The Resurrection Life - 1 Corinthians 15v50-58

And so if you're on the Church Bibles, it's page 1156, chapter 15, verse 50 to 58.

I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

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 mortal with the immortal.

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 glory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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.

Thanks so much, Avin. Keep your Bibles open there, and Kirsty's going to hand round some little notes there if you want to follow along.

You can get a pen and a piece of paper with headings which will help you to follow along with the talk.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So again, just to remind you and encourage you to come along on Wednesdays.

It's the opportunity to pray for each other as we look at God's Word as well.

We encourage each other through that, and there may be things you want to discuss further about this morning's talk and have questions about that.

We're going to pray, and as we pray, been asked to pray for somebody who's requested prayer this morning.

Somebody they know who's very, very ill.

We just want to pray for that right now.

Let's pray.

Our Father God, we come to you as the one who is Lord over life.

You speak, and the dead are raised.

You speak, and you bring spiritual life, opening eyes to see you, and ears to hear you clearly.

Father, we pray for this person who is very ill at this time.

We pray that if it's your will that you would bring healing to them.

We pray ultimately that they will come to trust in the risen Lord Jesus.

That they may face the future without fear because of their hope in Christ.

Father, we pray the same for each one of us.

That we would renew our trust in you.

That we would be a people who not only talk about the resurrection,

but see it change our lives day by day.

For that is what we long.

Father, speak to us afresh today.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, I want to start by asking a question.

Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead?

Have a look at verse 20.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,

the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep,

for since death came through a man,

the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

For as in Adam all die,

so in Christ all will be made alive.

Do you believe this?

I don't mean do you agree with it,

or can you tick the box to it?

But does the truth of the resurrection change your life?

Because that's the test of whether you believe in the resurrection.

Does it actually change you?

Have you become a different person because of it?

Have you become a different person because of it?

Even over these last few weeks of looking at the theme of the resurrection,

have you become a different person because of it?

Or let me put it another way.

Suppose there is no resurrection.

Imagine Jesus did not raise from the grave.

Would it make any difference to how you live your life now?

When you get up tomorrow morning,

if Christ didn't rise,

would it make any difference to you?

You see, the evidence that you truly believe in the resurrection

is that your life is dramatically transformed.

So this morning, we're going to look at three ways

belief in the resurrection changes your life.

Here's the first one.

First, it changes our view of the future.

It changes our view of the future.

If you were to conduct a survey to ask people,

what happens when you die?

You'd probably get two general answers.

You'll have some who will say something like this,

nothing happens when we die.

We just die and that's it.

We rot in the ground.

We just become dust.

Others will say something like this,

well, I hope there's life after death.

I'd like to think we go to a better place,

but I'm not quite sure.

Well, if we believe in the resurrection,

there are two things we can be guaranteed will happen.

First, we will be immediately changed.

Look at verse 51.

Here we get into our text.

Verse 51.

Listen.

This is really important.

Listen up, everyone.

I tell you a mystery.

Something that is revealed to you.

We will not all sleep.

We'll not all die.

But we will all be changed.

Listen.

When the risen Lord Jesus returns,

we will have already died,

or we will still be alive.

That's the state we will be in when Christ comes.

We will have already died,

or we will still be alive.

And in that moment,

if we believe in the resurrection,

if we're trusting Christ with our life,

at that moment when Christ returns,

we will be wonderfully changed.

And it's not going to be some long,

drawn-out process.

It will be immediate.

Verse 52.

In a flash.

In the twinkling of an eye.

Before you can even blink.

At the last trumpet.

For the trumpet will sound,

the dead will be raised imperishable,

and we will be changed.

I wonder if you can remember hearing

the final school bell

on the day of your school holidays.

Can you remember the sound of that bell?

There you are sitting in that desk,

that wooden hard desk,

long, dreary days of listening to the teacher

moaning at the front.

Sorry, teachers.

And then the sound of the bell.

And in that moment,

everything changes.

School is finished.

Screams of joy.

Uncontrolled excitement

as everybody runs out of the classroom

with renewed enthusiasm.

