I'm turning now in the word of God to Paul's letter to the Corinthians, Corinthians chapter 15, 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and reading verse 42. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and reading verse 42. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption. It is raised in incorruption. And my title for this morning's message is Resurrection Hope. This is the great and wonderful hope of all of those who have become God's children. Naturally, everyone who is born into this world is a rebel against God, whether I'm brought up in the Christian family or not. We are all born far away from God. In the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must be born again. And when we become God's children, we now have this glorious resurrection hope, even though I will one day die, and though my body be long in the grave, decomposing, yet, At the end of the age, when the Lord Jesus Christ returns in glory with all the heavenly host and the angels, I will be gloriously raised up. My body will be wonderfully transformed. This is what the scriptures teach, from cover to cover, and I'll be made fit to be in the presence of God, to be in the presence of the glorified risen Savior forever and ever. This is the hope that God's people have. Well, when looking at this chapter, there were those in Corinth to which Paul wrote this letter, this first letter, who were calling into question this teaching of resurrection. I think most probably they were some of the false teachers that we read of in the second letter, most likely, but they were calling into question this whole idea of there being a resurrection. And so Paul contends with this erroneous and these doubts and suspicions in this chapter. He contends against this false teaching because he himself had seen the resurrected Lord and as well as the other apostles. And when we read in this chapter, 500 people, there were 500 witnesses. who had seen Christ, the resurrected son of God, after his crucifixion. These things are unassailable. And concerning the resurrection of God's children at the last day, Paul uses an illustration. He uses a picture of a seed. A seed is sown in the dirt, in the earth. And then it seems to be lifeless and dormant. Indeed, it is before it's sown, but then something happens. It springs to life. And actually, Paul uses an illustration that our very Lord uses. He uses the same illustration concerning his suffering and death and raising up to life from the grave. And we read of this in John's gospel. This is our savior using the illustration first in John's gospel, chapter 12, and reading verses 23 and 24. Jesus answered them saying the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified That is he should suffer and die and three days later rise from the grave victoriously The son of man should be glorified verily verily I say unto you Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone But if it die it bringeth forth much fruit What does Jesus Christ mean by this? Well, what he means is this By what he will do in suffering and dying on Calvary's cross, he will bring much fruit as a result of his labors, as giving his life for sinners. We who come to Christ, we who are rescued by him by what he did on Calvary, we will be his fruit. We will be the fruit of his labors, of his toil, in giving his soul for many sinners, vast amounts of sinners, the fruit of his labors. And in this chapter, as well as other places in the New Testament, we're also given the analogy and picture of a harvest, a great bumper harvest. That's what it will be like at the end of the age, when God's people from every tribe and nation will be raised from their graves, those who have died, and will be caught up to meet the Savior in the clouds. And they will be gloriously resurrected, just as Christ was buried and rose again on the third day. And again, there's a use of this, there's an illustration of the sea being buried in the ground. So all of those who look to him, who trust in him as their Savior, who give their lives to him, This will be their portion as well. They will also be gloriously resurrected because he lives and because he rose from the dead, it guarantees the resurrection of all those whom he has purchased with his own blood. And I just want to draw your attention to a portion in this chapter, which makes this very clear. Verses 35 to 37. The apostle Paul, again contending against Doubts that some people had, no doubt false teachers in their midst. Some man will say, how are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest does not quicken, except it die. He's using the illustration of a seed. A seed, when it is not sown in the ground, it's lifeless, it's dormant. But when you sow it in the ground, something miraculous happens. With the certain conditions, with the water and the moisture and so on, it springs to life. Thou fool, that which thou sowest does not quicken, except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain. It may chance of wheat or of some other grain. So you think of a seed. It's just a bare seed. You don't see the fruit, you don't see the leaves, you don't see these things, but you put it in the ground in the dirt, it's symbolic of dying and death. That's the illustration. You put it in the