The Ressurection in First Corinthians 15

The other reason I asked Lori to stop is, and it bears so much repeating, Lori, I'm going to ask you to read again verses 1 through 4.

Okay.

Now I would remind you, brothers of the gospel, I preach to you which you receive, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved.

If you hold fast to the word I preach to you, unless you believe in vain.

So, it's important.

You know, he's letting them know.

It's important.

And then, in the last statement there, verse 11, he's making, he's repeating for them again, and this isn't just my version of the gospel.

This is what we all preach.

This is the gospel.

And, of course, they're saying, oh, yes, yes, this is important.

Yes, yeah.

And as he goes through it, they hear it.

And both in the ancient world in general and in the biblical world in particular, this was a common approach.

You start off your presentation with something that the audience is going to agree with.

They don't know where you're taking them.

They think it's familiar ground.

They think they understand it.

They think they're in agreement with it.

And then, all of a sudden, bam.

Yeah, this is what I believe.

But I didn't realize this.

A classic example is King David.

When Nathan the prophet comes to him and says, let me tell you a story about a horrible man.

And David says, yes, he's a horrible man.

And Nathan then says, it's you.

So, for some of the Corinthians, he's springing this trap.

Not because he hates them.

But he wants to make an impression on them.

He wants them to see the stark reality of the mistake that they are holding on to.

Now, everybody's in agreement, right, with what we've read so far in Corinth, Paul, us.

But we're going to keep reading and look for what the mistake in belief and practice was.

Lori, do you want to continue reading?

Sure.

That's great.

Thank you.

Now, if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

We are even found to be misrepresenting God because we testified about God that he raised Christ,

whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

But each in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, then in his coming those who belong to Christ.

Then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

For God has put all things in subjection under his feet.

But when it says all things are put in subjection, it is plain that he is accepted who put all things in subjection under him.

When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead?

If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?

Why are we in danger every hour?

I protest, brothers, by my pride in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day.

What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus?

If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.

Do not be deceived.

Bad company ruins good morals.

Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning.

For some have no knowledge of God.

I say this to your shame.

Thank you very much.

What was the theological problem, mistake, heresy, if it rises to that level, that some of the Corinthians were guilty of, in trouble with?

They don't eat in the resurrection again.

All right.

Thank you.

I think we'll probably agree on that.

Now, are there any other things or any more specific things that you think you see here in addition to that?

They don't believe in the resurrection of the dead.

Yes.

Any sub-points that you detect in their doctrinal error?

That Jesus didn't rise from the dead?

That Jesus didn't rise from the dead.

Gee.

That's part of the gospel, isn't it?

Uh, yeah.

Yeah.

And you might wonder, how is it that a group of people who are part of the church at Corinth, they see themselves as part of the church.

You know, this letter is addressed to the church at Corinth, to believers.

How is it that you have Corinthian Christians who don't believe that Jesus was raised from the dead?

That, well, there's a real tension there.

Is that really what he's saying, though?

Because he seems to be, I've always had to struggle with this practice.

Because if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

And then he goes on to draw the linkage.

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

Personally, I think that's a huge leap in logic.

And so, yes, I can see where, I don't know that he's saying, forgive me for being contrarian, but.

Let me tell you a secret.

I told Bob to say this ahead of clock.

No, no, I didn't.

I didn't.

But he is pointing out a problem I've had with this passage.

This and a few other things, you know, I just couldn't wrap my head around it and see it as self-consistent.

You know, what am I missing?

So, Bob, this is wonderful.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Please continue if you weren't done.

So, you know, I think in their minds, they believed that Christ was raised from the dead.

But they didn't believe, apparently, in the resurrection of the bodily resurrection of the others.

He is drawing the connection between the two, which I think is logically weak.

And then, so they didn't not believe in the resurrection of Christ.

In their minds, they believed in the resurrection of Christ and did not believe in the resurrection of anyone else.

