WEBVTT 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:03.000 Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 00:00:04.759 --> 00:00:08.259 We are looking at chapter 15, verses 20 to 34. 00:00:09.740 --> 00:00:12.099 This morning it's page 961. 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:24.240 If you are looking in a pew Bible, please join me as we read from Paul's words to the 00:00:24.240 --> 00:00:27.359 Corinthians and God's words to us. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:36.460 Verse 20, but in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who 00:00:36.460 --> 00:00:37.299 have fallen asleep. 00:00:38.519 --> 00:00:42.899 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 00:00:43.840 --> 00:00:50.260 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive, but each in his own order. 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:56.840 Christ the firstfruits, then, and his coming, those who belong to Christ. 00:00:56.840 --> 00:01:03.960 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:05.760 and every authority and power. 00:01:05.900 --> 00:01:10.719 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 00:01:11.219 --> 00:01:14.379 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:18.560 For God has put all things in subjection under his feet. 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:23.540 But when it says all things are put in subjection, it is plain that he has accepted who put all 00:01:23.540 --> 00:01:24.880 things in subjection under him. 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:31.660 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him 00:01:31.660 --> 00:01:38.020 who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. 00:01:39.020 --> 00:01:43.740 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? 00:01:43.739 --> 00:01:47.959 If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 00:01:48.839 --> 00:01:51.479 Why are we in danger every hour? 00:01:52.099 --> 00:01:56.299 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:01:56.419 --> 00:01:58.799 I die every day. 00:02:00.179 --> 00:02:04.819 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? 00:02:04.979 --> 00:02:07.959 If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:10.680 Do not be deceived. 00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:13.540 Bad company ruins good morals. 00:02:13.780 --> 00:02:19.580 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning, for some have no 00:02:19.580 --> 00:02:20.460 knowledge of God. 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:22.420 I say this to your shame. 00:02:24.300 --> 00:02:29.640 We're in the middle of Paul's most extensive discourse on the resurrection. 00:02:30.659 --> 00:02:36.680 And as we've said, this chapter isn't just one more on the laundry list of topics that 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:40.000 Paul wants to address, issues in the Corinthian church. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:44.900 It's really the crown and the conclusion and the capstone of the letter. 00:02:46.060 --> 00:02:50.159 Paul began by saying, this is of first importance. 00:02:51.659 --> 00:02:58.020 Nothing else matters without it, and everything else makes sense in light of it. 00:02:59.020 --> 00:03:04.479 Last week, Paul was asking the negative question, what if it's not true? 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:08.679 What if there is no resurrection from the dead? 00:03:09.379 --> 00:03:11.780 What if even Christ has not been raised? 00:03:11.859 --> 00:03:15.639 And Paul says, in that case, our preaching is in vain. 00:03:15.959 --> 00:03:17.319 Your faith is in vain. 00:03:17.699 --> 00:03:19.459 We are misrepresenting God. 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:21.019 You are still in your sins. 00:03:21.299 --> 00:03:24.780 The dead in Christ have perished, and we're of all people most to be pitied. 00:03:24.780 --> 00:03:30.539 But now Paul turns in verse 20 and makes his positive claim. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:35.460 He says, but in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. 00:03:36.740 --> 00:03:39.120 That's the thesis statement of this whole chapter. 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:44.199 And the rest of this passage and the rest of this chapter, Paul explains what it means 00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:46.039 and why it matters. 00:03:46.039 --> 00:03:53.500 The first paragraph, verse 20 to 28, tells us what it means in the big picture of everything, 00:03:54.379 --> 00:04:00.599 how the resurrection of Christ reveals God's larger plans for his people and for his creation 00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:03.299 from the beginning all the way to the end. 00:04:04.340 --> 00:04:10.180 And then verses 29 to 34 tell us why it matters in our day-to-day lives. 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:14.939 What difference it makes to following Jesus in the present. 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:21.680 You see, Paul's assumption here is that what we believe about the future significantly impacts 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:23.800 how we behave in the present. 00:04:23.900 --> 00:04:31.140 What we hope for makes a big difference in terms of how we act and live day by day. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:36.640 Now, in this passage, Paul is addressing a group of Christian believers. 00:04:37.820 --> 00:04:40.160 But let me acknowledge, some of you may not be Christians. 00:04:40.320 --> 00:04:44.460 Some of you may say, how could you believe that a man really died, 00:04:44.459 --> 00:04:50.060 and after three days of his body lying in a grave, he got up and came back to life? 00:04:50.099 --> 00:04:51.539 That sounds like a fairy tale. 00:04:52.979 --> 00:04:57.560 I guess it's a beautiful idea, but how could you have any confidence that actually happened 00:04:57.560 --> 00:04:59.039 in human history? 00:05:00.219 --> 00:05:01.819 That's a very legitimate question. 00:05:01.819 --> 00:05:07.579 And we addressed it two weeks ago in verses 1 to 11. 00:05:07.699 --> 00:05:10.620 So you can look at that sermon from two weeks ago if you're interested in that. 00:05:11.219 --> 00:05:16.899 Paul, I'm not going to repeat what I said then, but you can talk to me or talk to other Christians. 00:05:17.100 --> 00:05:20.539 We can point you to some resources if that's a question that you have. 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:26.399 But this morning we're focusing on what the resurrection means in the big picture of everything 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:28.819 and why it matters in our everyday lives. 00:05:29.779 --> 00:05:33.139 In other words, you could say we're really asking, is it coherent? 00:05:33.799 --> 00:05:35.819 Does it make sense within a larger worldview? 00:05:36.479 --> 00:05:37.419 And is it relevant? 