The Death of Death 1 Corinthians 15:20-28
Where is all of this going? Where is history headed? Is there a reason to be hopeful about the future? Those are big questions, questions that many think would not be worth our time when we are so busy trying to pay our bills, help our kids get their homework done, and maintain our sanity while trying to keep up with schedules that are way too busy. Where is all of this going? Is there a reason to be hopeful about the future? I’ve been reading about the growing number of people around the world who have become disillusioned with life and the future. It seems like a long series of disappointments have opened the floodgates of this disillusionment for many. How can we make sense of the disappointments of life? Is there any way to remain hopeful when bad news keeps coming at us from every angle? Or, should we simply throw up our hands, throw in the towel, and give up any hope of a better day? I believe what Paul has been teaching us about the resurrection of Jesus, in 1 Corinthians 15, is the key element of hope for each of us who are followers of Jesus. Do you remember what Paul told the people in Corinth? Turn to 1 Corinthians 15:14 with me.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (1 Corinthians 15:14 NIV)
Because God raised Jesus from the dead, our faith is transformative, and faith in who God is, what God has done in Jesus, is doing in history, and what God has promised allows us to see things, understand things, and believe things that enables us to be the most hopeful of all people on the planet. But remove God from the equation, which is what much of our current society is seeking to do, rip His Word out of our lives, and in exchange simply encourage people to hope with their fingers crossed that humanity can pull us out of the doldrums of despair and lead us into a hopeful future…well, good luck with that. Sometimes the best way to understand where we are at this moment is to take a trip back to the past. In about 1750 a movement began called the European Enlightenment. It exploded onto the scene and flourished until about the mid 1900s. Enlightenment thinkers like Auguste Comte, Emmanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, Karl Marx, and Herbert Spencer took the best of Christian hope, removed God, and everything that even hinted of Christianity. For example, God’s Word teaches that history is under God’s control and He is guiding history to an end where justice, perfect peace, joy, and an abundant life will reign. The Enlightenment thinkers substituted humanity for God. They taught that each passing year, each new generation would build upon the prior generation, and lead the next generation into a brighter, more reasonable, and more prosperous future. The Enlightenment took hold and it seemed like they were onto something until a span of 50 years unfolded, from 1900-1950. That fifty year period of time saw World War I take place from 1914 to the end of 1918, a global flu pandemic in which more than 50 million people died in 1918-1920, the stock market crash of 1929, followed by the Great Depression that lasted throughout the 1930s, and then the Second World War took place from 1939-1945. Tim Keller writes,
Many thinkers of the Enlightenment had turned toward science and away from religion because, it was thought, religious faith led to dogmatism, strife, wars, and violence. Through reason and science we would come to consensus on how to live good lives together. The thinkers of the Enlightenment believed that to go to war and to exploit races and classes was simply irrational, and that all reasonable people would see that and agree. But after two world wars and repeated episodes of ethnic genocide it became clear that reason and science were not able to change whatever it was within human nature that led to violence and oppression. (Keller, Tim. Hope In Times of Fear. pg. 195)
The famous author H.G. Wells, who was a huge supporter of the Enlightenment, remained positive and hopeful even after having witnessed World War I. He was convinced that the failure of World War I showed the need to apply more science and reason so that humanity could achieve peace, harmony, and prosperity. By the end of the Second World War, H. G. Wells had lost all hope. Just before he died he wrote his final book, which was titled, Mind At The End of Its Tether. The book was Wells’ confession; the Enlightenment experiment was a total failure, humanity was a total failure incapable of achieving the lofty goals the Enlightenment thinkers had once thought possible. Wells wrote,
A series of events has forced upon the intelligent observer the realization that the human story has already come to an end and that Homo sapiens, as he has been pleased to call himself…is played out…He has to give place to some other animal better adapted to face the fate that closes in more and more swiftly on mankind. (H.G. Wells)
Our hope is not in the potential of humanity, but in the Sovereignty and activity of God, the One who has acted on our behalf and promises that He ain’t done yet! Let’s read our Scripture for this morning and see what we can learn. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15:20-28.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:20-28 NIV)
The last time we were together we spent all of our time taking a look at verses 20-22. So, this morning let’s begin in verse 23.
