Jesus Is the Firstfruits of the Resurrection
Open Your Bible
1 Corinthians 15:1-28, Colossians 3:1-17
BY Rebecca Faires
I spent much of my twenties running a high school theatre department. We had so much fun. There are few things that bond people together like putting on a show with limited time and resources. One year we produced a spoof on Shakespeare. There was one line, shouted frantically by a young man dressed in an ornate Elizabethan dress as Juliet, that still makes me laugh: “SWEAR NOT BY THE MOON!”
In Shakespeare’s original play, Romeo and Juliet, young Juliet uses these words to warn Romeo to be careful with his vows, to not swear his love by the “inconstant moon,” which is ever-changing in its phases. Turns out Juliet’s warning is actually profound and timely advice for more folks than just Romeo.
What we swear by is what we put our trust in, and it’s easy to misplace our trust. Maybe you don’t swear by the moon, but are you inclined to swear by your bank account, your job, your retirement plans, or your carefully scheduled week? It’s tempting to hope in things that are ultimately destined to fail, but when we try to build upon the unsteady foundation of our own whims and wistful thinking, we end up disappointed.
Paul’s address to the church at Corinth, however, leaves no question about where we can lay our hope and fix our trust. He clarifies that the gospel does not fall short in any way. What is this gospel hope Paul speaks of? It is simply this: Christ was crucified for our transgressions and raised from the dead (Romans 4:25).
If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then we are much to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:12–19). Like foolish Shakespearean moon-swearers, we have put our trust in something unreliable. How ridiculous would it be to trust in a god who dies and has no power beyond this earthly life? And so, if Christ has not been raised, then our faith in Him is as worthless as faith in the stock market or faith in the moon.
But Scripture is unequivocal: Christ has been raised from the dead. This declaration is no fool’s hope, but the sure foundation of our faith. Our faith is confirmed by fulfilled prophecy and eyewitness accounts. We can bet everything on Christ. Because “He has been raised from the dead,” we don’t have to swear by the moon or anything else. Our hope is secure in Christ’s resurrection.
Jesus Christ died and rose again for us. This is good news for the whole body of Christ, because “if the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches” (Romans 11:16). Because He has been raised, we who are united to Him by faith also have the guarantee of resurrection life, an everlasting and sure hope.
19 thoughts on "Jesus Is the Firstfruits of the Resurrection"
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All my hope is secured in the resurrection.
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Shawn, thanks! Love the way you put that! Some of the comments in this section of the study have made it into my notes!!
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Amen
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It is so easy to get distracted by the earthly things and circumstances in our lives but it is so important to remember to put Christ first and put away the earthly things to be more like him.
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Kathy,
I am praying for you and those in your school system. You have went through tremendous struggles this year. Through it all you have been able to be compassionate show kindness, live out Christ’s humility and gentleness, and been patient as you all go through morning, stress, and strain. You’ve faced struggle after struggle, God knows, and He loves you. May His peace rule your hearts. May some in your system come to faith in Christ because of these tragedies. May God use them for good in your lives. May He hold each of you and give you peace and comfort. May your hearts and minds be flooded with hymns, spiritual truth, and the love of Christ Jesus our Lord. -
Thank you Shawn Parks. Let us, like Paul, share the good news.
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Today’s reading is a good reminder to keep the main thing the main thing. Jesus fulfilled His audacious promise: that He would die and rise again in three days. Because He lives, I as a believer have eternal life. Whatever difficulties come my way in this life, my eternal destiny remains sure. What confidence and hope that gives me today! I can put to death what belongs to my early nature. I can do this through His Resurrection power which lives in me. I am His chosen one, holy and dearly loved. Not because of anything I’ve done, but because of what He did. What peace is mine! What gratitude!
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The “firsts” are always so precious—the are highly anticipated, greatly celebrated, and well-documented. The first star at night; the first blossom of spring; the first delicate snowflake; the first child in a new generation of family. Each first signals a significant change from what was before. It indicates a beginning, a new way. It promises a gradual abundance. More stars. More blossoms. More snow flakes. More family. Each first also inspires a title for the new chapter: Night, Spring, Winter, Generation. Jesus is the first of those who died and was returned to life. The prophesies anticipated his resurrection. His followers celebrate it and his eye witnesses documented it. Because of His resurrection we can have been brought from death as a result of our sins to life in Christ and will be raised from physical death to be with Him. He represents our new beginning— our change—putting off our old selves—slander, malice, lies—and putting on our new selves-love, kindness, compassion. This new chapter is titled Salvation. Now the number who will be saved and raised to life can be multiplied when we, like Paul, share the good news. “Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!”
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Perfectly put!!
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It promises a gradual abundance…wow, so well put…such value. Thanks.
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Agreed, well put! Thank you for sharing.
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