The Nature of Bodies

The Nature of Bodies

Part of Old Made New—1 Corinthians 15

February 4, 2024

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1 Corinthians 15:35-44 (New International Version)

35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” 36 How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39 Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.

42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 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.

I. Sowing and reaping bodies (vv. 35-38)
• Skepticism is a

and

aspect of intelligent faith.
• Skepticism becomes sin and foolish when we use faith to explain away

spiritual answers.
• Reaping and sowing affects everything on earth as a reminder of the

of heaven.
• Resurrection is not

or

of the current body.
• Corpses will be the same body from birth

. (Mt. 17:1-3)
II. Body types (vv. 39-41)
• Body types communicate designed

and the

of an Artist.
• Designed difference elevates

.
• Each body has an innate glory which is a beauty to

.
• God’s work indicates he values

, but his art reveals he values

.
• To mimic another may flatter them, but it

the heart intent of the Artist.
III. Spiritual bodies (vv. 42-44)
• The new body will be a

for a new reality (2Cor 3:18, 5:17).
• The

of the resurrected body will be different. (Mt. 26:29, Lk 24:13-43, Jn 21:4.)
• A spiritual body is not immaterial, it is

.
• Death is not the

of any part of the person, but an immediate transportation to heaven or hell (Phil 1:23).
• At death the spirit is transported by

. (Lk 16:22)

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TAKE OFF
Does anybody have any thoughts or experiences from the Holy Spirit Encounter or the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting they would like to share?
TEXT
1. What thoughts or feelings did you have during this week’s sermon?
2. Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-38. What question are some Corinthians asking when it comes to resurrection? What analogy does the apostle use to answer their question?
3. Read 1 Corinthians 15:39-41. What does this passage communicate about the value of different types of flesh or bodies? What messages did you grow up hearing about the value of bodies and how did that impact the decisions you made?
4. Read 1 Corinthians 15:42-44. What are the qualities of the resurrected body listed in this passage? How does the reality of receiving a resurrection body give you hope for today and what emotions does it conjure for your future in heaven?

TAKE AWAY
What is one thing you can do this week to show God that you value your body as much as He values your body?