00:05:38.159 --> 00:05:39.959 What difference would it make if it were true? 00:05:41.019 --> 00:05:42.259 So let's jump in. 00:05:43.679 --> 00:05:48.639 First, what it means in the big picture of everything, verses 22, 28. 00:05:49.679 --> 00:05:53.359 And there's two things in this section that we're going to see. 00:05:53.360 --> 00:06:00.620 The resurrection of Jesus is, number one, the restoration of God's purpose from the beginning. 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:07.080 And second, it's the guarantee that God's purpose will prevail in the end. 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:11.400 This is a complicated… this whole passage is pretty dense. 00:06:12.080 --> 00:06:13.939 But that's basically what Paul's doing. 00:06:14.020 --> 00:06:16.300 He's starting from the beginning and then looking toward the end. 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:21.500 So notice how Paul points back to God's purposes from the beginning in creation. 00:06:21.500 --> 00:06:30.740 If you look at verse 21 and 22, Paul refers to Adam, the first of God's image-bearing human beings, 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:33.180 the representative of all humanity. 00:06:33.300 --> 00:06:36.800 The word Adam is the Hebrew word for mankind, right? 00:06:36.920 --> 00:06:41.699 Paul also refers back to Psalm 8, which we read earlier in the service, 00:06:41.819 --> 00:06:44.339 which poetically describes God's creation. 00:06:45.300 --> 00:06:49.959 The heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars which you have set in place. 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:54.439 And then it describes the place of humanity within God's created order. 00:06:55.479 --> 00:06:59.799 You have made him… you have made man a little lower than the heavenly beings. 00:07:00.239 --> 00:07:01.899 And crowned him with glory and honor. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:06.500 You've given him dominion over the works of your hands and put all things under his feet. 00:07:06.500 --> 00:07:20.139 In other words, God's purpose from the very beginning was that humanity represented in Adam would be God's wise, image-bearing rulers over creation. 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:29.399 In other words, God made us in his image to rule over creation under God as God's representatives in the world. 00:07:29.399 --> 00:07:36.219 But of course, if you read Genesis chapter 3, or even if you just look around at the world, 00:07:37.379 --> 00:07:44.259 we see that ever since the beginning, human beings have not fulfilled our calling to rule over creation under God. 00:07:45.399 --> 00:07:45.659 Right? 00:07:45.699 --> 00:07:49.359 From the very beginning, we refused to be under God's lordship. 00:07:50.679 --> 00:07:52.659 Eve listened to the voice of the serpent. 00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:55.719 Adam followed Eve's example, even though he knew better. 00:07:55.720 --> 00:07:59.140 And the result was they became alienated from God and each other. 00:08:00.580 --> 00:08:03.280 They were sentenced to spiritual and physical death. 00:08:04.080 --> 00:08:07.060 And all creation was subjected to futility and corruption. 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:13.780 And because we refuse to be under God, we can't rule over the world that God has given us. 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:17.780 Paul would say, just look at what we do with our physical bodies. 00:08:17.780 --> 00:08:24.840 That is the first piece of creation that we are commanded to have dominion over, is our physical bodies. 00:08:25.720 --> 00:08:29.180 Our bodies were intended by God to be portable temples. 00:08:29.940 --> 00:08:38.899 That is, walking demonstrations of his presence in which God's holy presence would dwell and through whom he would be displayed to the world. 00:08:41.100 --> 00:08:43.580 But consider what we have done with our own bodies. 00:08:43.580 --> 00:08:47.139 Sometimes we worship our own bodies. 00:08:48.259 --> 00:08:50.660 Greedily seeking to indulge our impulses. 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:55.320 Making it our goal to pursue fleshly pleasures. 00:08:55.580 --> 00:09:00.759 Or vainly seeking to put ourselves on display and get other people to notice us. 00:09:01.800 --> 00:09:03.620 Sometimes we worship other people's bodies. 00:09:04.620 --> 00:09:08.000 Fixating on them in lust or with envy. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:13.779 Or at other times we dishonor our own and other people's bodies. 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:20.440 When we treat them as something ugly and inferior and unredeemable. 00:09:21.220 --> 00:09:22.440 Not worth caring for. 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:29.100 Or perhaps when we despise people of the opposite sex or people of another racial background. 00:09:29.460 --> 00:09:33.000 Or despise people of our own sex or our own race. 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:39.340 In all these ways we fail to recognize our bodies for what God created them to be. 00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:43.679 And then of course many aspects of our bodies aren't under our control. 00:09:43.860 --> 00:09:47.039 They're easily devastated by sickness and injuries. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:50.559 And ultimately they're subject to death. 00:09:51.840 --> 00:09:55.500 And if we look around at the world beyond our own bodies isn't this what we see? 00:09:55.500 --> 00:10:03.279 That human beings having refused to live under God's authority are now unable to rightly rule over creation. 00:10:04.820 --> 00:10:08.539 Creation groans, the Bible says, under the reign of sin and death. 00:10:08.980 --> 00:10:12.620 Under the rule of powers and authorities that are hostile to God. 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:19.720 But what Paul says here is that God has not given up on His creation. 00:10:19.899 --> 00:10:22.840 And He has not given up on humanity. 00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:31.940 In raising Jesus from the dead, God has demonstrated His commitment to restoring His purpose in creation. 00:10:32.560 --> 00:10:39.340 To restoring humanity in Jesus to be God's wise, image-bearing stewards of creation. 00:10:41.019 --> 00:10:46.700 We see that what Adam failed to be and do, Jesus Christ has come to be and do. 00:10:46.700 --> 00:10:52.780 Verse 22, for as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:59.120 In other words, Christ has come to reverse and undo Adam's fall and its effects. 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:06.280 Just as death is the destiny of all human beings who are led by and identified with Adam, 00:11:07.399 --> 00:11:15.200 life is now the destiny of all those who are led by and identified with Jesus Christ, Jesus the Messiah. 