Form us so that we become the kind of people that you called us to be.
That we would live in the light of what we one day will be.
Father, by your power, come amongst us and teach us.
We pray this for your glory.
Amen.
It's inescapable and unavoidable.
It will happen.
It may come as a surprise through illness or it may come through a tragic accident.
It may come at the end of a long and healthy life.
But sooner or later, we will all die.
Diets can't stop it.
Gym routines won't stop it.
Medication can't stop it.
The painful reality is we will all die.
And we will either be buried or we will be cremated.
I wonder, have you ever stopped to face up to the reality of your impending death?
To just stop and think about one day I will breathe my last.
It can be an unsettling thought, can't it?
Well, for the Christian, the good news is death is not the end.
It is the beginning of something wonderfully new.
So, look back at verse 21.
Chapter 15, verse 21.
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive, but each in his own turn.
Christ the first fruits, then when he comes again, those who belong to him.
You see, just as sure as death will come, a day will also come when the risen Lord Jesus is going to return
and all those who trust in him, all those who belong to him, will be resurrected.
That's an amazing thought.
Dead, but made alive again.
You see, death is not the end.
It is only the door to a glorious eternity.
Now, I'm sure that like me and like others, you've thought,
well, what's this resurrection going to be like for the Christian?
What can we expect to happen?
Well, that was the question some of the Christians were asking in the church in Corinth.
So, look at verse 35.
Someone may ask, well, they certainly did ask,
how are the dead raised?
With what kind of body will they come?
Now, this is not the question of a confused Christian,
but a doubting sceptic.
As we've seen through 1 Corinthians 15,
there's some we're teaching, some we're believing,
that there wasn't a resurrection from the dead.
You see, when you bury the dead,
the body rots and it decays,
it gets eaten by worms.
Or if it's burned at a cremation,
it's turned into dust and ash.
You don't really expect us to believe
that there's going to be a bodily resurrection.
I mean, what happens if you're blown to smithereens in midair
in a terrorist attack?
Or what happens if you're attacked and mutilated
by some wild animal
and your part strewn across the ground?
You don't really believe
that your body is somehow going to be
put back together again, do you?
Well, not only will there be a bodily resurrection,
it will be a complete transformation.
Look at verse 36.
Paul, the apostle, the author who's writing,
responds to this question.
How foolish!
What a stupid thing to say
that there's going to be no resurrection.
How on earth could you possibly believe
that our bodies will not be raised
and that they will not be made new?
You better believe it.
Resurrection Day will be transformation day.
We will be utterly and completely changed.
We will become all that God intends us to be.
Well, let's see what we have to look forward to
on Resurrection Day.
Two things
are most surely going to happen.
First,
we will receive
a new physical body.
Now, I know I'm the perfect specimen
standing before you,
but
it's going to be made new.
Because some people think that,
well,
we're going to be nothing more
than invisible souls
drifting around the sky
from one cloud to another.
Or somehow,
we're just going to be
reincorporated
into the
kind of great
circle of life.
Well,
nothing could be
further from the truth.
If we are Christians,
first,
our bodies
will be
wonderfully
changed.
Look at verse 36.
How foolish!
What you sow
does not come to life
unless it dies.
Now, to help us understand this,
he's wanting us to think of our
dead bodies.
When we die,
our dead bodies
are just like a seed.
When you put a seed into the ground
and cover it over,
it doesn't stay a seed.
It is wonderfully changed.
So,
verse 37.
When you sow,
you do not plant
the body
that will be,
but just a seed,
perhaps of wheat
or of something else.
But God gives it a body
as he has determined.
And to each kind of seed,
he gives its own body.
So,
when you put an apple seed
into the ground
and you cover it
and you water it,
it's changed from a seed,
an apple seed,
into an apple tree.
You don't plant
an apple seed
into the ground
and expect it
to produce,
well,
just another seed
just like the one
you put in the ground.
No,
the seed
becomes something
different
entirely.
there's some continuity.
It's an apple seed,
but it turns into
an apple tree.
Verse 38.
God gives it a body.
He gives the seed
a body
as he has determined.
And to each kind of seed,
he gives its own body.
Now,
just as seeds
change into trees,
so our physical bodies
will be wonderfully changed
when we die.
But what kind of body
will it be?
What are our bodies
going to be like?
Well,
our bodies,
second,
will be similar
but different.
The example here
is just to open up your eyes
and look at nature.
Look at the creation
all around you.
Look up into the skies
and look at the earth.
Because nature
could be divided,
if you like,
into two categories.
But certainly,
this is how it's divided here.
So look at verse 40.
The two categories.
