Amen, okay, we just sung the sermon, so now let's preach it. I'll do the preaching, if you do the listening, all right? 1 Corinthians chapter 15, I'm gonna read verses one through 11, but really taking up the whole chapter, most of our time will be spent in verses one through 28. Again, reading verses one through 11 right now in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the gospel I preach to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preach to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas then to the 12, then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me, for I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. but by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach, and so you believed. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. You may be seated. Let's pray. O gracious Father, we gather this morning in the marvelous, majestic name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, to proclaim his resurrection. Father, would you help us this morning, as we think about his resurrection, to be reminded that it is the guarantee of ours. Father, that we might more faithfully live in light of that coming kingdom when your Son will return and make all things new and we will dwell in your presence forever and ever. Father, we long for that day. Would you encourage and build up your people in the most holy faith this morning we ask in Jesus' precious name, amen. On Good Friday, a holy heel took aim with all the power of heaven. Tweeted or X'd or what do you call that now? Something like that, Mitchell Chase on Friday. Pastor Matt was kind enough to share that with me. This morning, when the dust settled, death had surrendered, the devil had slithered away, and the first fruits of the resurrection of the dead stood vindicated and victorious. But the story doesn't end there. Death surrendered Jesus because it could not hold him. The devil slithered away, but he did not give up his diabolical work in this world. Jesus was vindicated and victorious, but his work was not done. This is the message of 1 Corinthians chapter 15. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is arguing that the resurrection of Jesus Christ bodily from the dead guarantees that all who belong to him will also be raised bodily from the dead. Paul is combating the false doctrine of, if you look at verse 12, no resurrection of the dead. and answering the arguments found in verse 35 of those denying a future resurrection of the body. His burden, that is Paul's burden in this chapter, is to encourage Christians to abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that their labor in the Lord is not in vain. My aim this morning is to expound Paul's argument with the same goal to encourage you, Christian, to know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. If you are here among us this morning and you are not a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, I encourage you to listen carefully and to consider whether you should also receive this gospel. Stand in it. Because there is no other gospel, because there is no other name under heaven by which anyone will be saved. So, the big idea of our sermon, the big idea of the text is the resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees, it guarantees the resurrection of those who belong to him. By the way, there is also another truth, but Paul isn't necessarily interested in the general resurrection of the dead. Paul isn't necessarily focused on or emphasizing the fact that all the dead will be raised, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting judgment. He is concerned primarily in 1 Corinthians 15 with those who belong to Christ. You can look at verse 23, Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming, those who belong to Christ. The resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees the resurrection of those who belong to him, so we, the church, should live for the Lord now in light of the resurrection. We should abound in the work of the Lord. But Paul begins by reminding them that there is one gospel. There's only one gospel. That all the apostles preached and that all the Corinthian Christians believed. Verses 1 through 11. The gospel was a historical fact. Look at verses 3 and 4. Christ died. Christ was buried. His body was buried. He really died. Christ was raised on the third day. He appeared to many. This is historical truth. Paul is saying that the gospel is a historical truth claim. It either happened or it didn't. Jesus either died or he didn't. He was either raised on the third day or he didn't. He was either buried or he didn't. He either appeared not only to the 12, but to 500, more than 500 at one time, or he didn't. But the gospel is a historical truth claim to be received and believed or rejected. But it is not simply the passing on of something that someone received from an angel or some wisdom that someone received through meditation. It is history, historical truth. This is what Paul preached. This is what was witnessed. And think about this, by the way. This letter was written in A.D. 54, maybe 55, barely, just over 20 years after this event, this