+ INJ End Time 4A: Christ the King 23 & 24 November 2008 +
1 Corinthians 15:20-28 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 his own 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.
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. (Titus 1:4)
One day at a time. It’s good advice. It’s good to take one day at a time. It’s a good way to walk through life. We plan ahead and schedule our time weeks or months ahead, and yet, finally, we put one foot in front of the other, live each today as it comes. Jesus even told us: let tomorrow worry about itself, for each day has enough trouble of its own. But living from day-to-day has its downside, too. Today’s problems sometimes seem bigger than they are, and tomorrow’s troubles loom very large in our eyes. If you stand on the sidewalk, next to the
This morning, Paul zooms out to look at the big picture of human history. And he also zooms in on to focus on the central event of human history: Christ resurrection. Without that, humanity would be lost in helplessness and hopelessness. Paul says: If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith; your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost (1 Cor. 15:14, 17, 18). But then our text begins with the glorious reality: But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. All of Paul’s what-if’s just disappear like morning mist. Our preaching is not useless, our faith is not futile, our sins really are taken away, and all who die in Christ are not lost, but safe in heaven. That’s the big picture truth: Christ is not dead! Christ lives and reigns!
Christ’s resurrection is the solution to our big picture problem. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. Death is a problem of human making. Death is God’s punishment, yes, but it came through a man, a human. God is not to blame for it. Man is. It’s a human problem. So what you’re saying, Paul, is that since death is a human problem, it needed a human solution? Not at all! For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. Paul’s not talking about a human solution. Paul is talking about God’s solution, that he provided through a human. A man, who was also God. The Lord of life himself stepped into human history as a human. The Lord of life came as a mortal man, to face death. Think of Jesus in the Gospel for today, standing on trial before Pontius Pilate. The Lord of life only had a crown of thorns on his head; wore a royal robe only to be ridiculed. All we see on the surface, as Jesus is forced up the hill, nailed to the cross, and then sealed in the tomb is another dead man.
But look at the big picture that Paul shows us. Christ is not dead. Christ lives and reigns over death. He suffered death only to bring life. We share in Adam’s sin by our very birth, as well as by our own sinful thoughts, words, and actions. So we share in Adam’s death sentence. But through another man, God’s Son, Jesus, comes resurrection, new life. Through Christ comes forgiveness for Adam’s sin, for your sin, for my sin. Through Christ comes resurrection from the dead. Christ lives and reigns as the Lord of life!
Let’s take that big picture perspective back into day-to-day life and our day-to-day problems. Financial problems. Health problems. Personal problems. Family problems. Big? Yeah. But not as big as they seem. Difficult? Yeah. But not as impossible as they seem. Instead of worrying about our day-to-day problems, let’s step back and get some perspective. The things that seem big now aren’t nearly as big as our problem of sin and death. The things that seem big to us are not really so big for Christ. If Christ has removed sin and done away with death, is there any problem we face today or tomorrow that he can’t handle? Christ humbled himself to the point of death, and now lives and reigns over our death! If Christ lives and reigns as the Lord of Life, is there anything in our day-to-day life that’s too hard for him? He triumphed over the grave. He died eternal life to bring. He lives that death may die. So crown him the Lord of Life!
Paul zooms out in our text to look at the big picture. He takes us all the way back to the beginning: Adam’s sin. He zooms in right in the middle, the central event: Christ’s resurrection. Now he takes us all the way to the end. Our daily life in 2008 just sort of blurs past. He fast forwards along that big picture from Christ’s resurrection to our resurrection, from Christ’s Easter Victory to Christ’s victory on the Last Day. There’s a significant gap on the timeline between the two, thousands of years. And God arranged it that way, Paul says: But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. And even though Christ’s resurrection and our resurrection are separated by thousands of years, they’re connected. Christ’s resurrection is proof and guarantee of our resurrection.
That’s what firstfruits are all about. You might be familiar with the idea of first-fruits giving: the concept that we give our offering to the Lord first, before all the other bills; “off the top”, not from the leftovers. Originally, the Old Testament Israelites offered to God the first crops they harvested as a gift, symbolizing that the entire harvest came from God and belonged to God. But there’s more to it. It was also God’s pledge to his people that he would continue to provide for them. Think of it in
Paul then zooms us on that last day, the end of the timeline. 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, Paul says, he “has put everything under his feet.” On the Last Day, Jesus will return and raise all people from the dead. At that point, he will report back to his Father: “
But as Paul talks about the Son and the Father, he explains one thing: 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. Paul doesn’t want us to think that Jesus is or was or will be essentially higher or lower than the Father. Father and Son are equal in divine power and glory. Paul’s point is simply this: “Jesus Christ our Lord lives and reigns… with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.”
As we go through our daily life in 2008, it really helps to step back and see where we are in the big picture. Jesus’ life and death and resurrection are complete. He has ascended into heaven and is seated right now at God’s right hand, living and reigning over all things for us. Here’s the part we’re waiting for, that doesn’t come until the very end: From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. All will rise to life, unbelievers to eternal condemnation and believers to eternal life. All will kneel before Christ and hail him King, whether in the terror and despair of unbelief, or in the confidence and joy of faith. Yes. The resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. We will crown him as the Lord of Life! If that’s what we’re looking forward to in the big picture, doesn’t that impact our daily lives, too? Don’t we see then that the things of today are nearly as significant as we think? That the things we value and treasure now pale in comparison to the paradise of heaven? That the troubles and problems we face will look like nothing looking back from the Day of Resurrection? Not nearly as significant as we thought. And yet, the opposite is true, too. With Christ our King living and reigning even now, our daily life does have significance. Every moment of every day is a chance to serve, thank, and praise our gracious King.
Christ lives and reigns as the Lord of life! So why wait? Why wait until the Last Day to bow before him and hail him King? Every day, from now until he comes again, crown him with many crowns! Crown him the Lord of life! Amen.
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24-25)
