1 Corinthians 15.20-34
It’s always a relief when we get to verse 20 of 1 Corinthians chapter 15. In the previous verses, Paul has been playing out a thought-experiment. What would happen if Jesus was not raised from the dead? The answer is that our faith would be futile and we would be pitied.
But verse 20, the beginning of our passage today, affirms the central and most crucial aspect of our faith: ‘In fact, Christ has been raised from the dead.’ Let us never forget how ground-breaking and life-changing Christ’s resurrection is. Jesus is the first-fruits, He’s our pioneer from the realm of the dead, leading the way for all of us who will one day follow in his footsteps. We too, will one day be raised just as Christ has been raised.
There’s a nice symmetry which Paul lays out for us next in verse 21: ‘For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being.’
Just as one human was sufficient to open the door to sin leading to death, one human being, Jesus Christ was completely sufficient to close the door to sin and death once and for all.
Do you see the significance of Jesus’ humanity has for our resurrection hope here? If Jesus was not fully human, but more of a demi-God, we would not have the full assurance that we will one day follow in His footsteps because He wouldn’t be completely like us. Jesus is the first fruits of those who have died, and then when Christ returns, we also will be raised. What an incredible hope!
Next, in verses 24-28, we get a breath-taking picture of Christ’s complete sovereignty over all creation. There will come a day when Christ will put all His enemies under His feet, even the last enemy to be destroyed, which is death. Praise God – we have a certain hope that all the disease, heartbreak, greed, poverty, loneliness, relationship break-downs, wars, addictions, jealousy, the list goes on – all these things will one day be destroyed by Jesus Christ.
But this battle is not won yet – we see that all too clearly every time we turn on the news. We still see suffering and sin in our world and our hearts today, but we know Jesus has the ultimate victory. We know that when we fight suffering and sin today, we are working towards an eternal destiny which Christ will one day bring to completion. Our labour will very much not be in vain as Paul reminds us in verse 58 of this chapter. So let’s keep going, and keep reminding ourselves and each other that there will come a day when all tears, pain and suffering will cease.
The final 5 verses of our passage today cause us to step back and ask ourselves, ‘How should I live if I have this hope of resurrection?’ Paul says that if there were no resurrection then we should ‘eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’ If there were no resurrection, it wouldn’t really matter how we live in this life. Living longer, living happier and living more comfortably in this life would be our goal, for it would be our only life.
But we know that there is a resurrection. We know that that this life is not the end and Paul outlines two impacts this should have on the way we live:
Firstly, Paul says that he is daily in danger for the sake of the Gospel. His eyes are so fixed on the prize, that it does not matter to him what happens in this life, for his eyes are fixed on the victory and resurrection he will receive through Christ. Now I’m not suggesting that you go and find some wild animals you can fight for the sake of Jesus. But ask yourself, how should I live my life now, considering I have a certain hope of resurrection after I die? How should you steward your finances? What is the best use of your time? How could you share the hope you have with your friends or colleagues?
Secondly, Paul also gives a call to holy living. He says in verse 34: ‘Come to a sober and right mind, and sin no more.’ As we will discuss more in tomorrow’s devotional, our bodies will have some sort of continuity into the next life. The physical body which is sown will be raised a spiritual body (1 Cor 15.44). Therefore, we should seek to live holy lives in this life because of our resurrection hope for life after this life.
So today, let’s take a step back, let’s remind ourselves of the wonderful hope we have in Jesus and let our final destination shape the way we live our lives today.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father, there are no words to praise you enough for the incredible hope and life we have through Jesus. Thank you that Christ’s resurrection gives us certain hope of our own resurrection. May we never lose the wonder of this incredible truth. Help us to live today and every day in light of our wonderful final destination. We love you Lord,
Amen.