Well, one day,

in the future,

you will hear another sound.

The sound of a trumpet.

It's the sound of the Lord's return.

And before you can even blink,

you will be changed.

And that change will be complete transformation.

Screams of joy.

Uncontrolled excitement.

Renewed enthusiasm

as we have been changed.

Look at verse 49.

And just as we have borne the likeness

or bear the image of the earthly man,

so shall we bear the likeness

or the image of the man from heaven.

We will be changed.

We will become,

just like the resurrected Jesus,

a life without suffering or sin.

No more pain.

No more pain.

No more sickness.

No cancers.

No more temptations.

No failing.

No falling.

We will bear the likeness of Jesus

for we will be forever changed.

And it gets even better.

We will be clothed eternally.

Look at verse 50.

I declare to you,

brothers and sisters,

that flesh and blood,

the very bodies that we have right now,

that we're sitting where we are,

I declare to you,

brothers and sisters,

that flesh and blood

cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

Nor does the perishable

inherit the imperishable.

Verse 53.

For, or because,

the perishable must clothe itself

with the imperishable,

and the mortal clothe itself

with immortality.

You see, life in our present bodies,

as we are right now,

is marked by decay and death.

We're perishable people.

We're mortal.

We become weak.

We get sick and eventually we die.

These bodies,

the way that they are right now,

are not fit

for the eternal kingdom of God.

We need something different

than this body.

But when the Lord Jesus returns,

he tells us here,

we are going to be clothed

with the imperishable.

We will have an immortal body.

Do you remember the superhero comics

and films?

Clark Kent.

See him there in his little spectacles

in his ordinary clothes?

And then in the moment,

he rips open his shirt,

and there he stands

in his superhero suit.

All of a sudden,

he can fly.

He can bash through concrete,

rip steel.

Now, I'm not saying

we're all going to become

supermen and superwomen

and be wearing red capes

and doing all kinds of things.

That's fantasy.

But I think you get the point.

When the risen Lord Jesus comes,

we are going to be clothed

in a real,

eternal,

supernatural body.

A body that lives forever

and never decays

and never breaks

and never dies.

Look back at verse 44.

It is sown,

the body is sown,

it is born,

and it dies,

a natural body.

But it is raised

a spiritual body.

The other word

that's sometimes used is,

it is raised

a supernatural body.

Continue,

verse 44.

If there's a natural body,

there is also

a supernatural body.

The idea is,

is that our bodies

will be powered differently.

No longer under the effects

of sin and suffering,

but they will be

wonderfully made new.

With a divine power,

meaning we will never,

ever die.

We will live forever

pure and perfect.

The people that God

longs that we would be,

reigning in God's

eternal kingdom

forever and ever.

This is the sure

and certain future

that is guaranteed

if you believe

in the resurrection

of Jesus Christ

from the dead.

But it not only changes

our view of the future,

it changes our attitude

towards death.

It changes our attitude

towards death.

I'm sure this is something

you find to be true,

that most people

fear death.

You might even fear death.

In fact,

we don't often like

to talk about death.

We avoid it.

Because death is destructive.

It's our undefeatable enemy.

It robs our joy.

It steals away our loved ones.

It turns our dreams

into sorrows.

But,

if we believe

in the resurrection,

we need not fear death.

We can face death

with confidence

and assurance.

First,

Christ's victory

over death.

Look at verse 54.

Follow with me

verse 54.

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.

Let's have a look

at that quote.

Keep your finger there

and go back to

Isaiah 25.

That little sentence,

death has been

swallowed up in victory,

comes from

Isaiah

Isaiah 25 · chapter mention

chapter 25.

So,

if you could go back there

and if somebody

has a page number

and help me out,

that would be great.

Isaiah chapter 25.

Isaiah 25 · chapter mention

Page 708.

Thank you.

Isaiah 25

and we'll start

from verse

6.

So,

we're thinking about

death being

swallowed up

by victory

and through Isaiah

God promises

that a day

would come

when death

would be defeated

and things

would be made new.

And here we get

a picture of what

that will be like.

So,

verse 6.

