We're there in Luke 16 and notice verse number 22 and it came to pass that the beggar died and
was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. The title
for the sermon this afternoon is into Abraham's bosom, into Abraham's bosom and I am doing the
strange doctrines. We're still on the strange doctrine series and again the strange doctrine
series are things that I've taught in otherwise good churches you know things that you know I'm
you know you learn good doctrine, sound doctrine, fundamental doctrines but every now and again you
hear just some strange things and I remember when I first heard about this doctrine I'm going to
share with you I was left kind of scratching my head a little bit but let's start there in verse
number 19 Luke 16 19. So Jesus Christ gives this story now many times when Christ gives a story
he does teach in parables okay, illustrations to help you know help clarify a certain doctrine
that he's teaching potentially. Some people say this story is a parable but what makes this very
clean clearly not a parable is that we have real names of real people. When you look at other
parables they don't have real names they're just this young man or this son or whatever it is right
there are just this sort of general descriptions of people but here we have actual names given to
people it's a story of a real event that Jesus Christ is teaching. So we start there in verse
number 19 there was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen and fed
sumptuously every day and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate
full of sores so we have a rich man we have a poor man verse number 21 and desiring to be fed
with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table moreover the dogs came and licked his sores
and it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom.
The rich man also died and was buried. So what is Abraham's bosom that we're reading about here?
So this beggar dies he's carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. Now the teaching that
I've heard in some independent Baptist church is that Abraham's bosom here is hell okay so this
man is being carried into hell by the angels but this is not the fiery part of hell they'll say
they'll say this is the paradise part of hell this is where things are sweet and wonderful
they'll say it's a temporary holding place for believers of the old testament when they died
they'll say they didn't go to heaven you know heaven was not accessible to God's people as of
yet they'll teach and so people went to a temporary place known as Abraham's bosom
or paradise and this is where this beggar is being carried. All right so what are some of
the reasons they would teach this doctrine? Well let's keep going there in verse number 23
about the rich man it says here and in hell this being the rich man lift up his eyes being in
torments and see if Abraham are far off and Lazarus in his bosom so let's say see the rich
man is in the fiery part of hell right he's in torments he's in the torments of the flames but
from a distance he can also see Abraham and Lazarus the beggar in his bosom so in Abraham's
bosom. Now the first question I had like just myself just being taught this and hearing about
this was well okay so Abraham himself is in Abraham's bosom like like this location is named
after Abraham but then my question became but there were believers before Abraham like there
was you know Adam and and Abel and Noah and and all these you know people before Abraham like
my first thought is where did they go like like when they died where did they go or did they go
to a place maybe it was called Abraham's maybe they had another name maybe it was Adam's bosom
and then it was became Abel's bosom and it became I don't know I don't know like that was the
question I had like Noah's bosom and now I have Abraham in his own bosom also standing somewhere
in hell and this rich man who's been torments in hell is able to see them off in a bit of a
distance. Well let's keep reading there verse number 24 and he cried and said father Abraham
have mercy on me so this man in hell is able to communicate he's conscious okay again this
confirms for us that when someone goes to hell they are not completely annihilated they are
conscious conscious they are aware of where they are okay he cried father Abraham have mercy on me
so he's a child of Abraham in the flesh but he's not a child of Abraham in the spirit he's not a
saved man he says and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue
for I am tormented in this flame so you can see here when people are in hell they've been
tormented in flame and they just desire just a little bit of water just a drop of water on their
tongue would give them some relief but notice he's able to see Abraham and Lazarus in this location.
