “in Christ.” We could see the examples of this at the conference. S. Bushay was dead because of her sin of hatred toward people. She regarded Christians as lost people. But in God’s mercy she was invited to Bible study. When she accepted one word of Jesus, “I am the gate,” she was made alive being assured that he would enter the kingdom of God through the gate Jesus. Amazingly she even entered the kingdom of Canada through the gate Jesus. Jesus is indeed the all powerful gate to S. Bushay. A beautiful and smart lady like S. Oksana, her wish in Adam was to sleep deeply and not to wake up in the next morning. What a horrible wish! When she heard Jesus’ word, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drink the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring water welling up to eternal life,” she was made alive. Now she not only got Ph.D., but also wanted to be a great mother of prayer and live as a disciple of Jesus for Odessa University students. And even such a beautiful and cute girl as S. Olean was dead in Adam. Without Jesus she could have lived a miserable life making many boys sin-sick and herself becoming sin-sick. It was due to her sin that was inherited from her unfaithful mother in Adam’s life. But now she was made alive in Christ. She became so lively and jolly. Now her desire is to receive more and more spiritual training and grow as a good shepherdess and Bible teacher with a great hope for Ukraine to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. And at the conference our 2nd gens being made alive was remarkable. Through this we could have a vision that all our 2nd gens would be made alive in Christ one by one. “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” Here we see God’s heart desire that all will be made alive in Christ, as all die in Adam.” God wants to compensate Adam’s loss fully in Christ. People’s difference can be one; that is whether they are in Adam or in Christ. The purpose of our Bible teaching is to lead our Bible students to be in Christ. Then it is assured that they will be made alive. And as for his people, as much as they were defeated in Adam, God wants them to fight back and make a full recovery in Christ. It is good to keep in mind that “the mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Sprit is life and peace.” (Ro 8:6) And let’s always remember that the power of resurrection is greater than the power of death. Look at verses 23,24. “But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he had destroyed all dominion, authority and power.” Here we see the power of resurrection more. The Risen Christ is personal, restoring each individual. But his works go further. He will destroy all evil government and evil nations. We wonder why there are so many injustice and unrighteousness. Those who try to be just and righteous look strange and seem to become victims of evil. Still, God wants his people to overcome evil with good, believing that the Risen Christ will destroy all unrighteous dominion, authority and power. Then what will happen? The kingdom of Christ comes. Look at verses 25-28. “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.” The kingdom of Christ comes not through compromise but through completely destroying all his enemies. The word, “under his feet” or “under him” or “under Christ” is written 5 times. This shows the complete victory of the Risen Christ over all his enemies including death, the last enemy of mankind. In the kingdom of Christ God will be all in all. The order of love will be fully restored. Third, “Do not be misled” (29-34). When Paul had resurrection faith, his practical life was “I die every day.” The alternative lifestyle is “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” The difference is to die today or to die tomorrow. The difference seems to be small, just one day different. However, the difference is huge. Every day is today and tomorrow never seems to come. But it comes suddenly. To die today or everyday is a willing death, but to die tomorrow is a fatalistic and inevitable death after enjoying a hedonistic life in the world. Now Paul gives a very strong warning. Look at verse 33. “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’ Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.” Here we see the new concept of bad company. They are those who have no resurrection faith, not those who are bad humanly. According to Paul so many humanly nice people become bad companies when they do not live with resurrection faith. They corrupt good characters. This warning is given to every Christian. Having no resurrection faith is even sinning against God. So he said, “Stop sinning.” And it is to the shame of his people who have such a wonderful matchless Lord, the Risen Christ. In this passage we learned that resurrection is necessary in Christianity and in this world. The resurrection of Christ is really powerful. “As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” With the power of his resurrection the kingdom of Christ will come. May God help us to live with resurrection faith each day in this world.



Toronto University Bible Fellowship

344 Bloor Street West, #308 Toronto, ON M5S 3A7, Canada
(647) 529-7381 ut12disciples@gmail.com


  Website : UBF HQ | Chicago UBF | Korea UBF | Pray Relay Site |   YouTube : UBF HQ | UBF TV | Daily Bread

Copyright Toronto UBF © 2020