Well said.

Yes.

Bob may not be too smart, but he's at least as smart as I am.

Because we are like this on that in the past, you know.

So, hey, so we conclude.

Paul isn't always the best theologian.

But that's all right.

We'll overlook it.

The Holy Spirit inspired him.

Oh, no.

No.

Let's move on.

He might be a good theologian and a bad logician.

Could be.

If we can make a distinction.

The inspiring Holy Spirit.

Couldn't he have corrected that?

Don't we think that the Holy Spirit, you know, corrected other errors?

Couldn't he have done this?

Now, let me tell you my own answer to that conundrum at this point in my life.

There are many things about the Bible I don't understand.

And there are times when I've heard other people say, and I've thought to myself,

Paul's logic doesn't hold together here.

So what do I conclude?

Maybe I don't know the whole story.

You know, maybe I don't understand quite what he's saying.

Maybe part of it's because I don't understand the historical context.

And maybe if I did, you know, then it would be clear to me.

Maybe.

But in any case,

when,

as Romans 12

tells us all to have,

when I have sober judgment

about my own abilities

in logic or theology

or Bible interpretation,

I realize

I have a lot to be humble about.

You know,

I don't see everything clearly now.

Literally

or figuratively.

And so

I should not

assume I do.

Now,

who knows?

Maybe God inspired the way,

the Bible,

in a way

where,

you know,

not every argument

holds together

according to human logic.

Maybe because there's something wrong with human logic.

I don't know.

But I

am going to

try,

as a habit,

to be humble

and say,

well,

I don't get this,

but that doesn't mean it's wrong.

Or that,

you know,

maybe someday

I'll say,

aha!

Now,

maybe

this will be one of those occasions

where you'll say,

aha!

Because I think this is such a

powerful story,

I'm going to share it

even though it's a general point,

not a specific point to this text.

Some of you have heard of

Trinity Evangelical Divinity.

Trinity School.

Kenneth Concer

used to be

one of the top officials

of that.

And so,

one day,

he got a call

that a woman,

a good friend of his,

had

been involved

in a car accident

and she was killed instantly.

And

he was grieving

when he got another phone call

saying that

that woman

had not been

riding in a car,

but had been

riding in a bus

and that there was

an accident

and that she was injured

and she was taken

to the hospital.

And he thought,

what would you think

if you got two reports

like that?

Well,

what I would think is

one of them is wrong.

Now,

as it turns out,

in a kind of black humor way,

dark humor way,

the woman had had

a very bad day.

She had been riding in a bus.

The bus had an accident.

Many people

were injured.

Ambulances came,

but there wasn't enough room

in the ambulances.

So,

passerbys

were taking

injured people

to the hospital.

And unfortunately

for this woman,

the driver

taking her to the hospital

got in a car accident

and she was killed instantly.

Now,

and

Kenneth Concer's point

was this.

There are many things

about historical accounts

in the Bible

or other places

where we just

can't harmonize them

and we tend to conclude

one of them is wrong.

That may not be the case.

And in fact,

lawyers say,

hey,

you know,

if you hear two stories

that hang together

on every point,

it's been contrived.

Because

almost always

in human experience,

eyewitnesses

don't agree

on everything.

and sometimes

they can both be right

that once you really

know the details.

So,

there's this possibility.

But tell me,

here we are,

we're struggling

with the theology.

What did these people believe?

What's the application

for them?

And here's

one of my points.

that we would become

more confident

that

we don't have to know

everything about

the historical,

linguistic,

you know,

social context

in order to

have God speak to you

through the Bible.

What's the application

for first the Corinthians?

What were they supposed to do?

Believe in the resurrection.

They were supposed to believe

in the resurrection.

Both resurrections.

Both resurrections.

And what else?

They were supposed

to believe something

and then what were

they supposed to do?

This comes near

the end of the passage.

To act.

To act.

And take action.

Take action.

What action?

To obey.

