Victory

Tablets: We do have a system to stay in touch with people. We have these tablets that we pass through the audience. We ask everyone to fill it out every Sunday, and if you are new, there is a place for you to provide more information so we can get in touch later.

Handout: We also provided a handout for you to follow along with us throughout this series, because this chapter is the premier chapter on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We are teaching through , and in verses 1-34 the Apostle Paul is anchoring our lives and death in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, because one day Jesus is going to return, one day our bodies will be resurrected in glory, and one day Jesus will return and all things will be made new in heaven and on earth.

Then, in verses 35-49 we see a description of what our new bodies in glory might look like, and in our passage this morning we see victory over death that changes how we live, that no matter what storms may come we will endure. Look at verse 50: (SLIDE)

, “50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.”

The pronoun “I” in verse 50 is the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul is writing to the Corinthian church and in verse 50 the Apostle Paul writes the words, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”

Which means when Jesus returns it doesn’t matter if you are dead or alive, because all those who are in Christ will be transformed into glory. Look at verses 51-52: (SLIDE)

, “51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will 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 will be changed.”

In verse 51 the Apostle Paul writes, “Behold!” He is clapping his hands. He is getting our attention and writes, “I am telling you a mystery.” I am telling you something that has been kept hidden through the ages, but now in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection has been made known.

Do you understand the gospel is a mystery? There is a reason your friends and family doesn’t understand Jesus. There is a reason Jesus teaches in parables. The good news of Jesus is a mystery.

Every other world religion says, “This is what you need to do earn God’s favor.” This is how you need to live to earn God’s blessings. This is what you need to say to get God’s attention.

But, the good news of Jesus is that you are completely given God’s favor, blessing and attention, not by works, but by grace through faith in Jesus.

This is why the Apostle Paul writes, “I tell you a mystery.” The gospel doesn’t make sense to our world. The gospel is the Upside Down of Stranger Things. It is the opposite of what our world expects to hear.

Therefore, in verse 51 the Apostle Paul writes, “I am telling you a mystery, and the mystery is we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.” Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. It doesn’t matter if you are riding a roller coaster, or 6-feet under, when Jesus returns, and you are in Christ, the perishable will be made imperishable.

And the transformation in Christ will happen in a “moment.” The transformation will happen in the “twinkling of an eye.” The word “moment” in the original language is the word “atomos” which is where we get the English word “atom” and it means a unit of time that is indivisible, which means the transformation into glory will happen so fast we can’t even imagine.

The trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised, and all those who are in Christ will be transformed into glory. Look at verses 53-54: (SLIDE) (Moving fast, but c’mon)

, “53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

At the end of verse 54 we see the culmination of , “Death is swallowed up in victory.” Have you noticed our culture has a fascination with death?

In our culture today we try to act like death isn’t a big deal. We try to make death sound like a normal part of life with things like, “Nobody lives forever!” Or, “Death is a natural part of life.”

And, yet at the same time we try to avoid death as much as possible. We eat healthy. We take vitamins. We take medications. We get check-ups for every possible scenario, and then say, “Death is normal!”

Have you been to a funeral? First, the dead are quickly carried off by professionals to be prepared for burial, which all takes place behind closed doors. Then, at the funeral our loved ones are dressed in their best clothes, morticians add make-up, we turn the lights down low, we surround the coffin with huge colorful flowers, and then we say, “See, isn’t this normal?”

C’mon, death is not normal. Just so we are all on the same page, death is an enemy. It isn’t like on the 6th day God created death. Death is to be avoided at all possible. Psychologically when you don’t try to avoid death our medical doctors tell us, “Something is wrong with you.”

Listen to me, humanity can act like death isn’t a big deal, but we are all trying to avoid death, and the reason is a biblical reason, because all of humanity is created in the image of God and that means all of humanity is created with an intrinsic desire to live eternally.

Illustration: Do you remember that Dylan Thomas poem, “Do not go gentle into that good night, rage, rage against the dying of the light” and something deep in humanity says, “Yes!” We want to live!

The poem was recently referenced in the movie “Interstellar” but I think the best reference is the 1996 movie “Independence Day” when the president rallied the troops to fight the invading the aliens, and survive!”

Humanity wants to avoid death and it’s because all of humanity is created in the image of God, but in , listen to me, this is important, in , we see sin enter into the equation of humanity, so that our sin brings physical and spiritual death, so that at the end of verse 54 the Apostle Paul writes, “One day Jesus will return, those in Christ will be transformed, and death is swallowed up in victory.”