ground as if it's dead, indeed it is lifeless, and then somehow miraculously it germinates. and the seedling comes up, eventually the seedling comes up from the earth and it begins to sprout and eventually fruit comes. But if that seed is not sown, if it's not sown in the ground, it remains lifeless, it remains dead. And this is what the Apostle Paul is teaching us concerning the resurrection of believers, those who love the Lord and those who have been rescued by Christ. Yes, one day I will die. We all will die. But for those who love the Lord, those who have been saved by his grace, when I am buried and when I do die, friends, it's only temporary. It doesn't last very long. And even though my body dies, this is what the scripture teaches, immediately when I breathe my last, my spirit will depart from my body and I will immediately be in the presence of Christ. And that the last day when the Lord Jesus returns, my body will be wonderfully transformed and resurrected to be with my spirit. And that's what will happen at the end of the age. These things are taught very clearly in the scriptures. But even before I die, even before I die as a believer, I will have already have died. What do you mean by this? Those who are truly believers, those who truly come to know the Lord as their personal Savior, they would have already died to their old life. And this is what happens when I come to Christ as my Savior. My life, as it used to be, dies. It's just as Christ was buried in the grave. So my life, my old life is buried. I don't live for the things I used to live for. I now live for my savior. I live for his kingdom. And now there's a divine activity at work in my heart. When I truly die to myself by trusting in my Savior, He gives me new life to my dead soul, but my old life dies, and now there starts this divine work of activity, just like the sea that germinates. No one can see what's happening in the earth, but this is what happens to believers. The illustration is perfect. There's a secret work within the soul that is awakened by God's grace, and I'm being prepared for glory. This is what's happening. Just as you see this amazing. Well, you don't see it, but you hear of and we study these things and now we have these microscopic cameras that can uh, look at what happens in the ground with these with the germination of the seed and the seedling sprouting and it's Uh, we can see the time lapse and it's wonderful to see but this is what happens secretly in the hearts of those who come to christ There's this a wonderful work of grace Which the world cannot see This is what the Lord Jesus Christ teaches in the Gospels The world cannot see what's happening in those who come to Christ. It's a secret work of grace Just as the world when the Lord Jesus Christ came they didn't see any Wonder in him for the most part. He was rejected and despised by people eventually, he was crucified and it's the same with God's people and They will be seen as, well, insignificant and even despised in this world. They don't see, and the world doesn't see the work of grace, that secret work. But friends, at the end of the age and the illustration, I go back to the illustration again, just as the seedling comes up and it bears fruit for all to see. at the end of the age, at the last day, when God's people are gloriously transformed and glorified, receiving resurrection bodies, then the world will see, then the world will realize, and there will be countless people who will have a sense of such profound regret. Why didn't I trust in the Savior? Why didn't I believe? Many in that day, when they see the children of God, wonderfully transformed and glorified, fit for heaven, many will be so, well, so terrified, and their conscience will be screaming at them. This will be the portion of many who reject the Lord on the last day. But in these verses, in verse, I'm reading, I'm gonna be focusing primarily this morning on the few verses read from verse 42, you see the great contrast of how believers are in this life, God's children, and what will happen to them in the last day when the Lord Jesus returns in glory, what will follow. And to fully understand the implications of this resurrection hope, we bear in mind that the corruption which we read of here in verse 42, so also as a resurrection from the dead, it is sown in corruption, it is raised in corruption. The corruption that is spoken of, yes, it primarily speaks of the corruption of the body in the grave, the decomposing and so on, but it's not limited to this. And this is important to understand. It's also speaking about the fact that this world is polluted and corrupted by sin, and things die. So believers in this world, it's speaking primarily, yes, of the body decomposing in the grave, but it's also speaking of the fact that we live in a world that is corrupt, polluted by sin, and there's death and pain and destruction and sorrow, and there's restrictions and there's weaknesses and there's dishonor. All these things are part and parcel of a sin-sick, polluted world. So we read verse 42. So also is the resurrection from the dead. It is sown in corruption. It is raised in incorruption. This is the inevitable end in this life for all who are living on this world. Next time you look at a graveyard, take a