Dealing with Fear

If we can conquer this chapter, we can conquer any problem that may be in front of us as a people.

Fear is a motivating factor in what stops us from becoming who God intends for us to be.  Especially the fear of the unknown.

Paul an expert on this because he has been to heaven and has seen what is in front of us.  Trying to explain this to us in terms we can understand.

  1. Glorious Bodies of heaven Vs 35 – 41
  1. Skeptics ask, if we are going to be raised, What does that look like, what kind of bodies do we have?
  1. Foolish man or what a foolish question ( foolish, ignorant, senseless, lacking intelligence) (so much for let your words be seasoned with grace)
  2. You are leaving out God in all of this.

2.    you are holding the answer in your own hands.

  1. Seeds that are planted produce a different plant
  2. Wheat looks different from the seed to the stalk, but it is still wheat.
  3. These can be called two modes of life
  4. Vs 38, God is going to give us a new body so how is that even a question.

3. There is a splendor in each type of body. 39 – 41

  1. fish and animals have a type of body
  2. Sun and moon have different splendor
  3. We will be different when we are in heaven.

2. Analogy of Adam and Christ Vs 42 – 49

  1. These bodies have been sown corruptible
  1. There is a germination that is already happening.
  2. Death is the planting from which a wholly different organism will spring.

1. Important to note from this.

1. We are sown as Christians, we do not die

2.  Paul is picturing such an incredible act here that he repeats this in verses 50 –      54

3. The first resurrection, Christ, was the harder one because there was                          resistance to it. (Death, Hell and the Grave)  When we are resurrected, there will be no more resistance.

4. We will have the same bodies in different form.

c) Contrasts shared with us.

  1. Dishonor/ glory What our bodies will be is incredible compared to what they are today.  Not talking about outward appearance here, but who we are.
  2. Weakness/ power We are frail, but the power of God will come upon us and make us new.
  3. This glory will be revealed just as the seed brings forth the glory of the plant.

3. Spirituality Defined Vs 44 – 49

  1. Spiritual is a cutting remark as the Corinthians were calling themselves spiritual and Paul has been checking this at every turn.
  2. True Spiritual is the one who is made in the image of Christ.
  1. Adam’s body became a receptacle of the soul.
  2. He is the first born of all creation and the father of all creation.
  3. We also followed him in sin.
  4. Jesus body became a receptacle for God.
  5. He is a life giving life imparting person
  6. After the resurrection, he took on the characteristics of a spiritual body.
  7. The type of spiritual people the Corinthians were claiming to be will not come to fruition until the resurrection.
  8.  Philippians 3: 21