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:19.240 Romans 5, Paul elaborates on this more. 00:11:19.240 --> 00:11:25.840 He says, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man and much more. 00:11:26.759 --> 00:11:32.080 But much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness, 00:11:32.360 --> 00:11:36.759 much more will we reign in life through Jesus Christ. 00:11:36.759 --> 00:11:40.379 So, in other words, God has not abandoned us. 00:11:40.860 --> 00:11:47.980 He hasn't discarded us to start all over again with some other creatures on some other planet 00:11:47.980 --> 00:11:49.259 in some other part of the universe. 00:11:49.419 --> 00:11:53.720 No, He sent Jesus the Messiah to be the beginning of a new humanity 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:59.279 and to restore humanity's rightful rule over creation. 00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:03.000 That's how Paul points us back to the beginning. 00:12:04.819 --> 00:12:09.919 He says the resurrection of Jesus shows that God is restoring His purpose for humanity from the very beginning. 00:12:10.980 --> 00:12:16.899 But then he says the resurrection of Jesus guarantees that God's purpose will prevail in the end. 00:12:16.899 --> 00:12:22.459 Verse 20 and 23, Paul says, the risen Christ… 00:12:22.459 --> 00:12:25.139 The word Christ simply means King or Messiah. 00:12:26.120 --> 00:12:28.819 So, when we say Jesus Christ, we're really saying King Jesus. 00:12:30.299 --> 00:12:35.220 Paul says in verse 20 and 23, the risen King Jesus is the first fruits. 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:39.959 Now, that was a familiar metaphor in an agricultural society. 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:48.720 When you saw the first fruits, the first crop of the year, it was the guarantee of a future harvest to come. 00:12:49.780 --> 00:12:55.860 Even in our own very modest backyard garden, we have a tomato plant that's doing quite well. 00:12:56.720 --> 00:13:00.879 And our kids were very excited that this plant that was planted in April, 00:13:01.280 --> 00:13:06.240 as a little tiny scrawny thing that we bought in a store, right, 00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:09.040 had actually grown and produced tomatoes a couple weeks ago. 00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:12.299 And they were excited because they knew that it was going to keep on doing that. 00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:15.139 For the rest of the summer, it was only the beginning. 00:13:17.599 --> 00:13:23.459 In the Old Testament, the first fruits of the crops or the flock were offered to God 00:13:23.459 --> 00:13:28.480 as an offering of worship, and it had to be without blemish. 00:13:29.319 --> 00:13:31.379 A flawless sacrifice. 00:13:32.279 --> 00:13:34.719 As a recognition of God's gracious provision. 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:39.600 And so, it's an appropriate metaphor to use for Christ, for Jesus. 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:42.840 God's gracious provision. 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:43.720 The flawless sacrifice. 00:13:44.540 --> 00:13:46.720 The guarantee of our future inheritance. 00:13:47.720 --> 00:13:49.720 Paul's saying when we… 00:13:50.740 --> 00:13:56.080 The resurrection of Jesus guarantees that God's purposes will prevail in the end. 00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:01.300 Verse 23, Paul talks about the coming of Christ. 00:14:01.299 --> 00:14:06.159 And that word coming is the word used for a royal appearance. 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:11.839 It's when the emperor would go and visit a far-off city in his empire. 00:14:12.359 --> 00:14:17.439 And when he would arrive for his official visit with all the pomp and fanfare, 00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:20.199 and everyone would see who was really in charge. 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:27.359 And all who belonged to him would acclaim him and would celebrate and rejoice. 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:35.820 And Paul says when King Jesus returns and comes in glory, those who belong to him, who believe in him, 00:14:36.259 --> 00:14:39.500 will be raised with him to rejoice with him. 00:14:41.159 --> 00:14:43.700 Verse 24, Paul goes on. 00:14:43.740 --> 00:14:46.840 Verse 24 to 26, Paul says, then comes the end. 00:14:48.060 --> 00:14:54.539 So, he describes the end as the final victory of the Messiah over all God's enemies. 00:14:54.539 --> 00:15:00.959 Verse 24, he will destroy every rule and every authority and power. 00:15:02.299 --> 00:15:08.139 Now, if you notice in Paul's letters when he uses those words, rulers, authorities, and powers, 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:11.679 he doesn't usually use them in a neutral sense. 00:15:12.759 --> 00:15:19.500 He's almost always referring to corrupted authorities that are trying to compete with God. 00:15:19.500 --> 00:15:26.360 So, Ephesians 6, we don't wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:29.960 against the cosmic powers over this present darkness. 00:15:31.559 --> 00:15:33.580 And that's how he's using the terms here. 00:15:34.940 --> 00:15:39.360 Christ will reign, verse 25, until he has put all his enemies under his feet, 00:15:39.940 --> 00:15:42.539 and the last enemy of which is death. 00:15:42.539 --> 00:15:49.539 And we can know this because in the resurrection, Christ has conquered and demonstrated his victory over death. 00:15:49.579 --> 00:15:56.319 And that's the guarantee that one day, in the end, he'll be victorious over everything that stands against him. 00:15:57.879 --> 00:16:03.819 The deceptive lies of Satan, the empty boasts of humans, 00:16:03.820 --> 00:16:09.820 the addictive allure of idols, and the looming jaws of death. 00:16:10.379 --> 00:16:17.140 All will lose their power before the resurrected coming King Jesus. 00:16:19.040 --> 00:16:20.160 You know, think about it this way. 00:16:21.780 --> 00:16:28.620 What is the biggest threat that anyone can make against you to try to get you to do what they want? 00:16:30.780 --> 00:16:31.860 I'll fire you. 00:16:31.860 --> 00:16:34.820 I'll destroy your reputation. 00:16:35.860 --> 00:16:37.019 I'll leave you. 00:16:37.620 --> 00:16:38.820 I'll kill you. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:44.060 Paul's saying if Jesus Christ has conquered even death, 00:16:44.600 --> 00:16:49.759 and if he will one day judge the world in righteousness and raise his people to life again, 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:56.180 then even the most fear-inducing threats are no longer all-powerful 00:16:56.179 --> 00:17:02.219 because they cannot outlast Jesus. 00:17:03.339 --> 00:17:05.759 He's bigger than them all. 00:17:06.859 --> 00:17:08.339 N.T. Wright put it this way. 00:17:08.460 --> 00:17:13.240 At the conclusion of his long book on the resurrection, he wrote this. 00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:13.559 He said, 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:43.559 00:17:43.559 --> 00:17:56.379 So this is what Paul is saying. 