historical event. A mere 20, you realize there's more time between us and 9-11 and the attack on the World Trade Center than there is between the resurrection and the writing of this letter. Most the people who witnessed it are still alive at the writing of this letter. Paul is saying here is a historical fact, verifiable. This is what they believed, this is what was preached, this is what they believed, but it's also a doctrinal truth. This gospel is not only a historical fact, it is a doctrinal truth. The gospel isn't simply that Jesus died and Jesus was raised, as though this was like a news story. What is the gospel? What was of first importance? Paul says that Jesus died for our sins. That's doctrine. don't just see someone dying on a cross, there were three of them, Jesus and two criminals crucified on each side and arrive at for our sins. That is the teaching of the meaning of the historical event. What does this mean? It means that as he hung on the cross, he did so for the reason of our sin, because of our sin. He was there to take our place. He was there to atone, that is to satisfy a penalty that we owe. Maybe an analogy would help. If you committed a crime, you actually committed it. If you were caught, if you were indicted and convicted, the judge would issue a sentence. The judge would issue the penalty for your guilt. You would be guilty when you were convicted, but attached to that guilt would be some type of penalty that you would be required to pay because of your guilt. A sentence, for instance, of 10 years in prison. On the day when God judges the earth through his son and that day is coming and God has borne witness to it through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So I understand if you reject the resurrection of Jesus Christ, you will also reject the very evidence that God has given to the world that the judgment day is coming. I plead with you not to do that. Just as sure as Jesus was raised from the dead. So also that judgment day is coming on that day. Everyone who is guilty will be indicted. They will be convicted and they will be sentenced by a holy God. Who will hold them to his holy standard. So if you have ever failed to do for your neighbor what you would like your neighbor to do for you. If you've ever thought of yourself before your neighbor in such a way that you have actually put your needs before theirs, then you will be held accountable for not loving your neighbor as yourself. That quite apart from what God requires in regard to love for him. Personal, perfect, perpetual obedience is the righteous standard. And I give no apology this morning for our God's holiness or for his law. by which all people are bound to offer to him perfect, personal, perpetual obedience. I simply warn you that there is a day coming when you will give an account for every thought, word, and deed. And there will be things brought to your consciousness that you didn't even know, that you weren't even aware of. all on their own, apart from Christ, will be indicted, convicted, and sentenced according to God's holy justice. When Paul says, hear me now, when Paul says that Jesus died for our sins, Paul is saying that Jesus served our sentence. He's saying that on the cross he paid our debt, that this is how he brought down the holy heel upon the head of our accuser, the devil, by removing the guilt and therefore the condemnation and the sentence. He knocks the teeth out of the serpent's mouth precisely in removing the very accusation that the devil had against us. That's doctrine. That's what took place on the cross. On the cross, because he is a perfect man, Jesus of Nazareth, who had no need to pay a penalty of his own, he had no sentence, precisely because he was perfect, he was able to take the place of another. He was able to pay someone else's sentence. Because he was God, is God, on the cross, he was able to take all of his people's penalty and pay the sentence for all of his people in that one act, that one sacrifice. He died for our sins. This is the doctrine that the apostles were sent to proclaim, not simply to let the world know that Jesus died, or simply to let the world know that he was raised from the dead, but to proclaim that Jesus died for us and was raised for our justification. Likewise, his resurrection is not simply historic and doctrinal, but it is also experiential. Look at verses one and two. Paul says that this gospel was the entrance into a right relationship with God, into his grace, his favor. This is what they received, in which they stand, and by which they were being saved, holding fast to his word, this word, the gospel. But notice also that it is life transforming. Look at verses nine and 10. Paul's life, for example, was transformed by this gospel. It transformed Paul from a persecutor to an apostle. who abounded in the work of the Lord, verse 10. This message of this historical event with this profound doctrinal content was accompanied by the grace that is the saving activity of God himself. This is history with deep theological meaning and saving effect. That's the gospel. This is the gospel that Paul preached, that all the apostles preached