Saturday, April 3, 2021

Easter Sunrise

 

1 Corinthians 15:19-28

 Victory is Guaranteed

Days prior to Super Bowl III New York Jets quarterback “Broadway Joe” Namath guaranteed victory. The country was shocked and taken aback. How could he be so sure, so brazen, and so confident? People simply didn’t make such predictions.

In a more serious note St. Paul guarantees our victory over death. From the perspective of what God intended for us – that we should not die but live – death is indeed a certain enemy.  Yet here in our text Paul makes a bold statement – our victory over death is guaranteed! How is this so?

I.        Our victory over death is guaranteed by Christ’s resurrection.

A.     Christ is the first-fruits.

1.      Just as the first sheaf of grain offered as a sacrifice to God in the Old Testament represented the full harvest that was to follow, so Christ’s resurrection is the first of many resurrections that will surely follow.  But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. -v.20

2.      Because our resurrection from the dead is assured, our physical death can be regarded as sleep. “The first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” v.20b

3.      The hope we have based on Christ’s resurrection does not relate only to this life but also to life beyond physical death. “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” -v.19

B.     Christ is the source of life.

1.      Death is an event brought on by the first man, Adam.

2.      The second Adam, Jesus Christ, the God-man, by His death and resurrection abolished death. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. And which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”-V.22;   2 Timothy 1:10

Transition: But when will this banishment of death occur for us in view of the fact that we must all experience physical death? “Each in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ” V.23 Our victory over death is guaranteed!

II. At Christ’s 2nd Coming.

A.     The triumphs of evil that we see around us, especially the devastation caused by death, will not continue forever.

1.      Christ is even now in control and will one day openly display His victory over all evil.

2.      In the meantime He will not permit any evil, including death, to destroy us. “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death.  For, “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is accepted who put all things in subjection under him.”   -Vv.25,-27

B.     The day is coming when all the forces opposing God will be utterly destroyed. “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.” -V. 24

1.      The scheming of Satan, the plotting of evil people, the perversities of our sinful nature, and the grip of death will be conquered.

2.      From that day on there will be no more death!

C.     The second coming of Christ will mark the beginning of a new existence in which the Triune God will be everything to us in a kingdom of glory without end.” When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him that God may be all in all.” -V.28

Can we guarantee victory without any hesitation or doubt? The resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees our victory over death, pointing us to that day when we shall rise to endless life, and death shall be no more!

Words-685
Passive Sentences – 15%
Readability – 69.1%
Reading Level-7.7
Easter copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

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