Problems Plaguing a Local Church, Part 28
In our sermon, THE DEATH OF DEATH (1 Cor. 15:12-28), Paul continued his discussion on the Gospel and specifically the resurrection.
He first used the hypothetical of what it would mean if Christ had not risen from the dead (1 Cor. 15:12-19). Paul explains that if the resurrection of the body is impossible, then the resurrection of Christ is also fiction because Jesus rose bodily (i.e. was resurrected) from the dead (1 Cor. 15:3-4, 12, etc.). He is the first one to rise from the dead permanently, never to return to the grave (Heb. 7:27; 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 15:20a, etc.). He is also the “firstfruits” and pioneer of our faith- meaning He is both the downpayment and evidence that there is more yet to come (1 Cor. 15:12b; Ex. 23:16, 19, etc.). God, the Holy Spirit, is also the firstfruits proving the resurrection of the dead is inevitable as well for those who are God’s children- saved by grace through faith (Rom. 8:23, 30-39; Eph. 1:13-14; 2:8-9, etc.). Because we, as human beings, were “all” born “in Adam,” the curse of Genesis 3 applies to each of us, BUT the good news is for all who are “in Christ” we “shall be made alive” (1 Cor. 12:21-22).
“But each [resurrection will be] in [its] own order: Christ” first, and then the church when Jesus returns for His bride in the air at the rapture (1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thes. 4:13-18, etc.). “Then comes the end, when He [Jesus] delivers the [millennial] kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power” (1 Cor. 15:24; Rev. 20:1-6; Rom. 16:20; Rev. 20:7-10; Eph. 6:11-12; 1 John 5:19, etc.). In addition to the principalities of darkness being vanquished at this time permanently, the Lord will abolish “the last enemy” which is “death” that came into the world through the Fall of man in Genesis 3 long ago… (1 Cor. 15:25-26; Rev. 20:14-21:4, etc.). God will reverse all of the effects of sin and death and nothing evil will enter His kingdom as He restores all things to Himself (1 Cor. 15:27-28; Rev. 22:1-4, etc.). *For more details on the Scripture here, please watch SBFC’s sermon above.