WEEKLY SUNDAY
SCHOOL LESSON
An international
Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday April 5, 2015
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readers worldwide
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RESURRECTION
GUARANTEED
(Our
new life is sure because of the resurrection of CHRIST)
1
Corinthians 15
In the biblical Greek the word used for
“resurrection” is “anastasis”, and it is “a moral recovery of spirit truth”,
and in the physical sense, it means, “to stand up again”. The sins of Adam and
Eve ushered physical death into the world, and by contrast, the resurrection of
CHRIST JESUS brought spiritual life. Adam, the first man, came from the dust of
the earth, while JESUS, the second man, came from Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:47).
It was William
Barclay who wrote, “Cleverness can never be the basis of true religion, and
true religion can never be the product of a man’s mind”. The resurrection of
CHRIST is the essence of the Christian Faith, and is the core of all of the
apostle’s teachings. No man is capable of producing or concocting a “True
Religion”, or Faith. Only GOD, the CREATOR of Heaven and Earth is capable of
meeting the qualifications necessary, and setting the examples, that every man
can benefit from, 100% of the time. Man, through his imperfections, will never
be able to spiritually rule over another man, and so, “Christianity” remains as
the only true religion, simply because, it is the only religion that is a
product of GOD’s mind.
In 1 Corinthians 15 the
Apostle Paul offers us an indebt understanding of the subject of the
resurrection of CHRIST JESUS and the powerful impact that that resurrection has
on those who choose to believe on HIM in this world. The resurrection is
guaranteed through the sacrifice of CHRIST JESUS, the author and finisher of
the only true faith, Christianity. He begins by reminding the Corinthians, in
particular, and the world in general, of the important teaching that he had passed
on to them in a previous time, regarding the resurrection of CHRIST. He then
tells them of the many witnesses to that resurrection, which included himself,
Peter, James, and many more, including all of the other apostles.
In verses 12-19 Paul
embarks upon a logical argument explaining the centrality of the resurrection
of CHRIST to the Christian Faith, and the belief that because of that
resurrection, all who die believing in HIM will also be raised from the dead,
and into eternal life with GOD, just as HE was. Our hope in CHRIST, “the
Christian Hope”, is not just for this life, but rather, it is for the eternal
life yet to come in Heaven. That is why true Christians are not “miserable
people”, but rather, to the contrary, we are people who retain unshakable joy
while still living here on earth.
It is a true fact that
JESUS has been raised from the dead, and HE became the first fruit of a great
harvest of believers who will be raised to life again. And just as death came
into the world through Adam, resurrection from the dead into eternal life with
GOD has been ushered in by JESUS CHRIST. Everyone dies because of their
relationship to Adam, but everyone can live again, eternally, through their
relationship with CHRIST JESUS. Death will be the last enemy of man to be
destroyed, or nullified, and so, we must not be fooled by unbelievers. Remember,
bad company corrupts good character. We have to come to our senses and quit
living in sin by coming to know GOD on a personal and experiential, “life saving”
level (Vs.20-34).
Paul concludes this
chapter with the analogy of the “dead seed” that is planted and then, through
nourishments from GOD, once again becomes “a living thing”, full of life and
growth, producing life-giving food, and even more seeds for future growth.
However, the dead seed (lost person) had to first fall into the hands of a
sower (a witness) who could introduce it to “new life” (JESUS) by planting it
firmly into the nourishment of GOD (The Word). Death is then swallowed up by
victory, and its sting (sin) is taken away (Vs.35-58).
The person who has met and accepted the “Risen
LORD” will be able to live forever in the joy of HIS presence. They will be
able to come to rest in the knowledge that nothing can ever again separate them
from HIS saving grace. And so, we should be able to see quite clearly now how
no man can give another man that kind of religion. It is something that only
GOD is capable of doing. That is why the Christian can “believe”, “share”, and
“rejoice” in the saving power of GOD.
Through the birth, ministry,
passion, death, and resurrection of JESUS CHRIST, GOD is saying to us, as only
HE can, that HE loves us with an everlasting love that can withstand all of the
suffering that this world has to offer. With GOD, it is possible for us to make
“a moral recovery of a spiritual truth” found only in HIM, and when we accept
that TRUTH, we become fully able “to stand up again” and live forever in the
presence of the ALMIGHTY GOD in Heaven.
A Sunday school
lesson by,
Larry D.
Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
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