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When We Put On The Imperishable
Sunday, April 9, 2023
Pastor Jojo Ma
Weekly Bulletin | Worship Lyrics
1 Corinthians 15:53-57
1 Cor 15:53-57 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
What is the most important thing to you?
1 Cor 15:3-4 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
Christians believe that Jesus of Nazareth lived a perfect life, died on a cross for our sins, and rose bodily, physically, on the third day following his crucifixion. We call this the gospel or good news and it truly is the most important thing.
Christianity is an historical faith, it is rooted in history, and you cannot have Christianity if these elements are missing. Jesus of Nazareth lived, died, and rose on the third day. Take away the historicity of the life, death, and surrection of Jesus and you take away Christianity.
Christopher Hitchens, one of the 4 horsemen of New Atheism
While an avowed critic of Christianity, Hitchens understood that biblical Christianity stands or falls with the real and historical life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.
The New Atheists and the New Gnostics
So the New Atheists deny anything nonphysical – there is no resurrection of the body. The New Gnostics deny anything really physical – they can’t wait for life away from the body.
The Scriptures tell us that we will experience resurrection of the body because Jesus was raised on the third day.
1 Cor 15:3-4 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
1 Cor 15:53-57 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
You and I currently live in the first four words of verse 53: for this perishable body.
53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable…
2 Cor 5:1-4 1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened -- not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
If “imperishable” emphasizes that your future body won’t decay, then “immortal” emphasizes that your future body won’t die.
Resurrection is glorious because those in Christ enjoy both imperishable and immortal bodies.
What’s the point? It is “this” present, perishable, mortal body that will be clothed with a new kind of physicality. There is a clear continuity of identity even in the midst of such radical transformation.
“We are told in the new heavens and new earth that the trees and hills will be able to clap and dance. If they will be able to do that, picture what you and I will be able to do.”
Is 55:12 For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
1 Cor 15:55-57 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Cor 15:3-4 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.