International Sunday School Lesson April 5, 2026
Introduction
Welcome to another edition of the International Sunday School Lesson. Today’s lesson is for April 5, 2026. The title of today’s lesson is, “Resurrection: The Future Hope”. The text is taken from 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-58. The Corinthian church had folks that were confused about the resurrection. There were two groups in the culture of the day that were very anti-resurrection. One was the Sadducees who were Jews. Of course, the Sadducees did believe in God and the Law but didn’t believe in an afterlife. Another group was influenced by the Greeks. Greek philosophy had little respect for the body and considered it a hindrance. They taught the immortality of the soul but saw no use in the resurrection of the body. Both of these influences seem to be hindering some in the Corinthian church. I want to make a few things clear before we get into this lesson. I believe in the pretribulation of the rapture of the church. The next event on the prophetic calendar is the tribulation. Then the 2nd Coming of Christ. The event after that is the 1,000 year millennial reign of Christ. Then there is a final rebellion at the end of the millennial reign. Christ conquers the rebellion and the new heaven and new earth is created. I want to be clear. There are multiple ways to interpret eschatology and still be orthodox. I don’t argue with anyone as long as they believe in the second coming of Jesus, the resurrection, and the new heaven and a new earth. There are a lot of good Christians that put a different order on some of the finer points.
1 Preaching Vain if No Resurrection
The Gospel is meaningless if Christ didn’t rise from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:12–14 (ESV)
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
Like the Sadducees, Greek philosophers resisted the gospel because they rejected the idea of bodily resurrection. The argument that there is no resurrection of the dead may have come from Corinthians who’d become enamored with such worldly wisdom.
2 If Dead are not Raised
It’s totally illogical to not believe in a resurrection and believe Jesus was raised from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:15–16 (ESV)
15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.
There’s a delusion going around that Jesus was merely a good teacher. That’s ridiculous. Jesus was either who he said he was or he was the biggest crook and liar that ever lived. If he wasn’t who he said he was then all the apostles were idiots. There’s no middle ground. That includes the resurrection. If Jesus wasn’t raised from the dead then everyone of the apostles were liars or idiots. They all preached the resurrection. They all gave their life, with the exception of the Apostle John, because they preached the resurrection of Christ. Christ preached the resurrection of his church. His resurrection is proof that we’ll be resurrected.
3 Firstfruits of Those Asleep
The resurrection is an essential part of the Gospel.
1 Corinthians 15:17–20 (ESV)
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Paul told the Romans in Romans 4:23–25 (ESV) “23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” The empty tomb is essential to the Gospel.
4 O Death, Where is Your Sting?
Paul presents a mystery. Mystery, in the biblical sense, is a truth that was not revealed in the old testament but revealed in the new testament.
1 Corinthians 15:51–55 (ESV)
51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
We will not all sleep but all Christians will be changed. In the moment and the twinkling of an eye.
5 Always Abounding
We have the victory in Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:56–58 (ESV)
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
The idea that our labor is not in vain is the thing we must always remember.
Concluding Thoughts
A couple of concluding thoughts. First, focus on the important future events. Jesus is coming back. He’ll have complete victory over death and sin. We’ll be resurrected into a perfect world. Second, be steadfast in your work for the Lord. It’s not in vain. Well friends, good Lord willing, I’ll be back with you next weekend.
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