To obey.

To obey what?

Okay,

they were to obey Paul

saying this is the truth,

believe it.

But then,

on a day-to-day basis,

what were they supposed

to do?

Not go on sinning?

Not go on sinning.

And,

in particular,

living for pleasure,

it would seem.

What's the quote?

Hey,

if there's no resurrection,

let's eat and drink

because tomorrow we die.

Might as well,

you know,

this is all the life there is.

Let's enjoy it.

And,

if you're,

for whatever reason,

tempted in that direction,

you know,

we should apply this

to our lives too.

And so now we can go home.

After,

by the way,

there's a mistake here.

There is not supposed

to be an eight here.

But,

once we've heard

that we're not to live

for pleasure anymore,

you know,

if that's really

God's word to us,

it's probably because

we have been living

for pleasure

rather than God's kingdom

in some area

of our life.

And so,

we need to say,

I don't want to give this up,

Lord,

but,

I will.

And again,

that's often

where we end,

like I did,

you know,

with,

yes,

learn more about leadership

in the church,

man.

Yes,

I will.

But no,

I didn't.

So,

number six,

how and when.

Don't let your obedience

slip away

due to forgetfulness

or distraction.

It's important.

All right,

now,

unless

Pastor Matt

or somebody else

feels that I am

really getting heretical here,

what I want to do

is spell out for you

what I

think

the more complete problem

in the Corinthian church

might have been.

And then,

we have time

to read through

the passage again

and see how it does

or doesn't match

more consistently

the text.

And if we get

through all that,

then,

we might say,

ah,

you know what?

There may be even

a tighter application

for us today.

And we may see

some things

in our own lives

that are

pretty similar

to the problems

that the Corinthians

had.

So,

let's talk about

what do we mean

by the resurrection?

So,

four options

about the afterlife.

One,

no afterlife

for either body

or spirit.

Typical materialistic

view today,

atheistic worldview.

Even some religious people

have that worldview.

Number two,

afterlife for the spirit

but not the body.

Number three,

afterlife for spirit

together with the body.

That's the biblical position.

Number four,

afterlife for the body

but not the spirit.

Now,

I haven't watched

enough zombie movies

to know for sure

but is that kind of,

you know,

yeah,

they don't seem to have

much spirit or soul

at that point,

but their body lives on.

Well,

number four

is not a common

theological position

taken,

especially in the

evangelical church.

So,

so I don't think

we have to worry

about that one.

Now,

again,

I'd assumed

like Elizabeth,

like what I understood

Elizabeth to say.

They were rejecting

the resurrection,

kind of like

a position one.

But,

some things

about the passage

just didn't hang

together consistently

that way

in my mind.

So,

here's

an attempt

at giving

some historical

background

that may help us.

one,

most pagans

in the first century

Roman world

believed in an afterlife.

It was a rare exception

that they didn't believe

in an afterlife.

But the kind

they believed in

was an afterlife

for the soul,

not for the body.

So,

that is

most likely

part of the belief

of this group.

You know,

your spirit

will live on,

the body

stays in the grave,

decays,

is gone.

End of that,

the body story.

Now,

so that's one

of the two things.

Oh,

and the two

applications,

I think this is

generally agreed on.

A lot of pagans

in the first century

made these two

applications.

So,

we're not going

to have a body

later that we'll

be able to enjoy

things like food,

sex,

okay,

some of us

just think of

those things,

or other pleasures

that come from

the body.

So,

you better get it

now.

And secondly,

seeing as you're

not going to have

a body later on,

what you do

with your body

now really

doesn't have

an impact

on the soul.

The body's

temporary,

the soul

is eternal,

the eternal

immutable soul

really doesn't

get changed

much by what

you do

in the body,

so it won't

make any

difference

in the afterlife.

So,

do as you

please.

Now,

let me go on

a little bit,

and this is the

back side,

for whatever

reason it

says number

one.