There are the
heavenly bodies
and there are the
earthly bodies.
So the created things
in the heavens
and the created things
on earth.
But the splendour
of the heavenly bodies,
so everything up there,
the stars,
the moons,
the planets,
well that's one kind
of splendour,
that's one kind
of beauty.
And then of the
earthly bodies
is another splendour.
Everything down here
on the earth
is another kind
of beauty.
These earthly bodies
are described
for us
in verse 39.
All flesh
is not the same.
Men have one kind
of flesh,
animals have another,
birds have another,
and fish have another.
They're all different
kinds of
created bodies.
And then if we
look up into the heavens,
they're described
in verse 41.
The sun has one
kind of splendour,
the moon another,
the stars another,
and stars differ
from star
in splendour.
So he's saying,
just open your eyes,
look at nature,
look up at the skies
at night,
look at the earth
all around you.
God has designed
different bodies
or created elements
up there,
and he's created
different elements
down here.
Now if God can do that
in nature,
don't you think
God could do that
with our physical bodies?
The point
he is making
is,
is that we have
one kind of body
for this present world,
and we will have
a different kind
of body
for the new creation
that is to come.
Our physical bodies
now
have one kind
of beauty
and splendour
and greatness.
we can do
incredible
and amazing
acts physically
and with our minds,
but our resurrected bodies
will have a different
kind of beauty
and a different
kind of splendour.
Yes,
there will be
continuity,
our bodies
will be similar,
we'll have arms
and we'll have legs
and we'll have eyes
and we'll have ears,
just like the risen
Lord Jesus
when he came back
from the dead,
when he met
with his disciples.
He ate,
he drank,
he spoke to them,
they could touch him,
they could feel him,
he was similar
to his earthly body,
but yet he was different.
And so it will be
with us.
We will be
wonderfully changed,
we will be similar
but different,
but what is that
difference going
to be like?
Well third,
our bodies
will be totally
transformed.
Look at verse 42.
So it will be
with the resurrection
of the dead.
The body that is
sown
is perishable,
so the body that
dies is perishable,
but it is raised
imperishable.
It is sown
in dishonour,
but it is raised
in glory.
It is sown
or it will die
in weakness,
but it is raised
in power.
Now live long enough
in this present
physical body,
this shell
that we have
that is us
right now,
and you will
experience
just how
fragile
we really
are.
We like
to think
that we are
going to be
here forever
and ever,
but we are
not.
Our physical
bodies
will perish.
We all
get sick,
we all
develop some
kind of
illness,
we get
cancers,
we lose
our eyesight,
we go
deaf,
we slowly
break down,
we decay,
and we
eventually
die,
we perish.
We continue
to look at
verse 42,
we are told
that our
bodies,
our physical
bodies,
are dishonourable.
A better
word is
humiliation,
for there
is nothing
pleasant as
our bodies
get older
and become
more
dysfunctional.
No longer
able to
control our
bladder,
we need to
be fed
and washed.
We revert
back to the
state of a
little infant.
Our bodies
are dishonourable,
shameful.
Our physical
bodies,
we're told,
are weak,
weak,
and as we
go on
through life,
they only
get weaker.
We lose
our strength,
we get
arthritis,
we no longer
have the
energy to
walk and
to run
and stand,
and we
even struggle
to have the
energy to
actually take
in a breath.
death.
We live
in a world
where our
physical bodies
ache and
groan and
cry out in
pain, and
there is
nothing that
we can do
to stop this
process of
decay.
Sooner or
later, we
will all
die.
But,
what starts
off as
perishable,
and
dishonourable,
and weak,
is all
going to be
transformed.
Look what it
says in
verse 42,
it is raised
imperishable,
a body that
will never
get sick,
or never
feel pain,
or never
go through
the process
of dying
and decaying.
It will
be raised
in glory.
We will
always have
our full
and complete
faculties.
We will
be what
we are
meant to
be.
It will
be raised
in power.
We will
always be
strong and
healthy,
and be able
to enjoy
life and
the new
creation in
all its
fullness,
running,
swimming,
jumping,
doing all
the things
that we
could possibly
imagine to
do.
Imperishable,
glory,
power.
This is the
design,
this is the
beauty,
the splendour
of a
resurrected
body.
That means
we will not
need hospitals,
or doctors,
or pain
management,
or carers.
There will be
no more
funerals to
attend,
no tears
to shed,
no struggles
to endure,
no pain
to bear.
We will be
raised with
a transformed
new body.
Now I know
that some of
you suffer
with all
kinds of
physical pains
and struggles.
Mentally,
we struggle,
emotionally,
we struggle.
