Heaven and Forever: Week Two
Why the resurrection Jesus is the basis of our hope, and what our resurrected bodies will be like.
When Jesus died on the cross to atone for our sins, death did not have the final word. God did. The tomb is empty. Many people saw Jesus after his resurrection. They ate with him and heard him speak. He made breakfast for them on the beach. His followers watched him ascend into heaven and then they gave the rest of their lives to his mission. They were persecuted and thrown in jail and martyred for their faith—who would do that for a dead man?
It wasn’t just those first century followers whose lives were transformed because of Jesus. They wrote down what they knew about him, and God sent his Spirit to help us understand their words and be changed too.
Because Jesus lives, we are forgiven forever. His resurrected body is proof that death will not have the final say. God, the life-giver, will “transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his [Jesus’s] glorious body” (Philippians 3:21).
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand the hope of the resurrection as you study this chapter from 1 Corinthians.
- Read 1 Corinthians 15. What stands out to you? What questions do you have?
- Why is the resurrection of Jesus essential to our faith?
- What does Paul say the value of our faith is if Jesus had not been raised from the dead? Why do you think he views the resurrection as such a key part of our hope?
- Verse 26 says that the last enemy to be destroyed in death. When you consider that the God is the source of life, how does that help you see death as the enemy?
- Make a list of descriptive words and phrases about what our resurrected bodies will be like. Think about Jesus after his resurrection. What clues does his resurrected body give you about what ours will be like?
- How does Paul’s conclusion in verse 58 make sense in light of what you have studied in this chapter? What does it mean for you in this season?