On this mountain,

so we're thinking here

of God's eternal kingdom.

On this mountain,

the Lord Almighty

will prepare

a feast

of rich food

for all peoples,

a banquet

of aged wine,

the best of meats

and the finest

of wines.

On this mountain,

he will destroy

the shroud

that enfolds

all people,

the sheet

that covers

all nations.

That is,

the shroud

of death,

the sheet

of death.

Verse 8.

He will swallow

up death

forever.

The sovereign

Lord

will wipe

away the tears

from all faces.

He will remove

the disgrace

of his people

from all the earth.

The Lord

has spoken.

In that day,

they will say,

surely this

is our God.

We trusted

in him

and he

saved us.

This

is the Lord.

We trusted

in him.

Let us rejoice

and be glad

in his

salvation.

Go back

to 1 Corinthians.

that promise,

that picture,

has partially

been fulfilled

with the coming

of the Lord

Jesus Christ,

who through

his death

and resurrection

has defeated

death

and has given

us a future

beyond the grave

and eternity

where all

is made good.

And so,

the cry of celebration

can go up.

Look at verse 55.

Where,

O death,

is your victory?

Where,

O death,

is your sting?

The enemy

has finally

been destroyed.

Christ

has victory

over death.

But it is not

just Christ's

victory over death.

death.

This is

our victory

over death.

Continue on.

Look at verse 56.

The sting

of death

is sin

and the power

of sin

is the law.

You know,

from,

maybe from

your experiences

in life

or certainly

watching TV

programs,

when somebody

dies,

an autopsy

is carried out

to determine

the cause of death.

how did this

person die?

Well,

the cause

behind every

single death,

ultimately,

is sin.

The reason

we all die,

whether it's

through the

natural process

of age

or through

a tragic

accident,

is because

we've all

broken God's

law.

We've all

disobeyed God.

We've all

sought to live

life our own

way,

and we die.

the consequences

of sin

is always

death,

and not one

of us in

this room

can avoid

it.

But,

look at

verse 57,

but thanks

be to God,

He gives

us the

victory.

He gives

us,

you and

me,

the victory

through our

Lord Jesus

Christ.

Victory

over death

is ours.

A little

girl was

heard screaming

in the

garden.

A bee

was flying

around her

face,

and she

was getting

anxious and

flapping her

arms,

and her

dad,

who was

nearby,

ran over

towards her,

wrapped his

arms around

her,

and covered

her over

with his

big body.

A few

moments later,

he let her

go,

and said,

there's no

need to fear

the bee

now.

The bee

has stung

me,

and bees

can't sting

twice.

You see,

we all

deserve to

die,

but in

this incredible

act of

love,

the Lord

Jesus took

the sting

of death

for us.

When he

came and

as he hung

on the

cross,

he took

my sin

and your

sin on

himself,

and it's

like at that

moment he

wrapped his

arms around

us,

covering us,

protecting us

from the

judgment we

deserve,

he took

the sting

of death

for us

so that we

don't have

to,

and where

the sting

has fallen,

it will

not sting

again.

But more

than that,

he rose

triumphantly

from the

grave so

that we

might live

with him

forever.

verse 57,

thanks be

to God.

He gives

us,

you insert

your own

name there,

if you are

trusting in

him,

he gives

Johnny Grant

the victory

through our

Lord Jesus

Christ.

We can

now face

death,

look death

in the face,

without fear,

and say,

verse 55,

where,

oh death,

is your

victory,

where,

oh death,

is your

sting.

This is

the assurance

and confidence

we can have

if we

believe in

the resurrection

of Jesus

Christ from

the dead.

So let me

ask that

question again.

Do you

believe in

the resurrection?

Do you

believe that

your future

is secure

and that

death has

been defeated?

Well,

the test

of whether

we believe

these things

is seen

in how you

live your

life today.

Does it

make any

difference

to how you

live?

So third,

it not only

changes our

view of the

future,

our attitude

towards death,

it changes

our priorities

in this

life.

Look at

verse 58.

