Paul concludes 1 Corinthians 15 with strong words of hope and victory over sin and death. This is a message of hope aimed at the work of God in Jesus Christ.

Because of Greco-Roman thought, many people often consider the gospel message to save us from earth so that we can go to heaven. However, Paul describes a very different situation where the bodily resurrection of Jesus prefigures the bodily resurrection of believers. We talk about the resurrection bodies we will enjoy and what that means about God, heaven, and our understanding of Christian hope.

When Jesus rose from death, he was the “firstfruits” of resurrection. Paul outlines the timing and flow of events that will culminate in the resurrection of the faithful from death. We explore Paul’s writings here with attention to Jesus’ resurrection and our resurrection, issues of those who die and an intermediate state, the ultimate consummation of human history, and how resurrection reveals hope for us who believe.

Is the resurrection really that important to our faith? Paul goes so far as to say, “if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:13). Why does the resurrection matter for our faith? We will explore the critical issues Paul raises on this point as we move forward.

We celebrate the resurrection and the gospel message as spoken about by Paul at the beginning of 1 Corinthians 15, bringing together God’s foretold promises, the historical events, and the faith response to God’s grace revealed in Jesus Christ.

A study of two commandments directly related to our relationships with our neighbors and related to themes of lying and jealousy.

A study of three commandments at once related to our actions that overflow from our hearts: murder, adultery and theft.

A study of the first commandment directly linked with a promise: our honoring of our parents.

A study of the holiness of God as reflected in the use of His name and the use of our time.