Transformed by Hope: The Promise of Resurrection
Summary
In 1 Corinthians 15:35-49, Paul addresses the profound hope of resurrection and the promise that God will make us new. Just as a decrepit house can be transformed into something beautiful with care and vision, so too are our lives and bodies subject to decay, yet full of potential in God’s hands. From the moment we are born, we begin to age and decline, but God does not leave us in that state. Instead, He steps in, strips away what is broken, and begins the work of making us new—not just patching us up, but giving us entirely new, glorified bodies.
Paul’s teaching to the Corinthians, a church struggling with division and dysfunction, centers on the resurrection of Jesus as the foundation of our faith. If Christ has not been raised, our faith is empty; but because He has, we have the sure promise that we too will be raised and transformed. The analogy of a seed is used to illustrate this: a seed must die and be buried before it can become something new and beautiful. Our current bodies are like seeds—perishable, weak, and marked by dishonor—but what is raised is imperishable, powerful, and glorious.
This transformation is not something we achieve by our own effort. God alone has the power to take even the dust of our bodies and make us new. The resurrection body will not be identical to what we have now, nor will it be completely unrelated; rather, God will use what is here and transform it into something far greater. This truth should shape how we live now. We are called to die to our old selves, to trust that death is not the end, and to devote ourselves to the eternal destination ahead.
While we live in a world obsessed with the temporary—careers, possessions, and fleeting pleasures—Paul reminds us that everything here is dust compared to the glory that awaits. Our purpose now is to serve God faithfully, knowing that the best is yet to come. The story of the woman buried with a fork in her hand is a reminder to hold on to hope: in Christ, the best is always yet to come.
Key Takeaways
- The promise of resurrection means that our current state is not our final state. Just as a seed must die to become something new, we must accept that our old selves—marked by sin and decay—must die so that God can bring forth new life in us. This calls for a willingness to let go of what is perishable and trust God’s process of transformation. [11:16]
- God’s power to make us new is not limited by our circumstances or the state of our bodies. Whether we feel broken, weak, or insignificant, God can use even the dust of our lives to create something glorious. The resurrection is not about self-improvement but about God’s supernatural ability to bring life from death. [18:32]
- Our time on earth is purposeful, even though it is temporary. While it is tempting to become apathetic or distracted by the things of this world, God has given us this life for a reason. We are called to serve, love, and invest in what is eternal, not just what is immediate or material. [23:08]
- The glory that awaits us far surpasses anything we can experience here. Even the most beautiful moments and achievements in this life are but a shadow of the glory to come. This perspective should free us from clinging to earthly things and inspire us to live with hope and anticipation for what God has prepared. [24:00]
- Our identity is not ultimately found in Adam—the man of dust—but in Christ, the man from heaven. In Christ, we are promised a new image, a new body, and a new destiny. Don’t settle for the dust of this world; instead, build your hope on the resurrection and the life that only Jesus can give. [29:28]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:29] - The Fixer-Upper House Analogy
[04:02] - Human Decay and God’s Restoration
[05:14] - The Foundation: Resurrection of Jesus
[06:57] - The Promise of New Bodies
[08:10] - Reading 1 Corinthians 15:35-49
[11:16] - Our Old Self Must Die
[13:08] - The Nature of Resurrection Bodies
[14:17] - The Heart Behind Our Questions
[15:20] - God’s Power and the Seed Analogy
[18:32] - Death as a Doorway to Transformation
[20:05] - Trusting God to Make Us Defectless
[21:51] - God’s Purpose in Our Design
[23:08] - Living with Purpose Now
[24:00] - Earthly Glory vs. Eternal Glory
[25:19] - The Promise of All Things New
[26:20] - Investing in the Eternal
[27:12] - The Seed and the Spiritual Body
[28:22] - Adam, Christ, and Our True Identity
[29:28] - Don’t Settle for Dust
[30:37] - The Fork: The Best is Yet to Come
Study Guide
Small Group Bible Study Guide: The Hope of Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:35-49)
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### Bible Reading
- 1 Corinthians 15:35-49 (Main text)
- Genesis 1:27 (Alluded to: "made in the image of God") [21:51]
- Revelation 21:4-5 (Explicitly quoted: "He will wipe away every tear... I am making all things new") [25:19]
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### Observation Questions
1. In 1 Corinthians 15:35-49, what analogy does Paul use to describe the resurrection of our bodies? How does he explain the difference between what is "sown" and what is "raised"? [08:10]
2. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the phrase “man of dust” and “man of heaven” in this passage? [28:22]
3. What does Revelation 21:4-5 promise about the future for those who belong to Christ? [25:19]
4. In the sermon, what was the purpose of the story about the woman who wanted to be buried with a fork in her hand? [30:37]
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Paul call the Corinthians “foolish” for their question about the resurrection? What does this reveal about their attitude toward God’s power? [14:17]
2. How does the analogy of a seed help us understand both the continuity and the transformation involved in the resurrection? [15:20]
