… SO WE SHALL BEAR HIS LIKENESS

1 Corinthians 15:35-49                Kevin E. Jesmer

Key Verse: 15:49                            3-4-24

“Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.” (ESV)

Dear Lord Heavenly Father, thank you for our heavenly hope in the Kingdom of God. Thank you for granting us assurance that there will be a resurrection, with brand new resurrection bodies. We will dwell in heaven with you, Lord Jesus. Our sins are forgiven. We will be at perfect peace with you in a right relationship. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ. I am getting closer that day. I am not fooling myself. I am 21 years away from being an 80-year-old man…like many 80-year-old men I take care of at the hospital. It is not far away. But because of the hope of the resurrection, each day brings an ever-stronger living hope in the resurrection. Thank you. Help me to learn more of this heavenly hope that Jesus brings in this message. I thank you and I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

      In this passage, we will learn some things about the resurrection of believers, in particular, about the resurrection principle and the glory of the resurrection. We also learn that, at the time of the Second Coming of Jesus there will be the bodily resurrection of the saints, and at the same time, all the enemies of God will face judgement and be completely destroyed.  May God reveal to us how glorious the resurrection of Christ is and may he help us to live with this glorious resurrection hope in our hearts.

Part 1: God Gives It a Body (35)

       Paul teaches us about the principle of the resurrection. Verses 35-44 read, “35 But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?’ 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” (ESV)

       First, the death of the body is the prerequisite of resurrection. (35,36) Look at verse 35a, “How are the dead raised?” Throughout history, past and present, no person has ever been permanently been raised from the dead. Yes, Lazarus, along with some other people in the Bible, were raised to life temporarily, but they died again to await the Resurrection. Only Jesus has been raised from the dead permanently to live forever more. He is alive right now. As the old hymn goes…” We serve a risen Savior who’s in this world today.” Everyone else was swallowed up by the power of death.

      But Jesus came to teach the world the reality of the resurrection and eternal life in the Kingdom of God with a resurrection body. John writes of this in John 5:28,29, which reads, “‘Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.’” Jesus teaches us that there will indeed be a resurrection of the dead. Believers will rise out of their graves to enter eternal life. Non-believers will rise too, to be condemned. That is what the Bible teaches.

      Some were not afraid to ask the hard questions. Anyways…They had no idea. The Corinthains were Greek. Greek philosophers were more concerned about finding meaning and purpose in this world and in this life. So, at the time of Paul’s writing, it was inconceivable for the Corinthians to imagine a bodily resurrection. Life after death involved some kind of spiritual reality, like the Egyptian idea of engaging in an underworld journey before facing judgement to gain access to the afterlife. The Greeks thought the soul left the body to a place called the Underworld or Hades. They held onto a hope or expectation that they would be rewarded somehow. But there was no certainty (Google). Again, in their minds, there was a separation of the soul from the body, where the soul would spend eternity somewhere if they were good enough to pass judgement.

      But here, Paul was speaking of a bodily resurrection for those who are saved. Christians would have complete assurance of salvation prior to the resurrection because of what Jesus accomplished for them on the cross. This assurance came at the moment of conversion.

       Some continued onto the next level of questioning. Look at verse 35b, “With what kind of body will they come?” For these Corinthians converts, it was horrible to think that the dead would be raised and walk around like a mummy or one of the zombies in the movie, “The Dawn Of The Dead”. Nobody wanted to die and then be raised as they were at the time of death, old, sick, weak, and prone to sin. No one wants to repeat the miseries and agonies of life over again—never! All people hope for a better afterlife.

Part 2: The Resurrection Principle (36)

       Paul taught them the resurrection principle in order to help them understand. Look at verse 36. “You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” The resurrection principle states that death is the prerequisite to the resurrection. The answer to their question was right before their eyes. God had made it clear to them through what was created. Unless someone or something dies there can be no resurrection. 

       Our present bodies must die before they can be resurrected. This is the hard part about resurrecting. The dying process can be very arduous. People get sicker and sicker for years. One person has Parkinson’s. Another one has kidney disease and diabetes. Another has dementia, cancer, or arthritis. Some become wracked with pain and are bedridden. People despair about life itself, because their bodies are breaking down. For most non-believers, their greatest hope is to just end it all and die, ceasing to exist, so that they can be set free from their suffering. They despair about life itself. But Christians know of a far greater reality. It is the bodily resurrection that Jesus makes possible.

      Christians understand why their bodies are breaking down. It is natural. It is part of God’s plan for he is preparing them for their bodily resurrection. If a person can obtain medical help to help with their physical deterioration, then they should do so. But overall, Christians are not surprised at their slow demise. In fact, the longer they live, the more the hope of glory swells in their hearts.

       This resurrection principle that Paul speaks about also comforts Christians that are facing persecution… even martyrdom. Some Christians are spending years in prisons or labor camps. They are worked so hard that they die prematurely. Some are facing a quick martyrdom or death in a war zone. Despite having to face such a hard cross, they have a living hope in the kingdom of God. They know that though their body may die, they will be raised again with a brand-new resurrection body and spend eternity with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

       Another aspect of the resurrection principle is the concept of “dying” to one’s self. This principle applies to our present life. When a believer “dies” to themselves, that means that they are denying themselves to serve their calling in the Lord. When they do God bears much fruit in and through their lives. Jesus once said to his disciples in Luke 9:23, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” It is related to the sayings, “No pain, no gain,” or “No cross, no crown.”

        It is not easy to grasp the resurrection principle. Peter, one of Jesus’ top disciples was one of them. Once, Peter made a confession to Christ, “You are the Son of the living God.” (Mt 16:16) It was a confession of love for and faith in Christ. But whenever Jesus taught him the meaning of his death and resurrection, Peter was not happy. When Jesus spoke to his disciples about his death and resurrection, Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. Jesus responded, “Get behind me, Satan! You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” (Mk 8:33) Then Jesus taught Peter the right attitude towards the resurrection principle. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mk 8:34b,35) When Peter lived by this principle, God established him as the leader of the early church. The resurrection principle is indeed a life-giving principle. (Derived from a UBF message).

       Paul also grasped the glorious resurrection principle. He said in 1 Corinthians 15:31a, “I die every day.” When he said, “I die every day,” it did not mean physical death, but it meant that he did not despair in any situation, rather he picked up his cross and followed Jesus. God gave him new strength. Paul also said in 2 Timothy 1:8,9: “So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.” (NIV)

       There is no fear of death to those who accepted the resurrection principle. Instead, their hearts are filled with expectant hope of the glory of God. Romans 8:18 says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (NIV) Paul thinks that not grasping the resurrection is simply fool. Look at verse 36 again, “36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” (Derived from a UBF message).

      There was one person who found out that if he wanted to grow as a Christian, and even as a person, he needed to deny himself and take up his cross daily. He needed to study hard, work hard, study the Bible hard, and pray hard, embracing his own personal cross. At times it felt almost like dying. The point of doing so was to support himself, overcome school challenges and grow spiritually. Most importantly it would be to glorify Jesus through his life. When he realized this, he found the way to spiritual joy and true victory. He discovered the truth of the resurrection principle.

      Thank you, Lord, for teaching me about the resurrection principle. I truly need to accept this principle to have hope, joy, and peace in my heart. It has been 1.2 years since my hip replacement surgery. I may need more surgeries in the next ten years. But that is OK. I know that because according to the resurrection principle, this body needs to cease being a seed, so that a new resurrection body can arise one day when Jesus calls me home.

       I can also apply the resurrection principle in my daily Christian life. I can “die” to my selfishness and deny myself and pick up my cross daily and follow Jesus. How often do I want to just take it easy and not make the necessary sacrifices to achieve what Jesus calls me to? How often do I get lost in so many distractions? Denying myself to follow God’s word and Gods Spirit, brings me strength and renews me. I can bear good fruit in my life. This brings me joy. Living by the resurrection is truly life giving.

Part 3: The Earthly Body Is the Seed of a Spiritual Body. (37-44)

       Paul goes on to explain the resurrection using the example of a seed. Verses 37-41 read, “37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” (ESV)

        As mentioned earlier, the Corinthian Christians believed in Jesus as the Son of God but they had no idea that the physical body is the seed of the resurrection body. Paul likens a person’s body to a seed that has been planted. Look at verses 37 and 38. No seed is pretty enough to look at with wonder for long. But the bodies that come from seeds have fascinating beauty beyond imagination. Seeds are small, hard dry and shriveled. But the plants that emerge are beautiful and glorious. God, the amazing engineer, made it that way. He revealed the truth of the resurrection through the marvel of the germinated seed.