In today’s language the Apostle Paul is writing, “When you are in Christ, death ain’t got noth’n on me!” And it isn’t because the Apostle Paul is spiritual, or intelligent, or physically strong enough to over power death, but, it is because at the cross of Christ death has been defeated, disarmed, and will one day be destroyed. Look at verse 55: (SLIDE)

, “55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

It is in Christ the Grim Reaper simply turns from an executioner to a gardener. I read a story of a pastor this week who said, “When I met Jesus death went from an executioner to a gardener.”

When you are in Christ, what can death do? Death simply becomes a gardener who plants me into this earth as a seed, and when Jesus returns I will be raised to become a glorious flower.

As a follower of Jesus, this is our perspective in life. The perishable will become imperishable, and it isn’t because we have positive thoughts about death, or poetical language about death, but because the sting of death has been completely absorbed in Jesus at the cross. Look at verse 56: (SLIDE)

, “56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;”

These words are powerful. I am going to need to draw out some deep layers of theology, but if you stay with me, your mind is going to be blown.

When the Apostle Paul writes, “the sting of death is sin” it means death isn’t really hurtful unless there is sin. Does that make sense?

Death in and of itself isn’t a big deal unless there is sin. The God of Scripture isn’t concerned about death. Jesus says to Lazarus, “Come out!” Jesus said to the little girl who was deceased, “Get up!”

The God of Scripture isn’t concerned about death, but the God of Scripture is concerned about sin, and it is because of our sin that we see a sting of death, therefore the Apostle Paul writes, “The sting of death is sin.”

The problem is our sin, and the power of sin is the law, and I could lose you here, but don’t check out, stay with me, the law isn’t just the Scriptures we hold in our hand.

The law is the Scriptures, but also the law is made known in all of creation. , “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen.”

Which means all of humanity is going throughout life knowing inherently we have fallen short of God’s glory. All of humanity knows deep down we should be perfect, we should be , in the garden, in perfect, because we are created in His image, but because of our sin we go through out the day layered with guilt and shame. You with me?

Illustration: You know that feeling in life, “Ah, man, why did I do this?” That’s guilt. Every human being has those moments throughout life.

Then, there are some of us who then replay that mistake throughout our day over and over and over. That’s shame.

The reason we have those layers of guilt and shame is because the law is testifying to our souls through the Scripture and through creation, “Life shouldn’t be like this.”

Now our culture is going to say, “The reason humanity has guilt and shame is because of religious tones in our culture, and if we can get away from religious tones we wouldn’t have guilt and shame.”

But, come on, our culture has been removing the supernatural for the last 100 years, and people are just as depressed, anxious and fearful about their guilt and shame as ever.

You can go into different cultures around the world, religious and secular, and you are going to see layers of guilt and shame.

If you’re successful you feel bad for being too successful. If you’re not successful you feel like a failure and you haven’t done anything with your life. If you’re a parent you feel shame about not being a better parent. If you’re a child you feel shame that you somehow disappointed your parent.

Illustration: We all have this little voice in our head that cries out, “You should be a better person. You should try harder. You should be smarter. You should do something with your life.”

Therefore, we need to ask ourselves this morning, “What do we do with that guilt and shame?” Our culture says, “Just don’t think about.” Just rename, just excuse it, just block it out, just accept it, but listen to me, guilt and shame isn’t just a psychological problem in our heads.

When we mess up in life there are tangible things in play. There are real offenses taking place. If you murder someone you can’t just say, “No big deal.” There is a real offense.

Murder is a little extreme, but when you wreck your car into someone you can’t just say, “I am sorry. Don’t be mad. Walk away.” No, there is real offense. You are in debt to that person. Your guilt isn’t just emotional or hypothetical or psychological. You smashed up that person’s property.

When you say something hurtful to a friend. You can’t just act like it didn’t happen and walk away. You can, but the damage is done. If you hit a dog over and over you can’t just whistle and expect them to come. There is a real fracture in the relationship.

Therefore, what do you do with the guilt and shame? 100 years ago our culture would go to priests and pastors to ask forgiveness, and it would kind of help.