Therefore,

because the

resurrection

changes your

view of the

future,

because it

changes your

attitude towards

death,

therefore,

my brothers

and sisters,

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.

How will it

change you?

What priorities

will you have

in your life?

Well,

here's the first

one.

Priority number

one,

stand firm

in the

gospel.

Look at the

beginning of

verse 58

again.

Do you

remember how

this whole

teaching of

the resurrection

started?

Go back

to verse

1,

chapter 15.

This is how

he began the

whole teaching

on the

resurrection.

Chapter 15,

verse 1.

Now,

brothers and

sisters,

I want to

remind you of

the gospel

that I

preach to

you,

which you

received,

and on

which you

have taken

your stand,

literally on

which you

are building

your life.

By this

gospel,

you are

saved.

If you

hold firmly

to the

word I

preach to

you,

if you

hold firmly

to the

word I

preach to

you,

otherwise

you have

believed

in vain.

If you

are a

Christian,

holding on

to the

gospel and

making that

the central

foundation of

your life

becomes a

priority.

And we

need it.

Because,

listen,

the longer

that we

live life,

the more

struggles and

heartaches we

will face.

And in

those days

and weeks

when everything

seems dark

and empty

and hopeless,

and you

can't see

any light

in the

darkness,

you'll just

want to

give up

and everything

around you

will be

saying,

this faith

in Jesus

Christ,

this

resurrection

business,

it's useless,

it's a waste

of time,

give up on

it.

And in

those moments

you will

need to

stand firm

on the

gospel,

remember the

truth of

the resurrection

and let

nothing

move you.

So when

sickness

or an

illness

comes

and the

pain is

unbearable

and there

seems no

end in

sight,

stand

firm

in the

gospel.

When

death

sweeps in

and takes

away those

we dearly

love,

stand

firm

in the

gospel.

When

frustrations

and disappointment

come,

and life

doesn't work

out the

way that

you wanted

it to,

stand

firm

in the

gospel.

When the

battle with

sin seems

to rage

and temptation

is unrelenting,

stand

firm.

When

wars

increase

and evil

seems to

run

unrestrained

through our

streets,

stand

firm.

My

brothers

and

sisters,

stand

firm,

let

nothing

move

you.

If you

believe in

the gospel,

you will

make it a

priority in

your life to

remind yourself

daily,

and remind

your brothers

and sisters

in Christ

that he has

risen from

the dead,

that there

will be a

trumpet sound,

that Christ

is going to

return,

and we will

be changed

in the blink

of an

eye,

for the

victory

is ours.

So priority

number one,

stand firm

in the

gospel,

remind

yourself

and each

other

of what

we have.

Priority

two,

give your

life to the

work of

the gospel.

gospel.

If you

truly believe

the gospel,

then look at

verse 58,

therefore my

dear brothers

and sisters,

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.

The work

of the

Lord is

the work

of the

gospel.

gospel.

It's

making

Jesus

Christ

known to

people who

do not

know

Christ.

It's

about

investing

our

life,

our

time,

our

money,

into the

one

thing

that is

going to

last for

eternity.

Do you

believe in

the

resurrection?

If it

does,

if you

do,

you will

give your

life to

the work

of the

gospel.

Let me

show you

briefly.

Three

very

practical

ways this

is going

to mean

change.

First,

it's going

to affect

your

attitude to

your

possessions,

to your

money,

what you

do with

it.

Francis

Schaeffer

was a

Christian

thinker

and writer.

He wrote

an essay,

you can

look it up

on the

internet,

it's called

Ash Heap

Lives.

Ash Heap

Lives.

He writes

this,

Have you

ever walked

through a

city dump?

You should.

When I was

growing up in

Philadelphia,

I would hike

every Saturday.

To get to the

clean air of the

country, I used

to save a

couple of

miles by

trampling

through the

city dump.

I have never

forgotten this.

It was a

place of

junk,

fire,

and stench.

It has

helped me

tremendously to

think back on

that place,

because even

as a boy,

I realised

that I saw

there almost

everything people

spend their

money on.

That was

where their

investment

ended.

You see,

think about

all the

stuff we

buy and

accumulate.

