RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENTS MANUAL
LESSON FORTY-SIX
SUNDAY 15TH JULY 2018
MEMORY VERSE: “And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” – Job 19:26
BIBLE PASSAGE: 1Corinthians 15:1-23
INTRODUCTION:
The question of whether or not there is life after death is as old as man himself. For example, Job asked the question several years before Christ was born… ‘’If a man die, shall he live again?’’ (Job 14:14a). Somehow, man knew the answer to the question…’’And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God’’ (Job 19:26). Yes, there is life after death. The dead shall rise again. Let us study the scriptures for answers to the following questions to the following questions on the resurrection.
LESSON OUTLINES
1. Did Christ resurrect? Has the Christian any hope of resurrection?
2. What happens at the resurrection of the dead? How about the body?
DID CHRIST RESURRECT? HAS THE CHRISTIAN ANY HOPE OF RESURRECTION?
Paul gives a definite answer to this question in 1Corinthians 15:20. Apart from Paul, there were many who witnessed the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene (John 20:17) and to the women (Mark 16:1-9). He also appeared to Peter and to the disciples on the Emmaus Road (Luke 24:14-16). He appeared to the eleven disciples (Luke 24:33) and to about five hundred brethren (1Corinthians 15:6). He certainly appeared to the eleven at Bethany where He ascended (Luke 24:36-51).
The entire faith of the Christian rests on the resurrection (1Corinthians 15:17-18). If Christ did not die and rise from the dead our faith is in vain, we are yet in our sins, all who have died in the Lord have perished and there will be no future re-unions with loved ones. Praise the Lord, Christ did rise from the dead. Because Christ rose from the dead, every man, woman and child shall rise from the dead.
WHAT HAPPENS AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD? HOW ABOUT THE BODY?
The resurrection is to be in stages: Christ was the first to rise (1Corinthians 15:20). The saints who slept before that first resurrection morning rose next (Matthew 27:52-53).
On the second resurrection morning, there will be the resurrection of all Christians who had slept since Christ rose from the dead. This is called the resurrection of life (John 5:28-29). Only dead born-again Christians shall rise at this time. The wicked dead shall ‘’sleep’’ on for another 1000 years before they resurrect to face eternal damnation (Revelations 20:5).
There are some who deny the resurrection of the body, saying that the post-resurrection product will be a spirit only. 1Corinthians 15:44 says it is raised a spiritual body, not a spirit without a body. In 1Corinthians 15:35, there are two questions: How are the dead raised up? With what body do they come? According to 1Corinthians 15:
1. It is not the same body, but a transformed one, just as the plant is different from the seed that was planted (v.37). It is a God-given body.
2. It will be a body suited in every way to the individual spirit (v.38).
3. It will be an incorruptible body incapable of death or decay (v.42). Those condemned in hell will have this indestructible body because the normal human body will just disintegrate in hell.
4. It will be a glorious body for Christians (v.43) and a body with power.
5. Finally, it will be a spiritual body (v.44).
CONCLUSION
Will we recognise one another in Heaven? Of course yes, because we will be known there as we are known on earth (1Corinthians 13:12). For example, Peter, James and John recognised Moses and Elijah in Matthew 17:4, though they had never met before.
On the resurrection morning, the Redeemed of the Lord shall sing a song of victory, 1Corinthians 15:54-57: ‘’Death is swallowed up in victory. The sting of death is gone. The grave has lost its victory. Victory is ours through Christ’’. Will you be there?
QUESTIONS:
1. How do we know that Christ rose from the dead?
2. List the four stages of the resurrection.
