In South Texas we are fortunate that our climate allows
us two gardening seasons – one in the spring and another in the fall. The spring and summer weather here is
conducive to growing almost anything, but some things grow better here in the
fall and winter. Now is the time to
plant carrots, onions, garlic, and anything in the cabbage family like broccoli,
kale, and Brussels sprouts. They will begin producing before the weather
gets too cold. Our winters are usually
mild compared to other parts of the country so many crops, like my strawberries,
winter over quite well, growing deep roots, ready to produce a big crop of berries in the
spring.
Every season when I plant seeds in my garden I am amazed at
the fact that I can take an old, dry, shriveled seed, place it in the ground,
water it, and just a few days later it will come to life again, eventually
producing many, many more seeds just like the one that was planted. I read somewhere a long time ago that seeds
that were found in the pyramids in Egypt, seeds that were over 2,000 years old,
sprouted and grew when they were planted in fertile soil.
Paul wrote in his first letter to the church in Corinth
about that very thing. He said that when
a seed sprouts it is a picture of resurrection.
I hope you will read for yourself the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 15. I will point out a few verses here, but you
will be blessed if you will read the entire passage.
First of all, Paul compared our bodies to the old, dead
seed. He said that because of the sin
nature that we all have, our bodies will grow old, get sick or injured, and
die. Just like the seed must die before
it can grow into a new, healthy, productive plant, our bodies must die before
we can be given new, heavenly bodies that will live in eternity in Heaven with
Christ.
But someone may ask, “How will the dead be brought back to
life again? What kind of bodies will they have?” What a foolish question! You
will find the answer in your own garden! When you put a seed into the ground it
doesn’t grow into a plant unless it “dies” first. And when the green shoot
comes up out of the seed, it is very different from the seed you first planted.
For all you put into the ground is a dry little seed of wheat or whatever it is
you are planting, then God gives it a beautiful new body—just the kind he wants
it to have (1 Corinthians 15:35-38a).
Paul made it clear that when we die, we do not become
angels. Some people may find some form
of comfort in thinking that their loved ones are now angels, but I’m afraid
that is a misconception. I am comforted
knowing that someday I will exchange my old, aching, overweight body for a
brand new body that will never get old or feeble, and that I will see my son
who died over 20 years ago, and I will recognize him in his new, heavenly body! Our new bodies will be made to live forever
with the angels, but we will not become angels:
The angels in heaven have bodies far different from ours,
and the beauty and the glory of their bodies is different from the beauty and
the glory of ours (1 Corinthians 15:40).
In the same way, our earthly bodies which die and decay are
different from the bodies we shall have when we come back to life again, for
they will never die. The bodies we have now embarrass us, for they become sick
and die; but they will be full of glory when we come back to life again. Yes,
they are weak, dying bodies now, but when we live again they will be full of
strength. They are just human bodies at
death, but when they come back to life they will be superhuman bodies. (1
Corinthians 15:42-43).
When Jesus rose from the grave that first Easter morning, He
showed us that we would one day rise from the grave also!
But the fact is that Christ did actually rise from the dead
and has become the first of millions who will come back to life again someday
(1 Corinthians 15:20).
Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be frightened!” he
said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified, but he isn’t here!
For he has come back to life again, just as he said he would. Come in and see
where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he
has risen from the dead, and that he is going to Galilee to meet them there.
That is my message to them (Matthew 28:5-7).”
It was early on Sunday morning when Jesus came back to life,
and the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene—the woman from whom he had
cast out seven demons . . . Later that day he appeared to two who were walking
from Jerusalem into the country, but they didn’t recognize him at first because
he had changed his appearance . . . Still later he appeared to the eleven
disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their
unbelief—their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him alive from
the dead (Mark 16:9, 12, 14).
And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah
must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day (Luke 24:46).”
One of the disciples, Thomas, “The Twin,” was not there at
the time with the others. When they kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord,”
he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands—and
put my fingers into them—and place my hand into his side.” Eight days later the disciples were together
again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly,
as before, Jesus was standing among them and greeting them. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger into
my hands. Put your hand into my side. Don’t be faithless any longer.
Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas
said. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. But blessed
are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway (John 20:24-29).”
This talk of resurrection and new bodies may be a new
concept to you. It may even sound like
science fiction. But I promise you that it
is absolutely true. Better than that,
God’s word promises us that it is true.
As a matter of fact, He tells us that if it is not true, then we are
foolish and our faith in Him is worthless:
For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ
must still be dead. And if he is still dead, then all our preaching is
useless and your trust in God is empty, worthless, hopeless; . . . And if being
a Christian is of value to us only now in this life, we are the most miserable
of creatures. (1 Corinthians 15:13-14, 19).
My prayer this week is that you will be like those Jesus
mentioned above in John 20:29. He said
that those who believe in His resurrection, not having seen Him like Thomas did,
would be blessed. My prayer for you and
for me is adapted from 1 Corinthians 15:57-58.
Dear Heavenly Father, How (I) thank (You) for all of this!
It is (You) who makes us victorious through Jesus Christ our Lord! So, (Father God), since future victory is
sure, (please help us to) be strong and steady, always abounding in the (Your)
work, for (we) know that nothing (we) do for the Lord is ever wasted as it
would be if there were no resurrection.
All Scripture references are from The Living Bible.
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