3. The sermon mentions that our current bodies are “just a seed” and that God will make us new. How does this perspective challenge the way we view our physical limitations or struggles? [27:12]
4. What does it mean that our identity is no longer found in Adam, but in Christ? How does this affect the way we see ourselves and our future? [29:28]
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### Application Questions
1. The sermon says that “our old self must die” so that God can bring new life. What are some specific attitudes, habits, or sins in your life that you sense God is asking you to let go of? What would it look like to “die to self” in those areas? [11:16]
2. The world is “obsessed with the temporary—careers, possessions, and fleeting pleasures.” In what ways do you find yourself clinging to things that are perishable? What is one practical step you can take this week to invest more in what is eternal? [24:00]
3. The sermon reminds us that “God’s power to make us new is not limited by our circumstances or the state of our bodies.” Is there an area of brokenness or weakness in your life where you struggle to believe God can bring transformation? How can you invite Him into that area? [18:32]
4. Paul says that our time on earth is purposeful, even though it is temporary. How are you currently using your gifts, time, or resources to serve God and others? Is there a way you sense God calling you to step out in faith or serve in a new way? [23:08]
5. The story of the woman with the fork is a reminder to “hold on to hope: in Christ, the best is always yet to come.” When you face discouragement or loss, what helps you remember the hope of resurrection? Is there a symbol, verse, or practice that could help you keep this hope in front of you? [30:37]
6. The sermon challenges us not to “settle for the dust of this world.” Are there areas in your life where you are tempted to settle for less than what God promises? What would it look like to build your hope on the resurrection instead? [29:28]
7. Think about someone in your life who is struggling with hopelessness or fear of death. How could you share the hope of resurrection with them in a way that is gentle and encouraging? [25:19]
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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Ask God to help you let go of what is perishable, trust His power to make you new, and live each day with hope and purpose, looking forward to the glory that is yet to come.
Devotional
Day 1: God Will Make Us New in Every Way
God does not leave us in our brokenness or simply patch up our flaws; instead, He promises to make us completely new, giving us new spiritual bodies and transforming us through His power. Just as a decrepit house cannot restore itself but needs someone to see its potential and invest in its renewal, so too does God see our potential and lovingly works to restore and remake us, not discarding us but refining and reshaping us into something more perfect. This is not by our own effort, but by His grace and power, and it is a promise for all who trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior. [05:14]
1 Corinthians 15:35-49 (ESV)
But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
Reflection: In what area of your life do you most need to trust that God can make you new, rather than just trying to “patch up” what is broken on your own?
Day 2: Death Is Not the End—It Is the Doorway to Transformation
Death is not the final chapter for those who are in Christ; rather, it is the necessary doorway through which God brings about our transformation, just as a seed must die before it can become something new and beautiful. Our current bodies, no matter how frail or flawed, are only the beginning—God promises to raise us in glory, power, and imperishability, using even the dust to make us new. This truth calls us to faith, trusting that God’s supernatural power is not limited by what we can see or understand, and that He will fulfill His promise to make us new. [18:32]
John 12:24 (ESV)
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Reflection: What fear or doubt about death or the future can you bring to God today, trusting Him to transform it into hope and new life?
Day 3: Our Purpose Now Matters—Don’t Become Apathetic
Even though our ultimate home is not in this world, God has given us a purpose to fulfill while we are here; our earthly bodies and lives are not meaningless, but are designed with intentionality to serve Him and others. The variety and uniqueness in all of creation, from animals to stars, points to God’s purposeful design, and as people made in His image, we are called to use our time and gifts for His glory rather than becoming apathetic or distracted by temporary things. Our present life is a seed for what is to come, and we are to make the most of it by living out our calling and serving God’s purposes. [23:08]
Genesis 1:27 (ESV)
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally serve God or others today, knowing that your life here has purpose and meaning?
Day 4: Trade the Temporary for the Eternal
The things of this world—our possessions, achievements, and even the most beautiful experiences—are temporary and cannot compare to the eternal glory that God promises to those who are in Christ. We are often tempted to invest our energy and hope in what is fleeting, but God calls us to set our sights on the eternal, to trade what is perishable for what is imperishable, and to live with the perspective that the best is yet to come. This shift in focus not only changes how we view our own lives, but also how we care about the eternity of others, motivating us to fulfill our purpose here with urgency and hope. [25:19]
Revelation 21:4-5 (ESV)
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
Reflection: What is one “temporary” thing you are holding onto too tightly, and how can you begin to let go and invest in what is eternal?
