This week we continue our series in 1 Corinthians. We are considering what Paul teaches about the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:12-34.
‘Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.’ (1 Corinthians 15:33-34)
Summary: The humble know that they need the influence of a godly community in order to remain faithful.
DO NOT BE MISLED - DO NOT WANDER
Many people are led astray into weird, wacky and dangerous beliefs. I’m sure that we’ve all met people who have fallen for conspiracy theories fed to them, often, online. For example, many believe that The Twin Towers on 9/11 were actually brought down by controlled demolition explosives. Some believe that Princess Diana was actually assassinated by British intelligence agencies in conspiracy with the royal family. The internet seems to have multiplied the amount of strange thinking that is swirling around. The church is not unaffected. YouTube is full of strange ‘Christian’ teaching by so-called prophets and teachers. The faith healers and prosperity promisers are raking it in!
Paul warns us not to be ‘misled’ or ‘deceived’. The greek word ‘planaó’ means to cause to wander. We, like sheep, can lose our way, as we fail to listen to the good shepherd, listening to a false shepherd instead.
BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS
Paul uses a phrase that would have been well known to them: “Bad company corrupts good character.” We all know how keeping company with certain people will lead to our moral decline. Now, we may say, surely Jesus was a ‘friend of sinners…’ Yes, but these were not his company of friends. Our close friends, as much as possible, should be our Christian family; what else could Paul mean by these words?!
Specifically, the Corinthians were allowing the influence of certain people to cause them to wander from the truth of the resurrection. If we want to have the truths of the faith and the hope of resurrection burning in our minds and hearts, we need the influence of the Spirit through the ‘good company’ of our local church.
RESPONSE - COME BACK TO YOUR SENSES
Paul, finally, encourages them: ‘Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning.’ Right thinking and right living always go together. Specifically, let’s take this teaching about our future hope of resurrection to heart. Let’s live with joyful expectation. Let’s hold onto this hope in moments of suffering. Let’s take it to heart when in temptation. Let’s keep our future inheritance in view when we are tempted by this often vain and comfort-seeking culture.
Finally, If we are to ‘come back to our senses…’ we need to be humble enough to give priority to friendship in our local church family - The humble know that they need the influence of a godly community in order to remain faithful.
COMMUNITY GROUP NOTES AND STUDY
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. Icebreaker
What has God been speaking to you about from His word recently? How would you like prayer?
3. Recap of Sunday's message - please share in your group
This week we continue our series in 1 Corinthians. We are considering what Paul teaches about the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:12-34.
i. THE CORINTHIANS ARE IN DANGER FALSE TEACHING
‘But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?’ (1 Corinthians 15:12)
Some in the Corinthian church were struggling with the idea of resurrection and Paul is seeking to keep them from false teaching.
ii. NO RESURRECTION NO SALVATION
‘If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.’ (1 Corinthians 15:13-19)
Paul is at pains to show them that if Jesus has not been raised from the dead, they are not saved and continue under God’s judgment. If Jesus has not been raised from the dead, His death on the cross was not a victory but the defeat of a deluded man.
iii. JESUS THE FIRSTFRUITS
‘But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 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. 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)
Paul calls Jesus’ resurrection the ‘firstfruits’. This is about Him being the first of many to follow. Imagine moving into a new home with a fruit tree that you don’t recognise in the garden. When the tree produces an apple or a pearl, you know that all the fruit that will follow will be of the same kind. Likewise, Jesus’ resurrection is the same kind as all Christians will experience.
iv. THROUGH ONE MAN
He reminds the Corinthians of the deep truth of the similarity between Christ and Adam. He writes in Romans 5:
‘For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!’ (Romans 5:17)
Just as Adam’s sin led to death in the universe and our physical bodies, so Christ’s obedience to the death of the cross will lead to the removal of death in the universe and our physical bodies. He tells them that ’In Christ all will be made alive’; He wants to reassure them that as surely as Adam’s disobedience on their behalf has affected them so negatively, so Jesus’ obedience on their behalf will lead to complete victory.
RESPONSE - DO NOT BE MISLED
‘Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptised for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptised for them? And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.’ (1 Corinthians 15:29-33)
God wants you to be certain of Jesus’ resurrection and of your own future hope of resurrection. Beware that “Bad company corrupts good character.” Are we putting good teaching into our minds and hearts? Are we caught up with conspiracy theories and fanciful teaching that takes one away from true faith?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
i. Did you feel that God spoke to you from any particular aspect of Sunday's message?
ii. What does Jesus' resurrection mean for us?
iii. Why do many fail to believe or think about their future resurrection?
iv. How often do you think about your future resurrection and how does this affect your life?
SIV - Let's keep praying and planning for how we can invite people to our carol service on 11th December (4 pm).
SIV - Do you have any encouraging stories of sharing your faith with your friends?
SIV - How do you plan to 'serve, invest and invite' into your friendships?
SIV - Let's pray for the Spirit to lead us in reaching our community.
