The Resurrection and Living in the Here-and-Now
1 Cor. 15:29-34

Sernon Outine From The Evening Service - 13 February 2000

I. Even the pagans believe in the resurrection (29)

A. Interpretive possibilities -- 40+ interpretations!

1. The meaning of baptism -- figurative (as in Mt. 20:22) or literal (some think that there were a group in Corinth who were actually practicing).
2. The meaning of for -- on behalf of / in the place of (substitution) or over ( over the graves of the dead); to take the place of (replacement )
3. The meaning of the dead -- physically dead (unbelievers in hell) or symbolic (Jesus died and was resurrected & I died and was resurrected).
4. The contrast between they and we (vv. 29 & 30). This is a reference to someone other than the church of Corinth....the pagans.

B. The underlying reasoning for the practice -- death is not the end

1. The Roman Catholic doctrine of Purgatory fits in with this
2. The Mormons boasts "we are the only people who know how to save our progenitors; we are, in fact, the saviors of the world, if they are ever saved."

II. The apostles & disciples were willing to face danger / death (30-32)

A. Their danger, facing death was because of the resurrection

1. Paul was exposed to death daily (2 Cor. 11:24-27; 2Cor 4:10)
2. Paul gave up any hope of trying to preserve his life. (Phil. 2:21-23)

B. Their belief in the resurrection was their only hope to keep on going :
If death was the end to existence, then we must avoid all the pain and enjoy all the pleasures we can.   But Paul did not think that way.

III. The resurrection means we are to be living righteously now (33-34)

A. We can be deceived and corrupted by others.

1. A quote from Menander -- a truth obvious to the common man.
2. Be not deceived -- evil is contagious.

B. We are called to be awake to righteousness.

1. Awake to righteousness means having a conscious alertness to make sure our lives are characterized by what is right, moral, clean.
2. Being awake to righteousness includes being awake to those possibilities to do righteousness, to be the good Samaritan.

C. Christian shame:

1. Living with people and being more affected by them than they are affected by you. Christian company is supposed to improve morals!
2. Living with people and not telling them about God.