Oh yeah,

that's right,

that's the first

thing we're

trying to figure

out.

What problem

or sin

did the

Corinthians

have?

Well,

this is what

I think.

The afterlife

involved a

continuation of

our spirit,

but not our

body.

There was no

resurrection of

the body.

This could

slip into

the position

that what was

done in the

body in this

life was of

little or no

consequence for

the afterlife.

number two,

our relationship

with one's

God didn't

depend so much

on morality,

but on

loyalty.

Kind of like

some political

leaders.

Once they get

in power,

they want

their staff

or whatever

not to tell

them that what

they're doing

is morally

wrong.

They want

them to say,

okay,

you tell me

to do it,

I'll do it.

Even if I

take one for

the team,

it's politics.

It's politics.

It's power.

After all,

what were the

Roman gods

like morally?

They were an

immoral bunch.

So they don't

care about

morality,

and in my

relationship with

them, they

don't care about

my morality.

They just want

me to sacrifice

lots of

sacrifices,

be loyal to

them,

and whatever

influence they

may have in

the afterlife,

as long as

I'm loyal to

them,

hopefully that

will be good.

I'm not

sure what

they can do

for me then,

but right

now, I

want them to

do a lot

of things

for me.

I'm going

to pray,

Apollo,

heal me of

my sickness,

you know,

Mercury,

please make

me a faster

runner so I

can win at

the Olympics,

you know,

give me a

better job.

God help me

help me now.

The afterlife

was very

vague for

most of

them, and

again, how

their God

was going to

help them

then, I

don't know,

but I'll

sacrifice to

you now,

you solve

my problems

now.

So, going

on, where

it says,

these two

points combined,

as I'm

repeating myself

here, to

result in a

position that

bodily sins,

like sexual

immorality,

gluttony,

and, what's

the last one?

Drunkenness.

Okay, drugs,

I forgot

drugs, had no

consequences on

the next life.

Further,

since the

effectiveness of

one's God to

really make a

difference in

the next life,

after all,

once you cross

the Styx River,

is that right?

Is there a

Styx River?

Who is the

God of the

underworld?

Hades.

Hades, maybe.

And he's going

to trump things

there.

So, I'm not

sure what my

God can do

for me in the

next life,

but, maybe

something, I

hope so.

But, the

focus tends

to be what

your God

could do for

you here

and now.

Last point.

Now, what

if a person

hears about

Jesus?

Wow.

He's a

God of

some kind,

who healed

the sick

big time,

who could

calm the

storm,

who could

take five

loaves and

two fishes

and feed

5,000 men

plus women

and children.

Hey, that's

the kind of

God I

want.

Sign me

up.

Baptize me

for Jesus.

We're going

to get

together,

share stories

about how

Jesus has

changed our

life here

and now.

Almost

sounds like a

health and

wealth gospel

church.

church.

And in

fact, I

think there's

a close

relationship

between the

worst health

and wealth

gospel people

and these

guys in

Corinth.

people.

Because their

focus wasn't

on living a

holy life,

living for

the kingdom

of God.

It was on

what Jesus

wants to do

for you now.

Jesus is your

genie.

You know,

you're loyal to

him.

You offer

prayers.

You praise

him.

He feels

happy with

you.

Gives you

lots of

goodies now.

But of

course,

Jesus is

just one

of many

gods.

So all

the shortcomings

that all

the other

gods have,

Jesus has

those too.

But boy,

he heals

the sick.

He feeds

the hungry.

He protects

those who

are in the

midst of the

storm.

Sign me

up.

So my

guess is

that there

were some

people in

Corinth who

had a

very pagan

understanding

of the

divineness

of Jesus.

And were

treating him

just like

they would

treat,

you know,

a typical

Roman god.

With the

focus being

on this

life.

Of course,

my soul

is going

to live

on.

But I

will still

cross the

Sticks

River and

I'll still

have to

deal with

Hades.

