1 Corinthians Week 37

Day 1 

RECEIVE 

1 Corinthians 15:33-34 

³³ Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” ³⁴ Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all. 

This was Paul’s answer to some who thought there is no resurrection so you might as well eat and drink because tomorrow you die. Paul was direct when he wrote that “some of you don’t know God at all.” Those who deny the resurrection of Jesus have no salvation.  

REFLECT 

Does this help you to see how serious it is to deny the resurrection of Jesus?  

RESPOND 

It is one thing to talk about the life and death of Jesus, but notice what occurs when you talk about His resurrection. This happened to Paul when he was addressing the idol worshipers in Athens (see Acts 17:16-34).  

Day 2 

RECEIVE 

1 Corinthians 15:35-37 

³⁵ But someone may ask, “How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?” ³⁶ What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. ³⁷ And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. 

Paul used an example from their agricultural life to explain about a change at the resurrection. For the seed to grow it had to die first. Before bodies will be resurrected they must die first. Paul was providing hope that looked beyond the grave.  

REFLECT 

You may have questions about how things will work out in eternity. For believers it will be a perfect place and you can trust Jesus for everything. 

RESPOND 

Visit with a friend about having confidence in what Jesus said. His comments about believers being with Him are seen in John 14:1-3; 11:25; Romans 6:7-9. 

Day 3 

RECEIVE 

1 Corinthians 15:38-39 

³⁸ Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed. ³⁹ Similarly there are different kinds of flesh—one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 

After the body dies, like grain that dies and then produces fruit, God gives a new body. Paul did not believe in evolution: he listed the different kinds of flesh for humans, animals, birds and fish. The Genesis account reveals God’s design was for His created life to reproduce “after their kind” (see Genesis 1:11-12, 21, 24-25). God also created man “in his own image” (Genesis 1:26-27). 

REFLECT 

Do you realize that one “kind” never becomes another “kind” even though there are various species in each kind? 

RESPOND 

Whether one believes in evolution or creation it must be taken by faith because no human was there to witness it. With a friend, read Hebrews 11:3 as a reminder.  

Day 4 

RECEIVE 

1 Corinthians 15:40-41 

⁴⁰ There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies. ⁴¹ The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory. 

Paul continued to contrast earthly bodies with heavenly ones. Remember that he was writing to prove his point about the resurrection of the physical body. There were those in his day who were teaching that only spirit is good and material is bad so there would be no resurrection of the body. A group doing this was known as the “Gnostics.” This word had to do with knowledge, and Paul was demonstrating that their so-called knowledge was wrong. 

REFLECT 

Brilliant people are as lost as ignorant unbelievers if they don’t have faith in Jesus.  

RESPOND 

Join with a friend in reading 1 Corinthians 2:12-16. This will remind you that the unsaved (natural) person does not understand the things of God.  

Day 5 

RECEIVE 

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 

⁴² It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. ⁴³ Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. ⁴⁴ They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies. 

Paul here contrasted what it will be like when the believer’s body is resurrected from the grave. Here on earth even Christ-followers have bodies of weakness and pain. Someday, however, they will be given glorified bodies that will never experience pain. All the former things will pass away and “there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:4).  

REFLECT 

As a believer, no matter what you are experiencing now think of how wonderful it will be for you in the future.  

RESPOND 

Join with a friend in reading John 12:25-26. This passage records the words of Jesus about people who value this life more than the life hereafter. It is also an appeal for believers to serve the Lord Jesus.