Sermon-based Study Guide

Sermon-based Study Guide Sermon: Victory in Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:50-58) Sermon Series: in the Making SERMON SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY Question: On what grounds is a disciple unshakeable? Disciples can be unshakeable because of Christ s victory over sin (forgiveness). of Christ s victory over death (resurrection). the Lord Jesus Christ guarantees His work. Disciples can be unshakeable because all Christ accomplishes. LET S REVIEW 1. What are 1 or 2 key truths you take away from this sermon? Page 1 of 9

DIGGING DEEPER The following is a review of the different kinds of people we come in contact with, the Biblical goal and action commensurate with each situation. * This is founded on the Biblical perspective of disciple making, which is: God does the growing, disciples join Him in the work. Person Goal Action Resistant Kindness Serve Indifferent Communication Listen Curious Understanding Wonder Seeking Guidance Share DIGGING DEEPER 1. Read 1 Corinthians 15. Create an outline of this chapter following Paul s subject, question, and answer approach. The basic outline for this chapter is as follows: v. 1 11: Presentation of the Gospel message. v. 12-19: Question: What if there is no resurrection? v. 20-34: Christ is raised from the dead. v.35: 2 questions. How are the dead raised? What kind of body? v.36-49: Answer to what kind of body. v.50-57: Answer to how the dead are raised. v.58: Exhortation. * Note Paul s progressive elaboration on the subject of resurrection. Page 2 of 9

SEMC s VISION Our vision is captured in three words. Do you know what they are? Gather. Grow. Go. SEMC s complete vision is as follows: SEMC is a safe place where people gather in Jesus name. A place of openness and freedom to give and receive love and care, to share and pray with one another. We express ourselves to God honestly and we are willing to be changed by Him. We will grow as disciples becoming more like Jesus as we pursue spiritual maturity based on the Bible. We will go to our families, to our communities, and around the world, to share the love, forgiveness and grace of Jesus; and live each day with honesty, integrity, and boldness through the power of the Holy Spirit. Mission Worship God Follow Christ as Lord Equip for ministry Have compassion for all Share our faith with the world We value Core Values Truth A Relationship with God Authenticity This Household of the Faith All People Question: How does SEMC s vision, mission, and core values connect with this series, in the making and particularly this text (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)? Page 3 of 9

IN MY LIFE 1. Living in victory? a. Do I know and feel free from the burden of sin? Why or why not? b. Do I know and feel free from the worry of death? Why or why not? 2. Pray: For victory; understanding the good news; for people to come into your life to serve, listen, wonder, and share. 3. Memorize: 1 Corinthians 15:58 Page 4 of 9

Word Study Flesh and blood: human being, one of mankind, formally, flesh and blood i ; (an idiom, literally flesh and blood ) a human being in contrast with a divine being person, human being. σὰρξ καὶ αἷµα οὐκ ἀπεκάλυψέν σοι it was not revealed to you by any human being or no person ever revealed it to you ii Inherit: In later usage followed by the acc., simply to obtain, acquire, possess. Spoken only of the friends of God as receiving admission to the kingdom of heaven and its attendant privileges iii Perishable: (x9) decay, perishableness, rot; corruptible; the creation itself will be set free from the slavery to decay or the inevitable tendency to decay iv ; the abstract being put for the concrete, what is corruptible or subject to corruption v Imperishable: (x7) incorruptible; immortality, incorruptibility, imperishableness; Mystery: secret; the content of that which has not been known before but which has been revealed to an in-group or restricted constituency secret, mystery. vi ; There is a serious problem involved in translating µυστήριον by a word which is equivalent to the English expression mystery, for this term in English refers to a secret which people have tried to uncover but which they have failed to understand. In many instances µυστήριον is translated by a phrase meaning that which was not known before, with the implication of its being revealed at least to some persons. vii Sleep: (x18) to be dead; (figurative extensions of meaning of καθεύδω a and κοιµάοµαι a, respectively, to sleep, 23.66) to sleep, as a euphemistic expression for the state of being dead to be dead, to have died. viii Some translators have attempted to preserve the figure of speech in καθεύδω b and κοιµάοµαι b by translating to sleep rather than to have died or to be dead. Such a practice, however, has resulted in misunderstanding in a number of instances and has sometimes led to the doctrine of so-called soul-sleep. ix Changed: change, to cause a difference by altering the nature or character of something x ; to cause a difference by altering the character or nature of something to change, to alter, to make different. xi Moment, twinkling of an eye: (x1 only used here); blinking of an eyelid, or better, the twinkling, rapid movement of the eyeballs, a restatement of a virtually indivisible unit of time; suddenly. xii Trumpet: a wind instrument, frequently used in signaling, especially in connection with war trumpet. xiii Page 5 of 9

