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Paul has been addressing a hypothesis: Christ has not risen from the dead.
That hypothesis leads to some difficult conclusions:
Faith is vain or meaningless.
See 1 Corinthians 15.14
Faith is vain or meaningless.
Faith is also fruitless.
Think about that in the context of the Fruits of the Spirit- Galatians 5.22-23
That would mean there is no real love.
no real joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control in a believers life- we are actually full blown hypocrites to claim otherwise!
WE believers, actually still carry the guilt of their sins and are not justified.
Additional context: SEe 1 Cor 15.18
There is no hope whatsoever for those who have died.
There is no reason to put up with hardship or persecution for their faith.
and in the 19th verse that we have read this morning, we find that we are the most pathetic, or pitied people, on earth- If Christ has not been raised from the dead.
So now, let’s summarize:
If Christ Has Not Risen, Faith is:
Meaningless
Fruitless
Nullifies Forgiveness
Hopeless
Persecution For Our Faith is Worthless
Let’s begin:
We are most pitied…pathetic..... that is the final conclusion.... so, Paul is about to answer the hypothesis:
The “But in fact” or “But indeed” is a hallmark of Paul’s speech.
He uses this term throughout scripture to make vital points in an emphatic and conclusive way.
In Romans 3.21, Paul says, But in fact righteousness.....
In Romans 6.22, he says , but in fact you have been set free from sin
Romans 7.6 he says, but in fact we are released from the law.
And so , he says here, but in fact emphatically and conclusively that the resurrection of Christ is an integral part of the gospel message of Christ.
At the beginning of this chapter, he said this in 1 Corinthians 15.1-4
Because believers faith is predicated upon the resurrection of Christ, believers must also take the conclusion of the fact that Christ is “firstfruits”- that there are also second fruitsj- and that means the Christian dead.
The image of the “first fruits” in the OT is meaningful in the book of Leviticus.
Firstfruits were the first sheaf of the harvest offered to the Lord- it was prior to the main harvest and also an assurance that the remaining harvest was on its way.
Christ rose first.
bodily.
And He is the guarantee of the resurrection of the Christian dead at his second coming.
The man who brought death is Adam.
The one who will bring about the resurrection of the dead is Christ.
See 1 Corinthians 15.45
The whole human race, represented by Adam, will die or have died.
All who are in Christ- God’s redeemed people- will be made alive at the resurrection.
Remember John 5.25
Paul is stressing different times: Christ, the firstfruits, was made alive in three days after death.
For Christians believers, they will be made alive at the “Parousia”- his second coming.
The word here can simply mean at a person’s presence, but when used of Christ it always refers specifically to his second coming… REmember Matt 24.27
Remember, Paul is talking about time sequences.
In verse 24 he continues and that is shown by the word “then”, a participle.
“Then” refers toe the time of Christ’s second coming and the resurrection.
I am not an expert in eschatology, but you can count on it that this “time” is referred to in Revelation 20.4-6
Paul’s “then” means that the next thing in order, after this time, is the process of Christ handing his kingdom over to His Father, God.
Note what Paul says in this passage- he turns over His kingdom after destroying every rule and authority and power.
Christ will have conquered every power and authority at this time.
Look at Colossians 1.16
This is complete.
Every kingdom and power and government of this world must be conquered- they were created by him and for him and He will reign over even them.
Look at the 25th verse, “For”
“For” He , Christ, must at that time continue his reign… his millennial reign of Revelation 20:4-6.
Until all his enemies are under his feet.
“Under His Feet” equals total conquest.
It is an allusion to Psalm 110.1
Finally, in 1 Corinthians 15.26, the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Brace yourself.
If you wanted to tear this passage completely apart- and someday we may- it would take you at least 8 sundays, in my opinion.
And then, we’d have lots more to discuss.
The time frame here involved is a very long time, and not a precise time by design.
God said no one knows the hour, not even the Son Himself.
And that reign I mentioned in Revelation 20: it is a thousand year millenial reign.
And I didn’t even talk to you about the fact that not only us- but all of creation will be resurrected: The new heaven and the new earth are the resetting and recreation of what God intended in the original creation....
But you don’t want 8 weeks today, so I better cut back.
But before I do , Listen to Romans 8:18-25
Romans 8:18-23 is all about our world our lives and the Christian resurrection that is coming.
But in 24-25, Paul is talking about faith.
And why do I mention this?
Because remember, back in the beginning of the message, Paul was talking about faith.
He was talking about faith, and the hypothesis that if Christ hadn’t been raised we had no hope.
It looked like this:
If Christ Has Not Risen, Faith is:
Meaningless
Fruitless
Nullifies Forgiveness
Hopeless
Persecution For Our Faith is Worthless
So, what does Paul say in Romans 8.24-25
Look at that last verse.
They remembered.
Christ Rose From Death That We Could Live In Hope
Faith In Christ Is Fuel For Life
The early church believed every Sunday is a little Easter.
We celebrate the resurrection of Christ.
But for many people, the Monday through Saturday can be a little Good Friday.
Some people can die a few times, or a thousand times.
Watch people and how they respond to the deaths that are dealt to them.
They will either die a little, or live a little more.
What’s the difference?
I believe it is the presence of Easter, or the lack thereof, in our lives.
If Christ is Risen and Risen Indeed- then the Christian is Risen, and risen indeed.
Jesus lived his entire life knowing that He would be ridiculed, abandoned, mocked, unaccepted and left out.
Yet He lived.
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