Then verse number 25 but Abraham said son remember that thou in thy lifetime receiveth thy good
things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he's comforted and thou art tormented and beside
all this between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so that so that they which would pass from
hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence. So we learn a rule
about this place whatever you want to believe Abraham's bosom is at the moment we see that
if you go to the fiery part of hell you cannot go where Abraham and Lazarus are once you've
entered hell you cannot go to that location and if you're where Abraham and Lazarus are you cannot
go to hell there's a great gulf fixed and so they'll teach that this is the same place they've
gone all gone to hell but in hell there's a great gulf fix a great separation between these two
places and they conclude that based on this story okay because I say well they can see like like
if it's any other location they won't be able to see off in a distance now it is my belief
in fact I'll prove this we've got a shadow of a doubt that where Abraham and Lazarus are
is in heaven they're in heaven with God okay and Lazarus I mean and the rich man is in hell
and the people say well but how can they see one another like they're in completely different
locations but the thing is the reason they can conclude that it must be the same place inside
the earth is because they're trying to apply the physical realm or the laws of physics through a
spiritual realm okay so yeah I suppose on this earth I can't see heaven and I suppose if I'm on
this earth and I'm in a place and there's a great gulf fix between me and someone else I might be
able to see someone off in the distance but I'm applying the laws of the physical realm to
something that is clearly spiritual okay and so but that's how they sort of explain it well they
can see each other they can talk to one another therefore they must be in the same location
what I'm going to show you later on as we keep going through this sermon is that there are other
places in the bible there's one place particularly where people that are in heaven in the eternal
state are able to see people in hell okay again you need to remember we're dealing with the
spiritual realm when it comes to this okay so the way we see the way we perceive the way we
talk the way you can communicate cannot be limited to what we understand or are used to in the
physical realm now come with me to John chapter 3 come with me to John chapter 3 so more than
Abraham's bosom being uh something that I found very weird the biggest issue I had with this
doctrine is that they'll teach that believers before Christ was crucified did not go to heaven
and again to me it's like where do you see that in the scriptures where do you where do you you
know build your doctrine from this is it just this story is there is there more that you know
applies to it and what I'm going to do like I do often in these strange doctrine series I'm going
to show you the verses that they use to reinforce their position and then later I'll give you the
explanation to those verses but in John chapter 3 John chapter 3 verse number 13
the Bible reads these are the words of Jesus and no man hath ascended up to heaven ah see no man
has ascended up to heaven at least when Christ said these words but he that came down from heaven
even the son of man which is in heaven so these are the words of Jesus okay yeah no man have
ascended up to heaven so you can see by looking at verse there someone may conclude they're
no man ever went to heaven during the under the old covenant or even before the old covenant okay
and the teaching of Abraham's bosom as a location in hell they'll say when Jesus died he went to
hell he went to Abraham's bosom collected the saints there and relocated Abraham's bosom to
heaven they'll say okay so they've gone Abraham's bosom was in paradise they'll say but now it's
been relocated to heaven where God is and so you know they rightly teach that if you die if you
were to die today in Christ Jesus you are going to heaven look I'm not going to say that if you
believe this strange doctrine you're some ungodly you know unsaved man there are a lot of things
we discussed it even between services there's a lot of things that believers can start to believe
or think and I can again I can kind of understand where they're coming from if there are sort of
verses like this and no men have sent up to heaven it does bring questions and you know if
you take that just as it is alone you can conclude I guess nobody went to heaven until Jesus Christ
resurrected from the dead now can we move into another passage another passage that they use
first Samuel 28 please first Samuel 28 first Samuel 28 and I would say this passage in my
opinion is the strongest passage that they have to teach that maybe people did not go to heaven
that all the believers went to the paradise of hell known as Abraham's bosom but in first
Samuel 28 please first Samuel 28 and verse number seven this is the story when King Saul went to
basically a witch okay to get her his fortune told all right to know what because the Lord had
departed from him as it were all right and he was concerned he wanted to know things of the future
he wanted some information so he's gone essentially to the occult to get some