But for

right now,

I'm going

to put

my trust

in Jesus.

And part

of that

is being

baptized.

And so

when we're

baptized,

we can

trust Jesus

to fix

my earthly,

bodily

problems

here and

now.

Now,

let's

read

1 Corinthians

15,

1-34

again.

With

that,

re-

what do

you call

this?

With

that

scenario,

re-

creation.

Reorientation.

Yeah,

that kind

of view

of what

the doctrinal

problem in

Corinth may

have been.

And if you

want to,

you can ask

whoever will

read for us

to stop.

And when I

get to a

point where

I want to

stop and

make a

point,

I'll feel

free to do

that too,

so whoever

is reading,

don't take

offense at

our

interruptions.

Who would

be willing

to read,

or at least

start reading?

1 Corinthians

15,

1-34.

Lydia,

thank you.

Now I

would remind

you,

brothers,

of the

gospel I

preached to

you,

which you

received,

in which you

stand,

and by which

you are

being saved,

if you

hold fast

to the

word I

preached to

you,

unless you

believed in

vain.

For I

delivered to

you as of

first importance

what I also

received,

that Christ

died for

our sins

in accordance

with the

scriptures,

that he

was buried,

that he

was raised

on the

third day

in accordance

with the

scriptures.

Okay,

okay,

okay,

yes,

Jesus was

raised from

the dead,

and the

importance of

that is,

of course,

that it

gives some

real,

I mean,

in addition to

all the

miracles,

and the

feeding of

the hungry,

and the

stilling of

the storm,

man,

he even

raised people

from the

dead,

and he

even raised

himself from

the dead,

I don't know

for how long,

you know,

the people

got raised

from the

dead

temporarily,

but hey,

I'll take

that,

I'll take

a temporary

get out of

death free

card for a

little while,

if he chooses

to raise me

from the

dead,

and,

but of

course,

the afterlife

is spiritual.

And that

he appeared

to Cephas,

then to the

twelve,

then he

appeared to

more than

five hundred

brothers at

one time,

most of whom

are still alive,

but some have

fallen asleep,

then he

appeared to

James,

then to all

the apostles,

last of all,

as to one

untimely born,

he appeared

also to me,

for I am the

least of the

apostles,

unworthy to be

called an

apostle,

because I

persecuted the

church for

God.

But by the

grace of

God,

I am what

I am,

and his

grace toward

me was

not in

they.

On the

contrary,

I worked

harder than

any of

them,

though it

was not

I,

but the

grace of

God that

is with

me.

Whether

then it

was I

or they,

so he

preached,

and so

you

believed.

Now if

Christ is

proclaimed as

raised from

the dead,

how can

some of

you say

that there

is no

resurrection

of the

dead?

Well,

why would

they want

to say

that anyway?

Well,

because all

their life

in their

pagan culture,

the belief

of everybody

around them,

and their

belief was,

right,

our body

dies,

end of the

body,

but our

spirit is

going to

live on

somehow,

somewhere.

Now of

course,

Jesus was

resurrected,

but that

was special,

but of

course,

you know,

not only do

we believe

that there's

no bodily

resurrection of

the dead,

because everybody

else believes

it,

but come

on,

it's

impossible.

We're

pretty good

scientists here

in Rome,

you know,

we know

what happens

to a body,

there's no

way that

that's going

to be put

back together,

well,

maybe one

time,

but we

don't believe

in the

resurrection

because it's

ridiculous,

it's totally

untenable,

and if you

have one

exception to

the rule,

okay,

fine,

but,

you know,

for us,

no,

no resurrection

of the

body.

But,

wait a second,

if we really

believe a

resurrection is

impossible,

but if there

is no

resurrection of

the dead,

then not even

Christ has been

raised,

and if Christ

has not been

raised,

then our

preaching is in

vain,

and your faith

isn't.

