Some Words for Wednesday - An Eternal Promise of a Temporary Grave

(Some notes from the message shared when we gathered as a church last Sunday.)

"If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.  But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (1 Corinthians 15v19-20)

We're continuing our series looking at the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and what their significance is for us today.  In this post, we'll be looking over 1 Corinthians chapter 15, and drawing out some of the points that the apostle Paul makes regarding the resurrection of Jesus.

1. Jesus rose from the dead

In verses 3-11, Paul focuses our attention on the fact of the resurrection.  The first thing to recognise therefore is that Jesus really died!  His death was witnessed by many people, and many of those people were still alive at the time Paul was writing.  It still remained in the consciousness of communities.  So, for example, we find Peter speaking to Jews about the one "whom you crucified" (Acts 4v10), and Stephen proclaims the Christ "whom you have now betrayed and crucified" (Acts 7v52).

The death of Jesus was witnessed, checked (John 19v31-34) and confirmed (Mark 15v42-45).  Then his body was taken down from the cross, and placed in a tomb that was then sealed and guarded.  He really died.

But on the third day after his death, Jesus really rose!  No one anticipated his resurrection - when he first appeared, even his own followers struggled to grasp what had happened!  This was a radically new concept for them - there was nothing else like it.  

The description of Christ's resurrection in the gospels is not simply a retelling of a myth found in lots of ancient cultures.  In his book "The Resurrection of The Son of God", theologian N.T.Wright examines ancient pagan cultures and writings, and reaches this conclusion about their views on death: "The road to the underworld ran only one way."

The resurrection of Jesus was also unlike any the disciples had witnessed.  Jesus had raised people from the dead, but those people would eventually die again.  But Jesus didn't return to his life before death - he rose to life beyond death.  His resurrection body was different - it was "imperishable" (15v42), perfectly suited for heaven (15v49).

With such a new concept, it's no surprise that Paul here emphasises that there were many witnesses (15v5-8).  Anyone could see his empty tomb; the witnesses could explain what had happened to his body.

But why did Jesus rise from the dead?  What does it mean for us?

2. Jesus rose from the dead to secure an eternal promise

Paul begins to ask the question "What if there is no resurrection?" (5v12-19).  He writes that if there is no such thing as a resurrection, then Christ hasn't risen (v13), our preaching is pointless (v14), our faith is pointless (v14), and we are still dead in our sins (5v17).  In other words, Paul understands that Jesus had to rise to secure something for our salvation.

a. Jesus demonstrated authority over death (15v54-57).  In Revelation 1v18, we find the Lord stating: "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one.  I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades."  What does it mean, to have the keys?

As an illustration, my younger kids regularly remind me what it means to have keys.  When we're about to go out, and I ask "Who wants the keys to the car?", their hands immediately go in the air!  Why?  Because keys mean power!  They imply you've grown up in some way!  So, for example, when you reach a certain age, you get the keys to the house.

And how do you feel when you lose your keys?  Helpless!  You scrabble around the house trying to find the car keys, because otherwise you won't be able to reach your destination!

Keys mean power.  At his resurrection, Jesus proves he has power over death - he has the keys!  When he raised others from the dead, he unlocked tombs from the outside.  Now, he demonstrated he could unlock tombs from the inside.  Jesus has power over death - the power to have eternal life, and the power to give eternal life to others.

b.  God gave His approval of Christ's sacrifice.  Paul writes that "if Christ has not been raised...you are still in your sins" (15v17).  When God raised Jesus from the dead, He was sharing that Christ's sacrifice on the cross was sufficient to pay for our sins.

When writing to the Christians in Rome, Paul states that Jesus "was delivered up for our sins and raised for our justification" (Rom 4v25).  Our justification - God's declaration of our innocence - is revealed at the resurrection of Jesus.

When you trust your life to Jesus, you begin to live in him.  In a sense, what happens to him happens to you.  If he is still buried under your sins, then you are still buried under your sins (5v17).  But if he is risen, then you have risen with him (15v22).

