If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men.If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.
3 sermons cite this verse
… Harry just read it. You can flip back in your bulletin. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 12 through 23. I won't read the whole passage, but just highlight a few things. Here's what Paul says about the resurrection and our salvation. Just highlight verse 14. He says, if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. Verse 17, if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. verse 18 those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished and finally verse 19 if in Christ we have hope in this life only we are of all people most to be pitied so friends we see in this text that the resurrection is an essential part of our salvation. In fact, Paul's logic is that if the resurrection is not true, then everything else unravels. He says we would be found to be liars about God. He says your faith would be in vain. He says you would still be in your sins. …
… So he says in verse 18, excuse me, 19, if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most to be pitied. That's a bizarre statement to me. If our hope in Christ is only for this life, then we are pitiful. here's what I want you to see the resurrection of Christ is the assurance of eternity living aware of the power, the beauty, the wonder of resurrection is what helps us to understand heaven is home. it's just too easy to live with the awareness of an inferior reality it's too easy to fill my heart and my mind with the reports or the news or the whatever of problems that are going on in the earth that need our attention they don't need my affection Living from Christ towards the problems is my assignment. When I fill my heart and mind with the troubles and the difficulties and I lose sight of eternity, I lose sight, more specifically, of the power of resurrection. …
… Your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. If only for this life, Paul says in verse 19, if only for this life we have hope in Christ. We, the people of God, are of all people most to be pitied. But in verse 20, this is our anthem. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits 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 died, so in Christ all will be made alive. Amen. Amen? This is our story. So today we're going to work our way through just over 50 verses from John chapter 11. Are you up for that? I hope you don't have, I hope you got late lunch plans. Hope the trip to fans from the Turkey has fully worn off and nobody sleeps through this, but I'm excited about where we're going. So let's pray and let's ask God to illuminate his word in a way that changes us today. …