And some of
you have
carried these
sufferings and
these pains
from birth.
Others of
you have
developed them
over time,
and as we
get older,
more ailments
will come
along.
So I
want to
say to
you this
morning,
Resurrection
Day is
coming.
I cannot
answer your
questions as
to why
we have
all the
sufferings
that we
do.
We can
explain it
to some
degree,
and you
can talk
to me
about that
more
afterwards.
But in
the midst
of your
suffering,
God gives
us the
sure and
certain
hope,
of a
resurrected
body.
It will
not be
this way
forever.
It is a
blip on
the line
of eternity.
As sure
as Christ
rose from
the grave
with a
physical
body,
so you
too,
if you
have faith
in Christ
and belong
to him,
you shall
rise with
a new
physical
body.
And Christ
will make
sure that
you will
get from
this earth
to the
new earth
to the
new
creation.
That is
what awaits
those who
trust in
him.
But not
only will
we have a
new physical
body,
we will
have a
new
spiritual
body.
Look at
verse 44.
It is
sown a
natural
body.
It is
raised a
spiritual
body.
If there
is a
natural
body,
there is
also a
spiritual
body.
The
natural
bodies
that we
have and
can touch
and pinch
and feel
right now
is going
to be
changed
into a
new
spiritual
body.
What
will that
be?
Well,
let me
explain.
We need
to follow
the process,
the order
that's here.
First,
just like
Adam.
You see,
when we
were born,
when we
entered into
this world
and breathed
our first
breath,
we were
just like
Adam,
the first
man that
God
created.
So,
verse 45,
so it
is written,
the first
man,
Adam,
became a
living being
with flesh
and blood
and breathing
air in and
out,
a living
being.
That is
what we
became.
Verse 47,
the first
man was
of the
dust of
the earth.
We are
just like
Adam,
created
and made
and sustained
by God.
But remember
what Adam
did,
the story
in Genesis.
God made
him,
God gave
him life.
But what
did he do
with that
life?
Adam sinned,
he disobeyed
God.
He turned
against God.
It was no
longer God's
will,
but Adam's
will.
My way,
not God's
way.
And what
did God
say in
response to
their
rebellion?
Genesis 3
verse 19
says this,
For dust
you are,
and to
dust you
shall
return.
The
consequences
of sin,
the curse
because of
sin,
is
death.
Not just
physical
death,
but a
spiritual
death.
we are
completely
changed.
And we
are no
different.
We are
just like
Adam.
Not only
do we
physically
die,
but we
spiritually
die.
We haven't
got the
capacity to
live life
continually for
all eternity,
and we
haven't got the
capacity to
keep doing
good and
right.
We're dead
spiritually,
just like
Adam.
We only
need to
look through
history,
and the
world will
tell you
that.
We're not
getting
better,
we are
getting
worse.
The world
we live in
is broken
and corrupt
because we
ourselves are
broken and
corrupt.
We're not
just physically
dying and
going through
the process
of decaying,
we're a
people who
are spiritually
dead,
just like
Adam.
But
thankfully,
all of
that has
changed.
Second,
the second
Adam.
So look at
verse 45
again.
So it is
written,
the first
man Adam
became a
living being,
the last
Adam a
life-giving
spirit.
So we're
to draw a
contrast here,
it might be
a bit confusing
because we've
got two
Adams.
Okay?
So we have
the first
Adam,
that's the
first man
that God
created that
we've just
been looking
at, we
can read
all about
him in
Genesis.
And when
we are
born,
it's like
we are
under
Adam,
Adam
becomes
our
representative,
so who
he is,
we are,
so just
like Adam,
we're dead
physically or
we die
physically,
and we
are dead
spiritually,
we're
without
hope,
we are
like the
first
Adam.
And then
we have
the second
Adam,
or the
last
Adam.
The last
Adam is
Jesus
Christ.
Jesus
represents
the perfect
sinless
man,
of which
there is
only one,
and that's
Jesus
himself.
He never
sinned,
he always
obeyed,
and he
lives
forever.
He's
raised,
he's
defeated
death,
he is
in perfect
relationship
with God,
he is
everything
that we
should be.
So we
have the
first Adam,
and we're
just like
him,
we are
under
him,
he is
our
representative.
We have
the last
Adam,
who is
Jesus
Christ,
the
perfect
man.
now,
through
our
faith
in
Jesus
Christ,
by
trusting
in
him,
we
are
transferred
from
the
first
Adam
to the
second
Adam.
So no
longer are
we under
the first
Adam,
we are
under the
second
Adam,
so Christ
becomes
our
representative.
all that
Christ is
in his
humanity,
now
becomes
ours.