Fast forward

10,

20,

50 years,

decaying,

rotting,

rusting,

rubbish.

If you

and I

believe in

the

resurrection,

we will

invest in

stuff,

not in

stuff that

doesn't

last,

but in

the work

of the

gospel,

because,

look at

the end

of verse

58,

you know

that your

labour in

the Lord

is not

in vain.

So it

will mean

change in

our

possessions,

and it

will mean

change in

our

decisions.

See,

most of

the time

our

decisions

are around

securing a

good and

comfortable

life.

Isn't that

what we

encourage our

children to

do?

Get a

good job,

healthy

income,

nice house,

secure

pension,

that's the

things that

matter.

But what

if you

were to

sacrifice

the good

life for

gospel work

where Christ

is not

now?

What would

it mean

for you

to move

to another

country where

Christ is

not yet

known,

and leave

the good

life,

so that

you can

bring

Christ?

Well,

because the

resurrection is

true,

because he

believed in

the resurrection,

Paul made

sacrificial

decisions.

Look back

at verse

31.

This is the

effect it

had on his

life.

Verse 31.

I die

every day.

A little

bit of me

dies every

day.

I mean

that,

brothers and

sisters,

just as

surely as I

glory over

you in

Christ Jesus

our Lord.

In his

decision-making

about life,

he was

willing to

give of

his life,

to make

sacrifices,

because he

knew it

counted for

eternity.

So think

about this.

Every

Sunday

school

lesson you

prepare,

instead of

watching your

favorite TV

show,

or every

Friday and

weekend you

sacrifice for

The Rock,

every hour

of me time

you let go

of to serve

in polo,

every person

you invite

into your

home and

serve,

even if

you've had

a long

week and

you're

tired,

every visit

and phone

call you

make to

somebody,

even when

you feel

fed up,

is a

decision

well made

because,

end of

verse 58,

you know

that your

labor in

the Lord

is not

in vain.

It

affects our

everyday

to day

decisions,

if we

believe in

the resurrection.

And

last,

it affects

our

conversations

with other

people.

talking

about

Jesus,

his

death

and

resurrection

is

perhaps

one of

the

hardest

things

we

have

to

do.

It's

never

easy,

I

struggle

with it.

Don't

we fear

what people

are going

to say?

And because

we fear

people's

responses,

we say

nothing.

What if

I lose

my friend

over this?

What if

people think

I'm weird

and a

nutcase?

What if

I go to

another

country and

I actually

die for

speaking the

gospel?

Because

people do.

Well,

let me put

all this

another way.

What would

it mean

if I

keep my

friends in

this life

but lose

my friends

for all

eternity?

What would

it mean

to save

your life

in this

life

life?

But

lose it

for all

eternity.

Do you

remember the

words of

Jesus?

Whoever

wants to

save his

life will

lose it,

but whoever

loses his

life for me

and the

gospel

will save

it.

Do you

believe in

the

resurrection

of Jesus

Christ

from the

dead?

I don't

mean do

you agree

with it

or can

you sign

and tick

the right

box?

But has

the truth

of the

resurrection

changed

your

life?

That's the

test of

whether you

believe the

resurrection.

Does it

change you?

Have you

become a

different person

because of

it?

Has it

changed your

attitude towards

your possessions

and your

money?

Has it

changed how

you make

decisions?

Is it

comfort or

is it

sacrifice?

does it

change how

you think

about the

conversations

you'll have

with that

person tomorrow

at work?

Well it's

bank holiday

tomorrow so

the next

day.

Listen to

this.

Our life

is but a

moment.

A

breath.

It's the

tick of a

clock.

A blink of

an eye.

a click

of the

fingers.

You get

one life.

One chance.

There's no

replay.

There's no

rewind button.

Don't live

for the

moment.

Live for

the gospel

because you

know that

your labor

in the

Lord is

not in

vain.

let's

pray.

As we

reflect

maybe

there's just

one thing

that we want

to take

away today.

!

olabilir.

I love you crazy.

That's

what I

have to

go.

stop

you

okay.

it's

Mis