23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (1 Corinthians 15:23 NIV)
Paul made it clear to all of the believers in Corinth that “...Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Remember, the firstfruits were the part of the harvest that became ready for harvest first. It was offered to the Lord as a reminder that everything belongs to God and that what God has begun in the firstfruits, He is faithful to bring to fruition that which the field has yet to produce. Paul used this illustration to teach the people that Jesus’ resurrection guarantees our own, for those who belong to Him. At the beginning of verse 23, Paul writes, “But each in turn:” The Greek word used for “in turn” is the word, “tagma,” and it means, “that which has been arranged, placed in order.” The word was used to describe military maneuvers and how soldiers were arranged for the battle. God’s Word teaches us that God is a God of order and that is exactly what we find Paul teaching in these verses. Next, I want you to notice the word “then” which is found in verses 23 and 24. Paul lets us know that Jesus’ resurrection has begun a series of events, there is an order to what is taking place and what will take place in the future. The order is Jesus’ resurrection, then, when He comes, the resurrection of those who belong to Him. Paul mentions that the resurrection of those who belong to Him will take place “when he comes.” The thought that Jesus will come again might have been confusing to some of those who were seated in the First Church of Corinth, but it is almost totally neglected in the modern-day church. Jesus has already come, what do you mean when He comes? Is Jesus coming again?God’s Word teaches that Jesus did come, but He is also coming back. The Greek word Paul used in verse 23 is the word, “parousia,” and it means “presence or arrival.” The word was used in Paul’s day to announce the coming visit of the emperor who was honored in the Roman empire as a god. Corinth was a Roman colony so they were well aware of the pomp and circumstance of the build up to the emperor’s arrival. Paul used the word to teach Jesus’ followers about the coming arrival of their King. This word is used 24 times in the Greek New Testament. The second coming to Jesus is not a “one off” teaching of the Bible, it is such an important truth that had implications for not only the future, but how God’s people lived in the present. Jesus spoke of His future coming on several occasions. Turn to Matthew 24 with me.
36 "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24:36-39 NIV)
No one knows the day of Jesus’ return, but Jesus said He would come when we least expect Him. We are not to become so fixated on when Jesus will return that it distracts us from being about our Father’s business while we are living each day. The assurance of Jesus’ return should serve as a motivator for living our lives for His glory in this very moment. Paul and those of His day used the expectation of Jesus’ return to invigorate them to live all out for the Lord. Let me give you a couple of examples. Paul wrote, in 1 Thessalonians 3:13.
13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. (1 Thessalonians 3:13 NIV)
Paul wasn’t the only leader who held this mindset in the early Church. Simon Peter wrote,
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives… (2 Peter 3:10-11 NIV)
Since we know Jesus is coming back again, what kind of lives should we live? Peter answers that question for us: “You ought to live holy and godly lives…” Let’s take a look at the next section, verses 24-26.
24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:24-26 NIV)
When Jesus returns “...the end will come.” What will Jesus do when He returns which will bring about the end? He will destroy all dominion, authority and power…the last enemy to be destroyed is death.” The word “destroyed” is translated from the Greek word, “katarge,” which means “destroy; render powerless; or free someone from something.” Jesus will dethrone the powers one day. When we think of “dominion, authority, and power” we think of evil dictators and despots, those in our society who hold the power and abuse and misuse it, and injustice that takes place at every level of society. Ciampi and Rosner state,
Verses 24-28 reflect a motif of a dominion gone astray and needing to be crushed so that the proper dominion might be restored. The general idea would have been familiar to anyone in the Roman Empire. Just as a Roman emperor would send out his leading general to put down seditious movements and rebellious vassal states and restore the emperor’s authority throughout the empire, God has sent Christ to subdue all rebellion and opposition, to destroy all enemies of God’s kingdom, and to restore all of creation to its proper submission to the Father for his glory and the good of all creation. (Ciampi and Rosner, 1 Corinthians. pg. 767-768).
