|
The 15th chapter of 1st
Corinthians begins with Paul admonishing the brethren in Corinth to hold fast to
the gospel which he had preached to them. Verse 2 tells us that this gospel is
that by which they were saved. Salvation comes through the gospel! Paul
reminds them in verse 3 that the first thing he taught them was that CHRIST DIED
FOR OUR SINS according to the scriptures. His death was foretold in the
scriptures and in every aspect was as they had predicted and fulfilled God’s
eternal purpose. But Paul doesn’t stop there does he. The story of Jesus
doesn’t end with His death; in fact it really begins there in a way doesn’t it?
Paul goes on to say that Christ was buried. This burial was much the same as it
would be today in some parts of the world and certainly was a common burial for
that day and age. One unusual thing about His burial was that He was laid to
rest in somebody else’s tomb. Joseph of Arimathea provided an unused tomb for
Jesus’ burial. Another unusual thing about his burial was that there were
guards posted outside the tomb. Now, I don’t know about you, but I think that
was a pretty unusual thing to do. Not many people have guards stationed outside
their burial places. Of course we know that they were placed there to keep
Jesus’ disciples from stealing His body and claiming that He had risen from the
dead. Rise from the dead is exactly what Paul says He did on the 3rd
day, also according to the scriptures, fulfilling prophecy and God’s plan.
The bulk of
chapter 15 tells about the witnesses to Christ’s resurrection and how by rising
from the dead, Jesus has defeated death. The section of this chapter that I
would like to concentrate on today is the last few verses from 50 to the end of
the chapter and in particular verse 58. Please read with me if you will.
1 Cor 15:50-58
50 Now this I say,
brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does
corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not
all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put
on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this
corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality,
then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up
in victory."
55 "O Death, where is
your sting?
O Hades, where is your
victory?"
56 The sting of death is
sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be
steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that
your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
This whole chapter, culminating with this
glorious account of the victory that Jesus had over death and the victory we can
have also. But what kind of victory is Paul talking about: I believe we can
summarize it with three areas 1st. Victory over the fear of death vs.
51-55 2nd. Victory over sin vs 56 and 3rd. The
victory that Jesus gives
The reality of
death is something that is recognized in the Bible. The Hebrew writer said in
Hebrews 9:27And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the
judgment. We may try to wish it away, we may try to pray it away, we may try to
cry it away; but the fact is that all men will die and then face judgment. If I
am not mistaken, there were only 2 men, Enoch and Elijah, who passed from this
life without physically dying. We must come to grips with the reality of
physical death. The fear of death is understandable to someone who does not
know about Jesus’ victory over death and it can enslave them. Sometimes this
fear is absolutely paralyzing and people fail to function as they should. They
are enslaved by their uncertainty, not knowing what happens after death.
There is a story
that is told about a French ruler in the Middle Ages, I’m not sure if it is
true, perhaps some of the history buffs in the audience can tell me afterwards.
But as the story goes, this ruler was particularly cruel and when he had put
people in prison they didn’t come out. It was said that once a year he would
make the following offer to one of the prisoners. You must choose from the
following choices; you may choose the guillotine or you may face what is behind
the black door. Without fail, every prisoner chose the guillotine, not because
they wanted to die but they knew that death would be swift and there would be
little to no pain. The fear of not knowing what was on the other side kept them
from choosing the black door. What do you suppose was on the other side of the
ominous black door? Freedom. They would have been free to go with a pardon for
past crimes, but they chose death instead.
According to
Paul, we can have freedom from this fear of death because we will be raised from
the dead incorruptible verse 52. Paul quotes from Isaiah 25:8 when he said
Death is swallowed up in victory and from Hosea 13:14 when he said O death where
is your sting?
So often it seems
that death is the victor. Don’t you suppose that the apostles and disciples
thought that death had been victorious over Jesus at the cross? Even today, we
stand by and feel helpless when one of our loved ones is dying. Medical science
has not and will not win over death. Yes, they may continue to prolong life and
perhaps even give quality to our lives for a greater period, but the only death
that can be overcome is… spiritual death. That is what Isaiah, Hosea and Paul
were talking about and that is what Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is all
about. We can have control over our fear of death, if we have Christ. We can
have control over our fear over death if we have faith in His resurrection from
the dead. In fact if we are in Christ, we not only can have control over our
fear of death, we can and should welcome it shouldn’t we. Paul said, For me, to
live is Christ, and to die is gain (Phil 1:21) The only way he could
have said this is if he was 100% confident in Christ’s resurrection from the
dead and His ability to offer that same hope to Paul. Paul wanted to be with
Christ, and guess what folks; he got his wish didn’t he.
The second area
of victory we can have is the victory over sin. What does verse 56 say puts
sting into death? Sin! There is a law of sin that produced sin and death
Romans 8:1-3 says;
8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who
are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to
the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free
from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was
weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,
Who is the one
who is under the law of sin? The one who is controlled by sin Rom 6:11-14
says;
11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed
to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin
reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not
present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present
yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments
of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you
are not under law but under grace.
We can have this victory over sin if we are not
allowing ourselves to be dominated and controlled by sin. The only way that
will happen is if we become alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. How do we
get into Christ Jesus our Lord? Galatians 3:27 says For as many of you as were
baptized into Christ have put on Christ. We put on, the original language means
to clothe oneself or wrap oneself up in Christ, when we are obedient to Him by
submitting ourselves to baptism or immersion in water.
The third area I
would like to look at is the victory that Jesus gives us. He saves us from the
guilt and condemnation of sin, we read that a short while ago in Romans 8. He
also makes us strong enough to have control over sin. He can keep us saved from
sin: 1 John 1:7
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses
us from all sin.
Isn’t that what John is
talking about here? Jesus can
cleanse! If! If what? If we walk in the light as He is in the light!
The difference between a
Christian and a non-Christian is not sinlessness. If it were there would be no
Christians because we all sin and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3:23,
even after we become Christians. No, the difference is not sinlessness, it’s
forgiveness. Christians have been forgiven, justified, redeemed from their
sins. And 1John 1:7 says that the cleaning job is not over when we come up from
the baptistery. No, the job has just begun. Let us not be guilty of teaching
others that they have to live perfectly after they become Christians, because if
we do, they never will!
The final thing
Jesus gives us is the confidence that since He has been raised from the dead, so
shall we. If some of our religious neighbors are correct, and there is no life
after this life, then what a pitiful existence our Creator has given us. If all
we have to show for ourselves is what we have and do on this earth, and when we
die there is nothing else, total annihilation, end of existence; then we are
above all men most pitiful. Isn’t that what Paul says in… this… very… chapter.
Look with me at verse 17 and following; And if Christ is not risen, your
faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen
asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we
are of all men the most pitiable!
The great news is
in the next verse, listen and see if you can hear Paul’s excitement and
confidence But now Christ is
risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen
asleep. Can you hear it? Do you feel it? Do I feel it?
Do we believe it? Do we believe in the victory
that has over come the world 1 John 5:4? I hope you and I do as Paul did? I
hope we can spend eternity in heaven with Paul and share our excitement about
Jesus and His love for us? But will we? There is a story told about an elderly
man who was on his deathbed. He called his two sons to his bedside for the last
time. To one son he said I love you and I will see you again some day. To the
other he said I love you, goodbye my son. The difference was the second son was
not faithful to God and the father knew it and knew that he would never see this
son again. |