00:17:56.379 --> 00:18:02.579 In the big picture of everything, the resurrection of Jesus restores God's purposes from the beginning, 00:18:02.579 --> 00:18:05.419 and it guarantees that they'll prevail in the end. 00:18:06.539 --> 00:18:11.279 And then verse 28, when Paul's describing the end, he brings us back once again to the beginning. 00:18:12.819 --> 00:18:15.899 Not only will King Jesus defeat all his enemies, including death, 00:18:16.259 --> 00:18:19.579 he will lead all creation in willing obedience to God. 00:18:19.579 --> 00:18:24.000 Unlike Adam, who rejected God's authority, 00:18:25.419 --> 00:18:31.119 Jesus, as the head of a new humanity, will gladly acknowledge God's authority over him. 00:18:31.179 --> 00:18:32.419 That's the point of verse 28. 00:18:33.439 --> 00:18:35.199 Verse 27, 28 can be a mouthful, 00:18:36.199 --> 00:18:38.399 but verse 28, you sort of see the point. 00:18:38.399 --> 00:18:44.720 When all things are subjected to him, that is to Jesus, to the Son, Christ, 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:48.860 then the Son himself will also be subjected to him, 00:18:49.299 --> 00:18:52.220 who put all things in subjection under him, that is, subjected to God. 00:18:52.380 --> 00:18:53.900 And you might say, well, what does that mean? 00:18:55.900 --> 00:19:02.600 Now, the word translated subjection in 27 and 28 can also be translated something like order. 00:19:03.160 --> 00:19:07.160 It's actually the same root word as the word that is translated order in verse 23. 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:21.380 But the point is, so the Son himself will be put in order under God or subjected to God. 00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:22.560 Now, you might say, well, wait a minute. 00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:26.180 That sounds a little weird, right? 00:19:26.340 --> 00:19:33.220 Is Paul saying that somehow God the Son is less than God the Father by being subjected to him? 00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:40.900 And the answer is no, because Jesus the Son is fully God and fully human. 00:19:41.880 --> 00:19:47.539 And because he's fully God, Jesus shares eternally in the Father's glory and authority. 00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:53.519 And there are plenty of other passages that emphasize that truth about Jesus' equality with God. 00:19:54.420 --> 00:20:01.100 But here he emphasizes that the Son is willingly obedient to God because he is the representative human being. 00:20:01.099 --> 00:20:08.839 He's fulfilling the human vocation described in Psalm 8 to rule over all creation under God. 00:20:11.779 --> 00:20:16.619 And so he's restoring the creation order. 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:21.899 God ruling over his image-bearing human beings who are in turn ruling over creation. 00:20:22.439 --> 00:20:26.759 And Jesus is our representative as our human brother. 00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:26.799 Father. 00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:29.720 So again, he's… 00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:32.400 So that's, I think, what verse 28 is referring to. 00:20:33.220 --> 00:20:36.160 And then we come to the conclusion of this first section where Paul says, 00:20:36.900 --> 00:20:41.299 the purpose of all of this is that God may be all in all. 00:20:42.920 --> 00:20:47.799 I mean, this is a breathtaking section to read and meditate on. 00:20:48.700 --> 00:20:56.660 That Jesus Christ will one day defeat all his enemies and bring all creation back to willing obedience to God the Father. 00:20:56.759 --> 00:20:59.720 That God may be all in all. 00:21:00.460 --> 00:21:04.720 And Paul says, remember, if that was Christ's purpose, 00:21:07.180 --> 00:21:09.920 that God might one day be all in all. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:12.160 To bring all creation and willing obedience to God. 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:14.240 Is that not our purpose too? 00:21:15.339 --> 00:21:17.200 Paul has already said this in 1 Corinthians. 00:21:17.319 --> 00:21:19.700 At the end of some of the major sections, he says, 00:21:19.700 --> 00:21:21.539 glorify God in your body. 00:21:22.640 --> 00:21:26.240 Whatever you eat and drink and whatever you do, do all for the glory of God. 00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:32.299 Philippians 2, Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father. 00:21:33.460 --> 00:21:35.440 That is the great purpose of our lives. 00:21:36.360 --> 00:21:39.299 That's God's greatest great purpose from beginning to end. 00:21:39.559 --> 00:21:41.660 That we might display the… 00:21:41.660 --> 00:21:46.740 Point to the majesty and greatness of God and display the goodness and kindness of God. 00:21:46.740 --> 00:21:49.400 And that is the great purpose of Christ. 00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:52.039 And we can be included in him. 00:21:53.539 --> 00:21:58.500 So that's what the resurrection means in the big picture of everything, the first part. 00:21:59.880 --> 00:22:03.059 But now we'll see why it matters in our day-to-day lives. 00:22:04.500 --> 00:22:06.720 Verse 29 to 34. 00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:13.220 The first thing we see from verse 29 is that Christian baptism doesn't make sense without, 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:15.359 apart from, the resurrection. 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:20.959 Otherwise, Paul says, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:24.779 If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 00:22:24.899 --> 00:22:28.119 And probably all of you are going, what in the world does that mean? 00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:34.939 You know, if you haven't realized it yet, we don't baptize people in the place of, 00:22:35.019 --> 00:22:37.099 and for the benefit of, people who have died already. 00:22:37.659 --> 00:22:39.119 There is no such benefit. 00:22:39.740 --> 00:22:40.000 Okay? 00:22:40.059 --> 00:22:41.299 And we have no such practice. 00:22:41.299 --> 00:22:46.220 Now, the commentaries all agree on two things. 00:22:46.359 --> 00:22:49.019 Number one, this is the most obscure verse in the whole book. 00:22:49.720 --> 00:22:52.039 And number two, we can't be totally sure what it means. 00:22:52.919 --> 00:22:57.039 Some people have counted as many as 40 different interpretations that people have come up with 00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:57.839 over the years. 00:22:59.539 --> 00:23:03.680 Now, acknowledging that, what can we say about this verse? 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:12.240 First question, does it mean that some of the Corinthians were actually being baptized in the place of, 00:23:12.920 --> 00:23:15.900 or for the benefit of, others who had already died? 00:23:15.980 --> 00:23:21.920 Maybe family members, or people who had come to faith in Christ but hadn't got baptized and suddenly died. 