Big Idea: Everything we are, everything we have, everything we do, and everything we will be is due to our union with Christ. Jesus Christ has been raised to new life, never to die again. He has been glorified and even as he is now, we will one day be. Our hope of resurrection is in the resurrected and glorified Christ.
We will be ________________________ in Christ Jesus
1John 2:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
The imperative calls for direct attention and reflection upon the amazing love God has bestowed upon his children… Being a child of God stirs within John a sense of wonder, awe, and amazement. The expression carries both a qualitative and quantitative force, “what glorious, measureless love.” Originally, the adjective meant “of what country.” Stott captures this original sense when he writes, “The Father’s love is so unearthly, so foreign to this world, that [John] wonders from what country it may come.” God’s love is foreign to humankind in that we cannot understand the magnitude of such love. It astonishes, amazes, and creates wonder within those who properly reflect upon it.
Psalm 13:5–6 (ESV) — 5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
1Cor. 15:20-23
The idea of the first-fruits of a crop is that it was the first harvest of more to come. And many times you could tell the quality of the coming harvest by inspecting the first fruits taken from the field.
Our ______________________ will be transformed.
1Cor. 15:35-49
2 Corinthians 5:1–5 (ESV) — 1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
Our _______________________________ will be transformed.
1 John 3:2–3 (ESV) — 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) — 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
We are to continually transform our outer reality to align with our inner reality, not conform our inner reality by our outer reality. We are not to conform but transform.
Note on Abiding (residing) In Christ:
To remain in Christ is to continually ____________ our _______________ experience to his __________________ reality.
We must act according to who we are in Christ and not who we are in Adam.
Questions to Consider:
Read Romans 7:21-8:11. What is this telling us about how we should live the Christian life? Why is this so hard to do?
