Category: Sermons

 

deals with the gospel motives of Paul and the question of guidance.

1. We plan, God over-rules.
   • Prov.16:9. See 15:5-6. He plans to get to Corinth via Macedonia (northern Greece) but it does not work out – 2 Cor.1:15-17.
   • 15:7. Paul has a plan, but it is with the proviso

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• flows on from 15:58; like Matt.6:20. The collection came about because of a famine in the world, which was especially severe in Judea
• Acts 11:27-30; Gal.2:10; note 2 Cor.8-9. The Corinthians had specifically raised this issue – hence ‘now concerning’ in 16:1; see e.g. 7:1; later he refers to

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Paul has been writing of the resurrection body – 15:44; and of the final resurrection victory – 15:52, 57. One might then have expected something like Revelation 4:1.

1. How to live now.
   • 15:58. Note the ‘therefore’. He is addressing ‘my beloved brothers’.
   1. Be steadfast and immovable. J. Gresham Machen

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When G. K. Chesterton’s sister, Beatrice, died at the age of eight, her grief-stricken father turned her picture to the wall, got rid of all her possessions, and forbade the mention of her name. The Christian faith does not guarantee us tomorrow, but it does guarantee us eternity in …

 

Paul imagines someone arguing with him – 15:35-36a. Acts 26:8.

1. There are illustrations of resurrection in nature.
   1. 15:36-38; John 12:24. There is both continuity and discontinuity between the seed and the plant, the body here and the resurrection body.
   2. 15:39. If God can make different kinds of flesh here

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15:12-19 centres on belief; 15:29-34 on ethics. With the resurrection of Christ, there is endless hope; without Him there is a hopeless end.

1. Why be baptized for the dead?
   • 15:29. A difficult verse!
   1. Calvin says it refers to catechumens on the point of death who requested baptism.
   2. some try

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