Prayer of Thanksgiving: Thank God that Pastor Stephen and Pastor Ethan preach the gospel in and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2) and for the blessings Jesus won for us on the cross.

Prayer of Supplication: Ask God for the needs of our church and for the Holy Spirit to give us the zeal for evangelism.

Bible reading and commentary:

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:12-34

Having established the historical reliability of Christ’s resurrection, Paul now proceeds to show the Corinthian believers their own future bodily resurrection is inextricably tied to Christ’s resurrection. Following Paul’s argument closely as we see how this chief article of the Christian faith makes up a necessary foundation for gospel ministry. To deny this doctrine is to destroy the Christian religion and render Christian discipleship absurd. The fact that Christ conquered death and now reigns with God in heaven justifies bold gospel witness; it also empowers believers in their daily service, comforts them in the midst of suffering, and fills them with hope, joy, and courage as they confront death.

More fundamentally, because Jesus now reigns in heaven as the victor over sin and death, Christians have full confidence that the curse of Adam has been reversed and that God will decisively judge and punish the wicked. One glorious day the Lord will bring his chosen people into his glorious presence where, adorned with perfect righteousness, they will experience God as their highest good, their greatest happiness, and their eternal joy. For Luther, this magnificent resurrection hope is already becoming a reality for Christians here and now, since only their “left foot” remains in the grave.

The reformers shared a common concern, as some Christians still do, that many people in their congregations continue to diminish the doctrine of Christ’s resurrection, whether out of doubt, presumption, or spiritual laziness. Consequently the reformers conclude this passage by echoing Paul’s strong censure of the Corinthians, calling them to repent of their moral lethargy and seek spiritual renewal through study, meditation, prayer, and concentrated struggle against Satan and his minions. As Christian soldiers, we either advance or retreat, there is no middle way.

Calvin on 1 Cor. 15:34 - Awake righteously - As he saw that the Corinthians were in a manner intoxicated, through excessive carelessness, he arouses them from their torpor. By adding, however, the adverb righteously, he intimates in what way he would have them wake up. For they were sufficiently attentive and clear-sighted as to their own affairs: nay more, there can be no doubt that they congratulated themselves on their acuteness; but in the mean time they were drowsy, where they ought most of all to have been on the watch. He says accordingly, awake righteously — that is, “Direct your mind and aim to things that are good and holy.”

He adds at the same time the reason, — For some, says he, among you, are in ignorance of God. This is required to be stated: otherwise they might have thought that the admonition was unnecessary; for they looked upon themselves as marvelously wise. Now he convicts them of ignorance of God that they may know that the main thing was wanting in them. A useful admonition to those who lay out all their agility in flying through the air, while in the meantime they do not see what is before their feet, and are stupid where they ought, most of all, to have been clear-sighted.

To your shame - Just as fathers, when reproving their children for their faults, put them to shame, in order that they may by that shame cover their shame. When, however, he declared previously that he did not wish to shame them, (1 Corinthians 4:14), his meaning was that he did not wish to hold them up to disgrace, by bringing forward their faults to public view in a spirit of enmity and hatred. In the meantime, however, it was of advantage for them to be sharply reproved, as they were still indulging themselves in evils of such magnitude. Now Paul in reproaching them with ignorance of God strips them entirely of all honor.