1 Corinthians 15:50-58 | Victory Over Death
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Welcome those watching online | Bridge church plant in Hancock]
Annual meeting next week right after 10:30 service | Proposed budget is available
PT couldn’t be here today due to health issues.
The resurrection of Christ addresses the problem that every single human being has to face: death
Regardless of gender, race, socio-economic status, every single one of us in this room is going to die some day. Death the invincible enemy that no human being has been able to stop.
The Bible has much to say about this invincible enemy and offers hope-filled answers.
1 Corinthians 15:26 states “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
Sermon title: VICTORY OVER DEATH!
This Resurrection Sunday I want to address three fundamental questions:
What makes death such a powerful-invincible enemy?
Is there hope to overcome the enemy of death?
What difference does it make in my life come Monday morning?
What makes death such an invincible enemy?
Here’s why. 1 Corinthians 15:56 “The sting of death is sin.”
What does it mean that the sting of death is sin? Look at the previous verse
V.55 ““O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?””
This rhetorical question implies that death’s sting has been removed.
The basic meaning of the Greek word for sting (Gk. Kentron) is “anything which pierces.” (Theological Dictionary of the NT)
It’s a stinger like the the ones scorpions have (c.f. Revelation 9:10)
V.55 could also be translated. “The stinger of death is sin”
Death has a lethal poison: sin
Here’s the reality: Everyone here has been stung with death’s stinger.
1 Corinthians 15:21 “Death came into the world through a man.” (NLT)
1 Cor 15:22 “Everyone dies because we all belong to Adam.” (NLT)
This is a reference to Genesis 3.
Genesis 5 functions as a reminder that death entered the world.
Adam lived 930 years and he died
So and so lived x number of years and he died...
Graphic - scorpion
Death is like a poisonous scorpion. When we lived in Mexico we would find scorpions all the time. First question, “are they poisonous? “
Notice the stinger. If the scorpion gets its stinger into you, it will claim you and you will die (ok probably not 100% fatal but you get the point).
The same goes for death, the stinger of death is sin. Death can only kill you if you sin. We all have sinned (Rom 3:23)
However, if you were to remove the stinger, it can no longer sting you and the scorpion becomes an annoying insect (like a box elder bug)
It’s the same for death: if you cut off its stinger—that is, if you cut off the power of sin—death holds no threat.
No single human being has been able to stop the enemy of death.
Is there hope to overcome the enemy of death
Absolutely! That’s what Resurrection Sunday is all about!
1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
There is only one person who was qualified and able to defeat death:
Graphic - Jesus took the sting of death
The imperishable One became perishable on our behalf.
The immortal One became mortal on behalf of sinners. On the cross he absorbed the sting of death
“[Death’s] venom has been absorbed by Christ and drained of its potency so that the victory over death now belongs to God and to God’s people, who benefit from it.” (David Garland)
The Christian experiences victory because of what Christ accomplished through his death and resurrection.
Victory over spiritual death: Since the stinger of death has been removed, sin has lost its power to remove believers from God’s presence. You are no longer in sin (1 Cor. 15:17).
Victory over physical death. (c.f.1 Corinthians 15:21)
Yes, you and I still have to die.
BUT,
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 “ 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 imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.”
The phrase “the last trumpet,” is an OT imagery used to describe the last day.
We shall be resurrected and transformed into an Imperishable and immortal body. It is at this moment that when all believers are changed where sin and death will have lost all power. We will be fit to live in God’s Kingdom.
Our minds and bodies are prone to decay and sin, but one day we will have a body free of all that.
I look forward to experiencing complete freedom from sin. I’m tired of sin.
Final victory over the world.
Final victory over the flesh.
Final victory over Satan.
“We can have freedom and walk in freedom today. It’s not something we have to wait until we get to heaven to experience.” Sarah Franco
1 Cor 15:57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The final question I want to address is, “so what?”
How do I live my life now in light of such victory?
What difference does it make come Monday morning?
1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Therefore: In light of Christ’s victory.
Christian hope must not disconnected from Christian living. In v.58 Paul uses the word, “therefore” in order to connect the reality of the resurrection of Jesus as our motivation for how we live our lives in light of the hope of the resurrection.
Three practical applications.
Let your mind have a solid foundation on the truth of the gospel
Let your mind have a solid foundation on the truth of the gospel
v.58, “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast.”
Be steadfast, a word that means “being firmly or solidly in place.” (Greek-English Lexicon of the NT)
The word implies steadfastness to the message of the gospel
1 Corinthians 15:1-2 “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”
Colossians 1:23, NLT “But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.” (i.e. the gospel)
“Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.” Charles Spurgeon
Let your heart rest in the promises given to you through the gospel
Let your heart rest in the promises given to you through the gospel
V.58, “Therefore, be immovable.”
Psalm 112:6-8 “For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. 7 He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. 8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.”
The promises of God are given for us to increase our love for God and to increase our trust in him.
Let your hands invest in gospel work even when you don’t see immediate results
Let your hands invest in gospel work even when you don’t see immediate results
v.58, “Therefore, be always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. “
“abounding in the work of the Lord always,” recalls his earlier language describing the Corinthians as the work of God because of the labors of God’s servants (1 Cor. 3:5–15; 9:1; 15:10; cf. 16:10). The exhortation “to abound” or “to excel” (περισσεύειν, perisseuein) also appears in 14:12 and is connected to building up the church. Putting these two pieces together may shed light on the meaning of the ambiguous phrase “abounding in the work of the Lord.” It would be related to whatever contributes to building up the church.” David Garland
What is the work of the Lord? It is whatever contributes to building others up.
MEFC vision: Investing in people to experience Christ’s transforming power, together.
Invest in others In light of the reality of the resurrection. Your investment will not be in vain. “In vain” like chasing after the wind.
Luke 14:13-14 “13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.””
Colossians 3:23-24 “23 Whatever you do, work with all your heart, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Whatever you do. Sacred vs. secular
DJC - We are representing Christ.
Mondays look different in light of the resurrection.
Without the resurrection of Christ all we have is a hopeless end. With the resurrection of Christ, we have endless hope.
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