Day of Resurrection

WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.080 --> 00:00:06.320 Let's pray together. Lord, we now ask that you would pour out your 2 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:11.080 Holy Spirit on us, that we might come to see the glory of God 3 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:16.039 in the face of Jesus Christ, in the gospel of the Sun, which 4 00:00:16.120 --> 00:00:20.760 came into the world at the perfect time, at the fullness of time, 5 00:00:20.800 --> 00:00:27.399 when everything had been arranged exactly according to your pleasure, that Jesus might be 6 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:31.559 made known in the world, that a light shining in the darkness, which 7 00:00:31.559 --> 00:00:37.520 would not, and has not and will never be overcome. We praise you 8 00:00:37.560 --> 00:00:41.560 for the peace that we have in him, for the hope of the resurrection. 9 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:45.799 We asked that you would bless us in these truths this morning. We 10 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:52.039 pray this in Jesus name. Amen. These remain standing, if you're able 11 00:00:52.119 --> 00:01:03.599 to and turn with me to first Corinthians, Chapter Fifteen. First Corinthians fifteen 12 00:01:03.799 --> 00:01:23.879 versus thirty five through the end of the chapter. Paul continues here addressing this 13 00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:29.760 question that people were raising, a doubt that folks were having about the truth 14 00:01:30.040 --> 00:01:33.120 of the resurrection of the dead. Is it really happening? Maybe it's not 15 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:38.319 happening, and he begins with this objection our the dead raised, and he 16 00:01:38.359 --> 00:01:44.760 speaks to this and he gives us much comfort and encouragement. First Corinthians, 17 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:49.280 Chapter Fifteen, verse Thirty Five. But someone will someone will ask how are 18 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:53.719 the dead raised with? What kind of body do they come foolish person, 19 00:01:55.560 --> 00:02:00.000 what you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you 20 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:05.120 sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, 21 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:08.400 perhaps of weeds or of some other grain. But God gives it a body 22 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:13.599 as he has chosen, and to each kind of its seed, of seed 23 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:17.400 it's and to each kind of seed its own body. For Not all flesh 24 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:22.840 is the same. But there is one kind for humans, another kind for 25 00:02:22.919 --> 00:02:28.479 animals, another for birds, another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and 26 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:31.319 earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind and the 27 00:02:31.319 --> 00:02:37.039 glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of The Sun 28 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:40.439 and another glory of the Moon and another glory of the stars, for Stars 29 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:46.080 differ from Star in glory. So it is with the resurrection of the dead. 30 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:52.680 What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is 31 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:58.759 sown in dishonor it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, 32 00:02:58.840 --> 00:03:02.479 it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is 33 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:07.879 raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also 34 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:13.159 a spiritual body. Thus it is written the first man, Adam, became 35 00:03:13.400 --> 00:03:16.879 a life giving being, where a life a living being. The last atom 36 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:23.159 became a life giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first, 37 00:03:23.159 --> 00:03:27.159 but the natural, then the spiritual. The first man was from the 38 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:30.319 earth, a man of dust. The second man is from heaven. As 39 00:03:30.520 --> 00:03:35.479 was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, 40 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:38.039 as is the man of Heaven, so also are those who are of 41 00:03:38.080 --> 00:03:43.319 Heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, 42 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:47.199 we shall also bear image, the image of the man of heaven. I 43 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:53.520 tell you this, brother's flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, 44 00:03:53.639 --> 00:04:00.080 nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery. 45 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:04.000 We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a 46 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:08.719 moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for 47 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:14.439 the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable and we shall be 48 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:19.160 changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable and this mortal body 49 00:04:19.240 --> 00:04:26.000 must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable and the mortal 50 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:30.279 puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written death 51 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:34.600 is swallowed up in victory. Oh death, where is your victory? Oh 52 00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:41.040 death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin and the 53 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:45.680 