Day 5: Bear the Image of Heaven, Not Just Dust
We are born bearing the image of Adam—of dust and brokenness—but in Christ, we are promised the hope of bearing the image of the man from heaven, being remade into something new and glorious. All the world has to offer without God is just more dust, but through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, we are invited to become something not of this world, to hold on to the hope that the best is yet to come. This truth should shape our priorities, our hope, and our daily living, reminding us not to settle for less than what God has promised in Christ. [29:28]
Romans 5:17 (ESV)
For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Reflection: In what practical way can you “hold on to your fork” today—living with the hope and expectation that the best is yet to come in Christ?
Quotes
But the encouraging truth is this, is that God doesn't leave us in that state. He steps in, tears out what's broken, strips away what's rotting, and begins the work of making us new. And that's what we get to look at today through the lens of 1 Corinthians, is that God will make us new in every way. He doesn't promise just to patch our holes or repair some muscles, but no. [00:04:43] (31 seconds)
And what he's been doing is he's reminded us and the church of Corinth that the resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of everything we believe in. And he warns us that if Christ wasn't raised, then our faith is empty. But what he also says is because Christ was Christ. has been raised, then we have a promise that God will shape us and make us new. [00:06:38] (25 seconds)
And the truth of the text that we'll look at today is that at the end of time, when God makes everything new, we will also have a physical form. And we don't know what that looks like entirely, but there's a promise that we will be made new. We will be made new. So let's go ahead and jump into our text for today. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, we're going to read verses 35 through 49. [00:08:10] (27 seconds)
As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of dust. And as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Then, verse 49, just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. That's the truth. That's the promise that we're holding on to. If we trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have this promise that we will bear his image one day. [00:10:09] (30 seconds)
We will be made new. And God's grace towards us, he will take what the text says is a small kernel of who we are. Even in our brokenness, he will transform us. He doesn't discard us. He doesn't throw us out. But he refines us, reshapes us, restores us, and shapes us into something more perfect. But that's only through his power. That's not by anything that we do on our own. So he knows our sins. He knows our failures. He knows the different ways we've rejected him. But he still chooses to love us. And he still chooses to give us a chance to be. [00:10:38] (38 seconds)
When a seed is planted, it doesn't grow unless it first dies. You bury the seed, it decays, it breaks apart, and then it becomes transformed into something new. It's not identical, but it comes from that seed. So he's using this seed analogy to give us an idea of what our resurrected bodies could be like. And I know for the Corinthians, maybe they were planting seeds on the regular. [00:16:07] (29 seconds)
And what Paul does is, this analogy of a seed, it addresses two common errors that we face when thinking about the resurrected body. The first error is that the resurrected body will be identical to the one buried. That's wrong. The second error is that the resurrected body will be completely unrelated to the original. No, God will use what is here, even if it's just the dust. Like, you think, okay, what if someone was cremated? Well, we see we were all made from dust. So even that dust God can use to make us new. Really fascinating stuff. God can do it. [00:18:39] (42 seconds)
And we don't want to be like the Corinthians and doubting, all right, how is God going to do that? So we've seen God work. If you haven't, my prayer is that you would see God work. God can do it. And there's a lot of questions that we have with this process, but we know for sure this truth, that death isn't the end. And for those of us who know Christ, it's the beginning of a new, glorified life. Death isn't the end. He will make us new, but that requires faith. [00:19:22] (33 seconds)
All these material things, they're just filthy rags. They don't even compare to the glory of God and the glory that we will experience in eternity. We think about all the time we spend building things up here. We can't take our money with us when we die. Our car. Our house, our clothes, our collectibles, our trinkets, our gold bars. We can't take those with us when we die. Will we decide to trade what is here for the eternal glory that awaits? [00:24:25] (45 seconds)
So while there, you know, there will be a seed that comes from who we are today, the encouragement is, maybe you're thinking, well, the body I have today, it's pretty rough. The encouragement is that's just a seed. That's just a bare kernel. God will make us new. And knowing that, that leads us into our third point, is this really more of a question, will we devote ourselves to the destination ahead? [00:27:30] (26 seconds)
So I began today talking about the American dream, talking about how maybe it's a job you want, or I used pictures of a house to highlight what the American dream was. But it's always important to be reminded that even the best that this world has to offer, it's but dust. Everything here is dust. And all the world has to offer without God at the center of it is just more dirt. That's all that this world has to offer. But Adam, he was the first man. He was formed from this dirt, from this earth. But Christ, the text uses, is the last Adam. He's from heaven. [00:29:28] (44 seconds)
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