Living in the Light of the Resurrection

Devotional

Day 1: The Resurrection of the Dead—Our Hope and Foundation

The resurrection of the dead is not a metaphor or myth, but the very center and bedrock of the Christian faith. It is the promise that every human being will be raised to life at the end of time, and that Christ, as the firstborn from the dead, has already entered into this new creation. This truth is inseparably linked to the historical, physical resurrection of Jesus, which confirms that our sins are forgiven and that God’s new creation has begun. Without the resurrection, our faith is futile and empty, but because Christ has been raised, we have an unshakeable hope that death is not the end and that glory awaits us. [07:57]

1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 20-22 (ESV):
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures... But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive."

Reflection: If you were to discover today that Jesus had not been raised from the dead, how would it affect your sense of purpose, hope, and the way you live your life?

Day 2: Living for Eternity, Not Just for Today

If the resurrection is true, it radically reorients our lives away from self-indulgence and living only for the present moment. Instead of chasing after every craving, pleasure, or material comfort, we are called to live sacrificially for the sake of the gospel and for others, just as Paul did. The resurrection means that this life is not all there is, and so our priorities, dreams, and resources should reflect the reality of eternity. The way we spend our time, money, and energy reveals whether we are living as if Christ is truly risen and as if our future is secure in him. [19:23]

1 Corinthians 15:30-32 (ESV):
"Why are we in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.'"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where your priorities or desires look no different from those who have no hope in the resurrection, and how might you begin to reorient that area toward God’s kingdom today?

Day 3: Standing Firm in Hope Amid Suffering and Evil

The hope of the resurrection empowers us to stand firm and not be moved by the chaos, suffering, and evil in the world. Without this hope, we are easily tossed by despair, cynicism, or apathy, feeling that nothing we do matters. But knowing that God is renewing all things and that our labor in the Lord is not in vain gives us courage to persevere, serve, and make a difference, even when the world seems dark. God sees every act of faithfulness, and one day, he will reward it. [22:36]

1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV):
"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

Reflection: When you are confronted by discouraging news or the brokenness of the world, what helps you remember that your service and faithfulness still matter to God?

Day 4: Embracing Our Mortality to Grasp Resurrection Life

To truly grasp the power and grace of the resurrection, we must first face the reality of our mortality and helplessness apart from God. Recognizing that we will die and that we cannot save ourselves frees us from the illusion that this life is all there is and helps us set our priorities on what truly matters. Only when we acknowledge our need and the certainty of death can we fully appreciate the hope and promise of resurrection life that Christ offers—a hope that transforms our perspective and gives us courage to live for eternity. [36:24]

Psalm 90:12 (ESV):
"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."

Reflection: How does remembering your own mortality change the way you approach your daily decisions, relationships, and ambitions?

Day 5: Our Future Glory—Becoming Like Christ

The resurrection promises not only life after death, but a glorious transformation beyond anything we can imagine. Our present life, with all its best moments, is like a seed compared to the beauty and strength of the life to come. One day, we will be like Christ—bearing his image fully, loving, thinking, and acting as he does, and able to stand in the presence of God’s glory without fear. This hope is secure because Christ, who had all glory, became like us and suffered death so that we might share in his life and glory forever. [42:50]

1 John 3:2 (ESV):
"Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is."

Reflection: Imagine the most joyful, alive, and grateful moment you’ve ever experienced—how does the promise of being transformed into Christ’s likeness and sharing in his glory shape your hope for the future and your life today?

Sermon Summary

The book of Hebrews challenges us to examine whether we truly grasp the foundational truths of our faith, or if we, like the original audience, have become “wise fools”—thinking we understand, but missing the heart of Christianity. One of these core truths is the resurrection of the dead, which is not just a doctrine to be mentally assented to, but a reality that should shape every aspect of our lives. The resurrection is twofold: first, that every human being will one day be raised to life, and second, that Christ himself has already been raised as the firstborn of this new creation. These two are inseparably linked—Christ’s resurrection guarantees our own.

This hope is not a metaphor or a myth, but a historical fact, attested by eyewitnesses and confirmed by the transformation it brings. Without the resurrection, our faith is empty, our preaching is useless, and we are still in our sins. The resurrection is the bedrock of Christianity; everything else stands or falls with it. Yet, it is possible to know this truth intellectually and still live as if it were not true. Paul gives us three litmus tests to discern whether we truly “get” the resurrection: whether our entire hope is staked on it, whether our lives are oriented toward sacrificial love and the kingdom rather than self-indulgence, and whether we are able to stand firm and labor with hope even in the face of suffering and evil.

We live in a culture that makes it difficult to believe in the resurrection, a world that has built a “cabin” of materialism and immediacy, shutting out the transcendent. Our imaginations are often shaped more by the here and now than by eternity. To truly grab hold of the resurrection, we must first reckon with our mortality—“of the dead”—and then cling to the promise that death is not the end. The sting of death is real, but it is not final. Our end is glory: a life more vibrant and whole than we can now imagine, as different from our present existence as a towering maple is from a tiny seed.

Christ’s resurrection is the down payment and guarantee of our own. He became like us, entering into death, so that we might share in his life and glory. This hope is unshakable, and it is meant to transform how we live, love, and serve today. May we be a people who live in the light of the resurrection, with hearts set on things above, and lives poured out for God and others.