information and in first Samuel 28 verse number seven then said Saul unto his servants seek me
a woman that hath a familiar spirit that I may go to her and inquire of her and his servants
said to him behold there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor drop down to verse
number 11 then said the woman whom shall I bring up unto thee so notice that bring up so they'll
say see these souls or these these these people that have gone before they're going to be brought
up meaning they're being brought up from hell or paradise of hell or whatever you want to call it
okay and then says here and he said bring me up Samuel so again they'll say see bring me up
they're coming from hell instead of coming from heaven or whatever okay verse number 12
and when the woman saw Samuel she cried with a loud voice and the woman spoke to Saul saying
why hast thou deceived me for thou art Saul so she tries to conjure up she's got a familiar spirit
okay the way this stuff works brethren is that the familiar spirit is a devil
and when these witches conjure up a personality it's the familiar spirit doing the job they'll
pretend to be that person or they'll give information about that person that they're
aware of because these are eternal beings okay but instead of the familiar spirit
pretending to be Samuel the real Samuel who has passed away turns up okay and that's why she
cries with a loud voice she says thou hast deceived me all right like she's like shocked
that the real Samuel popped up okay and then verse number 13 and the king said unto her
be not afraid for what sawest thou and the woman said to Saul I saw gods ascending out of the earth
see so brought up out of the earth and he said unto her what form is he of so he can't see him
but the woman can and she said an old man cometh up and he is covered with a mantle and Saul
perceived that he was Samuel and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed himself now this
really is Samuel because the narrator of the bible says in verse number 15 and Samuel said to Saul
why hast thou disquired me to bring me up okay so see a few references of being brought up okay
and gods ascending out of the earth and things like that okay so I think this is probably the
strongest position that you know well you can argue well he didn't come from heaven he was
brought up from the earth and I'll give you a response that you know a bit later on into the
sermon okay but come with me now to the book of Job. Job chapter one please and look I've recently
in or not so much recently but during this strange doctrine series I've also taught about
you may recall about the the fallen angels of the the doctrine of the fallen angels having married
women and so some of this stuff does overlap but they are separate doctrines okay but they kind of
do overlap one with another and so some things that I'm going to explain today I know I've
explained in another sermon but because they're kind of different doctrines I kind of need to
touch the same points here but in Job chapter one Job chapter one verse number six Job chapter one
verse number six so the verses that I've shared with you are the main reasons they believe or
they use to prop up their doctrine that Abraham's bosom is a location in hell the paradise the
pretty part of hell for it you know without the fire or whatever it is okay but the thing about
that is we have several bible verses that confirm that believers did go to heaven during the old
covenant or before the old covenant and Job chapter one verse number six for me is crystal
clear which says now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord
and Satan came also among them so where is the Lord in heaven and the sons of God presented
themselves and Satan's coming along we saw even today this morning that Satan has access to heaven
until later on when he gets cast out forever okay but yes you know they're representing themselves
so if they're presenting themselves in heaven who are the sons of God well believers that have
passed away right go to chapter two Job chapter two verse number one again there was a day when
the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them to present
himself before the Lord so again what did we learn this morning that Satan accuses the brethren day
and night is the accuser of the brethren so Satan turns up with all these believers that have gone
before God of course making all kinds of stupid accusations and what have you okay now I've
already covered I've really taught extensively why the sons of God here are not angels okay again
that's another idea that people have I taught that in the other sermon about angel procreation
I'm not going to rehash all of that okay if you want to just get confirmation you can go back and
into that sermon later on but just to you know just to confirm this you guys all know these
passages you know John 1 12 but as many as received him to them gave you power to become
the sons of God even to them that believe on his name so what gives you the power to become a son
of God when you believe on Jesus Christ when you believe in the name of Jesus the moment you're
saved you become you receive the power to become the sons of God so the sons of God are what are
believers can you come with me to Romans 8 please actually come with me to 1 John chapter 3
