Good Morning!  Just before I launch us back into 1 Corinthians--a note...I was thinking about the fact that mining the Scripture is not as easy as listening to the tales of people's lives...but please remember that the truth of Scripture is solid.  The city of Corinth actually had much in common with the present-day city of Long Beach, New York, Bangkok, etc., which is why training in the truth of the gospel is so critical.  We must train ourselves in truth or any of us are apt to be led astray.  So, with that in mind--back to 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

Resurrection  . . . His and Ours!

‘What is the big deal about the resurrection of Jesus Christ?’ one might ask.   Why is it so all-fire important?  Can’t a person believe in the teachings of Jesus, and not necessarily ‘buy’ into the resurrection?  Paul explains clearly why that cannot be so in 1 Corinthians 15, verses  13 through 34.

“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.  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.  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.  So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, [Adam] now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. [Jesus]  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.

 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.   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.

If the dead will not be raised, what point is there in people being baptized for those who are dead? [which apparently was being done in Corinth, though this is not an endorsement for baptism by proxy]  Why do it unless the dead will someday rise again?

       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? 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.”    1 Corinthians 15.13-34, NLT

Oh, no—this life is not all there is.  Peter said we have a priceless inheritance… yes, there is a coming glory, Christian! 

In short, Christ arose from the grave

 Because of his resurrection, we will be raised

   Without these, Christianity is pointless,

      And we are without hope.

         Because there is a tomorrow—for all,

           We choose to live well today.

Resurrection—first his, then ours.

Hope in that, Friends.

Christine