Bible Study - Easter - But Now - Victory - 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 - April 20, 2014

Bible Study – Easter – But Now – Victory – April 20, 2014

Since this is Easter, this lesson focuses on the hope that the resurrection of JESUS gives to those who are lost in sin. Next week, we will continue in our study with lesson two in our series “Let Hope In.”

Our scripture is 1 Corinthians 15:20-28.

Colossians 1:27:

27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

CHRIST in you, the hope of glory. For CHRIST to be in you, you have to let HIM in. You are in control. It is your decision. Let’s read Revelation 3:21:

20 Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me.

JESUS is the One standing at the door of your heart and HE is knocking. HIS desire is for you to invite HIM into your life because he loves you and gave HIS life for you. The door knob or handle is located on the inside of you and you are the only one who can open the door of your heart to let HIM in.

Will you choose to let HIM in or refuse? Some may think I may lose my friends. You may but GOD will give you new friends. First of all, HE will be your best friend. Would you rather have eternal life and a guarantee that you will go to heaven the instant you die or face eternal death?

Those who place their faith in CHRIST have the assurance and guarantee that they will live for eternity with HIM in heaven.

Let’s explore!

There are many religions in the world. Some people think that all religions worship the same god. Do they? There is one distinguishing fact that separates those who place their faith in CHRIST over all religions. GOD raised CHRIST from the dead on the third day. Christians place their faith in a risen Savior. True Christianity is not a religion. It is CHRIST in you that makes you a Christian and not the earthly institution of which you may become a member.

It is a personal permanent relationship. But people make a religion out of Christianity. The bottom line is if you have not asked CHRIST to forgive you for your sins and for CHRIST to come into your life, you are not a Christian. Christianity cannot be earned by good works or human effort. Christianity is placing one’s faith in CHRIST as his or her Savior.

Let’s explore Paul’s letter to the Christians in Corinth. Keep in mind that Paul was a devout Jew. He was educated by one of the best teachers of Judaism. He thought this new group of JESUS worshippers that popped up after HIS death, resurrection and ascension called “The Way” were a threat to Judaism and the worship of the One True GOD. Paul was determined to stop them and the movement. Paul was a devout Jew and a Pharisee.

On his way to Damascus, Paul encountered the risen CHRIST. As a result of this encounter, Paul became a Christian and gave his life to obediently serve his risen Savior, CHRIST. Paul being an expert in the Old Testament scriptures saw how the scriptures revealed prophesy regarding the coming of the promised Messiah. He saw CHRIST as the promised Messiah. Paul saw truth and presented truth as we read in the following scripture.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 15:20-23:

20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the • firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at His coming, those who belong to Christ.

Paul bridged the gap between the Old Testament scriptures and CHRIST, the promised Messiah. The proof that CHRIST was the promised Messiah was in HIS resurrection from the dead by GOD. CHRIST was the first to be resurrected of all who will place their faith in HIM. Thus the firstfruits. The bodily resurrection of JESUS was necessary for GOD to reveal to the world that JESUS had conquered both sin and its consequence eternal death.

Death came to the human race because of the sin of the first man, Adam. JESUS was the second Adam, GOD’S only Son, who would redeem from sin and eternal death all who would place their faith in HIM.

When I think of Adam, I think of Paradise Lost and when I think of JESUS, I think of Paradise Restored for all who place their faith in HIM.

GOD’S intent was for mankind to live with HIM for eternity. But HE wanted those HE made to have the freedom to choose. HE chose not to make mankind robots. GOD’S desire is for those HE made to love and respect HIM out of a heart of love and appreciation. Do you like being a human? I do. If this was all to my existence, it would be sad but this life is only the beginning. Life upon earth is but a staging area for the life GOD intended for me but I had to choose CHRIST to be restored to the Son-ship which GOD originally intended for me.

Just as sin and its consequence came through one man, Adam, so does forgiveness of sin, redemption and eternal life come through one man, CHRIST.

Just as Adam made a decision to disobey GOD, JESUS chose to be obedient to GOD and remain sinless, yet being tempted in all ways as humans. Every person is faced with a decision to accept or reject CHRIST as his or her Savior.

Every human is born into this world because they are descendants of Adam and as such every human will die physically one day. Life after death is a big mystery, yet CHRIST makes it very clear that those who place their faith in HIM will receive eternal life. They are made alive through the miracle of rebirth in their spirit. They are born the first time as flesh but born the second time in their spirit.