3.  Jesus rose from the dead to secure an eternal promise of a temporary grave

Paul explores this in verses 20 to 23.  He has already expressed this promise: "He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence" (2 Cor 4v14).  Paul describes the resurrection of Jesus as the "firstfruits" (15v20, 23).  What are firstfruits?

Firstfruits are the first part of a field of crops that are ready to eat.  They're a taster of more that is to come.  Firstfruits are a bit like the demo of a new game that you haven't yet got.

I remember when we first downloaded the demo of Minecraft.  What was the response of my kids?  They immediately wanted to get the full version!  They'd had a taster - now they wanted to own it!

That's how we should feel about Christ's resurrection - we should want to own it for ourselves!  And if I trust Jesus to be my Saviour and my Lord, then I do own it.  I can be sure of my resurrection because of his resurrection.

The temporary grave of Jesus is a promise of a temporary grave for all those who trust in him.  His resurrection is the firstfruits, the promise of more to come, "for if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his." (Rom 6v5)

So, Jesus rose from the dead to secure an eternal promise of a temporary grave.  But how should that affect the way we live today?

a.  Trust in the irreversible resurrection of Jesus (15v56-57).  We have victory over death through Christ!  His resurrection is irreversible - he cannot be locked back in a tomb - he has the keys!  I must trust him with my eternal future.  My resurrection will not be secured by my future performance, but by his resurrection.  Jesus tells us himself: "I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live." (John 11v25)

b.  Believe your life has significance (15v58).  This is Paul's conclusion - "your labour is not in vain", your work is not pointless.  If we have an eternal future, then potentially everything we do has an eternal consequence.  The smallest act of service for the Lord can have a significance far beyond the horizon we can see.  Personal holiness doesn't lose its value because of our eternal safety in Jesus - instead, it becomes more significant than ever!

c.  Consider your priorities.  If our temporary lives on earth have eternal significance, we should consider how we spend that time.  Consider your own priorities - do they express your belief that your lasting home is in heaven?  That your lasting treasure is in heaven?  That your lasting reward is in heaven?  That your eternity will be spent in heaven?  Meditate and pray over these things over the next few days.

Next week, we'll reach the end of our series as we consider the ascension of Jesus, and what it means for us to have a Saviour who still lives.

Some Words for Wednesday - Covered by the sinless life of Christ

(Some notes from the message shared when we gathered as a church last Sunday.)

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5v21

Through January, we'll be thinking about the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.  One aim is to see more of his glory and greatness, as that is one of the ways we are changed as individuals and as a church community (2 Cor. 3v18).

Paul tells the believers in Corinth that he has a "message of reconciliation" (5v18), and that this reconciling takes place "in Christ" (5v19).

Reconciliation takes place when a broken friendship is mended.  Our friendship with God has been broken by sin.  When we put our trust in Christ - when we trust our whole lives to him - he is able to mend our friendship with God, so we can know Him and come near to Him.  Jesus is able to do this for "the world" (5v19), for all kinds of people.

How does he do this?  Jesus lived a sinless life, so that he could die carrying the sins of other people, and cover those people with his sinless life.

1.  Jesus lived a sinless life - "he knew no sin"

If you travel on a train, you'll have other people around you.  Sometimes, you'll have lots of people around you, crammed into a carriage!  And yet you might not know any of them.  You'll have people all around you; see and hear them; yet none of them will be known to you.  They'll be strangers to you.

That's how Jesus was with sin.  It happened around him.  He witnessed it taking place - for example, he heard people lying about him at his trial.  But he never made friends with sin.  Sin was a stranger to him.

Jesus was "one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4v15)  How did he manage that?  Was he like a stone, unfeeling and detached?

No!  When asked what were the most important laws, Jesus' answer was that you must love God with everything you are, and love people with everything you do.  He was sinless here, too!  He wasn't unfeeling or detached - he was always loving, and demonstrating the fruits of love in his behaviour towards people.

So in his humanity, Jesus was just like us, and tempted just like us!  But where we failed, he succeeded.  Where we gave up, he kept going.  Where our love grew cold, his kept burning.  Where we sinned, he remained sinless.

But why is this important?

2.  Jesus lived a sinless life, so he could die carrying the sins of other people - "For our sake, (God) made him to be sin"

When Jesus Christ died, he did so on behalf of all those who trust in him.  "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness." (1 Peter 2v24)  On the cross, Jesus was being punished, but not for his own sins, for he had none.  Instead, he took the place of all those who trust him with their lives, and he died for their sins.

Jesus lived a sinless life so that he could die for the sins of others - so that our sins could be put to death without us being put to death.  

We'll consider this more next week.  But there was another reason Jesus lived a sinless life.

3.  Jesus lived a sinless life so that he could die carrying the sins of other people, and cover those people with his own sinless life - "so that we might become the righteousness of God in him"

What is "righteousness"?  In a nutshell, it is doing and being what God says is right.  As our creator, God has written our instruction manual.  He made us, and so He is the only one with the authority and insight to define the right and best way for us to live.

By rejecting His way, and following our own way, we have all sinned, lost our righteousness, and lost our friendship with God.  In order to regain that friendship, we must regain that righteousness.  But where can we find a perfect righteousness that pleases God?

God Himself tells us at the baptism of Jesus.  When Jesus is baptised, God speaks from heaven: "You are my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased." (Luke 3v22)  Jesus is the perfectly pleasing Son of God.  He is the one with the righteousness we need.

When Jesus dies, a big swap takes place.  He carries our sins, and we receive his righteousness.  We are covered by his sinless life.

As an illustration, I recently bought some very soft, warm dressing gowns for a couple of my sons.  When one of the boys was wearing it the next day, he said "I feel like a rich man when I wear this!"  You might relate to this - sometimes, at a hotel or a health spa, you'll find a dressing gown put out for you, which is really thick and soft, and makes you feel important!

Jesus provides us with a luxurious robe of righteousness!  We are covered by his sinless life!  This means that when God looks at you, he sees the righteousness of Christ.  In a sense, He says "you are my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased."

God doesn't take this view because you've done better today than yesterday (but perhaps tomorrow His view will change!)  He doesn't take this view because you've finally reached His standard of perfect righteousness in the way you live, nor because He's lowered that standard since you became a Christian.

He takes this view because of what Jesus has done - because Jesus not only died in your place, but also lived in your place.  In a sense, Jesus died carrying your sins, but he lived carrying you.  You are covered by the sinless life of Christ.

How do you receive this covering?  By faith.  Paul writes of "the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe" (Rom 3v22) and the righteousness "that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith" (Philp 3v9).

So, Jesus lived a sinless life so that he could die carrying the sins of other people, and cover those people with his sinless life.  So how should this affect our everyday lives?

Firstly, it encourages us to be bold for Jesus - God will never lead you along a path and then leave you stranded!  You are safe in the sinless life of Jesus.  We can be courageous in our praying, our sharing, our living, knowing that God will never brush us aside because we didn't quite get it right.  God is with us - who can be against us?

Don't be crushed by your sins.  When you fail, don't waste time deliberately detaching yourself from God and His people until you think you're good enough to return.  Instead, repent and believe that God accepts you as His child because of Christ's sinless life, not your's, and get straight back on with following Jesus as an individual and as part of a church community.

Be obedient for his glory, not your own.  Paul removes the option of being selfishly selfless - of doing things for God's glory so that we can hold on to our salvation.  Instead, Paul writes that we are to be controlled by the love of Christ (5v14) and living for his sake, not ourselves (5v15).  We follow him not to receive glory from him but to give glory to him.

We cannot supplement the already-perfectly-obedient life of Christ that covers us, but we can magnify it through our reliance upon it, and in doing so give Jesus glory.