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:26.259 Now, today, the Mormons do just that. 00:23:27.120 --> 00:23:29.840 And they point to this verse as their justification. 00:23:31.320 --> 00:23:36.300 The Mormons say baptism is essential for salvation in the kingdom of God. 00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:43.200 And so, in order to give people who haven't been baptized a chance to enter God's kingdom, 00:23:43.340 --> 00:23:48.060 a living person may be baptized on behalf of a deceased person. 00:23:48.059 --> 00:23:55.079 During the early church period, the second century and later on, there were some relatively minor sects, 00:23:55.399 --> 00:23:59.339 followers of Marcion and Serinthus, both of whom were declared heretics. 00:23:59.879 --> 00:24:05.279 They also seem to have practiced baptism on behalf of deceased persons, also on the basis of this passage. 00:24:05.919 --> 00:24:08.859 Now, is that what some of the Corinthians were doing? 00:24:09.940 --> 00:24:16.700 And if so, was Paul simply tolerating a rather odd practice in the context of a pretty dysfunctional church? 00:24:16.700 --> 00:24:20.279 Because he was choosing his battles and couldn't correct everything at once. 00:24:20.500 --> 00:24:21.779 Some people think so. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:27.160 But I think that view is almost certainly wrong for the following reasons. 00:24:28.460 --> 00:24:36.059 Number one, apart from this one verse, there is no biblical or historical evidence, 00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:38.779 there's no other reference anywhere that we know of, 00:24:39.259 --> 00:24:44.799 to any such practice in Paul's churches or any other Christian communities in the first century. 00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:53.599 And it is always dangerous to confidently conclude something based on only one verse in the Bible 00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:56.059 with no other supporting evidence. 00:24:57.180 --> 00:24:59.879 In another place, Paul quotes the Old Testament principle, 00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:04.379 every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 00:25:05.500 --> 00:25:06.720 It's a good legal principle. 00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:09.639 It's also a good biblical interpretation principle. 00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:12.919 Compare Scripture with Scripture, and if you only got one, 00:25:12.920 --> 00:25:14.640 you don't got a lot to go on. 00:25:16.340 --> 00:25:22.200 Second, we know of no similar practices in Jewish culture or in pagan religions 00:25:22.200 --> 00:25:25.660 during Paul's time from which the Corinthians would have got this idea. 00:25:26.560 --> 00:25:29.580 Now, the Corinthian church was a mess, right? 00:25:29.600 --> 00:25:30.539 We've already seen that. 00:25:31.300 --> 00:25:34.259 So if any of the churches might have been doing this, maybe it was them. 00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:43.019 But, you know, every other crazy thing that they were doing, right, greed, sexual immorality, class divisions, 00:25:43.539 --> 00:25:46.980 all those other things were very common in their culture. 00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:53.519 You can easily see where they borrowed those practices from. 00:25:54.599 --> 00:25:56.059 Not so with this. 00:25:56.059 --> 00:26:05.059 Third, Paul seems to commend or approve of whatever he is describing in verse 29. 00:26:06.339 --> 00:26:11.839 He's saying people are being motivated by their belief in the resurrection to do this. 00:26:12.579 --> 00:26:17.159 Just as I'm being motivated to courageous self-sacrifice. 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:21.980 He uses himself as an example in 30 to 32, verse 30 to 32. 00:26:23.380 --> 00:26:24.800 And both of those are parallel. 00:26:24.920 --> 00:26:27.759 There's two rhetorical questions in each set of verses, right? 00:26:27.800 --> 00:26:31.960 And Paul's saying these practices are motivated by belief in the resurrection. 00:26:32.140 --> 00:26:37.820 So why would Paul promote something that is so wildly out of step with his understanding of baptism 00:26:37.820 --> 00:26:40.440 or even speak positively of it or refer to it? 00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:49.360 So, there are better understandings of this verse that make more sense within Paul's larger frame of thought. 00:26:49.460 --> 00:26:53.580 Here is what I think is the best understanding of this verse. 00:26:54.799 --> 00:27:04.000 The phrase translated in the ESV on behalf of or in the NIV for can also be translated on account of. 00:27:06.220 --> 00:27:07.420 So that's the first thing. 00:27:07.840 --> 00:27:08.900 Second, verse 18. 00:27:08.900 --> 00:27:14.240 If you look up at verse 18, it indicates that some of the Corinthian Christians had already died. 00:27:14.360 --> 00:27:16.120 They had fallen asleep in Christ. 00:27:17.380 --> 00:27:26.200 Now, in the early church and today, many Christians have borne powerful witness to Jesus Christ as they have died. 00:27:27.180 --> 00:27:34.680 Some died as martyrs and others have faced death with unwavering faith and hope in the bodily resurrection. 00:27:34.680 --> 00:27:42.500 And many times, other people have come to faith because of the witness of a dying Christian. 00:27:43.600 --> 00:27:49.000 So the Apostle Paul came to faith partly because of the witness of the martyr, Stephen. 00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:54.660 And so when Paul was baptized, he could have said something like, 00:27:54.660 --> 00:28:01.380 I am here on account of the witness of the faithful martyr, Stephen. 00:28:01.380 --> 00:28:11.160 Stephen is now dead, but I look forward to seeing him and worshiping Christ with him in the resurrection. 00:28:11.160 --> 00:28:20.240 I think that's the most likely understanding of what Paul means by being baptized on account of the dead. 00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:28.359 That is being baptized on account of the faithful testimony of Christian believers who have previously died. 00:28:29.259 --> 00:28:36.440 And with the hope of worshiping Christ with them in the bodily resurrection. 00:28:36.700 --> 00:28:39.200 And it makes sense of Paul's train of thought because he says, 00:28:39.539 --> 00:28:41.920 if the dead aren't raised, why would you do that? 00:28:43.460 --> 00:28:45.279 Why would you hope to see them again? 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:48.420 And why would you be baptized? 00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:49.819 Because of their testimony. 00:28:52.779 --> 00:28:55.460 Christian baptism doesn't make sense apart from the resurrection. 