Of all men most miserable?

 

Paul said that if there is no resurrection then Christ is not risen, and if Christ is not risen then our preaching is vain, "and your faith is also vain (1 Corinthians 15:14)." But then he added these words: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable (1 Corinthians 15:19)."

Can you say that? 

I don’t believe many people in the Church can actually - truthfully - say those words.   They live, after all, a great deal like non-Christians. If Christ isn’t risen that would be something of a disappointment to them because they are banking on getting to heaven. But upon examination I doubt that you could say that, if in this life only they have hope in Christ, they are more miserable than other men. 

They live the same pleasant lives, enjoy the same good things, have the same enjoyable hobbies, play the same sports, and lead the same ordinary, safe and healthy life. If Christ is not risen how are they worse off?

Here's why Paul could say what he did.

 First, he was living for eternity. Consider his life.  Do you remember how he recounted his sufferings?  He lived like a madman! To some he seemed out of his mind.   He spent his life travelling the known world not like a tourist but as a preacher. He lived and died preaching Jesus.

And what did he gain?  He was in and out of prison, he was beaten, stoned almost to death, whipped, almost killed at sea, hungry, thirsty and tired... Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to meet Paul? Have you ever wondered what he would have looked like?  He must have seemed an old man. No doubt he was worn and haggard and scarred, and yet he was a man who would have been found rejoicing.

Like his Master he had no home, and he really had 'no life' by any modern standard. He literally sacrificed his life for the gospel. He lived a short painfilled life only to end it in a martyrs death.

What kind of life was that? 

I think many contemporary Christian leaders would have told him to settle down and take care of himself. I expect modern Christian experts would have urged Paul to take more time for himself. I believe others would have urged Paul to learn 'balance'. But Paul didn’t have the kind of balance (in his life) that so many insist on.  He was seeking with God’s help to imitate Jesus. He was walking as Jesus walked.  He was consumed with the cause of Christ. All that mattered to Him was that God might be glorified in the salvation of sinners.  

Can you begin to see why Paul could say that if Christ is not risen we are of all men most miserable? He understood that the Christian life comes with a price tag.  He understood that if we are in earnest about serving Jesus, there are going to be a lot of things others do we will never do (not because they are sinful but) because we have better things to do. Similarly, there are things we won't buy (not because they are sinful but) because there are better ways to spend God’s money.   The Christian labours for eternity. His treasures are there, and his investments are there. If you take that from him, you have robbed him of everything! 

Imagine leaving your country to go to some foreign country to tell a group of people you have never met about Jesus; and on the way you lose one of your children, and then you get there and your wife dies. You’ve sold your home, you’ve left everyone and everything, and now it has cost you even your dearest loved ones.  This has happened to missionaries before. Why would they do that?  Because they believed in hell, they believed in heaven, and they knew their Redeemer lives. They wanted Christ to be magnified in their bodies whether it be by life or by death. They wanted others to love Him and serve Him, and so they spent themselves in speaking of Him and for Him. If they're wrong they've wasted their lives!

I ask again, can you say what Paul did? Its a sobering question. 

Can you say that if Christ is not risen that you, of all men, are most miserable? Or do you live like you are hedging your bets? Do you have one foot planted here, or do you have both feet planted in glory?  Are you living in such a way as to make men think you’re a fool?   Are you 'wasting' your money on the kingdom of God, and 'wasting' your time in the prayer closet?   

You’ve said that you will follow Jesus, but have you taken up your cross and followed Jesus down into death?

If you have, it will eventually begin to tell. Others will start to see, and they will say that you are mad.

Second, Paul loved Jesus very dearly.  It was for Jesus that he could say, "to die is gain." It was for Jesus that he counted all other things but dung; and it was for Jesus that he laboured like he did. 

If in this life only we have hope what would that that mean?  It would mean - at very least - that we cannot say "I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."  Ponder that for a moment: no promise of seeing Jesus, no hope of being forever with Him - just a dead book and a dead system.  It’s an appalling thought.

I believe Paul was also hinting at this: that he had not taken up a system. He had taken up Christ. Jesus Christ was his life. Christ was his all. Were it possible for you take Jesus from him, he would have been the most miserable of men.

Other people wander about in their ignorance.  They know God exists, they know God’s law, and they know they are sinners; but they do not know Christ, and hearing about Him they see nothing beautiful or praiseworthy. They are blind men who do not see the glory of the risen Saviour. They don’t know what they are missing.

But believers are not blind.  We know Him.  We know him not only for what He has done, but for His majesty, His beauty and His glory.  To us He is altogether lovely, and we love Him. Take Christ from us and we are the most miserable of men. You can take our homes from us, take our health, our money, and take even our families or our freedom and we are still rich. But you take Jesus from the Christian, and He is ruined. You have made him the most miserable of men.

Reader, Paul reasoned like this for one reason:  Christ is risen!  Our Redeemer lives, and because He lives we too shall live and not die; which means that we shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever!

If you have been born again you will rise just as certainly as Jesus rose; and rising you shall be with Him forever. We are not the most miserable of men.  No matter what you give up for Christ, no matter what afflictions you must live through, you will always be rich and happy because you have Jesus.  You will always be full and may say with Paul "I have all," for nothing shall ever be able to separate you from His love.