God's Church: The Fruit of the Resurrection

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Sermon & Small Group Resources

This is the seventeenth sermon in our series on God’s Church (1 Corinthians). This sermon is ‘The Fruit of the Resurrection‘. Preacher: The Rev’d Adam Lowe. Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

DOWNLOAD the Small Group Questions, Going Deeper, and Sermon Transcript (PDF).

Next Steps this Week

BIBLE READING: 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

The Resurrection Body

But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.

I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

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CONNECT: What is one priority in your life that is shaped by the certainty of future physical resurrection?

WARM-UP

1. What aspect of the resurrection of the dead do you find most challenging to grasp?

2. What aspect of the resurrection of the dead do you find most exciting?

Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-44

1. What are the questions that Paul raises? Which of these does he focus his answers on?

2. What analogy does Paul use to explain the type of resurrection that awaits us? What does it mean?

3. How is it clear that our resurrection is a physical one? How is this different from just a dead person coming alive? How do you long to be made new?

4. What are the contrasts between our ‘former self’ and ‘resurrected self’ in verses 42-44? Can you explain what these mean? What in particular does it mean to be ‘imperishable’?

5. What does Paul mean by ‘natural body’ and ‘spiritual body’? Why is this critical to understand?

Read 1 Corinthians 15:45-50

1. What contrast is Paul making in these verses between our two family trees?

2. What is the fruit (or inheritance) of our earthly heritage? How is that evident today?

3. If we are in Jesus, what is the inheritance that is promised through him?

Read 1 Corinthians 15:51-57

1. What did some of the Corinthians mistakingly believe about ‘the end’? How is it evident that the end has not actually arrived yet? How will we know?

2. When will we be transformed with new bodies? How long will this take to happen?

3. Who gives us the victory over sin and death? How has Jesus made this possible?

4. What do you think it looks like to stand firm in these things? But also more generally?

5. What do you think it looks like to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord (on all of your

   frontlines)? Do you ever feel like your work is in vain? How does our promised future change this?

APPLY: How can you give yourself ‘more fully’ to the work of the Lord (on one of your frontlines) this week?

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, please help us to stand firm on the truth of the Gospel, rejoice in the future that awaits us, and always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. How we thank you that our labour in the Lord is not in vain. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

GOING DEEPER

On Your Frontline This Week: Pray for the people on your frontline. Who might be one person you could invite along to Alpha?

Listen, Watch, and Read:

• AUDIO: “What kind of body?” By William Taylor

• AUDIO: “Easter Hope” by Rico Tice

• ARTICLE: Jeff Bezos Invests Millions in hope of Life Forever

• CHAPTER: from “what Christians Believe” by Michael Bird: “Believing in Salvation, Waiting for God’s New World.”

• BOOK: “Raise Forever” by Rory Shiner

• BOOK: “Resurrection” by N T Wright

• ARTICLE: “Did Jesus rise from the dead” by John Dickson
  

Series Resources:

Some helpful resources for our Series:

• Series Overview Published by St Bart’s

• Website: “First Corinthians” by the Bible Project

• Course: “1 Corinthians” as part of the Ridley Certificate (6-week online course)

For Families:

• VIDEO (for Kids): God’s Story: After the Tomb

Grow as Families

Each week St Bart’s Kids and CHARGE Youth provides resources for you to use at home. Join the livestream and then spend 30 minutes to work through these together.

Families: Read, Chat, Do, and Pray

High School: CHARGE Discussion Questions

Kids’ Talk: Watch the Kids’ Talk

eBook: Watch the eBook