good long look, dear friends. This is where I'm heading. It's unavoidable. My body, I will one day die. I'm heading for the grave. And the vast majority of people today, well, in every age, pretty much, they don't like to think about these things. Very uncomfortable thinking about the day of death. I surround myself with so many things. I preoccupy my time. I have all these things in my mind, all these other things, and I make no time to think about the great issues of life. the greatest issue of life, that one day I will die and stand before my God, this reality that there is. And maybe at this present time, I may be someone who is, well, things are going well for me, and I'm appreciated, and I'm favored, and this life, I even am held in esteem and honor, and I forget the reality that my end will be shameful and dishonorable. and especially if I reject God as my savior. And friends, it only gets worse for those who reject Christ. Not only will I head towards the grave, a shameful and a dishonorable end, but also it gets worse. There is the second death. Where if I reject the Lord Jesus Christ, the only hope of this sin sick world, I will be condemned by God forever in everlasting punishment. But it's so different for the believer. It's so different for those who put their trust in Jesus Christ. Yes, in this life, those who love the Lord, they will suffer like everyone else. And they will suffer particularly for Jesus Christ. Yes, it's true. Those who associate themselves Those who call Jesus Christ their savior and they love him and they follow him, they will suffer much because they love him, because they own him as their savior. They will be seen by the world as corrupt. They will be seen as nobodies from the world's point of view. They will be despised just like their savior was. And he teaches this in the gospels. And just like everyone else, their bodies will grow frail, their bodies will grow older, until they die and at last they enter the grave corrupt, but it doesn't last because the moment they die, they will be escorted to be with their savior in heaven. and at the last day they will be resurrected wonderfully, incorruptible. Friends, you cannot even begin to imagine the reason why you will not read anywhere in the Bible the description of what the resurrected body will look like. There's no description because in our sinful corrupt state, we simply cannot take it in. It says elsewhere in the scriptures, eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. It'll be so wonderful. I will receive a body which will never die. It will never age, no sickness, no pain. All these things will have passed away in the glorified heaven and earth. When I will be with my savior forever, I will be with him. But let's read the next verse, verse 43. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. You see the great contrast here. This life, believers may live a life in this world which is dishonorable. That's not how they're seen by God and the Savior. It's an honorable life in one way. It's a paradox. But from this world's point of view, we're looked upon with contempt. As believers, we're seen as backward, and we're cast aside by this present society. And believers are to expect this. They are to expect that the world will treat us with scorn. We will be seen as loathsome. Christ himself says, you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. That's what the Savior says. will be seen as weak and as irrelevant, insignificant in this world. And although we will have an influence, believers do have an influence in this world, it's undeniable the influence of the gospel. It has transformed the world over since Christ came and suffered and died and rose from the dead. And the gospel has spread throughout all the world. It has changed the world wonderfully. and the Western world, especially. But nevertheless, the world still sees Christ and his people as weak, and we're looked upon dishonorably, and then we enter the grave, but then our bodies will be raised up. At this present time, I may be an elderly believer, and I'm soon approaching death, and I enter the grave weak, corrupt, but I will be raised in power. Such glorious power. I'll be glorified romans chapter 8 in paul's letter to the romans. He describes it in this in this way God's children Will be gloriously liberated at the end of the age And the hot and they will be vindicated before the eyes of the world The whole world will see this every eye will see our lord. Jesus christ coming in glory and great power but there'll be a glorious liberty waiting. For even in this life, we have liberty in Christ. We're no longer dominated by our sinful nature. We still sin, we still fall, but we have such great liberty compared to our previous lives, but there is yet a greater liberty coming at the end of the age. Verse 44, it follows, it is sown a natural body, It has raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. When I die, I will die in this natural. And what is meant by natural is a body which is limited and restricted to the fallen conditions of this world. I grow weak because I have a sinful body. And it's a natural body. It's a corrupt body. On the last day, when the Lord Jesus returns, I will receive a spiritual body. Now make no mistake, it will also be a