Wait a second,

come on,

come on,

you know,

we have this

one time

resurrection,

and plus we're,

you know,

like everybody

else,

we're going to

live on afterwards,

but,

the whole

presentation of

the gospel

was based,

as far as

apologetics goes,

on Jesus

being raised

from the

dead.

Physically,

the tomb

was empty,

it wasn't just

that his spirit

went around

appearing to

people,

you know,

and the dead

body was still

rotting in the

tomb.

No,

the body

wasn't there,

it was a

physical

resurrection.

resurrection,

he had a

body that

ate food.

Okay,

okay,

Jesus was

resurrected from

the dead,

now I totally

forgot why I'm

saying this,

what did you

just read?

Then our

preaching is

in vain,

because if

the resurrection

is really

impossible,

our story

is rubbish,

and the

whole gospel

collapses like

a house of

cards once

you pull the

resurrection out.

we are even

found to be

misrepresenting

God,

because we

testified about

God that he

raised Christ,

whom he did

not raise,

if it is true

that the dead

are not raised.

For if the

dead are not

raised,

not even Christ

has been

raised,

and if Christ

has not been

raised,

your faith is

futile,

and you are

still in your

sins.

Then those

also who have

fallen asleep

in Christ

have perished.

If in this

life only we

have hoped in

Christ,

we are of all

people most to

be pitied.

Now,

for the

most part,

I am

suggesting that

that is what

people did with

the Roman

gods.

The ones that

they were

loyal to,

the benefits

they were

hoping to

get,

were primarily

here and

now in

this life.

And if you

think Jesus

is in the

same category,

and you are

praying for

him to help

you in this

life now,

whatever those

people who

believed in

Christ before,

who have now

died,

that is the

end of it.

You know,

they are not

going to get

any more

benefit from

Jesus now.

It is over.

Get what you

can now.

Now, at this

point you may

say, Matt is

getting a little

shaky in his

logic here,

you are

probably right.

But, maybe

it is a little

helpful.

Please continue.

But as in

fact Christ has

been raised

from the dead,

the first

fruits of those

who have

fallen asleep.

But in

fact Christ

has been

raised from

the dead,

the first

fruits of

those who

have fallen

asleep.

For as by

a man came

death, by

a man has

come also

the resurrection

of the dead.

For as in

Adam all

die, so also

in Christ

shall all

be made

alive.

But each

in his

own order.

Christ's the

first fruits,

then at his

coming those

who belong to

Christ.

Now let me

just interrupt

and say,

look,

Paul is

saying,

hey,

for your

theology,

don't go

back to

Roman paganism.

Most of

it is

false.

There may

be some

true aspects

to it,

like there

is in

almost any

belief system,

but most

of it is

false.

If you

want to

know about

the

afterlife,

go back

to the

scriptures.