power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us 54 00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:50.000 the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, 55 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:56.959 be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing 56 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:03.319 that in the Lord your Labor is not in vain. Amen, please be 57 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:31.360 seated. In this life we often find ourselves trying to get over the next 58 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:36.480 hill. We find ourselves trying to get through the current problem, trying to 59 00:05:36.519 --> 00:05:42.360 have a little bit of hope for the future. I'm often feeling like a 60 00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:46.639 mouse scrambling around in amaze that it doesn't know, looking for some bit of 61 00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:51.360 cheese, hoping that we will find it, but hitting dead end after dead 62 00:05:51.480 --> 00:06:00.480 end after dead end. We find ourselves looking for this hope because because there 63 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:05.399 are so many problems in our world, so many things we struggle against daily 64 00:06:05.480 --> 00:06:10.639 in our in our thoughts, in our bodies, in our communities, in 65 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:17.800 our churches, everywhere we look we find the effects of sin. We feel 66 00:06:17.800 --> 00:06:24.279 that this world is made of dust and people made of the man of dust. 67 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:30.439 It crumbles around us, it decays, it it falls apart. Not 68 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:36.600 a few of you received some bit of news this week that was troubling. 69 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:46.120 That was another realization that yet again things are falling apart, yet again another 70 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:51.480 dead end. And so we look for hope, but we often look in 71 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:56.560 all the wrong places, or at least for a hope that's lasting, a 72 00:06:56.680 --> 00:07:00.839 hope that sustains, a hope that says this thing that I'm doing, this 73 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:03.360 project that I'm working on, this life that I'm living, is not in 74 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:13.519 vain. We try to find it in medicine, in Ai, in improving 75 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:18.360 our situations, in money and fame, and sometimes, when we can't find 76 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:23.319 it, we just give up and despair and discouragement. We say, well, 77 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:29.800 I'm just going back to bed. We look for hope in these places, 78 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:33.439 we don't find it. Over and over again we we don't find it. 79 00:07:33.480 --> 00:07:39.600 You can read stories the scripture of them, scriptures themselves, about people 80 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:45.439 who chased after everything possible thing that one could chase after and the hopes of 81 00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:53.720 finding meaning, satisfaction, fulfillment, peace. And everywhere they looked, as 82 00:07:53.720 --> 00:08:00.160 far as they could possibly pursue it, they found yet another dead end. 83 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:05.759 And so it's really remarkable when Paul ends this passage and says, therefore, 84 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:11.240 my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of 85 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:16.279 the Lord, knowing that in the Lord Your Labor is not in vain. 86 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:26.240 To give that kind of promise, a promise from the very word of God 87 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:33.000 that your Labor or life is not in vain, is a really excellent promise. 88 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:37.919 It's an excellent command. On what could it possibly be based? What 89 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:45.279 could possibly give him and give us a reason to say I can be immovable, 90 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:50.960 I can be steadfast, I can go about my life and my calling 91 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:56.639 in this world despite all the frustrations, despite the reality of death itself, 92 00:08:56.240 --> 00:09:03.120 and know that it's not in vain. The reason for that, the hope 93 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:09.039 for that, is what Paul gives to us in these verses, and it's 94 00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:18.080 the hope of a real resurrection of the dead, not a metaphorical resurrection in 95 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:24.720 which we just experience of the feeling of hope, but a literal resurrection of 96 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:33.600 dead, which is described by things like imperishable glory, honor, power, 97 00:09:33.159 --> 00:09:39.799 a real resurrection from the dead, this real thing that has begun in history 98 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:46.000 and will find its conclusion, that we can press on, immovable, steadfast, 99 00:09:46.200 --> 00:09:52.919 not giving up and trust in the Lord. So we come, at 100 00:09:52.960 --> 00:10:00.639 the beginning of this to the objection, to this this hope that he offers 101 00:10:00.679 --> 00:10:03.120 to us, this hope that he promises to us in the resurrection, and 102 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:09.440 it's this in verse thirty five. How are the dead raised? Right, 103 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:16.080 death is a problem for life. Right. How do you pour Abul of 104 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:20.480 cereal when you have an empty cereal box? Right, it doesn't work. 105 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:24.639 How do you how do you build a business when you have no money to 106 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:31.559 build it? How do you find a friend when no one around? How 107 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:37.600 do you live when you've died? Death is a real problem. It's IT'S 108 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:43.080 A it's a legitimate question. With what kind of body will someone be raised? 