physical body. It will be a physical body, but at the same time, it'll be a spiritual body. We can scarcely comprehend what that will be like. But that's what the scriptures teach. It won't be a natural body. It will be a supernatural body. Like our Savior's body is, we learn elsewhere in scripture. Because I will be able to see him as he is in all his glory, I will be so glorified and changed to be able to be with him and stand in his presence for all eternity. These things are so wonderful dear friends, but you notice this word cropping up in our passage the word sown This lifeless dormant seed is sown in the ground in the dirt in the soil Despite the conditions of the seed being sown in this soil and when you think of soil when you think of dirt This is the illustration that I'm sure the Apostle Paul wants us to have in our minds When you think of the soil you think of things dying in the soil dead animals and people corrupt decomposing although the seed is sown in such putrid Unfavorable conditions yet from this life germinates and there's a glorious end for that seed fruit bears And this is what will happen to God's people. There is a glorious end for the children of God but dear friends We think of the seed unless it's sown it remains lifeless that the application I want to make for this is a unless I die to myself and give my life to Christ, I have no hope. I will not be able to look forward to this resurrection hope. I have to die to myself and give my life to Christ if I am to anticipate this resurrection hope. It's so sad. This life, People who do not have this hope, all they have is this life. Yes, there are things to appreciate and enjoy in this world. And believers can appreciate and enjoy many good things in this world. But friends, by and large, it is a sinful and fallen world. 100% of the time, pretty much on the news, it's bad news. Death and pain and suffering. And then there's judgment. And yet this is what people that people cast their hopes on on this life in this life alone You think of this passage? It compares this world. I'm sure to the soil the dirt Where there is the seed being sown and there's death and there's decomposing and this world friends. It's spiritually and morally Decomposing and rotting. This is a world which is under God's judgment because of our rebellion It's a world where there's spiritual decomposing and corruption, morally, spiritually. And yet, the vast majority of people in this world cast their hopes in this world, a world which is corrupt. It's like someone cast The Titanic is sinking and they still hope that they will be able to manage well. It's a sinking ship, this world. It's a world with suffering and war and pain and disappointments. No wonder why so many people need war-to-war entertainment nowadays. So many people are just bombarded by distractions. And so many people in our current society living a life of escapism. always on the phone, always being entertained. I'm always, my attention is always being riveted and drawn aside by such trivial and small things. Why is this the case? Because friends, there is a, I'm trying to escape the harsh realities of life. That's why people do this. That's why people constantly want to be distracted by these things. Social media and other things, so much entertainment and our saturated entertainment culture. People are drawn aside by these things because they're trying to escape the harsh realities of life. And the hardest reality of life, that death is looming on the horizon and it's unavoidable. I don't like to think about this. So what I'll do is I'll amuse myself to death. I'll amuse myself to the grave so I don't have to think about these things. Friends, this world is a state of dishonor and corruption and weakness. And yet people live for this world and this world alone. It's so sad. This world is passing away. My very life is slipping away. And yet I cast my anchor in this life. It's madness. It's crazy. To live without this hope, dear friends, is so, so tragic. I may not feel this way at present because I'm hypnotized by such small... And friends, there may be noble things in this life and things which are, well, not so trivial, but compared to this hope, And this, what Christ does and what he has done for needy souls, these things are small in comparison. And yet these things hypnotize me. But the sorrows will catch up. And one day there will be no escape. And I will have to stand before my judge. He could have been my savior, but I've rejected him lifelong. And now he will have to be my judge. But it doesn't have to be this way. You don't have to live life, a hopeless life, with a shameful and a dishonorable end. It doesn't have to be this way, friends. Christ offers you the invitation of everlasting life, even this morning. And friends, please do not think as I used to think, the great trap I fell into before God visited me with his grace. Oh, as long as I come to church every now and then, as long as I say a few prayers and I read my Bible occasionally, Friends, the most deadly position many people are in is the fact that they are, well, cultural Christians, nominal Christians. They've never made it personal. They've never been born again. Their souls have never been resurrected from the dead. They may be religious, but