So go
back to
verse 22.
For as
in Adam,
that's the
first Adam,
all die,
so in
Christ,
the last
Adam,
all will
be made
alive.
If you
have turned
to Christ,
if you
have trusted
in Christ,
not only
will you
have a
brand new
physical
body,
but you
will have
a new
spiritual
body,
you will
be like
Christ.
So
verse 46,
the
spiritual
did not
come first,
but the
natural,
and then
after that,
the
spiritual.
So as
we trust
in Christ,
we become
not just
the natural
people,
but a
spiritual
people.
Verse 47,
the first
man was
of the
dust of
the earth,
the second
man from
heaven.
As was
the earthly
man,
so are
those who
are of
the earth.
And as
is the
man from
heaven,
so also
are those
who are
of heaven.
Christ
becomes
your life.
His
perfection,
his
beauty,
all of
his
goodness
and
rightness
is now
credited
to you.
So as
God looks
upon you,
he sees
you as
his own
son.
So you
are no
longer under
the curse
of the
first Adam.
No longer
will you
receive that
death
sentence.
For we
have received
the life of
the second
Adam.
We have
been made
new.
So new
he's given
us his
Holy
Spirit so
that we
have the
capacity to
choose and
to do what
is right
and good
because of
Jesus.
Because of
Christ,
we have
become a
new kind
of people.
So what
will this
mean for
our future?
Well,
we will
become just
like
Jesus.
Verse
49.
And just
as we
have
borne
the
likeness
of the
earthly
man,
so shall
we bear
the likeness
of the
man from
heaven.
If you
have trusted
in Christ,
if you
belong to
him,
if you've
been
transferred
from the
first
Adam to
the second
Adam,
from one
life to
our new
life,
you have
been given
a life
giving
spirit.
Yes,
we are
still in
our
earthly
bodies.
We still
bear the
image of
the earthly
man,
which means
we still
struggle and
battle with
our sinful
nature.
We are
not
perfect.
We sin
and we
fall and
we fail
all the
time.
We have
our
struggles.
But
because we
are under
Christ,
because he
is our
representative,
it tells
us here
we will
become
like him
at the
resurrection.
Look at
the end
of verse
49.
So shall
we bear
the likeness
or the
image
of the
man from
heaven.
Isn't
that
incredible?
That I
will bear
the image
of the
man from
heaven.
I will
be like
Christ.
Yes,
there is a
spiritual
change
taking
place
now.
Just
flick
over
one
page
or
maybe
two
to
2nd
Corinthians
chapter
3.
2nd
Corinthians
chapter
3
verse
18.
If we're
Christians,
there is a
spiritual
change
taking place
right now.
So verse
18 of
chapter
3.
And we,
the believers,
who with
unveiled faces
all reflect
the Lord's
glory,
are being
transformed
into his
likeness
with ever
increasing
glory which
comes from
the Lord
who is
the Spirit.
So as we
journey through
our life,
if we are
Christians,
the power of
the Holy
Spirit is
changing us
and shaping
us to
become more
like Jesus.
So as we
reflect him
to the world
around us.
But back
here in
1 Corinthians
15,
it goes
one better.
Not only
is a
transformation
process
taking place,
1 Corinthians
15 verse
49 is
telling us
that that
transformation
process will
be complete.
The broken
image is
going to be
restored.
Right now
we reflect
something of
who Christ
is.
But on
resurrection
day we
will become
like him.
Now that
doesn't mean
we're going
to run
around the
new heavens
and the
new earth
looking like
mini Jesuses.
We're all
looking the
same or
anything like
that.
But we
will be
like him
spiritually.
We will
have a
sinless,
obedient,
perfect
body.
now I
know that
life can
be hard
because I
feel it
and I'm
sure that
there are
times that
you feel
there is
more failure
than progress
in the
Christian life.
We struggle
and we fall
into temptation.
Sometimes we
don't even
put up a
fight.
We just
willingly
sin.
And the
battle with
our sinful
nature can
get us
down and
we just
want to
give up
and chuck
it all
in.
Well if
that's
you,
then I
want to
say to
us all
this morning,
look forward
in sure
and certain
hope that
on resurrection
day you
will rise
with a new
spiritual
body.
There will
be no
more sin,
no more
giving in
to temptation,
no more
falling and
failing,
just perfect
loving
obedience,
just like
Christ.
Have you
ever stopped
to think
about the
reality of
your own
death?
That one
day you
will breathe
your very
last?
It's
inescapable.