and so Adam

you know that was the problem

and the problem was physical death

and Jesus solves it with physical resurrection

get your theology right

then comes the end

when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father

after destroying every rule

and every authority and power

for he must reign until he has put all his enemies

under his feet

the last enemy to be destroyed is death

okay now let's stop right there

I want you to

as Lydia reads this next section

think

could it be that Paul

inspired by the Holy Spirit

is giving a

counter doctrine

to the mistaken

doctrine that Jesus was just like

one of many gods

in the Roman pantheon

for God has put all things in subjection

under his feet

but when it says all things are put in subjection

it is plain that he is

accepted to put all things in subjection

under him

when all things are subjected

to him

then the son himself

will also be subjected to him

but put all things in subjection

under him

that God may be all in all

no

Jesus is not just another

Roman type God

he is the

son of God

everybody

every God

every authority

is going to be subjected

to him

you've been thinking

about him

and in a big

some of you

know of the book

your God is too small

well

their God

was really

too small

their picture of Jesus

otherwise

what do people mean

by being baptized

on behalf of the dead

if the dead are not

raised at all

why are people baptized

on their behalf

I have no idea

because I really don't know

what they're talking about

so

I admit it

let's just move on

I mean

they knew what he was

talking about

and I believe

they got the logic

very clearly

and we can speculate

but I think for the most part

it's speculation

why am I in danger

every hour

I protest brothers

by my pride in you

which I have in Christ

Jesus our Lord

I die every day

what do I gain

if humanly speaking

I fought with beasts

at Ephesus

if the dead are not raised

let us eat and drink

for tomorrow we die

so

here was Paul

the apostle

he

was living

his present life

with a total focus

on the life to come

on Jesus' return

the resurrection

and what would happen then

he was not focusing

on the pleasures

of this life

now he would say

God

gives us all these

good things

for our enjoyment

you know

he doesn't have anything

against physical pleasure

but

we're in the midst

of a spiritual war

you know

our focus should not

be on having a jolly time

right now

on the battlefield

but the Corinthians

were living

like health and wealth

gospel people

while Paul

the person they were

supposedly following

was out

fighting wild beasts

in Ephesus

whatever that means

I tend to think

it means something

literal

even though there's

no other account

of it in the New Testament

or any place else

but I think he ended up

in some really bad

place where it looked like

he was going to die

but by God's grace

he didn't

but he was willing

to die

and let it all in there

because he was living

today

with the return of Christ

and the resurrection

in the mind

while the Corinthians

were living

today

praying

to Jesus

you know

to give them

what they wanted

and had no concern

about looking at

to the return

of Christ

and what that would mean

do not be deceived

bad company

ruins good morals

who are you hanging out

with

who are you listening

to

you know

if you're hanging out

every day

with people who say

oh you can't believe

what the Bible says

you know

it's full of fairy tales

if you hear that

over and over

and over again

without the fullness

of the Holy Spirit

and the help

of the church

and other people

God provides

it has an impact

on most of us

so

who are you hanging out

with

who are you listening

to

where are you getting

your theology from

wake up from your

drunken stupor

as is right

and do not go on

sinning

for some have

no knowledge of God

I say this to your shame

if I'm right

in part

they thought of Jesus

like a typical

Roman God

they had no knowledge

of God

they hadn't gotten

their theology right

and

they were having

a good time

I think

at the worship services

and they were praying

for God

to give them

what they wanted

they were fairly happy

but they were very

wrong headed

and some really bad

they were doing

you know

they were getting

into some really bad

things

or staying in

some really bad

things

you know

Corinth being

the Las Vegas

or Bangkok

of the day

and

they just

didn't get it

at all

something

so

here we are

to deal with

the most important

thing of this

Bible study

in the last

two minutes

so I'll just

share this

when I spoke

last time

about the

resurrection

my focus

was typically

on

when bad

things happen

we need

to look

at them

through the

lens

of the

resurrection

and its

implications

today I might

say

when things

are going

well with

us

when life

is great

we need

to look

at that

through the

lens

of the

resurrection

and see

what it

has to

do

what it

has to

tell us

I grew

up I

think

in a

very

Bible

based

Christ

centered

evangelical

church

but

sinner

that I

was

and am

I

came

out

of

that

with

this

practical

theology

I'm

going to

live for

Jesus

things are

going to

be great

for me

I was a

pastor for

20 years

I'm going

to be a

pastor and

have a

wonderful

successful

ministry

Jesus

is going

to help

me do

that

instead

of

seeing

Jesus

as Lord

and me

working for

his kingdom

I gave

lip service

to that

but what I

really wanted

was Jesus

to work

for my

kingdom

I wanted

him to

help me

be successful

have lots

of good

food and

drink

have a

great

married

life

and so

as you

might guess

those

were a

lot of

the

focuses

of my

prayer

life

I want

to have

a good

time

here

now

because

I

wasn't

living

today

with my

focus

on the

day of

Christ's

return

have

any of

you

heard of

or seen

the classic

movie

the bridge

over the

river

quai

how many

have seen

it

the old

guys

okay