Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Thursday prior to Epiphany 7

 

1 Corinthians 15:21-26, 30--42Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God

God will provide a new body for life in heaven. Even Christians can become confused on the matter of the body after death. Is the body to be preserved at the high cost of burial? Will the body be resurrected on the last Great day? If there is no body, can we exist as spirits? If there is a body what is it like? These questions troubled the Corinthian church: ‘How are the dead raised? With what body do they come? In this lesson Paul helps us understand the resurrected body.

A New Body for an Old Soul

Even Christians sometimes become confused on the matter of the body after death. Should the body simply be discarded? Is the body to be preserved at the high cost of burial? Will the body be resurrected on the last great day? If there is no body, can we exist as spirits? If there is a body, what will it be like? These question troubled the Corinthian church as Paul asks them and us today; “How are the dead raised? With what body do they come? In this lesson Paul helps us understand the resurrected body.

1.      We will have a body after death – V. 38

A.      A body for identification – related to the physical body. We will recognize each other.  –V.37

B.      A body for communication purposes. We will talk to each other.

2.      The kind of body God will give us – Vv. 42-44

A.      A spiritual body God will be us – Vv. 42-44

B.      A body that will not grow old – V. 42

C.      A glorious body – V. 43a

D.     A strong body – V. 43b[2]

 

Collect for the Morning – Faithful God, whose mercies are new to us every morning, we humbly pray that You would look upon us in mercy and renew us by Your Holy Spirit. Keep safe our going out and our coming in, and let Your blessing remain with us throughout this day. Preserve us in Your righteousness, and grant us a portion in that eternal life which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.[3] -17 February, 2022


[1] Luther’s Seal, copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2] Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series C, John Brokhoff © 1979 CSS Publishing, Lima OH
[3] Collect for the Morning, Lutheran Service Book, © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

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