00:28:56.559 --> 00:28:59.700 So I think that's what we make of that difficult verse. 00:29:01.420 --> 00:29:03.000 But then Paul goes on to say, 00:29:04.019 --> 00:29:06.759 it's not just Christian baptism that doesn't make sense without the resurrection, 00:29:07.019 --> 00:29:08.440 it's Christian suffering. 00:29:10.660 --> 00:29:13.460 And Paul points to his own life as an example in these verses. 00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:16.539 Verse 30, he says, 00:29:16.639 --> 00:29:17.819 I'm in danger every hour. 00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:20.019 Verse 31, he says, 00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:21.339 I die every day. 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:22.700 Verse 32, 00:29:22.839 --> 00:29:24.139 I fought with beasts at Ephesus. 00:29:25.119 --> 00:29:26.259 Now you read these verses, 00:29:26.379 --> 00:29:28.059 you can tell Paul's got a little riled up here. 00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:31.240 He's got a bit of righteous indignation, 00:29:31.639 --> 00:29:32.879 which is not a bad thing, 00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:34.859 as long as you keep it under control. 00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:38.440 Paul didn't literally fight wild beasts in Ephesus. 00:29:39.160 --> 00:29:41.259 He's speaking metaphorically. 00:29:41.399 --> 00:29:41.599 He's saying, 00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:44.960 I've been dealing with dangerous and powerful opponents. 00:29:46.279 --> 00:29:49.119 Blood thirsty antagonists who wanted to tear him to pieces. 00:29:49.379 --> 00:29:52.079 Paul was writing this letter from Ephesus. 00:29:53.319 --> 00:29:56.079 In fact, in the next chapter, chapter 16, verse 9, 00:29:56.879 --> 00:29:57.720 Paul mentions, 00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:02.759 there are many adversaries here who are against me. 00:30:03.299 --> 00:30:04.359 According to Acts 19, 00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:07.480 some of them provoked a riot in reaction to his preaching. 00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:09.940 Paul's not exaggerating. 00:30:09.940 --> 00:30:11.580 His life was in danger. 00:30:12.920 --> 00:30:18.299 He was facing a lot of opposition and antagonism. 00:30:19.660 --> 00:30:22.440 And you know, if you go through what Paul went through, 00:30:23.240 --> 00:30:27.100 you lose some of the wishy-washy, cowardly politeness 00:30:27.100 --> 00:30:30.039 that sometimes characterizes our speech. 00:30:31.380 --> 00:30:34.559 Paul is pretty straight and to the point here. 00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:37.319 He says, 00:30:37.399 --> 00:30:39.200 what in the world do I gain, 00:30:39.539 --> 00:30:40.579 humanly speaking? 00:30:40.740 --> 00:30:41.179 That is, 00:30:41.639 --> 00:30:43.139 from a merely human point of view, 00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:44.440 without the hope of the resurrection, 00:30:47.440 --> 00:30:48.079 if the… 00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:49.919 what do I gain from all this suffering? 00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:52.399 What do I gain from facing all this opposition 00:30:52.399 --> 00:30:53.940 for the sake of the gospel? 00:30:54.779 --> 00:30:55.859 If the dead aren't raised, 00:30:55.940 --> 00:30:56.299 Paul says, 00:30:56.359 --> 00:30:57.700 let's just try to feel good. 00:30:58.200 --> 00:31:00.440 Let's just try to enjoy ourselves while we can. 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:01.899 Party like there's no tomorrow, 00:31:01.900 --> 00:31:03.480 because you only live once. 00:31:05.700 --> 00:31:06.560 But Paul says, 00:31:06.640 --> 00:31:10.040 that is the futility of life without hope. 00:31:11.660 --> 00:31:14.320 It's the futility of life without hope 00:31:14.320 --> 00:31:16.019 that is based in God 00:31:16.019 --> 00:31:18.240 and hope in the bodily resurrection. 00:31:18.840 --> 00:31:19.880 And it's a way of life 00:31:19.880 --> 00:31:21.960 that will only end in judgment. 00:31:23.259 --> 00:31:24.220 As one person said, 00:31:24.280 --> 00:31:26.740 the resurrection means endless hope. 00:31:27.880 --> 00:31:30.480 No resurrection means a hopeless end. 00:31:31.900 --> 00:31:33.300 You see, 00:31:33.380 --> 00:31:34.980 Paul made courageous choices 00:31:34.980 --> 00:31:37.660 to sacrifice his own comfort 00:31:37.660 --> 00:31:39.660 and even to risk his own safety 00:31:39.660 --> 00:31:43.040 for the sake of the gospel of Jesus. 00:31:44.320 --> 00:31:45.300 And he did it 00:31:45.300 --> 00:31:48.259 because he wasn't just calculating risk and reward 00:31:48.259 --> 00:31:50.060 from a human, 00:31:50.660 --> 00:31:53.420 this life-focused point of view. 00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:55.480 He was looking at things 00:31:55.480 --> 00:31:56.820 in light of resurrection, 00:31:57.100 --> 00:31:57.360 hope, 00:31:57.480 --> 00:31:58.360 and promise. 00:31:58.359 --> 00:32:00.899 The problem for some 00:32:00.899 --> 00:32:01.719 in the Corinthian church 00:32:01.719 --> 00:32:02.859 was that there was nothing 00:32:02.859 --> 00:32:03.779 in their life 00:32:03.779 --> 00:32:07.919 that only made sense 00:32:07.919 --> 00:32:09.039 in light of the resurrection. 00:32:11.099 --> 00:32:12.639 They called themselves Christians. 00:32:13.419 --> 00:32:14.959 They even considered themselves 00:32:14.959 --> 00:32:16.019 spiritually advanced. 00:32:16.399 --> 00:32:17.779 But they had abandoned belief 00:32:17.779 --> 00:32:18.779 in the bodily resurrection 00:32:18.779 --> 00:32:20.159 because in their lives, 00:32:20.240 --> 00:32:20.539 Paul says, 00:32:20.619 --> 00:32:21.919 their lives reflected that. 00:32:22.279 --> 00:32:24.119 And that's why Paul concludes this passage 00:32:24.119 --> 00:32:25.359 with such a sharp rebuke. 00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:25.879 Rebuke. 00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:27.699 Don't be deceived. 00:32:29.559 --> 00:32:31.839 Bad company ruins good morals. 00:32:33.139 --> 00:32:34.179 That word company 00:32:34.179 --> 00:32:36.899 means something you belong to, 00:32:37.639 --> 00:32:40.379 like a clique or a group or a gang. 00:32:40.919 --> 00:32:41.500 Paul's saying, 00:32:42.039 --> 00:32:43.379 belonging to a bad group 00:32:43.379 --> 00:32:45.319 that's influencing you in bad ways, 00:32:45.439 --> 00:32:46.439 watch out for that. 00:32:47.779 --> 00:32:49.179 You belong to Christ. 00:32:49.180 --> 00:32:52.720 Let Christ and His people be 00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:55.420 those who are influencing you. 00:32:55.480 --> 00:32:57.160 He's not saying don't deal… 00:32:57.160 --> 00:32:58.500 He's not saying don't associate 00:32:58.500 --> 00:32:59.759 with anyone outside the church. 00:32:59.840 --> 00:33:00.700 He's not saying that. 