Glory Awaits

Theme: The Promise of Resurrection

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 15:20-58

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)

Know: Christ was raised from the dead, and we too will be raised up when He returns.

Think: Let the assurance of my coming resurrection motivate me to live for Christ.

Do: Always live for the Lord, doing His will, knowing we will be raised to be with Him in Heaven.

Notes and questions:

B1 Basic

C1 Defined: Resurrection is not resuscitation. One is cold dead; the other is temporarily dead.

C2 The Lord Jesus really died.

D1 John 19:32-35

D2 Mark 15:44

C3 The Lord Jesus really rose from the dead—witnesses.

D1 Angels and the women: Mark 16:6-8

D2 The Roman guard: Matthew 28:11-15

D3 The eleven Apostles: Matthew 28:16-18

D4 The men on the Emmaus Road: Luke 24:13-35.

D5 His disciples: Luke 24:36-49.

D6 Mary Magdalene: John 20:11-18.

D7 To the disciples with Thomas: John 20:19-29.

D8 500 brothers and sisters; it is also a list of others including Paul: 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

C4 The Lord Jesus really rose from the dead—other proofs.

D1 Empty tomb

E1 His body into the tomb:

E2 His body not there: Matthew 27:64

E3 The Romans and Jews knew where the tomb was located. If Jesus body was still there (meaning Jesus was still dead), they could have refuted the Apostles preaching Jesus’s resurrection.

D2 The linen body wrapping especially the folding of the face wrapping: John 20:6-8

D3 The change in the Apostles and disciples attitude and actions: Acts 2. Compare John 20:19.

D4 The early church meeting on Sunday for worship in honor of the Lord Jesus who had risen from the dead.

E1 John 20:1

E2 John 20:19

E3 Acts 20:7

E4 1 Corinthians 16:2

E5 Revelation 1:10

C5 The importance of the resurrection.

D1 To fulfill Scripture: Luke 24:45-47

D2 Without the resurrection, there is no forgiveness of sins: 1 Corinthians 15:17

D3 For justification: Romans 4:25

D4 So Jesus could pray for us: Romans 8:34

D5 For hope of salvation and eternity in heaven: 1 Corinthians 15:19

D6 Gives evidence of Jesus’s divinity

E1 Acts 13:32-37

E2 Romans 1:4

D7 Proves that Jesus’s death was accepted by God. Jesus’s death provides for the forgiveness of sins.

C6 Old Testament prophecies about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

D1 Acts 17:2-3

D2 Where are these Old Testament Scriptures?

E1 There are prophecies of the suffering and dying Messiah (Isaiah 53 and Daniel 9:25-26). There are also prophecies of the King Messiah who reigns forever (Revelation 11:15). If Messiah died, then reigns forever, it must mean He was resurrected.

E2 Jonah and the whale theory; Some hold that this refers to it, but Jesus uses this an illustration but does not say that the passage itself predicts His resurrection.

E3 Hosea 6:2 NKJV  After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. This is mentioned by some, since the words third day and raised are in the passage. It appears that the passage is more of a summons from the prophet to meet and have a revival.

E4 Compare Psalm 16, Isaiah 53:10-12, and Isaiah 42:1-4.

B2 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 WEL For the first thing I passed on to you was what I also received, how that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, 4 And that he was buried, then rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

C1 What did Paul teach?

C2 Did the Corinthian believers accept it?

C3 What 3 things did the Lord Jesus do that is mentioned in this passage?

C4 What significance does according to the Scriptures have?

C5 Why is the resurrection of Jesus Christ so important? (1 Corinthians 15:12 WEL Now if Christ is preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection from the dead?).

C6 How does these verses apply to the previous question? 1 Corinthians 15:13-20 WEL Now if there is no resurrection from the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching [is] futile and your faith [is] also futile. 15 Yes and we are found [to be] false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that he raised Christ whom he didn't raise, if it is so that the dead don't rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ isn't risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If [it is] only in this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people the most pitiful. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of those who slept.

D1 Preaching the Gospel is useless.

D2 Faith is Jesus Christ for salvation is useless.

D3 Apostles and other early Christian evangelists will go to hell for lying.

D4 Sins are not forgiven, so they will go to hell without forgiveness.

D5 Believers who have died have no hope of eternal life.

D6 We are the saddest, most miserable people in existence.

D7 BUT all the above points are false, because Jesus Christ did truly, bodily rise from the dead as proven by the empty tomb, the over 500 witnesses, and even those who were His enemies.

B3 A thought: The first creation fails and will be destroyed. Adam willfully sinned which brought God’s curse of death. The rest of the first creation is the Sabbath. The second creation starts on the eighth day (the first day), the day of Jesus’s resurrection and will be complete when the new heavens and earth will be created. The curse is destroyed when death is destroyed in the Lake of Fire. We recognize this in part by worshipping on Sunday. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the promise of our resurrection and the new creation. 1 Corinthians 15:26 NKJV The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

B4 1 Corinthians 15:29 NKJV Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?

C1 Many interpretations

C2 Perhaps

D1 Some people became Christians.

D2 They wanted to be baptized.

D3 They died before they could be baptized.

D4 The Corinthians, even though baptized themselves, were baptized vicariously, in place of, on behalf of, those who had died.

C3 The point is, “If there is no resurrection, why be baptized?”

B5 1 Corinthians 15:30-32. Why be baptized, if we are going to die in persecution tomorrow. If there is no resurrection, what’s the point?

B6 1 Corinthians 15:35-49,

C1 What are some differences between our present body and the resurrection body?

C2 What are some differences between the first Adam and the second Adam?

B7 1 Corinthians 15:50-58,

C1 Can our present body inherit heaven?

C2 How fast will the resurrection be? How can it happen that fast?

C3 What trumpet is this? It is God’s trumpet to the church to come to Him. Trumpets are often used for notifying and gathering people as in Exodus 19:13, Judges 6:34, and Jeremiah 4:5.

C4 This trumpet is probably the one mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 NKJV  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  17  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  18  Therefore comfort one another with these words.

C5 What has happened to death?

C6 What is the victory of 1 Corinthians 15:57?

C7 How did we become victorious?

B8 Is the resurrection an important doctrine? Why?

B9 How will knowing about the resurrection change our way of thinking and living?

B10 Next week:

C1 Bad Decisions and Consequences

C2 Theme: The Importance of Obedience

C3 Scriptures: 1 Samuel 13:1-23