Paul's explanation of the resurrection of the saints. Our responsibility to comfort those in grief. 1 Corinthians 15:35-49. From the sermon series called Death and Taxes

1. Funeral
Prep
1 Corinthians 15:35-49

2. 1 Corinthians 15:35–49
35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And
with what kind of body do they come?” 36 You fool!
That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;
37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body
which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of
something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as He
wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39
All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of
men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh

3. of birds, and another of fish. 40 There are also heavenly
bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the
heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another.
41 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. 42 So also is the resurrection of
the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an
imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised
in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44
it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If
there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45
So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME

4. A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural;
then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth,
earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the
earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the
heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 Just as
we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also
bear the image of the heavenly.

5. Funeral
Prep
1 Corinthians 15:35-49

6. Death and Taxes
Why are we so afraid of death?
This is the only existence we have known
Body-dies
Mind-ceases to function
Spirit-stands before God

7. The mind
Romans 8:5–6…For those who are according to the
flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but
those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the
Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the
mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Your mindset matters

8. You should find peace
Hebrews 9:27–28…And inasmuch as it is appointed for
men to die once and after this comes judgment, so
Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of
many, will appear a second time for salvation without
reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

9. Living above fear
Understanding is important for Christians.
1 Corinthians 15:19…If we have hoped in Christ in this
life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

10. Start with what we know
Death as planting
Body as a seed
Death is not final

11. God gives us
something better
But God gives it a body just
as He wished, and to each of
the seeds a body of its own.

12. Know this
2 Corinthians 5:2,4…For indeed in this house we groan,
longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,
For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being
burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but
to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed
up by life.

13. Returning to what
we know
All flesh is not the same flesh
**beasts birds fish man**
God gives a glorified flesh

14. Back to what
we know
There are also heavenly bodies and
earthly bodies, but the glory of the
heavenly is one, and the glory of the
earthly is another.
Sun moon stars
Their glory (brilliance) differs

15. Tie it together
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a
perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 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.

16. Sowing a
seed
 Perishable, raised an imperishable
 Dishonor, raised in glory
 Weakness, raised in power
 A natural body, raised a spiritual
body

17. We will be reunited
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
Body Mind Spirit
Not disembodied spirits
Not angels
Not a collective

18. Flesh first---Spiritual second
So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A
LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
This is what Christ’s resurrection bought us

19. Our present and
future
Just as we have borne
the image of the
earthy, we will also
bear the image of the
heavenly.

20. Application
We need to be
able to comfort
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance

21. We give
what
we get
2 Corinthians 1:3–4…Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies and God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our
affliction so that we will be able
to comfort those who are in any
affliction with the comfort with
which we ourselves are
comforted by God.

22. Called to
comfort
Grief is a journey, often perilous
and without clear direction. The
experience of grieving cannot be
ordered or categorized, hurried or
controlled, pushed aside or
ignored indefinitely. It is inevitable
as breathing, as change, as love. It
may be postponed, but it will not
be denied.
Molly Fumia

23. Listen don’t speak
Make it your goal to deeply
understand the other person.
James 1:19…Understand this,
my dear brothers and sisters:
You must all be quick to listen,
slow to speak, and slow to get
angry. NLT

24. Identify with the
grieving
Display sorrow and concern.
Be empathetic
Hebrews 4:15…This High Priest
of ours understands our
weaknesses, for he faced all of
the same testings we do, yet he
did not sin. NLT

25. Don’t talk
too much
Remember Job’s comforters
Job 2:11…When three of Job’s
friends heard of the tragedy he had
suffered, they got together and
traveled from their homes to
comfort and console him.
Job 16:2…I have heard all this
before. What miserable comforters
you are!

26. Give biblical
advice
2 Timothy 3:16–17…All Scripture
is inspired by God and is useful
to teach us what is true and to
make us realize what is
wrong….It corrects us when we
are wrong and teaches us to do
what is right. God uses it to
prepare and equip his people to
do every good work. NLT

27. 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17…Now
may our Lord Jesus
Christ himself and God
our Father, who loved
us and by his grace
gave us eternal
comfort and a
wonderful hope,
comfort you and
strengthen you in
every good thing you
do and say. NLT
Point them
to Jesus

28. Funeral
Prep
1 Corinthians 15:35-49