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:03.759 He's not saying don't associate 00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:05.560 with anyone of dubious character. 00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:07.279 Jesus was well known for doing that. 00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:08.160 He's saying, 00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:10.160 beware that you're not led astray. 00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:12.600 And He says, 00:33:12.660 --> 00:33:13.120 wake up. 00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:15.980 Wake up from your drunken stupor, 00:33:16.060 --> 00:33:17.279 whether He's talking literally 00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:18.099 or spiritually. 00:33:19.619 --> 00:33:21.539 He's saying you've become complacent. 00:33:24.680 --> 00:33:26.619 And some of you have no knowledge of God. 00:33:31.619 --> 00:33:33.359 Here's the question I want to end on 00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:36.399 and consider for a few minutes. 00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:40.240 Paul could point to specific aspects 00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:41.500 of his own life. 00:33:42.899 --> 00:33:44.460 Choices that he had made 00:33:44.460 --> 00:33:46.880 that made no sense apart from 00:33:46.880 --> 00:33:48.759 the hope of the resurrection. 00:33:50.519 --> 00:33:51.180 Can you? 00:33:54.779 --> 00:33:56.059 Let me give a couple examples. 00:33:57.340 --> 00:33:58.980 Is there a person in your life, 00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:03.240 perhaps a spouse or a co-worker, 00:34:04.500 --> 00:34:07.200 a family member or brother or sister in Christ 00:34:07.200 --> 00:34:08.679 whom you are called to love, 00:34:08.679 --> 00:34:11.099 but they are ungrateful 00:34:11.779 --> 00:34:13.940 and rude toward you, 00:34:15.179 --> 00:34:16.799 and yet you have continued 00:34:16.799 --> 00:34:17.779 to speak truth 00:34:17.779 --> 00:34:19.879 and show kindness to them 00:34:19.879 --> 00:34:20.960 regardless? 00:34:22.019 --> 00:34:23.940 From a merely human point of view, 00:34:24.239 --> 00:34:26.019 that doesn't make sense. 00:34:27.619 --> 00:34:29.319 If you're not getting any payback 00:34:29.319 --> 00:34:30.119 from the relationship, 00:34:30.279 --> 00:34:31.259 and if you don't foresee 00:34:31.259 --> 00:34:33.119 that you will soon be getting payback, 00:34:33.599 --> 00:34:35.099 you might as well cut it off 00:34:35.099 --> 00:34:36.819 or make them pay 00:34:36.819 --> 00:34:40.880 and find somebody else 00:34:40.880 --> 00:34:43.639 to speak truth 00:34:43.639 --> 00:34:44.519 and show kindness to. 00:34:48.239 --> 00:34:49.579 But in light of the resurrection, 00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:54.179 that changes things. 00:34:55.839 --> 00:34:56.659 Another example. 00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:58.339 The week before last, 00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:00.259 my family and I were at a retreat, 00:35:00.980 --> 00:35:03.079 and the speakers were a married couple 00:35:03.079 --> 00:35:04.179 who had opened their home 00:35:04.179 --> 00:35:05.639 over a period of several years 00:35:05.639 --> 00:35:07.360 to seven boys at a time 00:35:07.360 --> 00:35:09.019 who were coming out of juvenile jails 00:35:09.019 --> 00:35:11.679 where they also conducted Bible studies. 00:35:13.119 --> 00:35:14.619 From a merely human point of view, 00:35:14.699 --> 00:35:15.799 that makes little sense. 00:35:18.119 --> 00:35:18.900 But Christ said, 00:35:19.019 --> 00:35:19.840 when you give a feast, 00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:22.099 invite the poor, the crippled, 00:35:22.179 --> 00:35:23.039 the lame, and the blind 00:35:23.039 --> 00:35:24.799 because they can't repay you, 00:35:24.840 --> 00:35:25.980 and you will be repaid 00:35:25.980 --> 00:35:27.960 at the resurrection of the righteous. 00:35:30.819 --> 00:35:32.380 Do we extend hospitality? 00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:35.039 Whether it's just reaching out 00:35:35.039 --> 00:35:36.779 to welcome someone new at church, 00:35:36.860 --> 00:35:38.460 even if you feel awkward about it 00:35:38.460 --> 00:35:39.840 and wouldn't normally do that, 00:35:40.480 --> 00:35:42.139 or inviting someone 00:35:42.139 --> 00:35:43.119 to share a meal with you 00:35:43.119 --> 00:35:46.699 that isn't already a close friend, 00:35:48.219 --> 00:35:50.259 or even inviting people 00:35:50.259 --> 00:35:51.319 to actually live with you. 00:35:52.279 --> 00:35:53.699 Do we extend hospitality 00:35:53.699 --> 00:35:54.960 in ways that are costly 00:35:54.960 --> 00:35:55.719 and stretching 00:35:55.719 --> 00:35:56.940 because we know 00:35:56.940 --> 00:35:58.500 where our true home is? 00:35:58.500 --> 00:36:02.840 Another example, 00:36:02.960 --> 00:36:04.280 maybe you've been severely depressed. 00:36:06.239 --> 00:36:07.539 Maybe you've been at the point 00:36:07.539 --> 00:36:08.260 of being tempted 00:36:08.260 --> 00:36:10.380 to end your own life, 00:36:10.559 --> 00:36:12.460 but you have resisted 00:36:12.460 --> 00:36:13.239 that temptation 00:36:13.239 --> 00:36:14.840 because you know 00:36:14.840 --> 00:36:15.460 that suicide 00:36:15.460 --> 00:36:17.239 will never glorify God, 00:36:17.420 --> 00:36:19.079 and it's certainly not the way 00:36:19.079 --> 00:36:19.980 you want to arrive 00:36:19.980 --> 00:36:21.619 at the judgment seat of Christ. 00:36:22.280 --> 00:36:23.139 And so you've continued 00:36:23.139 --> 00:36:24.340 to entrust your body 00:36:24.340 --> 00:36:25.320 and your mind 00:36:25.320 --> 00:36:26.059 to the Lord 00:36:26.059 --> 00:36:27.640 day by day, 00:36:27.780 --> 00:36:28.700 trusting that somehow 00:36:28.700 --> 00:36:29.880 He's working for good, 00:36:30.640 --> 00:36:32.500 even through all your pain, 00:36:33.680 --> 00:36:35.000 even when you can't see 00:36:35.000 --> 00:36:37.180 how your life in this world 00:36:37.180 --> 00:36:38.460 will ever get better. 00:36:40.160 --> 00:36:41.120 That's living in hope 00:36:41.120 --> 00:36:41.760 of the resurrection. 00:36:41.760 --> 00:36:45.200 Another example, 00:36:45.360 --> 00:36:45.980 over the years, 00:36:47.100 --> 00:36:49.460 I've had extensive conversations 00:36:49.460 --> 00:36:50.860 with several brothers in Christ 00:36:50.860 --> 00:36:52.340 who have only felt 00:36:52.340 --> 00:36:53.140 sexual attraction 00:36:53.140 --> 00:36:53.860 to other men 00:36:53.860 --> 00:36:55.880 and yet are committed 00:36:55.880 --> 00:36:57.160 to honoring God's design 00:36:57.160 --> 00:36:57.820 for marriage 00:36:57.820 --> 00:36:59.900 as the union of male and female. 00:37:01.100 --> 00:37:02.960 Their choice to pursue celibacy 00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:04.420 makes no sense 00:37:04.420 --> 00:37:06.420 to most of their peers 00:37:06.420 --> 00:37:08.860 who would say, 00:37:08.980 --> 00:37:09.800 this is who you are. 00:37:09.800 --> 00:37:12.240 Why would you repress 00:37:12.240 --> 00:37:13.140 your true self? 00:37:14.700 --> 00:37:15.340 Seek fulfillment 00:37:15.340 --> 00:37:16.400 in finding a partner. 