come with me to 1 John chapter 3 1 John chapter 3 and I'll read to you from Romans 8 14 you go
to 1 John 3 I'll read to you from Romans 8 14 Romans 8 14 says for as many as are led by the
spirit of God they are the sons of God so brethren the moment you got saved guess what
you have the Holy Spirit of God living inside of you what does that mean that makes you a son of
God all right 1 John chapter 3 verse number one where you are it says behold what manner of love
the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God therefore the world
knoweth us not because it knew him not beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be but we shall know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for
we shall see him as he is so we are the sons of God not angels and I've already covered this in
extent you know extensively but you can see here because we're the sons of God when Christ appears
at the second coming when we receive our new resurrected bodies we shall be like him okay
we shall be like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and so again when you read the book of Job and the
sons of God present themselves it's got to be believers they're in heaven okay that's one way
to demonstrate that believers are in heaven even before Christ was crucified on the cross
come with me to 2 Kings chapter 2 2 Kings chapter 2 2 Kings chapter 2
2 Kings chapter 2 verse number 1 and again you all know this story but I want you to think about
this a little bit 2 Kings chapter 2 verse number 1 we have the story of Elijah remember how God
took him in a whirlwind and in 2 Kings chapter 2 verse number 1 it says and it came to pass
Kings chapter 2 verse number 1 it says and it came to pass when the Lord would notice the next words
take up Elijah up okay Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind that Elijah went with Elijah from
Gilgal drop down to verse number 11 and it came to pass as they still went on and talked
that behold there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire and part of them both asunder
and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven okay so what do we learn there that God took Elijah
down into Abraham's bosom no no no he was taken up with a whirlwind into heaven now some might say
and I can I can see where they're coming from some might say well that heaven referenced there
that's just our sky our atmosphere because the bible speaks of three heavens right the first
heaven our atmosphere the second heaven where the sun and sun moon and stars are the third heaven
is obviously where God's throne is and they'll say well he was just taken up into the atmosphere
okay and then changed direction went down into the ground that doesn't make any sense like why
would God take Elijah up into the sky and ah just joking let's just go into the ground it's
Abraham's bosom somewhere deep like it like it doesn't that's what the bible says he's taken up
obviously that's what we're left with and I think the natural reading should be well he continued
going up until he reached heaven you know the third heaven where God's throne is and so that's
another way to demonstrate that you know believers went to heaven okay you've been taken up into
heaven come with me to psalm 73 psalm 73 psalm 73 verse number 24 look at verse number 24
thou shall guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory
that's speaking about passing away you know often when we talk about believers I have passed away
we will say they've they've entered into the glory of the Lord or something along those lines okay
so it says there in verse number you know um 70 24 that you know in his life he's been guided by
God and then afterward God's going to receive him okay uh in glory now look at the next verse
verse number 25 whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire beside
thee so notice the being received into glory or to glory is speaking the fact that he's excited
in heaven because in heaven he's got well I've got God you know when I receive when I get received
into glory I'm going to be with my Lord I mean that's that's my desire that's my my focus and
attention I just I just want to be with my Lord God and so the psalmist has the hope
of being in heaven with his Lord God when he's received into glory
come with me to ecclesiastes chapter 3 ecclesiastes chapter 3
ecclesiastes chapter 3 and verse number 20
ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse number 20
I'll give you a moment to turn there ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse number 20 the Bible reads all go
unto one place that's speaking about death we're all going to go to the grave right we're not
guaranteed to live forever like in these mortal bodies I should say but all go unto one place
and all so all are of the dust and all turn to dust again but look at verse 20 it says
but look at verse 21 who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward and the spirit of the beast
or an animal that goeth downward to the earth what do we learn here that when a believer passes
away the spirit of that believer goes downward no no upward the Bible says upward okay and the
spirit of a beast goes downward okay so look I'm sorry I'm sorry kids your pets are not in heaven