Let’s read what JESUS told Nicodemus about being born-again as recorded in John 3:1-15:

1 There was a man from the • Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the • Jews. 2 This man came to Him at night and said, “ • Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “•I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 “But how can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked Him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. 8 The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus. 10 “Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11 “I assure you: We speak what We know and We testify to what We have seen, but you do not accept Our testimony. 12 If I have told you about things that happen on earth and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about things of heaven? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven —the • Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.

Rebirth is a Spiritual matter. How does a person know he or she has been born in the Spirit? Romans 8:16 - 16 The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,

The indwelling Holy Spirit is a Christian’s guarantee from GOD that his or her faith in CHRIST is real and secure. Let’s read 2 Corinthians 1:22 – 22: He has also sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment in our hearts.

The Holy Spirit could not come to earth until CHRIST completed HIS mission upon earth. JESUS told HIS disciples in Acts 1:4-8:

4 While He (JESUS) was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “This,” He said, “is what you heard from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 15:24-28:

24 Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when He abolishes all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He puts all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy to be abolished is death. 27 For God has put everything under His feet. But when it says “everything” is put under Him, it is obvious that He who puts everything under Him is the exception. 28 And when everything is subject to Christ, then the Son Himself will also be subject to the One who subjected everything to Him, so that God may be all in all.

Then comes the end. The resurrection is just the beginning of JESUS bringing all things under HIS authority until HE hands over the kingdom to GOD. Life goes on during this period.

Life will be normal. The human race will go about their routine while JESUS is bringing all under HIS control. Since HE conquered death, death is the last matter to be eliminated. Up until that instant people will die physically, including Christians. Since the resurrection of CHRIST, Christians die physically but their born-again Spirit will exit their body (earth suit) at the instant of physical death and meet JESUS in Heaven. Christians will remain in Heaven housed in their Spiritual bodies until CHRIST returns with HIM to earth at HIS second coming. At such time Christians will receive their new Glorified bodies for eternity.

Let’s read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:

13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are • asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

When all rule, all authority and all power is abolished and subdued, CHRIST will hand over the kingdom of GOD to GOD The Father. Until that is accomplished CHRIST will reign.

So what has to be accomplished before the end:

-         HE must put all HIS enemies under HIS feet.

-         The last enemy to be abolished is death.

Let’s read again 1 Corinthians 15:27 and 28:

27 For God has put everything under HIS feet. But when it says “everything” is put under Him, it is obvious that He who puts everything under Him is the exception. 28 And when everything is subject to Christ, then the Son Himself will also be subject to the One who subjected everything to Him, so that God may be all in all.

What does the term “put everything under HIS feet” mean? To put something under a person’s feet means being under a person’s authority, resulting from willing submission or conquest. It is a sign victory and the foe’s humiliation that accompanied the defeat.

Notice “everything” has been defeated and placed under the authority of CHRIST with one exception and that is GOD, the Father. In the end, CHRIST has accomplished HIS redemptive plan, defeated HIS enemies and secured the kingdom for GOD. CHRIST will appear before the Father, HIS Kingdom in hand and submitting it and Himself to GOD.

Here it gets tricky. The function of CHRIST was to accomplish the establishing and bringing under HIS and ultimately the authority of the Father the kingdom of GOD and the people who will be its eternal inhabitants. GOD’S Kingdom is fully secured because all that would war against GOD’S kingdom has been defeated and conquered, including death. That was CHRIST’S specific function. It did not change the essence of CHRIST in that HE is not and never will be subordinate in essence to the Father. The trinity of GOD - The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit are equal in authority, essence and deity.

CHRIST presents all things to the Father so that HE will reign supreme and unchallenged over all. The Amplified Translation renders “so that God may be all in all”:

28 However, when everything is subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also subject Himself to [the Father] Who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all [be everything to everyone, supreme, the indwelling and controlling factor of life].

And the new living translation renders verse 28:

28 Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

After CHRIST completes HIS work, all who have placed their faith in HIM will be secure in GOD’S Kingdom for eternity. CHRIST has conquered all. Why didn’t all of that happen at the instant JESUS gave HIS life to pay in full for the all who will place their faith in HIM? Simply, all HE foreknew had not been born. Remember Ephesians 1:4:

4 Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love. (Amplified)

HIS foreknowledge does not shape our freewill to choose. It gives HIM the knowledge of who will accept CHRIST as his or her Savior and HE does not want any to perish but have everlasting life and dwell with HIM for eternity. This is just as HE planned from the foundation of the world.

HE is waiting for you to give your heart to HIM. Why not now? Ask CHRIST to forgive you for your sins and to come into your life now. HE will because HE loved you enough to give HIS life for you to have eternal life. Because HE lives, so will all who place their faith in HIM! Happy Easter and blessings!!!