Key Takeaways

1. True faith in the resurrection means staking everything on it. If Christ has not been raised, we lose everything—past, present, and future. Our hope is not in a set of teachings or a moral example, but in the historical, bodily resurrection of Jesus. If this is not the foundation of our lives, we are, as Paul says, “of all people most to be pitied.” [13:47]
2. The resurrection calls us to a life of sacrificial love, not self-indulgence. If we live as if this world is all there is—chasing pleasure, comfort, and personal fulfillment—we reveal that we do not truly believe in the resurrection. The way of Christ is the way of the cross: living for God and others, even at great personal cost, because we know that our true life is hidden with Christ in God. [19:23]
3. Hope in the resurrection enables us to stand firm in the face of suffering, evil, and apparent futility. Without this hope, we are easily moved to despair, cynicism, or apathy. But knowing that our labor in the Lord is not in vain, and that God is renewing all things, gives us the courage to persevere and serve, even when the world seems to be burning around us. [22:36]
4. Our culture’s “imminent frame” makes it hard to believe in the resurrection. We are conditioned to focus on the material, the measurable, and the immediate, often shutting out the reality of eternity. To live in the hope of the resurrection, we must intentionally open the windows of our hearts to the transcendent, allowing the promise of eternal life to reorient our priorities and desires. [30:51]
5. Grasping the resurrection requires facing our mortality and embracing the promise of glory. We must remember that we are dust, that death comes for us all, and that we are utterly dependent on God’s grace. Yet, death is not the end—our destiny is to be raised in glory, to be like Christ, and to experience a life more real and beautiful than we can now imagine. This hope frees us from fear and empowers us to live with courage, gratitude, and love. [37:02]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:31] - The Problem of Stunted Spiritual Growth
[02:15] - Rejecting Real vs. Shallow Christianity
[03:29] - What Is the Resurrection of the Dead?
[04:47] - Resurrection in the Old and New Testaments
[06:42] - Christ as the Firstborn of the Resurrection
[07:57] - The Resurrection: Foundation and Historical Fact
[11:55] - How Do We Miss the Resurrection?
[13:08] - Litmus Test 1: Staking Everything on the Resurrection
[15:40] - Litmus Test 2: Living for the Kingdom or for Self
[20:41] - The Way of the Cross and the Resurrection
[22:36] - Litmus Test 3: Standing Firm in Hope
[26:59] - Why It’s Hard to Believe in the Resurrection Today
[30:51] - The “Imminent Frame” and Our View of Reality
[34:35] - How to Grab Hold of the Resurrection
[37:02] - Facing Death and Embracing Glory
[40:20] - From Seed to Glory: Our Future in Christ
[42:10] - We Shall Be Like Him: The Hope of Glory
[44:51] - Invitation to Respond and Pray

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 12-22, 30-32, 49, 58 (ESV) —
> 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
> 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
> 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
> 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
> 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
> 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
> 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
> 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
> ...
> 12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
> 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
> 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
> 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.
> 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.
> 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
> 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
> 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
> 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
> 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
> 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
> ...
> 30 Why are we in danger every hour?
> 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!
> 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
> ...
> 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
> ...
> 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Observation Questions

According to 1 Corinthians 15, what are the two inseparable parts of the resurrection that Paul emphasizes? ([04:07])
What evidence does Paul give for the resurrection of Jesus, and why does he say it matters so much? ([07:57])
In 1 Corinthians 15:19, what does Paul mean when he says, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied”? ([13:47])
What contrast does Paul make between living for the resurrection and living for self-indulgence in verses 30-32? ([15:40])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul say that if Christ has not been raised, our faith is “futile” and we are “still in our sins”? What does this reveal about the foundation of Christian hope? ([08:40])
The sermon described three “litmus tests” for whether someone truly grasps the resurrection. What are these tests, and why do they matter for everyday life? ([13:08])
How does the “imminent frame” of our culture make it difficult to believe in the resurrection, and what are some ways this shows up in our thinking or behavior? ([30:51])
The sermon used the image of a seed and a tree to describe our current life and our future resurrection. What does this metaphor teach us about the difference between our present experience and the glory to come? ([40:20])

Application Questions

The first litmus test is whether your whole hope is staked on the resurrection. If you found out tomorrow that Jesus had not been raised, how would it affect your life, your values, and your sense of purpose? Would anything change? Why or why not? ([15:01])
The second test is whether your life is oriented toward sacrificial love and the kingdom, or toward self-indulgence. Looking at your time, money, and dreams, what do they reveal about what you truly believe about the resurrection? Are there areas where you are living more for yourself than for God or others? ([19:23])
The third test is whether you can stand firm and keep serving even when life is hard or seems pointless. When you face suffering, evil, or discouragement, do you find yourself tempted to give up, become cynical, or just focus on your own comfort? How might hope in the resurrection change your response? ([22:36])
The sermon talked about our culture’s “cabin” that blocks out the reality of eternity. What are some ways you see yourself (or people around you) living as if this world is all there is? What practical steps could you take to “open the windows” to the hope of eternity this week? ([30:51])
The message challenged us to “reckon with our mortality”—to remember that we are dust and that death comes for us all. How does facing your own mortality affect your priorities, fears, or gratitude? Is there a way you could intentionally reflect on this truth in the coming days? ([37:02])
The resurrection is described as a “down payment” and a “guarantee” of our own future glory. How might this unshakable hope free you from fear, empower you to love more boldly, or help you persevere in difficult circumstances? ([43:29])
Is there a specific area of your life where you need to let the hope of the resurrection reshape your attitude, choices, or relationships? What is one concrete step you could take this week to live more in the light of the resurrection? ([44:51])

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