109 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:48.279 You imagine somebody who was put in the ground two thousand, three thousand, 110 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:54.080 six thousand years ago and you raise them up. Okay, what kind 111 00:10:54.120 --> 00:11:01.360 of a resurrection is that? It's a gross one, it's a dishonorable one. 112 00:11:01.399 --> 00:11:07.600 It's one that would just slam in your face the pot of what perishing 113 00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:13.559 means, what death means, what it means to be a person made in 114 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:18.840 the man, in the image of the man of dust. And kind of 115 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:24.320 life is that? And so Paul explains. Well, first he calls US 116 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:31.279 fools, he says you foolish person, and then he explains what you so 117 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:37.639 does not come to life unless it dies, and he uses the metaphor of 118 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:41.159 a seed as rerection. itself is not a metaphor, but he explains the 119 00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:46.320 resurrection using this metaphor of a seed and it's his point is simply this. 120 00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:52.960 What you put in the ground is not what comes up right. This is 121 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:56.799 so fun and I hope you all have done this at some point. I'm 122 00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:58.440 kids. If you haven't done this yet, should do this. You should 123 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:03.720 get used and you should put it in the ground and should water it and 124 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:09.639 give it some sunlight and watch what happens. It's amazing, this hard, 125 00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:13.240 tiny little thing which you could put on your counter and it'll sit there for 126 00:12:13.399 --> 00:12:18.399 years. Write. You sew it, which means you put it in the 127 00:12:18.440 --> 00:12:20.720 ground, you give it some water and get something like an all of a 128 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:24.919 sudden this green thing pops up, and then a leaf and then maybe a 129 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:31.639 flower and then, in some cases, food that you can eat and enjoy 130 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:37.759 and and prepare and share. It's an amazing thing and Paul Compares The resurrection 131 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:41.279 like this. Yes, what is sown in the ground is perishable, but 132 00:12:41.399 --> 00:12:48.279 that's not what comes up. It's like a seed. We're over. He 133 00:12:48.360 --> 00:12:52.279 goes on to say, God gives of the body as he has chosen, 134 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:58.279 in the same way that the creation, the first world that he was made, 135 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:03.000 that he made, was various and diverse. There sun and moon and 136 00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:07.519 stars, animals of various kind, the fish in the sea, the birds 137 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:13.320 in the heavens, the livestock land, all of these things odd made humans 138 00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:18.919 as well, and each various, each had a glory according to its own 139 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:22.679 kind. The seeds that we plant in this world, they're they're various and 140 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:30.639 they come up differently. Paul says the same thing here. When the resurrection 141 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:33.799 to have the dead happens, it's not just a big pile of dust. 142 00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:39.200 And the resurrection of the dead happens this glorious life, similar to what happened 143 00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:43.000 at the beginning, but different in some ways, as different as a seed 144 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:48.759 is to the plant that comes out of the seed. That's what will experience. 145 00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:54.559 It's an amazing thing to consider a world filled with all the kind of 146 00:13:54.759 --> 00:14:01.279 diversity that God first created it with at this whole other level. It's a 147 00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:05.720 wondrous thing to think about. It's a great hope to look forward to. 148 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:11.440 And what are some of the differences between what goes into the ground and what 149 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:16.720 what comes up when the Lord returns, when the trumpets sounds and the dead 150 00:14:16.759 --> 00:14:24.080 are raised? Well, he gives us these comparisons and contrasts. First, 151 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:31.720 he describes it is that which is perishable will be imperishable. Right, you 152 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:37.240 have all looked at a food package, or maybe even if you haven't looked 153 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:41.840 and notice the labeling. You've experienced food perishing and you know that when food 154 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:46.759 goes bad, you don't eat it. It makes you sick. It's awful. 