according to verse 11. This is the gospel that the Corinthians believed. This is the gospel proclaimed again this morning on which I appeal to you to believe so that you too might be saved. But the Christians in Corinth seem to have been influenced by some who were denying the resurrection of believers. In verse 12, Paul turns and says, now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? And then Paul is going to go on, he's going to offer three arguments for the resurrection, for the resurrection of Christians. Paul's gonna say a lot of things about Christ's resurrection, and therefore I'm going to say several things about Christ's resurrection. But Paul's argument throughout is for the resurrection of those who belong to him. He offers three arguments, I'm gonna cover two of them. The first one's in 12 through 19, verses 12 through 19. The second is in verses 20 through 28, the last one, I'm not gonna have time for is in verses 29 through 34. The first is really a logical argument based on the gospel. Again, the issue is not a denial of Jesus Christ's resurrection, but the claim, verse 12, there is no resurrection of the dead. Paul counters by pointing to the inconsistency of believing in the resurrection of Jesus, verses four and 11, and denying the resurrection of believers. And he says, in other words, if you deny a resurrection, if you deny the resurrection, you deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And you deny what we preach and what you believed. In other words, if you deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ, you actually say that what we preach is false. That we're lying about God because he didn't actually raise Jesus from the dead. That all the apostles, not just Paul, are out actually fabricating some story. And this is what you believed. That's the second part. Not only are you saying that this gospel is false, but you are necessarily then saying that your faith is useless. How can a faith in an untruth, a falsehood, save you from your sin? It's either true or it's not. And if it's not true, we're liars and you're, well, damned. You're still dead in your sins if Christ wasn't raised from the dead. It's a simple argument. No resurrection, no resurrection of Christ. No resurrection of Christ, false gospel. False gospel, useless faith. Useless faith, you're dead in your trespasses. You're dead in your trespasses, identity and hope of the Christian It banishes. It's all a facade. And we of all people are most to be pitied. Of course, Paul's pointing out that it's a little bit like Jenga, right? You're familiar with Jenga, the game you play with all the blocks, right? Jenga? Thank you, love. I am so blessed. Jenga. Jenga. Blocks. You know the game. You know how it works, too, right? You pull the blocks out. Paul is saying that the entire edifice of the gospel is built on two blocks. Christ's death for our sins and his resurrection, and I'm just gonna add, for our justification, both are necessary. If you pull one of those out, the whole thing falls. The whole building falls. Two blocks, both necessary, inseparable, even. Of course, the whole thing works backwards as well. That is Paul's argument. If Christ was raised, then there is a resurrection of the dead. If there is a resurrection of the dead, then the gospel is true, their faith is efficacious, they are forgiven, those who have fallen asleep have not perished, but will rise, and those who labor for Christ are not to be pitied because their labor is not in vain, but gain. That's really the rest of 1 Corinthians chapter 15, by the way. The second argument is redemptive historical, verses 20 through 28. And this argument really can be summarized in one word, first fruits. You can just summarize his entire argument and you are going to be shocked at how much I'm still going to say about it, given that you can summarize it in one word, but I'm a preacher. Jesus' resurrection is the guarantee of our resurrection. He is the firstfruits, that is the part of the harvest or crops that signals the rest of the harvest. It signals it, it guarantees it. If you have the firstfruits, then what is going to follow is the rest of the crop. Why? Why is Jesus the first fruit that guarantees the rest of the crop, that signals the rest of the crop? Well, because Paul goes on to explain, in Adam all die. And so he's going to make a redemptive historical argument here by comparing Adam and how sin and death entered the world through Adam so that all die, our experience of death, is actually linked to another historical reality. That historical reality takes us all the way back to the beginning of time, when God created all things in six days. And at the end of the sixth day, his final act of creation was to create human beings in his image, male and female. And so, he creates the first man, Adam, and he enters into covenant with him, and he gives him a covenant stipulation, a law, a covenant law, binding him to that which he was already bound by the way, that is personal, perfect, perpetual obedience, but making it law, he holds out and extends to him the reward of eternal life, which Adam could have attained for him in all of his