2-9-11 1 Cor Message 67: How are the Dead raised up

How are the Dead Raised Up

Text: 1 Cor. 15:35-36

I.          Two Questions

1 Corinthians 15:35 ³⁵But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

II.         The Biological facts of seed germination

A.     Fall (dispersal)

1)      Mode of dispersal - Wind, water, and animals (dependent on the seed and the environment)

2)      Some are self-dispersing.

In the fruit of the dwarf mistletoe of the western United States, a very high pressure accumulated by movement of water across cells builds up that ultimately leads to a lateral blasting out of the seeds over distances of up to 49 feet with an initial velocity of about 60 miles per hour.

B.      To the Ground - Burial (dormancy - temporarily inactive yet capable of being activated)

1)      The Reason for Dormancy

(a)     Activity must be prevented even when circumstances are optimal so as to avoid exposure of the seedling to an unfavorable period (e.g., winter), which is immanent;

(b)     The unfavorable period has to be survived

(c)     The various dispersing agents must be given time to act.

(d)     A certain time of dormancy is required regardless of the conditions.

2)      The Duration of Dormancy

The absorption of water, passage of time, chilling, warming, oxygen availability, and light exposure all operate to determine when activity should begin

Note:  Many seeds are remarkably resistant to extreme temperatures, some even to that of liquid air (-220 F) and some to fire.

The oldest seed (carbon-14-dated) that has grown into a viable plant was a Judean date palm seed about 2,000 years old, recovered from excavations at Herod the Great's palace on Masada in Israel. It was germinated in 2005.

C.     Death – Dormancy’s End

The seeds of many species do not grow immediately even when conditions are generally favorable for growth.  But, they require a "breaking" of dormancy, which associated with the seed coat.  Germination in such cases depends upon rotting or death of the seed coat in the soil.

III.       The Scripture

Romans 6:3-11 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? ⁴Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: ⁶Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷For he that is dead is freed from sin. ⁸Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: ⁹Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. ¹⁰For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. ¹¹Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

John 12:24 – 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. ²⁵He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

IV.       The Answer to the first question

1 Corinthians 15:36 ³⁶Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: