You do take it with you

1 Corinthians 15:1-58

...the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

(1 Cor 15:52b NIV)

The Good News timeline to date 15:1-11

Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the twelve apostles.

15:3b-5 NLT

Predicted by Scripture

Christ died for our sins

Raised on the third day

He was seen by ... many

How can some say the body won’t rise

• Imagine if Christ didn’t rise 15:12-19

And if Christ was not raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your trust in God is useless. 15:14 NLT

– The Good News would be a con trick• The Apostles would be con men in God ‘s name 15:15

– The Good News would have no power• Those alive would have no salvation 15:17

• Those who’ve died are lost 15:18

– The disembodied spirit deal is embarrassing 15:19

The Good News timeline for later 15:20-28

Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again. 15:20 N

The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone--a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels--a plentiful harvest of new lives. Jn 12:24 NLT

Adam brought bodily death

Christ brought bodily life

Christ will subdue God’s enemies

Death will be subdued at last

Christ will return the kingdom to the Father

Don’t show your ignorance 15:29-34

• If Christ didn’t rise, we should be consistent– Why are you getting baptized for the dead? 15:29

– Why am I putting my life on the line? 15:30-32

• Don’t be influenced by non Christian valuesDon't be fooled by those who say such things, for "bad

company corrupts good character." 34 Come to your senses and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don't even know God. 15:33-34 NLT

A spirit and a body need each other 15:35-41

• Look at nature When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn't

grow into a plant unless it dies first....38 Then God gives it a new body--just the kind he wants it to have. A different kind of plant grows from each kind of seed. 15:36b,38

– God ‘morphs’ seeds into trees• He is not restricted to one type of flesh 15:39

• It’s natural for Him to build in a wow factor 15:40-41

The case for believers’ bodies 15:42-49

For just as there are natural bodies, so also there are spiritual bodies. 15:44b

Natural Body

• Equipped for the present• Buried mortal• Buried broken• Buried weak• Product of Adam

Spiritual Body

• Equipped for the future• Raised immortal• Raised glorious• Raised powerful• Product of Christ

You do take it with you 15:50-58

• We shall all be morphedNot all of us will die, but we will all be

transformed. ....For when the trumpet sounds, the Christians who have died will be raised with transformed bodies. And then we who are living will be transformed so that we will never die.

15:51-52 NLT

• Scripture will be fulfilledDeath is swallowed up in victory 15:54 NLT

Salvation’s package

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. 15:58 NLT

Sin’s Penalty

Justified Christ died for our sins Repentance

Sin’s Power

SanctifiedBe strong

and immovable

Perseverance

Sin’s Presence

GlorifiedHe gives us victory over

sin and deathTrust