enjoy them now on the earth praise God enjoy them thank God for the pets and creatures that you love
to handle but they're not going to be in heaven okay the the spirits don't ascend up to heaven
like a man's spirit does okay come with me to ecclesiastes chapter 12
chapter 12 verse number 7 ecclesiastes chapter 12 and verse number 7 please
I'm only showing you references of the old testament of course because that's the claim
that old testament saints did not go to heaven you know that they just went inside the earth
or something like this but ecclesiastes chapter 12 and verse number 7 it reads then shall the dust
return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it okay so again when we
die when believers die the spirit returns to God who gave it hey where's God in Abraham's bosom
no you know inside inside the earth now where is God's throne in the third heaven okay in the
third heaven so look when I when I when I look at all these other passages to me they're crystal
clear that believers went to heaven and I can see many passages and I'm sure there are other
passages that I've not thought about for the sermon that we can include on this list okay
so what's the answer is there a contradiction in the scriptures you know of course there's no
contradiction in the scriptures there never is but I just feel like these verses are sufficient
once again for us to just close the service have a word of prayer and go home old testament saints
went to heaven okay and when the rich man in hell found Abraham and Lazarus he was able in the
spiritual realm to get a picture of what heaven looked like and able to communicate it's something
that God allowed for that particular time for that particular story for the doctrine that
Jesus Christ he was teaching us all right but let's go back to the passage at hand let's go
back to luke 16 luke 16 please luke 16 and verse number 22 luke 16 22 so what is their response
to something that I've just taught okay that Abraham's bosom well I'll tell you what Abraham's
bosom is who can I bring up here Amy can you come up here Amy pretend I'm Abraham okay and
Emilia is Lazarus all right and she's been brought into Abraham's bosom you know what happened this
is what happened right here resting on my chest okay that's what happened I'll tell you I'll
prove it to you later okay we didn't go to like a place inside the earth all right but that's all
that happened that Lazarus was received in Abraham's bosom and they embraced okay father
Abraham embraced someone who was saved a brother in the lord you can sit down now okay but the
argument against that let's look at again luke 16 22 and it came to pass that the beggar died
they'll say let's say this look and was carried by the angels into into like inside Abraham's bosom
like when I when I embraced Emilia she didn't like I didn't open the cavity of my chest and
and put her inside of me or anything like that okay like but they'll say well see it's into
it's not on Abraham's bosom okay the rich man died also and was buried and again verse 123 and
in hell he lift up his eyes being in torment and see if Abraham are far off and Lazarus in his
bosom see inside so it's a it's a location you know it's a cavity or something like that that
they enter and so what's the response to something like that I can again I can see where they're
coming from and it's like I can at least they've got like a scripture like there are other strange
doctrines where they're like nothing they've got nothing but just concept and ideas at least they
have something that's written in the scriptures and I can appreciate at least that part of it
okay but come with me now to Genesis 16 let's read about Abraham okay we're dealing with Abraham and
his bosom let's read about Abraham's bosom in Genesis 16 and the book of Genesis Genesis 16
please and verse number five Genesis 16 and verse number five
now Abraham here is Abram before his name was changed and
you're laughing already remember when God promised Abraham that they would have a promised
child but it took a long time so during a lapse of faith Abraham went into another woman and gave
you know she gave birth to Ishmael right they had that lack of faith that lapse of faith for
a period of time and then of course Sarah regrets making that decision it's her decision to allow
him to do that thinking that that might be how God wanted to fulfill his promise and it says in
Genesis 16 verse number five and Sarah said unto Abraham sorry Abram my wrong be upon thee I have
given my maid into thy bosom what so did Abraham have surgery and open up his chest and the maid
went inside his chest and closed it up is that what happened oh the fact is what it's saying
here let's keep going and when she saw that she had conceived I was despised in her eyes the
Lord judge between me and thee and so she regrets making that decision like it's a burden it's a
stress on her life but you can see that the bible uses the language I've given my maid into thy
bosom of course you know they slept together became one flesh and it just talks about the fact
that they were close right they became one flesh the maid was resting on his bosom and that's the
way God uses that language okay so you can see another time when Abraham's bosom is mentioned
it's into but it's very clearly on it's very clearly uh two coming together in that union