155 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:52.360 It's this, this little little tupperware box filled with the curse. Right, 156 00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:54.200 you can see it right there, you can smell it. You get 157 00:14:54.279 --> 00:15:00.120 rid of it as fast as you can. Right. What is perishable and 158 00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:07.399 what actually perishes is awful. We don't keep those things around. We build 159 00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:13.679 our lives around the fact that much of what happens perishes. How we spend 160 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:16.759 our money, how we live our lives, how we don't live our lives, 161 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:22.840 all these things. What Paul says is this perishable world, these perishable 162 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:26.879 bodies that we experience now, will be different. And how will they be 163 00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:33.840 different? It will be imperishable. They will not go bad, they will 164 00:15:33.879 --> 00:15:37.440 never die. There will never be this moment where you're you're kind of wondering, 165 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:41.000 I wonder how much more time I have to live? How many more 166 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:46.960 week, more years, how many more minutes? It will be imperishable. 167 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:54.720 He also describes what is sown and what is raised as compared to what is 168 00:15:54.000 --> 00:16:03.559 by these terms dishonor and glory. Right. When we we may honor the 169 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:08.639 body of dead, and we rightly should, but it is not a beautiful 170 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:15.879 thing when a body dies. It's often a horrible thing, ugly thing, 171 00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:22.159 an evil thing, we can say. It is something that sometimes we don't 172 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:27.960 even look at the bodies because of of what happens at death. And and 173 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:33.519 then he we compare this to what is to come. A glory, a 174 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:41.360 glory, glory that shines, glory that impresses you, glorious, something that 175 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:45.480 has a weightiness to it, a thing that you pray is, a thing 176 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:49.480 that you look at and say that is awesome, that is good, and 177 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:53.120 that's what we will experience, and that was what we will see with our 178 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:59.080 bodies, not something to be buried, not something to be put away, 179 00:16:59.559 --> 00:17:07.400 but something to rejoice in and experience and live with and in forever, something 180 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:12.200 that will shine with very glory of God. Especially is as we consider that 181 00:17:12.279 --> 00:17:21.000 this resurrection is manifesting our life in Christ, the glory of God shining in 182 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:23.680 and through us and redounding to him, to the praise of his name. 183 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:32.720 Next description is he gives is that of weakness and power. Right as we 184 00:17:32.839 --> 00:17:38.720 die, especially if it is over a long period of time, weakness comes 185 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:44.480 right first you're a little bit sick, when you're a little bit more sick 186 00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:48.319 and your mind starts to go, and then you're sleeping more and more and 187 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:53.960 it's hard to do things right and it's very difficult to experience this. It's 188 00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:59.559 very difficult to watch. Some of you are experiencing these things now. Some 189 00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:03.480 of you have experienced them or are with family members, are friends that are 190 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:07.920 going through these things. It's all and the weakness. I'm not only that 191 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:12.799 surround that is involved in death itself, but everything that surrounds at the feeling 192 00:18:12.839 --> 00:18:18.160 like you can't do anything and you can't help and you just you're trying so 193 00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:25.279 much to just do something. All this feels so futile. The feeling of 194 00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:30.720 weakness, this, the feeling of vulnerability, will be replaced at the resurrection 195 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:40.440 with power, not Vanity and weakness and falling apart, but power. What 196 00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:45.160 is sown in weakness will be raised in power, bodies that will be able 197 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:55.440 to do things, work, praise, celebrate, eat, the Lord Jesus 198 00:18:55.480 --> 00:19:02.440 after his death, that with his disciples and eight things. That's an amazing 199 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:07.480 thing. And the power not only to eat but lift our hands and little 200 00:19:07.559 --> 00:19:12.960 our voices and sing forever the praise of God, to join with the saints 201 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:21.799 living forever in Him. The final contrast he gives is that which is natural 202 00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:27.240 compared to that which is spiritual. Now, our body is will be true 203 00:19:27.319 --> 00:19:33.880 bodies, but he makes this compact contrast, particularly in comparison with this world 204 00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:41.279 and the