Sermon Supplement, Lord’s Day, July 30, 2006
Kihei Baptist, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii
WHEN GOD GOVERNS AND CHRIST IS KING
Glenn Armstrong, D.D. Pastor
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WHEN GOD GOVERNS AND CHRIST IS KING, I Corinthians 15:20-34
Thesis: There is a direct correlation between the physical resurrection of our Lord and His right to reign on earth. Neither can be true unless they are both true. The first is factual and the second is futuristic. The first guarantees the second. The past resurrection of Jesus from the grave displays power over death and argues successfully for His future right to reign over life.
I. DEFINITION OF TERMS:
A. Kingdom of God: This term refers to the whole concept of God’s right to rule over all His creation. This includes His right to rule in a person’s heart and life as well as His right to govern His created world.
B. Kingdom of Christ: This term stresses Christ’s part in universal, visual, earthly rulership during a thousand year period following His return.
C. Kingdom of Heaven: Matthew used this term when he wrote of the Kingdom of God. God’s earthly kingdom will have universal control over the earth in a righteous peace and His personal presence will prevail.
II. THE CERTAINTY OF THE CHRIST’S RESURRECTION GUARANTEES THE CERTAINTY OF HIS RULERSHIP, 15:20-21
A. Christ’s resurrection displayed His power over life and death.
B. Christ’s resurrection depicted the evidence of more to come.
1. "First fruits offering" refers to an Old Testament feast in which the first part of the harvest was presented to God as a token expression of thanks to God in anticipation of the rest of the harvest, Leviticus 23:10-11.
2. The feasts of Leviticus 23 illustrate God’s plan of redemption.
a. Passover offering and Calvary, 23:5
b. Unleavened bread offering and burial, 23:6
c. Firstfruits offering and resurrection, 23:10
d. Meat offering (50th day) and Pentecost
3. The resurrection of Christ is historically factual and futuristically functional. It reverses death and replaces it with life.
III. THE POWER OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION GUARANTEES THE POWER FOR HIS RETURN TO RULE. 15: 22-24
A. There are two universal representatives mentioned in this text. One is Adam through whom sin and death entered the human condition.
The second is Christ through whom the resurrection from the dead and everlasting life entered into a spiritually dead humanity.
B. In Christ all shall be made alive. The context of this passage is the resurrection to life and the specifics are that all dead people will be resurrected. Some will be resurrected to eternal life in heaven and some unfortunately to a lake of fire. There is an order listed to the resurrections (see chart). The word "order" is (tagmati) indicating military structures marching in review.
C. The destiny of the resurrection of believers and unbelievers is determined by personal decisions to receive or reject Christ as the payment for their sins. All people begin life "in Adam", but must decide to be "in Christ" by being born again.
D. The teaching of the text is a clear statement that Christ’s resurrection proves His power over life, death, and eternity as well as His right to rule over everything lost through sin.
E. The resurrection of the unsaved of all ages will follow the millennial reign of Christ. This event will also include the presentation of the kingdom by Christ to the Father and Christ’s rendering the sinfulness of the earth inoperative.
IV. THE AUTHORITY OF THE RESURRECTION GUARANTEES CHRIST’S RIGHT TO REIGN OVER ALL ENEMIES, 15:25-28
A. Christ has the right to reign on earth because: 1) He is co-creator, 2) He is sustainer, Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:17, 3) He is redeemer.
B. Ignoring God’s right to rule over all His creation is the base sin for all other sins.
C. Christ will ultimately destroy the last enemy – death itself. This destruction is brought about by having power over death through the resurrection of all the unsaved dead following a final Satan led rebellion.
D. The judgment of unsaved at the white throne judgment is when all things are "put under His foot" and the lost are sent to the lake of fire, Revelation 20:11-15.
E. A willing subjection of the Lord to the Father will last through eternity. Submission is different from inferiority. The Father and the Son are one in divine essence but different in identification. Christ identified with humanity to provide redemption.
V. THE BAPTISM OF BELIEVERS ARGUES FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD AND THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST, 15:29-34
A. The resurrection and thus the rulership of Christ is an essential element of Christian baptism. We are identified with Christ in His death and resurrected to a new life as a believer Romans 6:3-5.
B. The "baptism for the dead" is not proxy baptism. Baptism is the testimony of people who were once dead in sin and but who are now alive in Christ. The continued baptism of believers replaces others who have died and who together will be part of the resurrection.
C. The seriousness of Paul’s message of the resurrection and Christ’s right to rule over all creation is indicated by his willingness to risk his life daily by preaching the gospel.
D. Paul was glad when people received his message of Christ’s resurrection and thus the resurrection of others, but even if they did not, it did not change the gospel or Paul’s dedication to his ministry.
E. To Paul, physical suffering and possible death was an accepted part of being a believer. He expected to be a martyr and became one in Rome. There would be no value in Paul’s ministry apart from the resurrection and future reign of Christ.
APPLICATION: Believing in Christ as Savior and Coming King calls for believers everywhere to guard their companions, ethics and right living. The eternal destiny of the unsaved is connected to a controlled and careful life of believers.
GAA/July, 2006
