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Sermon
of 12-14-01
Resurrection Promises
by Dr. David Farmer, pastor
Scripture - Job 14:14; "If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come."
Here in my hand I hold two pictures. These pictures show something I had never seen before. They were taken June 20, 2001 at Wadley Hospital. What are they pictures of? Inside my heart. They were taken the morning after I thought I was having a heart attack.
I doubt I will ever forget that morning. For several weeks my chest hurt. Then the morning of June 19, 2001, my chest hurt more than it had any other day. But I went into denial. Funny isn't it? With all the training I have in helping others understand their denial - I myself was denying the fact that I may be having a heart attack. But when the pain went down my left arm I said to myself; "David how many warnings does God have to give you?"
Well, I happy to say and I Praise the Lord to report; I wasn't having a heart attack that day. It ended up being my esophagus. But these pictures remind me of something every time I look at them. I could have died that day. It could have been a heart attack. Then another reality hits me even harder. If Jesus doesn't come soon, I'm going to die eventually anyway. It may be from a heart attack. It could be from cancer. A car wreck. I don't know. But I know death in this world is sure for all of us if Jesus doesn't come soon.
I heard a preacher once say; "We're not in the land of the living going to the land of the dying. No, we're in the land of the dying trying to get to the land of the living." Listen to the first part of Job 14:14 again;
"If a man die, shall he live again?" This has got to be the most important question anyone will ever ask. Because lets face the true facts; life is the most precious thing we have. Almost any dying millionaire would give every dime he has for one more year of life. Hardcore soldiers in a foxhole will make promises to God if only He would save them. So what's the answer to Job's question; "If a man die, shall he live again?" I hope to answer that question this morning.
Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15. Here the Apostle Paul tries to answer Jobs question. And he uses the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to give the answer; is any hope beyond the grave. Listen to verses 1-3 of 1 Corinthians 15;
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; V:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
V:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;"
Paul uses the word "gospel" here, which means "The Good News." Friends, the Good News is that Jesus died so we could live. The Good News is that Jesus came from the tomb alive. The Good News is that Jesus will forgive us our sins and save us. And the Good News is that Jesus' death and resurrection proves that we have a life to look forward to beyond the grave!
Verse 3 discusses the fact that Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Keep your finger in 1 Corinthians 15 and turn with me to Isaiah 53:1-12. This whole chapter deals with the coming Messiah. Later today read the entire chapter. Right now listen to verses 3-7;
"V:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. V:4
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
V:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
V:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
V:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."
The Old Testament predicted that the Messiah would come someday and die for all the sins of the world. Your and my sins. There are many more in the Old Testament that say Christ was coming to die for sin. So this proves that Jesus' death was not an accidental death. No my friends, His death was a deliberate death of a Person who offered His life as a sacrifice. When the sins of the world were laid on His shoulders He became our substitute. He paid the penalty for our sin - death. After He died He was laid in a tomb. Did you know that was a borrowed tomb? You know when you borrow something you plan to give it back. And all four Gospels report that on the third day after His death Christ came from the grave and no longer needed the tomb. Jesus came forth alive. You remember the story don't you?
When the women came to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body they found it empty. Listen to Luke 24:4-6,
"And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
V:5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
V:6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee," They went looking for Jesus' body, but two Angels said He is not here - He is risen! And He is still risen and coming soon! But did anyone see Him after His Resurrection?
Return with me to 1 Corinthians 15:4-8; "And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: V:5
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
V:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. V: 7
After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
V:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time."
Verse 5 says that 12 saw Him. Verse 6 says that 500 other men saw Him. Verse 7 says that James and the other disciples saw Him. Then verse 8 says that Paul himself saw Him. Each one of these men saw Him alive.
Some of you may remember the days when people asked the question if we would ever walk on the moon. Today we no longer ask that question. Why? Because on July 20, 1969 after Neil Armstrong walked on the moon he eliminated the need to discuss the question of walking on the moon. And when Jesus came forth from the tomb alive, it eliminated the need to discuss if we will live again after death.
When we get to verse 12 in 1 Corinthians 15, we find that Paul is a little perplexed as to why people even ask the question about life after death. Listen;
"Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?"
Now friends, none of us can prove that Jesus came back from the dead. There are no test tube experiments that prove He is alive. But there is enough ample evidence for everyone to believe He is alive.