It's
unavoidable.
you can
try and
ignore it
and palm
it off
with jokes
and all
sorts of
things,
but you
can't hide
it.
Sooner or
later we
will die.
I will
either stand
before you
as you are
buried or
you will
stand at
my funeral.
It is
going to
happen.
But the
good news for
the Christian
is death
is not
the end.
It is
only the
doorway into
a glorious
and eternal
future.
One day the
risen Lord
Jesus is
going to
return again
and all
those who
are in
Christ will
rise.
And on
that day
all sin
and all
suffering
will end.
We will
receive a
new physical
body and
a new
spiritual
body and
we will
reign with
him in
the new
heavens and
the new
earth.
and the
promise of
God will
become a
reality.
Let me
read to you
the well
known words
of that
promise.
Revelation
chapter 21
verse 3
And I
heard a
loud voice
from the
throne saying
Now the
dwelling of
God is
with men
and he
will live
with them.
they will
be his
people and
God himself
will be with
them and
be their
God.
He will
wipe every
tear from
their eyes
and there
will be no
more death
or mourning
or crying
or pain
for the
old order
of things
has passed
away.
And he
who is
seated on
the throne
said I
am making
everything
new.
then he
said write
this down
for these
words are
trustworthy
and true.
Resurrection
day is
coming.
Christ
will return
and will
raise all
those who
love him
and who
have trusted
in him.
And you
know what?
We are
to remind
each other
of this
resurrection
day as
we share
in the
Lord's
Supper.
We're going
to share
in the
Lord's
Supper
right now
and we're
going to
do it
in such
a way
that reminds
each other
of the
resurrection
day that
is to
come.
Go back
to 1
Corinthians
chapter
11.
Just to
back a
couple of
pages.
1
Corinthians
11
and
verse
23.
1
Corinthians
11
verse
23.
For
I
received
from
the
Lord
what I
also
passed
on to
you.
So
Paul
has
received
this
teaching
from
the
Lord
and
he
now
passes
it
on
to
the
church
and
it's
to be
the
practice
of
the
church
in
every
age.
The
Lord
Jesus
on the
night
he
was
betrayed
took
bread
and
when
he
had
given
thanks
he
broke
it
and
said
this
is
my
body
which
is
for
you
do
this
in
remembrance
of
me.
So
in a
moment
we're
going
to
take
this
bread
together
and
we
remember
the
death
of
the
Lord
Jesus
we
remember
that
he
died
in
place
of
me
he
was
the
perfect
sinless
one
who
died
my
death
so
that
I
could
have
life
today
and
for
life
eternity
verse
25
in
the
same
way
after
supper
he
took
the
cup
saying
this
cup
is
the
new
covenant
in
my
blood
do
this
whenever
you
drink
it
in
remembrance
of
me
we're
going
to
drink
the
juice
that
we
have
here
and
as
we
do
so
we
remember
the
new
covenant
that
promise
from
God
that
tells
us
that
his
life
through
our
faith
in
him
his
life
becomes
my
life
his
future
becomes
my
future
because
of our
union
with
Christ
we
will
live
we
will
become
like
him
but
not only
do we
eat
and drink
and look
back
in
remembrance
and
thankfulness
as we
share in
this
simple
meal
together
we
are
to
look
forward
and
remind
each
other
of
resurrection
day
of the
certain
hope
so
verse
26
for
whenever
you
eat
this
bread
and
drink
this
cup
you
proclaim
the
Lord's
death
until
he
comes
one
day
we
will
no
longer
share
in
this
simple
meal
together
because
we
will
be
with
the
risen
Lord
Jesus
and
we
will
eat
and
we
will
feast
with
each
other
and
with
him
resurrection
day
is
coming
and
this
meal
is
to
remind
us
to
keep
our
focus
to
say
guys
keep
on
going
resurrection
day
will
come
so
I
want
to
invite
all
those
who
are
in
Christ
and
all
those
who
belong
to
Christ
and
trust
in
him
to
share
in
this
meal
as
a
means
of
encouraging
one
another
to
say
come
on
let's
look
forward
to
resurrection
day
let's
trust
him
for
what
is
to
come
so
as
the
bread
is
being
passed
around
I
want
to
invite
you
to
take
a
piece
hold
on
to
it
and
just
to
use
the
time
as
a
quiet
reflection
to
bring
your
own
confession
but
to
thank
the
Lord
Jesus
that
his
death
was
your
death
he
suffered
the
punishment
that
you
deserve
so
that
you
might
have
life
today
and
life
for
all
eternity
so
please
if
you
trust
him
take
the
bread
and
then
we
will
eat
together
in
just
a
moment
but
somehow
Thank you.