world to come, or Earth and heaven. He fills this out 205 00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:45.319 by giving us, by helping us to understand the difference between Adam, the 206 00:19:45.400 --> 00:19:52.400 first atom, and the last atom Christ. He says the first Adam was 207 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:56.240 a life big life, a living being. The last atom was a life 208 00:19:56.240 --> 00:20:02.839 giving spirit. The first one was of dust, the last one was of 209 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:07.839 heaven, meaning that as we are born again, as we are resurrected from 210 00:20:07.880 --> 00:20:14.759 the dead, we we participate in all of our lives, including our bodies, 211 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:18.920 in this heavenly kingdom that is to come, Heaven that Christ now reigns 212 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:26.799 in a world that is imperishable, a world that is filled with glory and 213 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:33.160 honor and power, the world that doesn't fall apart, a world that is 214 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:38.759 not in vain, a world that is everlasting and good. And that's why 215 00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:47.960 Paul says flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. That's why he 216 00:20:48.039 --> 00:20:52.920 says not only is the resurrection going to happen, but it must happen. 217 00:20:52.839 --> 00:20:59.319 It's not something that is a got nice thing, but it is a requirement. 218 00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:06.960 He says, the the body must put on the imperishable, the perishable 219 00:21:07.079 --> 00:21:11.839 must put on the imperishable, the dishonorable bust put on glory. These things 220 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:19.519 must happen. We must be born again of the image of the man of 221 00:21:19.559 --> 00:21:27.119 heaven. You and I, in other words, must be made fit for 222 00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:33.079 a kingdom that is to come this helps us to think about heaven a little 223 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:40.240 bit. A lot of people think that wonder, worry that heaven might be 224 00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:45.480 a boring place. What could possibly go on them? There's so much drama 225 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:48.720 in our lives with death and sickness and all these things. What what could 226 00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:56.319 possibly happen? One Way to think about this is that heaven doesn't really make 227 00:21:56.480 --> 00:22:00.559 sense if you're thinking about it in terms of your life, that is now. 228 00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:06.319 If you try to imagine your body and your life and soul and all 229 00:22:06.359 --> 00:22:08.880 these things as they are now, when you implant them into heaven, that's 230 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:14.440 not going to work. It doesn't make sense. You probably would get bored, 231 00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:19.960 you get frustrated, you and whatever right. The point is is that 232 00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:26.079 Paul is saying here that I'm God makes us fit for that place. We 233 00:22:26.119 --> 00:22:33.920 are not fit for it apart from this resurrection. When we try to imagine 234 00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:37.519 living in heaven and being eternally in the presence of God according to our flesh, 235 00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:45.400 it doesn't make sense. But God solve this this for us by sending 236 00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:48.960 Jesus into the world to become our resurrection, to die the day we deserve, 237 00:22:49.079 --> 00:22:53.920 to give us a life and a righteousness that we need. He prepares 238 00:22:55.000 --> 00:23:00.759 us for this existence, in this life everlasting, which we will do nothing 239 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:11.559 but enjoy and praise God and glorify him forever. It's your best day in 240 00:23:11.640 --> 00:23:21.279 your imagination, but for real and better forever, and then the next best 241 00:23:21.319 --> 00:23:26.759 day after that that you can imagine for real and forever and beyond that. 242 00:23:27.799 --> 00:23:32.519 God promises to us, in our resurrected bodies, in the the world into 243 00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:37.119 which he will bring us, a life that is full of peace, joy 244 00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:45.519 and meaningfulness and fulfillment and community and love, all the things that we hope 245 00:23:45.559 --> 00:23:51.720 for and constantly hit dead ends against. We will have and we'll have it 246 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:56.880 completely, and we will have it in a way that doesn't sort of fall 247 00:23:56.920 --> 00:24:00.720 apart or fall through our fingers. Will have it in a way that doesn't 248 00:24:00.920 --> 00:24:04.319 sort of meet yet with another phase of trials and another set of tears that 249 00:24:04.440 --> 00:24:10.920 doesn't end yet again and shame and in sorrow, but just grows and grows 250 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:18.319 and grows. And that is because Jesus has solved the fundamental problem that we 251 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:23.000 all have, whether we are alive or dead, when he returns, and 252 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:30.920 that problem is sin. That's the problem that is infecting everything, that is 253 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:34.880 the problem that is cursing everything, as Paul says in Verse Fifty Six. 254 00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:41.480 He says the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the 255 00:24:41.559 --> 00:24:45.359 law. If you've ever been with someone who is dying or you felt this 256 00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:52.559 in your own body, like this isn't natural, you're right. It's not 257 00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:56.319 how things were supposed to be. It's a consequence of something that happened. 