First we have the eyewitness we just read in the Bible that saw Him. Next, what about our lives? Has He changed you any since you came to Him? You remember the story in the Bible where Jesus changes water into wine? In my life, Jesus changed wine into furniture. After He came into my heart I no longer drink liquor or smoke pot or cigarettes. My whole life changed for the better. And that is just my testimony. What about yours? Or the testimony of millions whose life was changed after He came into their hearts. He will change anyone who chooses to believe in Him.
Did you know that Winston Churchill chose to believe in Christ? Before I tell you this true story of Winston Churchill, please keep in mind that you or I may not agree with what he did. But please stay with me because I have a point to make.
Winton Churchill arranged his own funeral. He planned it at St. Paul's Cathedral. It started out like most funerals. There were the stately hymns sung. There was the sermon preached. But at the end of the sermon Churchill had planned an unusual event to take place. After the benediction was said, a bugler high up in the dome on one side played taps. Taps is the universal signal that the day is over. After he was through there was to a small pause. Then on the other side of the dome, another bugler played reveille. Reveille is the military wake-up call. This was Churchill's way of communicating that while it may be goodnight down here, it was to be good-morning up there.
How could Churchill do that? Because he believed Jesus Christ when He said in John 11:25;
"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"
Friends, if we go down into the grave before Jesus comes believing in Him we have the promise and assurance that we will live again. With that question answered, we come to our 2nd question; what will that life be like? Look at verse 20 of 1 Corinthians 15;
"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept."
What was Christ body like when He came forth from the grave? Listen to Luke 24:38,39 and 42,43;
"And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
V:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. V:42
And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. V:43
And he took it, and did eat before them."
The Bible is very clear, Jesus had a physical body.
Now turn with to Isaiah 65:21,22; "And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. V:22
They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands."
These
verses report that we will eat what we grow in heaven.
Most years I like growing a garden. One item I often grow is jalapeno peppers. The 1st year we were in Iowa I planted a garden and planted three jalapeno pepper plants. Now I'm not joking, they grew over three feet tall. And most Yankees don't like hot peppers! I had one member from another country that would eat them. As huge as these plants grew they were nothing compared to the plants we will have in heaven.
One other thing great about heaven, we won't have to worry about fat grams, high blood pressure or cholesterol. Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig will be out of business in heaven!
But the meal I waiting for more than any other, is the meal we will eat at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. We can't even dream what that meal will be like today. In fact 1 Corinthians 2:9 says;
"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."
Our 3rd question is; how are the dead raised? Returning to 1 Corinthians 15:35,36. Listen from the Clear Word Version Bible;
"How can dead bodies be resurrected? Have you ever seen a dead body being raised? V:36
What fools they are! Nature teaches us that nothing can sprout to life unless it first dies." Now listen to verse 42:
"On this earth we have bodies which are sinful and deteriorate and die, but in the resurrection our bodies will be sinless and will never deteriorate or die."
CWV.
Paul calls the ones asking about death a fool. He uses the demonstration of a seed. It has to die after it is planted before it comes forth from the ground as a new plant. They have seeds in pyramids, thousands of years old. They planted them and they grew new plants.
God says the same will happen to us. If we die before Christ comes, and then we too will come forth with an entirely new body. Verse 43 says;
"A dead body is not very appealing, but resurrected bodies will be beautiful. When a body is dead, it has no potential, but when it is raised, it will be full of life and power." CWV Friends we can trust God. We have to believe that He is able to create in us a new and perfect body.
Paul concludes his letter this way; "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
V:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. V:54
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
V:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? V:56
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. V:57
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 15:52-57.
Friends, the Good News is we will be made completely new. We'll have no more arthritis. No more need of glassed or hearing aids. No more need of wheelchairs. The blind will see and the deaf will hear. No more pain or death of any kind! This brings me to my 4th and final question; how can we obtain eternal life?
First, let me say it doesn't matter how much money you have, you can't buy it. But more Good News is that Jesus has already purchased it for us and He offers it to us for free. Listen to Romans 6:23;
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
To conclude our quest for the answer "If a man dies will he live again?" The answer is a definitely yes! And the resurrection of Jesus proves it. And you can have the purchased life He offers today. But like any gift you have to accept it.
Will you accept His free gift this morning? You can just pray this prayer with me.
Dear Lord, please forgive us our sins. Please save me through the shed blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ. May His Righteous be accreted to our account. We accept Him as our personal Savior.
Thank you Lord. Remember us when You come soon.
In Jesus name, AMEN.
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