From Seeds to Glory: The Breathtaking Promise of Resurrection

Have you ever been disappointed by something that over-promised and under-delivered? Maybe it was a movie trailer that showed all the good parts, a restaurant that didn't live up to the hype, or a product sample that tasted better than the full-size version you bought. Our world is filled with experiences that initially excite us but ultimately leave us wanting. As I've watched loved ones suffer and conducted four funerals in just three weeks, I've been reminded of a profound truth: while our world consistently over-promises and under-delivers, God works in the opposite direction. He gives us glimpses of glory now that point to something far greater to come.

The Seed Principle: Lesser to Greater

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul uses three powerful "lesser to greater" comparisons to help us understand the resurrection. The first comparison is between a seed and what grows from it. "Thou fool," Paul boldly responds to skeptics, "that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die" (1 Corinthians 15:36). Think about it—is there anything in creation that's alive, then dies, then comes forth as something new and similar, but not exactly like the former self, only better? It's not a riddle; it's a seed. "And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat or some other grain. But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body" (1 Corinthians 15:37-38). You don't bury the oak tree; you bury the acorn. When you look at an acorn, you shouldn't just see what is—you should see the potential of what could be. Our bodies are like seeds that will be planted in death but will be resurrected to something far more glorious. Review in your mind the difference between an apple seed and an apple tree, bare grain to wheat in the field, pumpkin seeds to pumpkins to pumpkin pie. The differences are incredible! And this is exactly what will happen with our bodies.

From Corruption to Incorruption

The second comparison Paul makes is between our current bodies and our resurrection bodies: "It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power" (1 Corinthians 15:42-43). Our new bodies will differ from our current bodies in four amazing ways:

• No more sickness or dying
• No more shame because of sin
• No more frailty and temptation
• No more limits to the time and space sphere here

Think about how much attention we give to fighting corruption in this life—medicine, vitamins, nutrition, hospitals, doctors, plastic surgery, gyms. We don't need that anymore in our resurrection bodies! Think about our attention to sin and shame—psychiatrists, psychologists, counseling, regret. All of that will be dealt with in the resurrection.

From Adam to Christ

The final comparison is between the first Adam and the last Adam (Christ): "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit... The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven" (1 Corinthians 15:45, 47). We received our natural bodies through the first Adam, from which earth is the source. We will receive our resurrected bodies from the last Adam, Jesus Christ, who has a resurrected body. His body is heavenly, fit for heaven, not subject to the curse. "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" (1 Corinthians 15:49). In the same way that we look like Adam now, we will look like Christ then. As 1 John 3:2 tells us, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

The Clues All Around Us

This "lesser to greater" principle is all around us. I've seen it in the lives of faithful believers whose bodies were failing but whose spirits were strong. I remember visiting a lady named Edith, who taught Sunday school at Canton Baptist Temple for about 60 years. When I saw her, she was about 80 pounds, as thin as could be, lying in bed. She could speak and see but couldn't hear, so our whole conversation was writing on a board. But she wrote about how much she loved Jesus and how much she missed ministering to children. This lady looked as feeble as you can get in body, but spiritually, her walk with the Lord was like she was Arnold Schwarzenegger lying in that bed! My great-granny had a stroke when she was in her 30s that put her in a nursing home. A church brought her to services every week, and they even honored her for perfect attendance for 40 years. I remember visiting her with my dad, and she could only point at our picture and then point up. My dad explained she was saying she prays for us. Even though she couldn't speak in a way we could understand, there was One who could.

Life Application: Living in Light of Resurrection

Future Hope

The wonders of our current bodies should give us indescribable hope for our future bodies. If our earthly bodies, even with their flaws, are "fearfully and wonderfully made" as David said, imagine what our resurrection bodies will be like!

Future Reality

The wonder of our current creation should give us incredible hope for the new creation. If this cursed earth can produce breathtaking sunrises and sunsets that no artist could ever fully capture, what will the new heaven and new earth be like?

Future Intensity

The pain and suffering of this life are short-term and less intense than the glory of heaven. As Paul said, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).

Future Investment

What is seen is temporary and finite. What is unseen is eternal. Jesus said, "Don't store up treasures on this earth where moth and rust corrupts and where thieves break through and steal. Store up treasure in heaven where moth and rust don't corrupt and where thieves do not break through and do not steal" (Matthew 6:19-20). We're all basically at any given point in the day investing in what's going away or investing in what won't go away. How incredible will heaven be? How amazing will our resurrection bodies be? "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. The work has already been done through Jesus Christ. We just need to acknowledge it and put our faith in what He did on the cross for us.