        The physical body is the seed of the spiritual body. Look at verses 39-41. When God created all things, he gave each living creature its own kind of body and its own splendor or glory. Each body is different. Each has its own kind of splendor.  Likewise, the resurrection body is indeed full of splendor and glorious in its own unique way. Inherent greatness is found in each of God’s works of creation. This reminds me of Genesis 1:24, where God created each living creature according its kind. The same can be said of individual people. We are made each according to our kind. So, a person who discovers themselves in God is indeed great, and, all of creation finds satisfaction as it fulfills God’s sovereign purpose in creation.

       Paul makes a distinction between earthly bodies and heavenly bodies. The splendor of the earthly bodies is physical glory or the glory of the flesh. What is physical glory? It is comprised of human honor, human strength, love, and wealth. People exert great effort to achieve the glory of the flesh. They marvel at the glory of their bodies which are nothing but a seed. Marveling at our human glory can never satisfy a person’s soul. Why not?

       First, people die too soon before enjoying the glory of the flesh. God created people in the image of God with both body and spirit. Man is a soul. But because we have physical bodies that belong to the earth, we need the worldly glory, even though it fades away too soon. But if a person does not know about God’s truth, that their physical body is simply the seed of the resurrection body, they cannot but suffer duress as time passes on. But a person who knows that the physical body is the seed of the resurrection body longs for heavenly glory with joy, happiness, and expectation. Such a person, for example, can be a good spouse to their marriage partner, throughout their lifetime. It is because they know that the person they have married is God’s gift and both are on their common pilgrimage to the glorious heavenly kingdom to dwell with Jesus forever in their resurrection bodies.

Part 5: We Shall Bear The Likeness of Jesus (45-49)

       Paul teaches us more about the nature of our resurrection bodies. Verses 45-49, “45 Thus it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.” (ESV)

      We believers will bear the image of Christ (49). Knowing this, we must never be deceived about our earthly bodies. But so many people are. It is amazing that each person thinks, that their handsomeness and beauty will last for a century. Young people want to be like international, poetic, teenage travelers and live in this world forever and ever. But the reality is that they too get old and die. We all bear the likeness of the earthly man. If there is no resurrection body, a person’s life is too sorrowful to think about. They will lose everything. Thus is the reality of those with no resurrection faith.

      But we Christians live in hope of the resurrection. Our reality is totally different. What will our resurrection bodies be like? There is more to the resurrection principle. We plant a seed; it dies in the soil. Then it rises to a new and more beautiful life. It is unimaginable what the seed became when it ceased to be a seed. Our old body is a perishable seed. We are descendants of Adam and so we bear his image. As the physical body came first, so the spiritual body also comes. As Adam came from the dust of the ground and gave us a physical body, the Risen Christ, the second Adam, came from heaven and gave us a spiritual body. (45-48) Our bodies are dust. We sin and die, as did he. Our bodies are full of sickness and weakness. But our new resurrection body will be imperishable. It will be glorious and powerful. It is so much more glorious and wonderful than what our present body is.  

     It is the body which God gives. When we belong to Jesus, we have forgiveness of sin and eternal life. We die with him and live with him. When Jesus comes again, he will give us a resurrection body like his. The broken image of God will be completely restored in us. We shall be like him. We will be clothed with the resurrection body by the Risen Christ. We will all look like beautiful Jesus. Not only are we clothed with the likeness of Jesus, but also the Risen Christ makes our inner person to be like him. We will be as humble like Jesus. We will be as gentle like Jesus. We will be as obedient as Jesus. We will be share in his glory forever and ever. We will know and love God perfectly, and be with him forever in our new resurrection bodies. What a great and glorious hope!

Prayer: “Lord, thank you for helping me to realize that my body is just a seed. I am awaiting the glorious resurrection. My various aches and pain will be nothing. Fill my heart with joy and expectation in the resurrection and share this hope with others.”

One Word: We shall bear Jesus’ likeness