come with me to another passage exodus chapter four please exodus chapter four and verse number
six exodus chapter four and verse number six isn't it wonderful that we have like such a
comprehensive bible that if you want to clarify even words terminology phrases there are other
places in the bible that use the same language and then you can compare you know is this talking
about a location inside the earth or is this talking about just resting on someone's bosom
well we have another story here in exodus chapter four verse number six this time it's about moses
it says here in exodus four six and the lord said furthermore unto him put now thine hand into thy
bosom again did he have to open up his chest and put his hand inside his body or something like
that no no since the bosom is hey look rest your hand on your chest is what God is essentially
saying right and by the way if you if you like screenshot that someone's going to think I'm uh
what are the freemason or something like that that's uh don't be surprised after this sermon
if there's like pastor support has been a freemason this whole time and then I've got
all these hand things and I've done whatever it is anyway okay so God tells Moses look put thine
hand into thy bosom and he put his hand into his bosom and took it out and behold his hand was
leprous as snow and he said put thine hand into thy bosom again and he put his hand into his bosom
again into into into his bosom again and plucked it out of his bosom and behold it was turned again
as his other flesh okay so we can see that the way the bible's written the way God's chosen to
you know write the king james bible into doesn't this doesn't have to mean inside a cavity inside
a location it can very well just mean resting upon a bosom which should be the most common sense
like understanding of this passage because Abraham and Lazarus are together Abraham is welcoming
Lazarus like I think that's going to be amazing when we pass away and we go to heaven and we're
welcomed by someone like Abraham and Abraham says come here give me a big hug or something like that
or whatever some other man like a Paul or Peter or whatever it is potentially you know I mean what
that'd be awesome being greeted by these men that we've read about in the bible these great men of
god that you know have motivated us encouraged us that god is used mightily you know just being
welcomed by the brethren what an amazing thing if you go back with me to I probably should have told
you stay there but luke 16 luke 16 verse number 26 luke 16 verse number 26
all right luke 16 26 then we have this statement Abraham says and beside all this between us and
you there is a great gulf fixed so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot another can
they pass to us that would come from thence okay again I've told you this is the spiritual realm
okay you can't apply physics today the laws of physics today in the spiritual realm it doesn't
work okay let me show you another passage of scripture you can stay I think you can stay there
in luke 23 oh sorry no luke 16 actually no anyway you can move away from there now come with me to
Isaiah 66 come with me to Isaiah 66 please Isaiah 66 this might be a thought that you've never
really considered before but Isaiah 66 and verse number 22 Isaiah 66 and verse number 22
this chapter is about the millennial not not at the millennial price it's after christ rules for
a thousand years then he hands the kingdom over to his father and god creates a new heaven and
a new earth okay so when you look at Isaiah 66 verse number 22 and the creation of a new heaven
and a new earth is the eternal state okay it's eternity in Isaiah 66 22 it says for as the new
heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before me saith the lord so shall your seed
and your name remain and it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another and from one
sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the lord say pastor
what are we going to do in the new heavens and new earth we're going to have church right we're
going to come together and worship the lord which reminds me of what was happening in the book of
job when the believers were coming together presenting themselves before the lord and satan
was coming along right they were just having church worship praise to god in eternity but if
we keep going there it says in verse number 24 and they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses
of the men that have transgressed against me for their worms shall not die neither shall their fire
be quenched and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh what is it saying there when god creates
a new heaven and new earth there's going to come a time I don't know how often this is that we're
going to be able to go and look upon the carcasses of the men the reason it says carcass is because
not only do believers receive a resurrected body but even the dead even the non-believers receive
a new a resurrected body but that body is a dead body that they receive okay and so they've got
a carcass that is burdened in the lake of fire okay and what you see here even in the new heavens
and new earth we're going to be able to look upon that okay where the where the worm die if not and
where the fire is not quenched and so we can see just from another passage of scripture that there