258 00:24:57.160 --> 00:25:03.640 It's a consequence of sin. It's a disruption to the world that God made. 259 00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:08.200 It's a weird thing. Right, your your body, everything sort of 260 00:25:08.519 --> 00:25:11.519 long fire. Right, you're eating, you're sleeping, you're waking up, 261 00:25:11.559 --> 00:25:15.400 you're eating or sleeping, you're waking up, going through your life that all 262 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:18.079 of a sudden you're sick, all of a sudden your leg hurts, all 263 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:22.960 of a sudden your eyes don't work. Why does that coming from? Sure 264 00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:30.240 we know about disease and infection in this and that, but why? It's 265 00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:37.039 because of sin. It's because that first man, who is our representative, 266 00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:44.559 he sinned. We plunged us all into sin and the power of sin, 267 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:48.000 Paul says, is the law. Not that the law itself is bad, 268 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:55.279 but it has this way of sparking sin in US and showing sin, Paul 269 00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:59.559 says in Romans for fifteen, for the law brings wrath. But where there's 270 00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:03.759 no law, there's no transgression. When the law comes to us, we 271 00:26:04.119 --> 00:26:08.039 see our sin. Let me read a few more verses to you, just 272 00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:15.200 three from Romans, Chapter Seven, verse five, Verse Eight, in verse 273 00:26:15.799 --> 00:26:19.759 thirteen. Romans seven, verse five, Pulse says, while we were living 274 00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:25.680 in the flesh, our sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in 275 00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:30.839 our members to bear fruit for death. Let me read it one more time. 276 00:26:30.920 --> 00:26:36.279 While we were living in the flesh, are sinful passions aroused by the 277 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:41.759 law. You know what this is like. Right, don't put your I'm 278 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:45.920 going to put these cookies on the counter. Nobody take one immediately, like 279 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:52.319 I want a cookie. Right. Here are the rules at work. We 280 00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:55.559 do this, we do this. You got to make sure you follow these 281 00:26:55.559 --> 00:26:59.160 policies and immediately your thinking, I really have to do that. Is there 282 00:26:59.160 --> 00:27:03.160 way I can get around this? Right, the law comes, then the 283 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:08.759 laws good. There's nothing wrong with God's law. But because there's a problem 284 00:27:08.759 --> 00:27:15.480 inside, our sinful passions, here that law and get to work and start 285 00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:19.880 bearing fruit, bearing consequences, bearing fruit for death. That's verse five. 286 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:26.839 Listen to verse eight. But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, 287 00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:32.920 produced in me all kinds of covetousness. Sin, here's the commandment and runs 288 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:37.839 for it, takes that opportunity. Verse Thirteen. Did that which is good, 289 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:41.559 the law, then bring death to me? No, by no means. 290 00:27:41.599 --> 00:27:47.880 It was sin producing death in me through what is good, in order 291 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:52.279 that sin might be shown to be sin and through the commandment might become sin 292 00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:56.880 and through the commandment, might become sinful beyond measure. So that's what Paul's 293 00:27:56.880 --> 00:28:00.519 getting out here. And First Corinthians. The sting of death is sin and 294 00:28:00.559 --> 00:28:06.039 the power of sin is the law. So how does Jesus solve this? 295 00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:12.119 By being a sacrifice for our sin. He fulfills the righteous commandment of the 296 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:17.680 law. He earns for us the righteousness that we need. He changes the 297 00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:22.880 constitution of our souls so that we start to love the law, so that 298 00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:26.160 we start to love God. We want to be with him instead of flee 299 00:28:26.279 --> 00:28:30.640 from him, we want to experience and in our lives, lives instead of 300 00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:37.799 run from him, and this life he offers, he freely gives to all 301 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:42.920 who simply put their faith in the resurrected one who put their faith in the 302 00:28:42.920 --> 00:28:48.759 Lord Jesus Christ. How do we have the victory? What does Paul say 303 00:28:48.759 --> 00:28:56.359 in Verse Fifty Seven? He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 304 00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:59.400 We don't just bust through a dead end one day it's hey, yeah, 305 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:02.240 I figured it out. No, it's dead end, dead and Dead 306 00:29:02.279 --> 00:29:06.200 End, until Christ picks us up out of the maze and puts us into 307 00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:11.160 a world when which we can live forever, with bodies that we are fit 308 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:18.400 forever and life that is fully enjoyed forever on the God. Because Jesus solves 309 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:23.599 that problem and because we have the proof of it through his own resurrection from 310 00:29:23.640 --> 00:29:30.759 the dead. Brothers and sisters, we can have confidence in this life, 311 00:29:30.839 --> 00:29:34.720 in spite of death, in spite of the trials we have, in spite 312 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:41.079 of the fears that we face and the difficulties that we are now surrounding us 313 00:29:41.079 --> 00:29:45.279 and will continue to surround us. We can look death in its face and 314 00:29:45.359 --> 00:29:49.000 mock it. We can say, Oh death, where is your victory? 