The context of Matthew 16:27-28 included the return of Christ in the glory of His Father, with the angels, when He would give rewards to everyone according to their works.
Question for you: If this return in Matthew 16:27-28 was referring to Christ's resurrection, what rewards were given to every man on that occasion, according to their works? This did not happen at Christ's resurrection, so this return in Matthew 16:27-28 cannot be describing a return on Christ's resurrection day. It had to be Christ's second coming return which some of those alive during Christ's ministry would live to see happening later on in those first-century days.
The 144,000 First-fruits were not described as being in heaven before the throne of God. The 144,000 were on earth. It was only the "harpers" who were in heaven harping and singing before the throne, a song which only the 144,000 on earth could learn, because the 144,000 Jewish resurrected saints were unique in their post-resurrection experiences compared to all others.
The bodies of the 144,000 First-fruits were "redeemed out of the earth" by that physical resurrection process, and on that day, they went into Mount Zion the temple site in Jerusalem on earth with the newly-risen "Christ the First-fruits". They shared this same "First-fruits" title with Christ because they shared the same bodily resurrection process that day in AD 33. As "virgins", these resurrected individuals were neither married nor given in marriage in their bodily resurrected state, and they were immune to the licentious practices in the early church of the "doctrine of Balaam", led by the prophetess nicknamed "Jezebel" in those days.
During the 40 days when Christ remained on earth until His final ascension, these Matthew 27:52-53 group of 144,000 First-fruits saints "followed the Lamb" wherever He went. They were "without fault" and "in their mouth was found no guile" because bodily resurrected saints are in a state of sinless perfection in God's eyes.
No, I did not intend to write AD 2033 for the final third group resurrection event. I meant AD 3033, at the same time of year when the Feast of Tabernacles used to be celebrated. This is why Zechariah 14:16-19 emphasized that one single FOT harvest feast celebration to be remembered after Jerusalem's AD 70 destruction and Christ's second-coming return on that Pentecost-day occasion (the date Daniel 12:11-13 had predicted).
Those who arose as recorded in Matt 27, arose to judgment. The 144k had already (previously) been judged and found worthy to reign with Christ-- where ever he goes. They had already (previously) been redeemed from the earth. The ones on thrones (Rev 20) who sit in judgment are these. The ones they are judging are those who have been resurrected (Matt 27). But don't let me ruin a good story.
Maybe you've never been a farmer and don't have a good conceptual understanding of crops and harvests and planting and seeding. You take the firstfruits and set them aside for the next generation of planting, ensuring that there will be another harvest. The firstfruits become the seed for the next generation. It's not simple allegory. It's explanatory.
So you don't anticipate the return of Christ for another 1000 years? 3033? Eat, drink and be merry. Don't let me ruin a good party.