Imperishable: immortal, imperishable, lasting forever, incorruptible xiv Immortality: the state of not being subject to death (that which will never die) immortality. xv ; immortality, a state of not being able to die or degenerate xvi Death: In this sense ho thánatos is used as a kind of personification, the idea of physical death being prominent xvii Victory: to win a victory over to be victorious over, to be a victor, to conquer, victory. xviii ; In a number of languages the closest equivalent of to be victorious over is to defeat. xix Steadfast: (x3) being firm, steadfast, concluding (a matter) with conviction xx ; pertaining to being firmly established in one s position or opinions firm, steadfast, unwavering. xxi ; seat, chair, base. Settled, steady, steadfast. Used metaphorically in referring to the mind and purpose xxii Immovable: (x1) firm, unshaken, steady; pertaining to not being readily shaken in one s opinions or beliefs firm, unshaken, steady. xxiii Abound: to be or exist in abundance, with the implication of being considerably more than what would be expected to abound, to be in abundance, to be a lot of, to exist in a large quantity, to be left over. xxiv ; being very much occupied in the work of the Lord always xxv Work: Tó érgon toú Kuríou, the work of the Lord, i.e., which He began and left to be continued by His disciples, e.g., the cause of Christ, the gospel work xxvi ; assigned work task Toil: to engage in hard work, implying difficulties and trouble hard work, toil, to work hard, to toil, to labor. xxvii ; i.e. effort Vain: without result, vain, without effect (4 times in ch. 15:2, 10, 14, 58); pertaining to being lacking in results without result, without effect. xxviii Page 6 of 9

Text Study (Here are various Bible translations of the passage.) English Standard Version New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update The New International Version The New Revised Standard Version The Message 50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 50 What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 50 I need to emphasize, friends, that our natural, earthy lives don t in themselves lead us by their very nature into the kingdom of God. Their very nature is to die, so how could they naturally end up in the Life kingdom? 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed 51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, 51 But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I ll probably never fully understand. We re not all going to die but we are all going to be changed. 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised we will be changed. 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised we will be changed. 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised we will be changed. 52 You hear a blast to end all blasts from a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes it s over. On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we ll all be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 53 For this perishable must put on the this mortal must put on immortality. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 53 For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 53 In the resurrection scheme of things, this has to happen: everything perishable taken off the shelves and replaced by the imperishable, this mortal replaced by the immortal. 54 When the perishable puts 54 But when this perishable will 54 When the perishable has 54 When this perishable body 54 Then the saying will come true: Death Page 7 of 9

English Standard Version New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update The New International Version The New Revised Standard Version The Message 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. have put on the this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 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. puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: Death has been swallowed up in victory. swallowed by triumphant Life! 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? 55 Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? 55 Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? 55 Who got the last word, oh, Death? Oh, Death, who s afraid of you now? 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 56 It was sin that made death so frightening and lawcode guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 57 But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three sin, guilt, death are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God! 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 58 Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 58 With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort. Page 8 of 9

Endnotes i Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.) (DBLG 135, #6). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc. ii Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996, c1989). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament : Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (1:105). New York: United Bible societies. acc (accusative) iii Zodhiates, S. (2000, c1992, c1993). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.) (G2816). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers. iv Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996, c1989). v Zodhiates, S. (2000, c1992, c1993). vi Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996, c1989). vii Ibid. viii Ibid. ix Ibid. x Swanson, J. (1997). xi Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996, c1989). xii Swanson, J. (1997). xiii Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996, c1989). xiv Swanson, J. (1997). xv Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996, c1989). xvi Swanson, J. (1997). xvii Zodhiates, S. (2000, c1992, c1993). xviii Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996, c1989). xix Ibid. xx Swanson, J. (1997). xxi Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996, c1989). xxii Zodhiates, S. (2000, c1992, c1993). xxiii Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996, c1989). xxiv Ibid. xxv Ibid. xxvi Zodhiates, S. (2000, c1992, c1993). xxvii Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996, c1989). xxviii Ibid. Page 9 of 9