315 00:29:49.359 --> 00:29:56.599 Oh death, where is your sting? And we can say that because we 316 00:29:56.720 --> 00:30:00.920 know, and I love this image, death is s wallowed up in victory. 317 00:30:03.319 --> 00:30:10.839 The Victorious Work of Christ. Just home, that's gone. It's God. 318 00:30:11.200 --> 00:30:15.359 Death is swallowed up in victory, just like like darkness, just as 319 00:30:15.400 --> 00:30:22.160 immediately removed when there is light. That's who Jesus is and that's what he 320 00:30:22.200 --> 00:30:26.680 does, and when we put our hope in that, we can know that 321 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:30.519 our labor is not in vain, our lives are not in vain, our 322 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:40.160 deaths are not in vain. So whatever dogs you in this life, whatever 323 00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:44.960 troubles you and gets you down, whatever has you at the moment feeling desperate, 324 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:52.960 beloved, do not lose heart. Put Your faith in the Lord Jesus, 325 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:59.519 that you may die in peace and you may rise imperishable, glorious and 326 00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:06.839 filled with his power forever. Let's pray our Lord God. We ask that 327 00:31:06.839 --> 00:31:11.160 you would bless us in the truth of the Gospel, this good news that 328 00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:18.519 Jesus Christ comes into this world to raise the dead. We thank you for 329 00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:22.279 this resurrection, life that is already begun in us. We thank you that 330 00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:26.839 we have died in Christ and have been baptized into his death and are surely 331 00:31:26.920 --> 00:31:32.559 now even alive, having experienced a kind of beginning resurrection, a first resurrection, 332 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:38.240 and waiting now just for the completion of these things. Lord, as 333 00:31:38.279 --> 00:31:44.440 we face these trials and difficulties in our lives, even perhaps one of the 334 00:31:44.440 --> 00:31:48.279 greatest ones, death itself, we asked that you would help us not to 335 00:31:48.359 --> 00:31:55.680 lose heart, but to look to you and for your salvation. And, 336 00:31:55.759 --> 00:32:00.079 Lord, we ask that you would help us to proclaim this hope to dying 337 00:32:00.119 --> 00:32:06.559 world, help us to be bold about telling people the good news that we 338 00:32:06.599 --> 00:32:12.480 have received, a news, a news, news that comes into our lives 339 00:32:12.519 --> 00:32:16.920 and promises us hope, that tells us that we can live and our living 340 00:32:17.039 --> 00:32:22.720 is not in vain because we live in the Lord and in his work. 341 00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:28.240 We ask, Lord, that as we proclaim this message, as we invite 342 00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:34.400 others to come and to hear, that many would receive and begin to live 343 00:32:34.759 --> 00:32:39.799 for the first time, seeing and hoping and rejoicing in the goodness of God, 344 00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:45.240 our maker and Redeemer. Lord, we ask also that, as we 345 00:32:45.319 --> 00:32:49.960 live this new life in Christ, that you would help us to continue to 346 00:32:49.960 --> 00:32:55.000 put to death that flesh of nature in us, help us to give our 347 00:32:55.119 --> 00:33:00.039 members no longer over to unroighteousness, which brings forth the fruit of death, 348 00:33:00.440 --> 00:33:07.599 but to righteousness to God in Christ, that we might enjoy and participate in 349 00:33:07.640 --> 00:33:12.640 that life that he gives to us. May We be a people that are 350 00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:16.880 marked more and more by that resurrection life, by hope, by peace, 351 00:33:17.160 --> 00:33:22.640 by love, by Joy, gentleness, faithfulness self control. Lord, we 352 00:33:22.680 --> 00:33:28.240 asked that you would strengthen us in these things, bear forth this fruit and 353 00:33:28.440 --> 00:33:34.359 we and that others may see it and come to you and give you glory. 354 00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:39.519 We also pray, Lord, for those among us who are particularly burdens 355 00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:47.599 morning, who are seeing the struggles and the trials of this life, who 356 00:33:47.640 --> 00:33:53.000 feel the very real pain of suffering, of death, perhaps, those who 357 00:33:53.039 --> 00:34:00.519 are afraid, who are crying, who are sad, on those who wonder 358 00:34:00.559 --> 00:34:06.400 what is going to happen next, will those who fear even the next day 359 00:34:06.519 --> 00:34:09.519 or week or month. We asked, Lord, that you would give them 360 00:34:09.559 --> 00:34:14.920 your peace and your comfort in Christ and help us to mourn with those who 361 00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:19.159 mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice, all in the Lord Jesus Christ, 362 00:34:19.159 --> 00:34:24.679 who sympathizes with those in our weaknesses and gives us a hope for strength. 363 00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:28.920 We ask, Lord, that you would bless us in these things, and 364 00:34:28.920 --> 00:34:30.440 we pray this in Jesus the name Amen