The Church in The World Not of The World Pt.28

‘RISEN & RETURNING!

The celebration of Christ’s resurrection should not be contained to a day or a week…

I hope in the Resurrection, there has to be something more than this life…seriously,

There is more, and God wants us to know about it… not too much, big picture stuff

Christ’s Resurrection is a foundational aspect of the Gospel, but so is Christ’s Return!

When He returns it will be very different than how He came the 1st time…very different

This is basically part two of last week, filling out the picture of ‘Resurrection’

1st Corinthians 15:20-34

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man.

  • As Christ’s followers we start from that point and know we follow in resurrection
  • Big picture of the fall and redemption in Christ

Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

  • The nature of our humanity is transformed by faith in Christ (belonging = eternity)
  • Source of sin is 1st, Source of redemption is 1st to be resurrected
  • When He returns, it will be our turn (those ‘In Christ’ defined by Biblical Gospel

After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.

  • This say we will be resurrected to see the end
  • For more on how this goes see: Revelation / Daniel / Ezekiel / The Gospels

For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.) Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

  • A demonstration of Ultimate Authority & of Ultimate Submission

If the dead will not be raised, what point is there in people being baptized for those who are dead? Why do it unless the dead will someday rise again?

  • Bizarre passage…
  • It has no clear meaning (very little evidence of anyone, even Pagans doing this)
  • Best guess is that he is communicating that resurrection is

And why should we ourselves risk our lives hour by hour? For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you. And what value was there in fighting wild beasts—those people of Ephesus—if there will be no resurrection from the dead?

  • Paul is referencing how those following Christ back then were in constant peril
  • He references the riot in Ephesus, calling the mob ‘wild beasts’
  • He asks the question: What is the point of these risks if there is no resurrection?

And if there is no resurrection, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all.

  • If the Gospel is not what the Bible says it is why not live however you want?
  • Hedonism: Whatever feels good, do it!
  • Character is built and displayed in the company you keep.
  • If we are not making each day about living for Him, then do we know Him?

The Second Coming:

1st time God displayed His ultimate humility as the lowly Jesus of Nazareth…

When He comes again, it will be as the supreme authority of all creation.

This text answers the question: ‘How are we to live in light of Christ’s Rising & Return?’

In this scripture, God is telling us some of how it goes when Christ returns

We’re encouraged to use this ‘New Life’ Christ gives us for God’s glory, not waste it

Both we and the Corinthians need to be reminded of what we are were supposed to do with our lives now that we have surrendered them to Christ.

We declare that we truly know Christ living by desiring His authority in our daily lives.

That means using our time to love and serve and help and counsel and share

It means we live for others as much as we can, in balance and health.

It means we take some risks to do what God calls us to in ministry and service.

It means we spend less time serving our needs & more time serving needs of others.

Application Questions:

Where does your belief in Christ’s second coming play into lifestyle choices you make?

Is Christ’s complete authority only exercised in His second coming?

How do you place yourself under Christ’s authority in terms of your time & resources?

How might you steward the ‘Resurrection Life’ given by God

/by

The Church in The World Not of The World Pt. 27

Resurrection: The Foundation of Our Faith

What is the most important thing to know about Jesus Christ?

What does Biblical faith in Jesus Christ rest on?

The Biblical Truth that Jesus of Nazareth, The Christ, Died and was bodily resurrected is what it rests on!

1st Corinthians 15:1-20

Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

  • Consistently standing firm in the unchanging message of the Gospel
  • It is your faith in the truth of the Biblical message that make you right with God
  • Truth is truth whether you believe it or not. Facts do not rely on your acceptance.

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

  • What is most important is the key points of the Biblical ‘Good News’ / Gospel
  • Fulfillment of Old Testament Covenants & Prophecy (‘just as the scripture said)
  • God Himself Incarnated supernaturally / Virgin Birth
  • Sinless Life / Self Declared Messiah
  • God willingly sacrifices Himself to pay what no other thing could pay for: Our Sin!
  • Christ Bodily Resurrected! Without the resurrection none of the rest hold up
  • Most important: Died for Sin / Rose from the dead!

He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.

  • The resurrected Christ was seen by hundreds.
  • No source of refutation in contemporary literature
  • Flavius Josephus, writing 60 yrs after Jesus, affirms the number of witnesses

Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

  • Paul is one of those who saw The Resurrected Christ
  • He became an Apostle in a different way than the rest (born differently)

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.

  • He testifies to the transforming power of faith in Christ
  • I too can testify to the transforming power of faith in Christ by God’s Grace
  • Paul’s transformation resulted in God using him to advance Christ’s Kingdom
  • All of Paul’s accomplishments he credits to God by His Grace
  • The power of God through the 12 Apostles or through Paul is just the same
  • And the Biblical Gospel message is that consistent message of Jesus’ Apostles

But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.

  • The critical nature of Christ’s resurrection to the Good News
  • If you don’t completely believe in Jesus Christ’s bodily Resurrection…
    • YOU DON’T BELIEVE THE BIBLICAL GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
  • Without the resurrection there is NO GOSPEL…No Good News
  • Christ’s resurrection and His follower’s resurrection: The Gospel says both R true!
  • A faith in God that doesn’t include the resurrection of Christ is ‘Non-Redemptive’
  • My life is a complete farce without the resurrection of Christ being true!

And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.

  • Everything I have devoted my life to is a lie without Jesus Christ’s resurrection
  • Because He rose, those who surrender their life to Him will also rise
  • Without the resurrected Christ, there is no hope for eternal life
  • If Jesus dosen’t have the power over death than He cannot forgive your sins

In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

  • If Christ’s resurrection didn’t happen than we are not saved from the guilt of sin
  • If there is no eternal aspect of surrender to Christ Jesus than we are a joke
  • But the truth of the Good New is: Christ IS resurrected and HE LIVES!
  • And because He lives forever so will His followers:

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” ~ Jesus @ Mark 8:34-36

Respond to God during Communion

Application Questions:

What are the critical points of ‘The Gospel’ you stand firm in?

Based on this Scripture and others, how do you receive this Good News?

Is it possible to be a Biblical follower of Christ and not fully believe in ‘Resurrection’?

In what way do you find yourself living like your hope in Christ is only for this life?

How is your belief in Christ’s Resurrection and your hope of eternal life connected?

/by