Today people don’t go to priests and pastors, but they go to counselors, bartenders, and hairdressers to confess their guilt and shame, and it kind of helps, but there is still an outstanding balance of debt to be resolved. Look at verses 57: (SLIDE)

, “57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

But, thanks be to God! Our only hope to remove the power of sin handed down through the law which turns to guilt and shame is to turn to Jesus, admit our guilt and shame, and ask for His help.

Jesus doesn’t say, “No big deal.” Jesus doesn’t say, “Just keep yourself busy so you don’t have to think about it.” Jesus doesn’t make excuses and say, “Well, your life was hard.” Jesus doesn’t send us into some spiritual nirvana and say, “Just be a better person.”

No, Jesus comes to pay the debt of our offense. Jesus comes to be a suitable sacrifice who lays His life down at the cross.

Jesus becomes our guilt. Jesus endures the cross and despises the shame. Jesus puts our guilt and shame to death at the cross, and in Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus makes His righteousness available to all who call on His name.

Illustration: Listen, when verse 57 says, “Jesus brings victory” it doesn’t mean you think on these truths one time and all guilt and shame instantly go away.

No, it means throughout the day we are going to encounter those layers of guilt and shame, and for those who are in Christ, we turn to Jesus to be reminded our guilt and shame has been absorbed at the cross.

This is why the Apostle Paul can write, “O, death, where is your victory, where is your sting!” The sting of death has been completely absorbed by Jesus at the cross, and every time he is confronted with his guilt and shame he can turn to Jesus, and ask for the Holy Spirit to help him believe, “The sting has been removed!” Look at verse 58: (SLIDE)

, “58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

In the Apostle Paul writes, “For those who are in Christ, our bodies will be transformed glory.” Therefore, in verse 58 the Apostle Paul writes, “My beloved, be steadfast on this truth, be immovable on this truth, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”

The word, “immovable” in the original language is the word, “ametakino.” Kino is the German word for movies, or in English “cinema” for motion pictures, but the Apostle Paul writes to be “a-kino”, actually he writes, “a-meta-kino” which means “beyond not moving.”

He is charging the Corinthian church to hold fast to the life, death, resurrection and return of Jesus who will raise their bodies in glory.

Yes, the culture is going to push and prod, but hold fast. Don’t move an inch. Don’t be a motion picture tossed to and fro, always running from this to that, but be settled, and stand firm in the truth that one day Jesus will return, our bodies will be raised, and everything we do in this life is not for this life, but in the life to come.

Is it going to be hard, yes! The word “toil” means labor and there are times we are going to sweat, we are going to be exhausted, we are going to be wearied, but let us not grow weary, but instead let us “always abound in the work of the Lord.”

The word “abound” means to be “plentiful.” Which means because these words are true we are to be “over doing it in our work for the Lord.”

I know our culture is rallying around “self-care” and taking breaks, and leisure, and I get it, our culture can lean towards just being busy to be busy, but let us not seek pleasure to the point of lulling ourselves away from the glory that is to come in Jesus.

Plus, if these words are true, then how could we give our lives to this world? There are souls to reach. There are people who are hurting. There are ministries to accomplish, and we must rally together so that we might “abound in the work of the Lord.”

This isn’t a solo response; this is the body of Christ rallying together to take these truths seriously. We need every one of us actively directing our lives toward the glory that is to come in Jesus Christ.

We need to be grounding ourselves in the Scriptures every day. We need to watch the character of our lives when we are at work. We need to nurture thriving marriages, and joyful parenting.

We need your spiritual gifts of leadership, mercy, teaching, and administrating, so that we direct our church family toward the glory that is to come in Jesus.

We need to pull our resources financially. We need to die to the comforts of this world. We need to speak up in boldness. We need to care for those who are hurting in our church family, in our city, and around the world, so that we will be always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our toil is not in vain.

One day death will come knocking at our door, and we will see a dark hall-way with a door-knob wrapped in cobwebs, and we will hear the creaking of the door when it opens, but on that day the door will open, and we will smile, we will laugh, we will rejoice, because we will open that door not to death, but to Jesus.

Passage: “Victory”

Reflect: Has the sting of death been removed through faith in Jesus? If so, are you centering your hope on His return?

Repentance: Turn to Jesus, seek His forgiveness, and ask for His help to obey.

Rejoice: There is victory in the life, death, resurrection and return of Jesus.

Prayer:

· Help us to root this truth into our soul until we can endure any obstacle.

· Help us to see death as a gardener and not an executioner.

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