00:37:17.940 --> 00:37:19.019 And they have said, 00:37:19.900 --> 00:37:21.060 no, at the deepest level, 00:37:21.160 --> 00:37:22.080 I belong to Christ. 00:37:23.600 --> 00:37:24.940 And though I experience this 00:37:24.940 --> 00:37:26.080 on an ongoing basis 00:37:26.080 --> 00:37:28.420 and I don't expect it 00:37:28.420 --> 00:37:29.300 to change immediately, 00:37:29.600 --> 00:37:30.800 I belong to Christ 00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:31.500 who loved me 00:37:31.500 --> 00:37:32.920 and gave Himself for me. 00:37:34.620 --> 00:37:36.240 And as the title of the book says, 00:37:36.300 --> 00:37:37.380 I'm washed and waiting. 00:37:37.880 --> 00:37:39.500 Cleanse from sin and shame 00:37:39.500 --> 00:37:41.239 but awaiting the redemption 00:37:41.239 --> 00:37:41.980 of our bodies. 00:37:43.059 --> 00:37:44.059 And this is just 00:37:44.059 --> 00:37:45.619 what it looks like for me. 00:37:48.039 --> 00:37:48.860 So let me ask, 00:37:48.900 --> 00:37:49.940 are there specific aspects 00:37:49.940 --> 00:37:50.820 of your life? 00:37:52.500 --> 00:37:53.860 Choices that you have made 00:37:53.860 --> 00:37:55.139 and continue to make 00:37:55.139 --> 00:37:56.579 that make no sense 00:37:56.579 --> 00:37:57.659 apart from the resurrection. 00:37:57.659 --> 00:37:59.539 Paul said, 00:37:59.619 --> 00:38:00.859 I die every day. 00:38:00.940 --> 00:38:01.679 And Jesus said, 00:38:01.819 --> 00:38:02.819 if you want to follow me, 00:38:02.859 --> 00:38:04.199 you must take up your cross daily 00:38:04.199 --> 00:38:05.399 and follow me. 00:38:06.319 --> 00:38:07.379 And most of the time, 00:38:07.420 --> 00:38:08.579 we don't get to choose 00:38:08.579 --> 00:38:10.619 what kind of cross 00:38:10.619 --> 00:38:12.920 or what kind of burden 00:38:12.920 --> 00:38:14.519 we want to bear. 00:38:16.319 --> 00:38:17.960 Whether it's a physical disability 00:38:17.960 --> 00:38:20.000 or chronic pain 00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:21.839 or clinical depression 00:38:21.840 --> 00:38:23.720 or the effects 00:38:23.720 --> 00:38:24.780 of childhood trauma, 00:38:25.900 --> 00:38:27.120 a dysfunctional family, 00:38:28.100 --> 00:38:29.340 being the victim of racism 00:38:29.340 --> 00:38:30.120 or persecution, 00:38:30.460 --> 00:38:31.820 parenting a rebellious child, 00:38:31.940 --> 00:38:33.240 marriage to a difficult spouse, 00:38:33.800 --> 00:38:34.620 most of the time, 00:38:35.039 --> 00:38:36.380 we don't choose 00:38:36.380 --> 00:38:37.460 those burdens. 00:38:38.280 --> 00:38:38.980 The question is, 00:38:39.019 --> 00:38:40.000 how will we deal with them? 00:38:42.400 --> 00:38:43.660 And in every case, 00:38:44.280 --> 00:38:45.380 the hope of the resurrection 00:38:45.380 --> 00:38:46.539 makes all the difference. 00:38:46.760 --> 00:38:47.740 Because the only way 00:38:47.740 --> 00:38:48.900 you can take up your cross 00:38:48.900 --> 00:38:50.880 is if you actually believe 00:38:50.880 --> 00:38:51.519 in the resurrection. 00:38:55.400 --> 00:38:56.639 And that's what Jesus promised. 00:38:58.099 --> 00:38:58.619 He says, 00:38:58.720 --> 00:38:59.660 if you want to save your life, 00:38:59.700 --> 00:39:00.700 if you hold on to it, 00:39:01.200 --> 00:39:02.240 if you grab hold 00:39:02.240 --> 00:39:03.200 of everything in this life, 00:39:03.220 --> 00:39:03.860 you're going to one day 00:39:03.860 --> 00:39:04.539 lose it all. 00:39:06.059 --> 00:39:07.740 But if you lose it for my sake, 00:39:08.720 --> 00:39:10.280 you'll gain it all over again. 00:39:12.200 --> 00:39:12.700 He said, 00:39:12.740 --> 00:39:13.700 you'll even start to gain it 00:39:13.700 --> 00:39:14.500 back in this life 00:39:14.500 --> 00:39:15.500 and in the age to come, 00:39:15.559 --> 00:39:16.440 you'll have eternal life. 00:39:18.900 --> 00:39:20.099 His promise to the 00:39:20.099 --> 00:39:22.539 rich young ruler 00:39:22.539 --> 00:39:23.639 or to his disciples 00:39:23.639 --> 00:39:25.019 after the rich young ruler left. 00:39:29.200 --> 00:39:30.180 Truly I say to you, 00:39:30.280 --> 00:39:30.820 there is no one 00:39:30.820 --> 00:39:32.300 who has left house 00:39:32.300 --> 00:39:33.220 or brothers or sisters 00:39:33.220 --> 00:39:34.079 or mother or father 00:39:34.079 --> 00:39:35.139 or children or lands 00:39:35.139 --> 00:39:35.900 for my sake 00:39:35.900 --> 00:39:36.660 and for the gospel 00:39:36.660 --> 00:39:38.420 who will not receive 00:39:38.420 --> 00:39:39.260 a hundredfold now 00:39:39.260 --> 00:39:39.900 in this time, 00:39:40.700 --> 00:39:41.440 houses and brothers 00:39:41.440 --> 00:39:42.320 and sisters and mothers 00:39:42.320 --> 00:39:43.220 and children and lands 00:39:43.220 --> 00:39:44.260 with persecutions 00:39:44.260 --> 00:39:46.119 and in the age to come, 00:39:46.180 --> 00:39:46.740 eternal life. 00:39:46.739 --> 00:39:49.319 Jesus said, 00:39:49.379 --> 00:39:50.119 whatever he calls you 00:39:50.119 --> 00:39:50.639 to give up, 00:39:52.039 --> 00:39:56.519 he will repay many times over. 00:40:00.719 --> 00:40:01.399 This is why 00:40:01.399 --> 00:40:02.359 the resurrection matters. 00:40:03.279 --> 00:40:04.259 Shows us God's purpose 00:40:04.259 --> 00:40:05.419 from beginning to end 00:40:05.419 --> 00:40:07.899 and it makes a difference 00:40:07.899 --> 00:40:08.699 in our everyday lives. 00:40:08.779 --> 00:40:09.099 Let's pray. 00:40:09.099 --> 00:40:09.119 Let's pray. 00:40:09.119 --> 00:40:09.139 Let's pray. 00:40:09.139 --> 00:40:09.159 Let's pray. 00:40:16.739 --> 00:40:17.699 O God, 00:40:17.779 --> 00:40:18.839 who for our redemption 00:40:18.839 --> 00:40:20.859 gave your Son 00:40:20.859 --> 00:40:22.039 to the death of the cross 00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:24.819 and by his glorious resurrection 00:40:24.819 --> 00:40:25.619 delivered us 00:40:25.619 --> 00:40:27.139 from the power of the enemy, 00:40:28.859 --> 00:40:31.839 grant us so to die daily to sin 00:40:31.839 --> 00:40:34.479 that we may evermore live with him 00:40:34.479 --> 00:40:37.179 in the joy of his resurrection. 00:40:38.879 --> 00:40:41.099 Lord, grant that we may experience 00:40:41.099 --> 00:40:44.459 a foretaste of that joy 00:40:44.460 --> 00:40:47.019 even as we worship you this morning 00:40:47.019 --> 00:40:49.500 and even as we continue 00:40:49.500 --> 00:40:50.980 on our earthly pilgrimage 00:40:50.980 --> 00:40:53.659 toward the heavenly city 00:40:53.659 --> 00:40:56.599 where our true home is. 00:40:57.679 --> 00:40:59.260 We pray this through Jesus Christ, 00:40:59.780 --> 00:41:00.579 your Son, our Lord, 00:41:00.659 --> 00:41:01.599 who lives and reigns with you 00:41:01.599 --> 00:41:02.400 in the Holy Spirit, 00:41:03.539 --> 00:41:04.500 one God now and forever. 00:41:05.280 --> 00:41:05.599 Amen. 00:41:05.599 --> 00:41:05.699 Amen. 00:41:05.699 --> 00:41:05.720 Amen.