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1 Corinthians 15:50-58
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can also download our service at Baptist-Christian at iTunes. When the resurrection comes to mind, exactly what do you think about? Is it life after death? Is it the Rapture? Perhaps eternal life? The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is the focal point of all human history. Like so many of the great doctrines of Scripture, this one has become commonplace to the point it has lost much of its meaning. Actually God intends it to be one of the most powerful “drawing” points to non-believers. Let’s consider a new order in the resurrection.
- THE MEANING OF THE RESURRECTION! If we consider Paul’s simplest definition of resurrection we might, at first, object to it! In just five words the great Apostle teaches us resurrection will be certain, all inclusive, and scary to most people! When God says, in v.51, will, it is as certain as you are right now; all means all; and the scary part is change! “Change” scares some people so much that their daily life as a Christian looks exactly like the lives of those without Christ! True resurrection means that which is perishable will become that which is imperishable. Physically, that won’t happen until the Rapture; spiritually it has already happened. A true Christian no longer has a physical, temporal view of life; they look heavenward towhere their treasure is waiting for them. The resurrection means “God has already won!!” When God says anything must happen, it must therefore, happen! Salvation changes everything about your perspective—if salvation really occurs in your life. The question is: what does the resurrection mean to you in your everyday life? Ponder
- THE MESSAGE OF THE RESURRECTION! Verse 54 sums up one of the most powerful doctrines in all of Scripture. Read it, then think about it. Everyone must face two deaths; one is physical, the other is spiritual! Jesus tells us not to fear physical death, but to fear spiritual death, Matt. 10:28. The word Jesus uses for death means, not extinction, but ruin, loss; not of being, but ofwell-being. That’s why hell is referred to as a place of torment and suffering. People will most certainly be very much alive, but experience, forever, an unimaginable suffering and torment because they rejected Christ as Savior. The message of resurrection tells us hell has been overcome and eternal life with Christ is available now to all who will accept it. Finally,
- THE MANDATE OF THE RESURRECTION is to stand firm! We can stand firm, in Christ, because He has given us a sure victory over all sin and unrighteousness. This world and everything in it is passing away, 1 John 1:15-17, but because of the resurrection (a new order) true Christians are not part of that world. In essence, we are not passing away. We are eternal beings made new for a future eternal world that exists in the very physical presence of a thrice holy Almighty God! The mandate to all Christians is to always give ourselves fully, not partially, but fully to the work of the Lord because the Resurrection means our work for Him is never in vain.
If we can help you answer your spiritual questions, call us at (574) 643-9419.