posterity. had he obeyed, but instead in disobeying, Adam brought sin and death into the world. Listen, I know that seems like a really archaic story. It's a little hard to believe in our modern day. Haven't we outgrown such myths and fairy tales? There is no better explanation for the world that you see every single day than the one that the Bible gives you that starts with Genesis chapter one, two, and three. Paul's point is that in Adam all die. Likewise, remember there's a comparison being made here, likewise, in Christ, all are made alive. Paul is not saying that just as all of every single human being, because they come from Adam, die, so also every single human being is made alive in Christ. The comparison is covenantal. The comparison is representative. The comparison is headship. It's this federal nature that Christ, like Adam, represents a people. And the people he represented, he died for their sins. And the people he represented were raised with him and seated with him, Ephesians chapter 2, in the heavenly places. And that that resurrection of his is representative and guarantees that what he is, they are. So also, Adam, what he did was as a representative of us, so that what he did came to us, so also what Christ did comes to those who belong to him. That's the argument. Make sense? Verse 23. Here's where Paul really gets after it. but each in his own order. Paul's argument depends on us understanding according to the Old Testament that God had a telos, an end, a goal. And that there's an order in redemptive history that is moving all things inevitably towards that end, God's end, the one that He has designed. And so Paul's point requires us to understand that, to understand this. According to the Old Testament, what's the end? Well, it's stated in different ways in different places, but you can summarize it as this, the glory of God filling the earth as the waters cover the sea. where all the earth is under the righteous reign of God, mediated through the Son of Man, who has established the kingdom of God from sea to shining sea. That's the end. What's the point? Paul says in verses 23 and following, We're not there yet. What Paul does in verses 23 and following is actually offer a map, like you'd find on a kiosk. I was saying during Sunday school class, it's like the mall, and then as soon as I said it, I realized that no one goes to a mall anymore. But like the airport or amusement park maybe. There's lots of places that have kiosks. Am I even using the right term, kiosk? These are the things I think in my head. So, you know, a map and it says you are here. And so you identify where you're at so that you can get to where you want to go. That's the point of the map, right? The point of the map is you identify, okay, I am here, that way I don't head in the wrong direction. I need to know where I'm, if I just look at the map, and I'm like, oh, that's where I want to go, but I have no idea where I'm at, how much help is that? If I want to get here on the map, this place, the Screaming Eagle, And I'm, is the screaming eagle still a thing? Okay, I haven't been to Six Flags in a while. And so you're over here, or I'm here, but I think I'm here. That impacts how I move. It impacts the direction I take. We need to know not only where we're going, but where we are. So Paul says, Let me keep it really simple. First Christ, the resurrection, that's happened. Identify that on the map. He says, then Christ returns. That's out in front of us. And the resurrection of the dead. Christ, the firstfruits, then it is coming, those who belong to him. And he says, then, following that, just past that, comes the end. The telos, the goal. When he delivers the kingdom of God, the Father, and now this can get a little confusing, but it's important to hear what he says here, and he says, after, So he's actually taking a step back on the map, okay? So Christ, Christ's return, he hands the kingdom over, and then Paul says after, when does he hand the kingdom over? After he has subjected all of his enemies under his feet, okay? I want you to pay close attention to verses 25 and 26. Paul here is given the reason for this order. For he, that is Christ, must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. And this is what Paul's after. This is what Paul's after here. The last enemy, the very last enemy. So let's go back to that order. the resurrection of Christ, and then you have the return of Christ, and the dead are raised, all who belong to Christ are raised, and then he hands the kingdom over to the Father. And that's what we're looking for. That's what we're trying to get to. That's the place on the map that we want to be. So where are we? Where is the you are here sign? Well, it's between the empty tomb and the return of Christ. It's between those two points. And Paul says, after all things are subjected to him, then the last in me to be destroyed will be death. Here's what I want to suggest. Paul is just done, he's just backed up. to the you are here sign, and he has said, listen, right now Christ is reigning. You don't see it, as the writer of Hebrews says, but he is reigning. What is he doing? You don't see