they don't, that is, being religious, knowing about The faith, but not knowing God personally, it's meaningless. And I'll be condemned with everyone else. Have you been spiritually resurrected? Do you know the Lord personally? Has your life been radically changed? Has God entered into you and transformed you? This is so important. How can Christians be so sure that this will happen? that there will be this wonderful resurrection at the end of the age. Well, in the words of Luke the physician, there are many infallible truths and proofs concerning our Savior and this glorious hope. But in keeping with this passage, I will just mention one precious truth, which is so precious and valuable to those who've come to know the Lord, and it's this. Those who will experience the physical resurrection at the end of the age That is their bodies being gloriously transformed Made fit for heaven for eternity. Yes, those who reject christ will be resurrected as well, but they won't be resurrected with Wonderful resurrected glory. They will be resurrected in corruption to be judged and cast into hell It's very sad, but that's the truth But for those who receive glorious resurrected bodies without corruption at the end of the age, I would have had to have experienced the spiritual resurrection first. And this is a glorious evidence and truth that God will come. There are many other evidences we can speak of, many others, but I've already been spiritually resurrected. My soul was once dead, but now it's alive. Nothing has changed physically, but there's been a massive paradigm shift within me, and I've been wonderfully changed. While the outward man is growing, this is what the Apostle Paul says elsewhere, while the outward man is growing older, the outward person is growing older and aging, the inward person is being transformed and made fit, being prepared for heaven. And when I read of these features, you can read of these glorious transforming features, what God does when he awakens a sinner and gives them spiritual life. And we can see the evidences of grace found in the Bible. When God's children read of these things in the Bible, they're so encouraged. This has happened to me, what I read of in the scriptures. This has happened to me. And I can testify that God has raised my soul from the dead I'm convinced that he will come again as he has promised I go and prepare a place for you And I will come again to receive you to myself he will fulfill the promise up until now none of his promises have failed and God is in the bit. I hope you don't mind me putting it this way God is in the business today of still resurrecting souls from the dead until the last Trumpet sounds, God is calling out his elect. He's calling out souls to himself. He is raising people from the dead spiritually, even today, even in our day and age. How is this so? Well, by what Christ did on Calvary's cross. That's the great truth. Christ has secured the glorious resurrection. that glorious hope at the end of the age for all those who put their trust in him. That's what happened 2,000 years ago on the cross, when he was bleeding and dying on that cross. He did it for me personally. He was dying for my lies. He was dying for many of my sins, for my selfishness, for my pride, for my lusts, for my many sins. He suffered as I should have suffered in hell. He suffered in my place. It wasn't just the physical suffering that He endured, but it was the invisible suffering which no human eye can see, the suffering that I would have experienced, the isolation that I would have experienced, the loneliness, the pain, the agony that I would have suffered in hell. He miraculously suffered it on my behalf on the cross, and He suffered it for all those who come to Him. So I must repent. Friends, if this has not happened to you, if you have not been born again, if God has not trusted, maybe you've come to church and you know much about that, but you've never experienced this, what I'm speaking of this morning. You know for a fact that your soul has not been spiritually resurrected. Your tastes haven't been changed. Your life hasn't been changed. You must come to him then. You must go to him in private. You must repent of your sins. You must believe that he is your savior. Lord, forgive me. Come to him in sorrow. Repent of your sins. Believe that he died for you personally. And the promise is this, if you truly believe and you give your life to him, Lord, I give my filthy, unworthy life to you, Lord, so that you can clean it up. And Lord, you begin that wonderful transforming work. And then Lord, I look forward to seeing you one day in heaven. That's the attitude I must have. Give your life to Christ, dear friends. Repent of your sins. Put your trust in him. And if you do so and you're sincere, he will hear your prayer. He will wonderfully forgive you. Desire this more than anything else. Anything that this vain world has to offer. There's nothing in comparison to this glorious hope. And it only gets better until I'm wonderfully transformed at the end of the age. to be with my glorified risen savior for all eternity. I read these verses in closing, verse 51 through to 55. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In the moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Amen.