is you can from heaven see the lake of fire we can see hell again because we're applying spiritual
laws to the equation which right now we're just limited by the physical realm okay so does it have
to mean that for uh for the rich man to be able to see lazarus and back and forth does that mean
that it has to be somewhere within the earth that the natural eye can can only see when they haven't
got the natural eyes they've got spiritual eyes okay when I can show you here in the scriptures
that even in the new heavens new earth we're going to be able to look upon those that are burning in
hellfire I mean that doesn't sound like something that I really would enjoy to look at but again I'm
basing that on how I feel about things today you know when we're when we receive our new bodies
there is going to be no filthy in us there's going to be no sin in us there's going to be only an
appreciation for the righteousness and judgment of God and when we look in that in that time
when we look upon people and the carcasses burning in fire okay we're just going to say look God you
were just you were right this makes perfect sense they rejected your son they deserve to suffer this
torment forever and ever you know your judgment is righteous now come with me to um acts chapter
two please come with me to acts chapter two acts chapter two acts chapter two while you're turning
to acts chapter two the other passage that they use remember was in john 3 13 which I'll read it
to you once again the words of Jesus and no man have ascended up to heaven remember that passage
no man have ascended up to heaven the way that's phrased is repeated in the book of acts
now think about this for a moment let's say their position is correct for a moment let's say
that in the old covenant no believers went to heaven no believers ascended to heaven therefore
they are not there they're in somewhere on the earth okay when you read the book of acts
especially chapter 2 in particular okay has Christ already risen from the dead
has he already ascended to heaven yes okay so if the doctrine is correct
Jesus would have taken all the old testament saints to heaven so now you could say well now
men have ascended to heaven does that make sense when we read acts chapter two but when we get to
actually the two and verse number 34 notice the the way this this this uh is phrased it says for
David that's king David a man after God's own heart a believer obviously for David is not
ascended into the heavens well that phrase alone destroys their doctrine because they believe David
would have certainly by now been taken out of Abraham's bosom or paradise what they call it
and he's gone to heaven because Christ has already resurrected from the dead he's already
ascended to heaven so surely when when Jesus said no men have ascended surely by now David
must have ascended but you can see very clearly David is not ascended into the heavens so that
debunks their doctrine okay but what's good about actually the two the context of actually two
helps us understand what God is speaking about in what sense have men or even David not ascended
into the heavens so let's backtrack a little bit let's backtrack to verse number 30
actually to verse number 30 let's get a bit of context here
and it's really not that complicated okay acts 2 30 it says therefore being a prophet
and knowing that God hath sworn with an oath to him that out of the fruit of his loins
I want you to notice the next words according to the flesh
he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne we're dealing with flesh here okay let's keep
going verse number 31 he's seen this before spake of the resurrection of Christ now let me stop there
for a moment did Christ resurrect spiritually or bodily bodily in the flesh okay he resurrected
he resurrected from the from the dead it says that his soul was not left in hell
neither his flesh did see corruption notice I just want to notice again the flesh okay when Christ
was put to death his soul was in hell okay but his flesh was in the grave okay and his flesh did not
see corruption his flesh did not rot because it's his flesh that was resurrected from the dead
okay look at verse number 32 this Jesus have God raised up whereof we all are witnesses we've
witnessed his resurrected flesh is what is being said here right verse number 33 therefore being
by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the father the promise of the holy
ghost he have um he have shed forth this which ye now see and hear so now that you understand
flesh flesh the resurrection of the flesh all these content right the body we're talking about
the body specifically here okay verse number 34 for David is not ascended into the heavens
but he himself but he saved himself the lord said unto my lord sit thou on my right hand so why has
David not ascended to heaven because his flesh his body is still on the earth but his spirit
is in heaven we already saw that from the other passages like ecclesiastes that the spirit of man
goes to heaven but when God uses this phrase for David is not ascended into the heavens or no man
has ascended into heavens God is speaking in the physical form there is no man in heaven right now
in their physical bodies okay because there's corruption and the bible tells us that uh
