Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 15:12-34
Helpful thoughts:
- It makes no logical sense to join the church or call yourself a Christian if Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead.
- Jesus Christ rose from the dead!
- If you belong to Christ, so will you!
- All mankind is in Adam. We have a sin nature and we have sinned.
- All who are in Christ (All who have repented and are saved by His grace) will be given resurrection bodies when Christ returns.
- Doctrine matters. We do what we do because we want what we want. We want what we want because we think what we think.
- In our baptism, we identify with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. If our bodies are going to stay dead, why identify with resurrection? (This passage does not condone baptisms on behalf of those who have already died.)
- If there is no resurrection, Jesus is a false teacher and false prophet. If Jesus isn’t who He said He is, then why follow Him? “Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
Questions to consider:
- What does the resurrection of Christ guarantee for us? What does it prove to be true? What hope does it give?
- What will Jesus do when He returns (Verses 23-28)? What enemies will be defeated? Who wins in the end? What will be left for us to experience and enjoy forever?
- What must we truly believe if we are to endure persecution (Verse 32)? How can we see the strength and depth of our faith? How will our lives differ from others in the world?