What we see taking place today and what we have seen throughout history will not go on forever. A day is coming when Jesus will dethrone all worldly powers, when Jesus will put down every evil dictator, every crooked politician, every schoolyard bully, every Section 8 slumlord, every human trafficker who abuses and dehumanizes those created in the image of God, every person with power who misuses that power for their own advantage instead of to lift others up, and all who act as if they are gods while treating others as if they are less than human. You might be skeptical of what I’ve just shared with you. You look at the evidence and feel certain that what has gone on will always go on, but I want to urge you to consider the resurrection. If we will consider the resurrection it will impact us in two ways. First, the resurrection will give you and me confidence that what God promises, He will do. A new day is coming my friends! Second, the resurrection establishes that God is not pleased with how things are and He calls you and me to get to work to alleviate the suffering, to bring healing to the broken, and hope to the hopeless. He calls us to let His light shine in the darkest places of our community so that those who are downtrodden can be lifted up. God told His people in Isaiah’s day,
17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:17 NIV)
What God calls His people to do is what God has been doing throughout history. Our work is imperfect, but one day the imperfect will be replaced by His perfect dethronement of every power that marginalizes, manipulates, minimizes, and maligns His people. One of the most powerful illustrations of how the Lord calls us to live out His plan to dethrone the powers that minimize His people is found in Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus tells a story of the dividing of the sheep and the goats, those that are His and those who are not. The sheep are placed on His right while the goats are placed on His left. Jesus tells the sheep, in Matthew 25:35,
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:35-40 NIV)
“...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” We are called to do in our little sphere of influence what God will do in all of His creation one day. There is one more thing I want us to be able to take a look at before we leave here this morning. Paul said that when Jesus returns He will render powerless all of the worldly and spiritual dominions, authorities, and powers. Jesus will reign until He puts all of His enemies under His feet. That last phrase, “...He puts all of HIs enemies under His feet” is a quote from Psalm 110:1 and Psalm 8:6. Then Paul writes,
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:26 NIV)
In Jesus we find the death of death. Now, is that great news or what? Rachel E. Menzies has written a book called, How The Fear of Death Shaped Human Society. She has also written an article for the Australian Psychological Society called, Death Anxiety: The worm at the core of mental health. In her article, Dr. Menzies writes,
For as long as humans have been recording their history, death anxiety has been a pervasive theme. From Gilgamesh’s 4000-year-old laments over his own mortality, to recent attempts to preserve one’s body using cryogenics (an effort not dissimilar in its goal to the ancient Egyptian practice of mummification), our species has grappled with our own impermanence in myriad ways. Themes of mortality and the dread of death have appeared throughout art, literature, myth, ritual and philosophy across the ages. William James famously referred to our knowledge of our own mortality as “the worm at the core” of human existence, and, more recently, Yalom (2008) proposed that death anxiety may underlie much of human distress, casting a shadow over our daily life. (Menzies, Rachel. Death Anxiety: The worm at the core of mental health. InPsych 2018: Vol. 40. December)
What Dr. Menzies has recognized in her work the Bible confirms throughout its pages. The Psalmist wrote, in Psalm 116:3-4,
3 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the LORD: "LORD, save me!" (Psalm 116:3-4 NIV)
You can literally feel the anguish and dread as the Psalmist recalls his experience of feeling like he was dying. And in the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews broadens the feelings and anxiety of the Psalmist and tells us that all of humanity is held in slavery by our fear of death. Read along with me from Hebrews 2:14-15.
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death-- that is, the devil-- 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15 NIV)
For many the fear of death is caused by the loss of life and the uncertainty of what lies beyond the grave, but for you and me we look at our last day, that moment that we will draw our last breath in this life with certainty. Paul said to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Paul said, “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). And a little later in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul, because of Jesus’ defeat of death when He rose from the grace, almost mocks death when he writes,
54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:54-55 NIV)
In Jesus’ resurrection we can experience the death of death. Until Jesus returns we will continue to die, but death has lost its power to paralyze us and rob us of life, even the abundant life that Jesus has given us. What a powerful lesson for you and me who are followers of Jesus and living in a day where, because of the circumstances we have found ourselves in during these past two years, so many are hunkered down and fearful of death. Each day during the past two years we’ve been told in every way imaginable through the TV, radio, the internet, friends, and social media how many were dying each and every day. People we know have died. Family members have died. I spoke at the funeral of my college roommate who was the toughest human I’ve ever known. He got Covid and one week later Jeff died. No wonder so many were and continue to be fearful. And then, just as it looked like Covid was winding down and life was returning to semi-normal, a war breaks out and we’re told it could be World War III, and a nuclear war might very well take place. No wonder so many are paralyzed by the fear of death. I’m not biting. I’m not taking the bait. I will not hunker down and hide. I will not cower in the corner. I will not shudder and cry and wring my hands until they are raw. Death has lost its power for those who are in Christ Jesus. To live is Christ and to die is gain! I will continue to proclaim the death of death because of the victory of Jesus over the grave. How about you? Are you a follower of Jesus this morning? I pray so. I also pray that if you are a follower of Jesus that you will live out your faith in our Conquering King. While others are glued to the TV to try and learn if Putin has pushed the button, let us continue to serve, love, forgive, and let His light shine in this dark and dreary world. If you are not a follower of Jesus then I am so glad you are here this morning. I want to invite you to surrender your life to Jesus this morning. Come forward and give me your hand as you give Jesus your heart. Mike HaysBritton Christian Church922 NW 91stOKC, OK. 73114March 27, 2022