it, but he's actually subjecting all things under his feet, as his father requires. We sang it, the work is finished on the cross, amen, hallelujah, his high priestly work of atonement is finished, but his work isn't finished, There's more that He is going to do, right? For example, He's gonna be raised from the dead. He was raised from the dead. He ascends to the right hand of the Father and becomes a life-giving Spirit. He receives the Spirit and He pours the Spirit out upon His people so that they now participate in His life. being sealed to him by the Spirit, by faith, a gift given by God, we are united to the resurrected Christ who is seated at the right hand of the Father, reigning over all rule and power and authority, and we're down here and we're looking around and it looks crazy. We don't see that rule. And Paul's saying, listen, the kingdom comes after Christ destroys. all of God's enemies. And then he, don't miss this, verse 26, the last enemy to be destroyed is death. I take that to mean that the last enemy to be destroyed, or the last enemy is destroyed at the resurrection. He points up, he backs up, and says, what is Christ doing? He's reigning now, and what are we waiting for? What is the Christian hope? What's the point we're looking for on the horizon? His return, what happens when he returns? The dead are raised, as Paul's gonna go on to say, we are transformed, and death is destroyed. Death, I'll just use his words. They're inspired, mine are not. Verse 54. When the perishable puts on the imperishable and the mortal puts on immortality, then. Okay, so we have a when, then. When, then. When this happens, then this will happen. When what happens? When we are transformed in the twinkling of an eye. The we here are those who are alive when Christ comes. What else will happen? The dead will be raised. So the dead will be raised, imperishable and immortal, and those who are still alive will be transformed in the twinkling of an eye from acorn to oak. That's for Sunday school. And then it says, and then what is written will come to pass. Why is this important? Well, what's written? Death is swallowed up in victory. Listen, we sing that, don't we? We sing death is swallowed up in victory and amen, but do you realize that what we are doing is singing in anticipation in expectation of what we desire to see fulfilled. When will death be swallowed up? It says right here, when the perishable puts on the imperishable. Poke yourself. Just move your knees if you're like over 40. You feel that? That is not imperishability, is it? Right? when the perishable puts on the imperishable and the mortal puts on immortality, when those who bear the image of the man of dust, verse 49, put on the image of the man of heaven, then, then death will be destroyed. Then death will be swallowed up. You are here. Why do you need to know that? Because you need to feel the weight of not being there yet. Thanks be to God who has given us the victory, who is giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. But we are a people who are waiting and working, abounding in the work of the Lord with great confidence because we know that our labor is not in vain. What we do here in the body matters. It matters, why? Because it's this body that's gonna be sown, and it's this body that's gonna be raised up. It matters. We long for something. that this is but a, it's like right now we're seated at the Lord's table and we have bread and butter. Oh, and it's so good. We were living in the streets before. We had nothing, we were eating dust. Now we're seated around the table and he's provided bread and butter and it's wonderful. But how foolish would it be to think that this is what our Father has in store for us and to miss the fact that there is a feast prepared for His children that is beyond what we have thought or imagined. Isaiah was read this morning. This is where this passage comes from. Death will be swallowed up. I just want to hear these words again. He will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe tears from all faces. You still weep. And you are here. And you long to be there. The reproach of his people will he will take away from all the earth for the Lord has spoken. We still bear reproach as we faithfully follow Jesus Christ in this world. then you are here and you long to be there. It will be said on that day, behold, this is our God. We have waited for him that he might save us. This is the Lord. We have waited for him. Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation for the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain. And it goes on to describe the utter defeat of the enemies of God and the enemies of his people. You are here. But you long to be there. Or to put it another way. Christ is not finished. Verse 28, we have another when then. I personally think this is one of the most powerful when thens in all of the New Testament. When all things are subjected to him, the him there is Christ, then the son himself will also be subjected to God. I'm gonna read it again. When all things are subjected to Christ, it's a future event, all things being subjected to him. Then the Son himself will also be subjected to God, who put all things in subjection under him that God may be all in all. What? Then Christ will be subjected to God? Isn't he already subjected to God? What in the world is Paul talking about? No. It is not finished. When we sing it is finished, absolutely sing it with all your heart and know that we are referring to the redemptive work of Christ on the cross whereby he has removed our condemnation and our sin as far as the east is from the south. Amen, praise God, it is finished. But, but, it is not finished. all things must be subjected to him. It's like the people of Israel in Egypt after the Passover sitting in their houses being like, woo, that was close. Man, this is good, this is really good. I love it, I love it, this is great. Or can you imagine him standing on the edge of the Red Sea just thinking, you know, this is good enough, this is far enough. I mean, at least we've gotten out of Egypt almost kind of, sorta. Or maybe they get to the other side and in the wilderness you just think, we can set up camp here, this is a good place. It wasn't finished. They had to cross the Jordan, they had to enter the promised land. David had to both suffer and be raised up and be exalted. He had to bring the kingdom of God to its fullest manifestation under that old dispensation, under that old covenant. There is something so much greater just on the horizon. All things will be subjected to the Son of Man. And then He will be finally and fully glorified. It's a little crazy, I know. But when will Christ be fully glorified? when God becomes all in all, when every cause of sin and all lawbreakers are removed from the earth, and the sons of the Father shine in his kingdom like the sun. When the sons of glory are revealed is another way to put it. Paul puts it that way in Romans chapter eight. That's our hope. That's where we need to keep our hope fixed. Why? Because it impacts the way that we move towards that hope, the way that we live, in two ways. Let me give you these two ways, and we'll bring it to a conclusion. And I can't think of any better way to conclude this service by actually doing a baptism. Afi, are you still up for it? I'm gonna say yes. Okay, great, perfect. All right, so. We, okay? Having our hope rightly set on Christ's final victory when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. When that takes place, that will take place quite apart from our help. I know it's a crazy thought. You look at human history, and we have helped God out so much at so many times, and you think, how in the world is this actually going to come about if we don't make it happen? I assure you that Christ is not waiting for you, okay? I assure you Christ is not in heaven thinking, if only Jeff would do his part, I would have come back already. I'm serious, this is utterly ridiculous. There is a day fixed and Christ will return, period. That is our hope. You know what that does? It absolutely frees you to work with all the strength that God provides for his glory here and now, knowing that he doesn't need you. What freedom we have. What freedom we have just to give our lives. And that's the second point that we need to see. That our hope is not the removal of our enemies here and now and peace and tranquility and all the benefits of heaven without our Christ. We are following the path of a suffering servant. And as we abound in the work of the Lord, we understand that the world will look at us and think, man, I feel sorry for those folks. Why? Because they have it all? Because they're rich and prosperous and we have all of our enemies bowing before us? That doesn't make much sense, does it? No, they will see Us living for Christ, mortifying our flesh, giving up the things of the world, faithfully following him and think what a waste of a good life. Not recognizing that it is great game. If you don't know where you're going. And you don't know where you are. you most likely will not walk a very straight path. Probably good, right? About there, is that? You know what, let me just conclude with the, and see if this lines up. This is how Paul concludes. His message in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, therefore, this will be my conclusion, therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. Let's pray. Gracious Father, we thank you for this day. which we focus our attention on the resurrection of your son, Jesus Christ, much like we do week by week. Father, we thank you that his resurrection is the guarantee of ours. And Father, we thank you that there is a day quickly coming when he will return, the dead will be raised, we will be transformed, and death, the last enemy, will be destroyed. And Father, he will deliver the kingdom, your kingdom, to you when every knee has bowed and every tongue confessed that your son is Lord. You will be glorified. You will be all in all. Father, we long for the day when your glory fills the earth as the waters cover the sea. Father, would you help us to set our sight on that which we cannot accomplish and to give ourselves fully to the task at hand. knowing that our labor is not in vain. We ask in Jesus' precious name, amen.