We Stand On The Ressurection of Christ - 1 Corinthians 15-16

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (ESV)

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

Paul is about to close the letter he is writing to the church at Corinth.  The church is in a bad spot.  They are emphasizing the wrong things, allowing the wrong things to run free in their church and they are being hyper critical of Paul and his message. Paul, as he reminds them above, was the one who introduced to them the resurrection of Christ.   He uses several verbs in the above two verses to open these final two chapters.   They tell us a story and they gives us instruction for our own personal use:

1. Paul is writing to remind them of what he previously told them.  This is no new material.  They were in the place where they needed to go back to be reminded what they had heard, learned and accepted.  This is true for all of us.  Sometimes we just need to be reminded. 

2. Paul has preached to them the resurrection of Christ.  The Greek word for preached is euaggelizō. It is where we get our English world evangelize.  Paul is reminding them that they, at one time, needed to be evangelized.  He was fearful he had to do this again.  Sometimes we need to be preached at to remember where we started.  

3. They had received the Gospel message Paul preached.  This is vital to Paul’s argument in these two chapters.  He is reminding them that they had received the Gospel message.   They had brought the message near their hearts to believe it. 

4. They not only received it, they stand on it.  Paul reminds  them that they not only received it, but they were established in it.  Their security and stability were grounded in the Gospel.   We, too, stand secure on the resurrection of Christ. 

5. This receiving and standing on the Gospel is how they are being saved.  This does not mean they are not saved.  It means that their salvation is coming to fruition based upon the resurrection of Christ.  Their receiving the Gospel is the sole reason they can claim salvation.  

6. He now gives them his warning.   He tells them this is all true, if they hold fast to the resurrection and didn’t believe in vain.   He is not telling them that they can lose their salvation.  He telling them that failure to hold to the resurrection of Christ is to believe in vain.   It is absurd to say you are a believer in Christ and, at the same time, deny the resurrection of Christ.  This is where the chapter is going.   

Paul wants them to know he has presented the truth of the resurrection.  They have believed it.  Now is not the time to question it.   We stand strong and stable on the resurrection of Christ.  We are not to allow others to sneak into the church to question that major doctrine of our belief.  He will state in this chapter the following:

1 Corinthians 15:16-19 (ESV)

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Our hope is entirely based upon the resurrection of Christ.  

Reputation Matters - Mark 11-12

Mark 12:41-44 (ESV)

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Ecclesiastes 7:1 (ESV)

A good name is better than precious ointment,

and the day of death than the day of birth.

Proverbs 22:1 (ESV)

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,

and favor is better than silver or gold.

Proverbs 10:7 (ESV)

The memory of the righteous is a blessing,

but the name of the wicked will rot.

2 Corinthians 8:21 (ESV)

for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man.

Philippians 2:7 (ESV)

but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

A person only has their reputation.   This widow changed her reputation by giving all she had.  Jesus made sure that others knew what she did.   

Reputation matters.   God changes our reputation.  

This Is The Reason - Jeremiah 17-21

Jeremiah 18:12 (ESV)

“But they say, ‘That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

This is the one summary verse of the entire reason for the Babylonian captivity.  

This is the reason the nation of Israel will be taken into captivity.   

This is the reason that man is separated from God.  

This is the reason that God sent His Son to redeem man.  

This is the reason Jesus lived a holy life to represent what man could not do. 

This is the reason that Jesus hung on the cross.  

This is the reason that rose from the dead.  

This is the reason Jesus sent the Spirit.  

This is the reason why Jesus is at the right hand of God to intercede for us in prayer.   

This is the reason Jesus is coming again.  

Because man rebels against God and wants to do his own plans, Jesus must intercede for man. 

Take Responsibility For Others - Job 31

Job 31:31-32 (ESV)

if the men of my tent have not said,

‘Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?’

(the sojourner has not lodged in the street;

I have opened my doors to the traveler),

In chapter 31, Job will end his speech to his three friends, who came to comfort him, but instead are confronting him.  In this chapter he gives numerous “if” statements, followed by the “then” statements.   Job was the originator of the IF-THIS-THEN-THAT philosophy of life.   In each of the THEN-THAT statements, it is quite graphic.    For example, here is one of them he just stated before the above two verses:

Job 31:21-22 (ESV)

if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,

because I saw my help in the gate,

then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,

and let my arm be broken from its socket.

At the end of the IF-THIS statements in verses 29-39, we read this:

Job 31:40a (ESV)

let thorns grow instead of wheat,

and foul weeds instead of barley.”

Job is making the point to his three confronting friends, that he is not the person they are accusing him of being.   He has not done any of these IF-THIS statements.   The above two verses really show Job’s heart.  He is not only talking about his own actions, but he is also telling his three friends that he has made sure that those who worked for him did not do anything to warrant this attack on his life and health.   He is telling his accusers that he didn’t even allow those employed by him to do bad things to the vulnerable and weak.   

This shows us the responsibility we have for those who either work for us, or are in our community.  We are not to allow others to hurt others.   That is our responsibility, as well.   Job was innocent.  We know this from the first two chapters.  But he was also making sure those around him deported themselves in like manner.   We are responsible to make sure those in our circle walk in a way pleasing to God, just as we are.  

Christ is a Demanding King - Psalms 45-47

Psalms 45:10-12 (ESV)

Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:

forget your people and your father’s house,

and the king will desire your beauty.

Since he is your lord, bow to him.

The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,

the richest of the people.

Psalm 45 is a song of tribute to the king.   We don’t know which king, but it is a song to sing the praises of Israel’s king.   That is the immediate context of the song.  It is, however, a Messianic song, as well.  It is singing praises to the Messiah, the real and, yet future, King of Israel.  So, the song is about Jesus.   

The above three verses are about the fact that Jesus solicits our commitment and sacrifice and complete loyalty.   There is no room in the heart of the believer for anyone else, besides Christ.  

Notice what Jesus, Himself, said to His disciples:

Luke 14:33 (ESV)

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

That is pretty demanding.  How about this one as well:

Luke 14:26 (ESV)

26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

Matthew 10:39 (ESV)

39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 16:25 (ESV)

25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Mark 8:35 (ESV)

35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

Luke 9:24 (ESV)

24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Luke 17:33 (ESV)

33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.

John 12:25 (ESV)

Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

The king has demands.  We are to give Him our complete loyalty.   

Fear of Man vs Fear of God - 1 Samuel 26-31

1 Samuel 29:1-5 (ESV)

Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.” But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances,

‘Saul has struck down his thousands,

and David his ten thousands’?”

The above story tells us a lot about the fears of men.  David was a threat to the Philistines.   When God is with you, others fear you.  It is a very simple truth.   David’s reputation went before him. 

Notice in the New Testament a similar comparison:

Acts 4:13 (ESV)

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

When the people of God spend time with God the men of the world take notice.  In the story of David, we have to admit, he was not exactly living with God at the time of these events.  He was living in fear.  Yet, his reputation as being a man of God somehow caused fear in the hearts of the Philistines.  So, perhaps even weak Christians can be used by God.  Moses was weak and God used him.  Jonah was weak and God used him.   Peter was weak and God used him.   I am weak ... can God use me? 

Don’t Diminish God’s Sovereignty Because of Fear - Exodus 9-12

Exodus 9:1-7 (ESV)

The Fifth Plague: Egyptian Livestock Die

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, behold, the hand of the LORD will fall with a very severe plague upon your livestock that are in the field, the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that belongs to the people of Israel shall die.”’” And the LORD set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.” And the next day the LORD did this thing. All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one of the livestock of the people of Israel died. And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not one of the livestock of Israel was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

This is an amazing turn of events for Pharoah.  This is now the second plague where there was a difference between the people of Egypt and the people of Israel. Imagine the thoughts in the hearts and minds of the Egyptians.   God not only can bring a plunge, but He can control where it happens.  The last plague (#4) was flies.   God controlled where a fly went.  This plague is on the livestock.  God is going to control what livestock lives or dies, depending upon who you are.   

When you and I fear that God is not in control of something, let’s remember these type of historical events in history.   God is going to make a division between the livestock of one nation vs the other.   God is omnipotent and controls all things.   When we fear something might happened to us, we diminish that attribute of God.  We think of less of Him than He is.   Fear gets us to question the power and sovereignty of God.