corruptible cannot inherit incorruption okay so what we see here is David most definitely is in
heaven with God but spiritually okay and his body won't be in heaven with God until the resurrection
and that's when the rest of us all of us are going to receive our new resurrected bodies
so again in what sense is a man that ascended up to heaven a man has not ascended up to heaven
bodily okay but with all the other scriptures that we've seen they have ascended spiritually
okay that's how you you know reconcile these passages if they've been difficult for you to
understand now come with me to um uh first Thessalonians chapter four so the passage on
the rapture first Thessalonians chapter four please first Thessalonians chapter four
so the next question is okay well what about Samuel he was brought up right uh from the earth
so shouldn't Samuel have been brought down from heaven they might argue at that point
now I believe the answer that is essentially an extension of what I've just explained to you
okay there are times that we see believers come back to the earth after death okay
but these other references are where they've come bodily okay whereas
Samuel's appearance was more of a ghostly or spiritual nature okay so while you're turning
to first Thessalonians four I'm going to read you from Matthew 27 52 and this is when Christ
um you know uh when Christ uh I can't even say it when Christ suffered and died I couldn't get
that out of my mouth okay when Christ suffered and died and of course rose again from the dead
it says in Matthew 27 52 it's such an interesting passage it says and the graves were opened and
many bodies of the saints which slept arose so obviously when you arise you're coming out of
the grave okay and there came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy
city that's Jerusalem and appeared unto many you say pastor can you elaborate on that I can't really
that's all the word of God tells us okay but there's a there's a miraculous event that took
place at the resurrection of Christ so what I'm trying to show you there is these are bodies of
saints okay and he refers to being them being raised up why they've been raised up because
their starting location is their grave all right now in first Thessalonians chapter four verse
number 14 first Thessalonians chapter four verse number 14 it reads but if we believe that Jesus
died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus those people that have passed away
will God bring with him so we know at the rapture God's going to bring with him the believers that
have already passed away so they're obviously coming from heaven aren't they okay but if we
continue in drop down to verse number 16 for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a
shout with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise
first so notice even though they're coming from heaven they're being risen because they're
starting from the grave I mean they're in heaven don't get me wrong but when God speaks of them
rising or coming up it's because their starting location is from their grave okay now I know I
might be drawing a long bow here but I build my doctrine on what I can read and the few references
that we speak of believers returning to the earth they are rising up why because they're coming from
the grave now again granted Samuel did not rise bodily okay but it would make sense based on what
I can see with these other passages that when Samuel was conjured up and obviously came from
heaven that his location where he came where he appeared would be from the earth okay most likely
that's how you access go back to earth is going through the grave where your body is and then
being brought forth even though he did not appear bodily his starting location based on these other
passages was from the grave okay so yeah he was brought up okay but he's brought up spiritually
all right let's go to luke 23 now let's go to luke 23 luke 23 verse 142 luke 23 verse 142
I hope this is all interesting for you guys I mean you know it's a lot of thought
a lot of questions and I again I can understand where people get confused or what have you
whenever you have what might appear as contradictive scriptures
again we're talking about rules what are certain rules that we have when we read the bible
you want to settle on what is clear what the bible just plainly says okay and the passages
that are a little bit more cryptic a little bit more harder to understand you need to understand
them through the lens of the passages that are clear that's one of the rules of the bible please
you know if you for example read a hundred bible verses that salvation is by grace through faith
and without works and then you find one passage that might sound like because you don't fully
understand it might sound that sounds like james chapter 2 for example it sounds like it is by
works well are you going to interpret the hundred passages with faith alone on the one passage that
you might be struggling to understand that sounds like works or you're going to interpret that one
passage that sounds like works with the hundred passages that it's clearly without works and by
faith alone okay it's the same idea when you approach the bible with other doctrines
now luke 23 verse 142 christ is on the cross christ has not yet died so if christ has not yet
died has the new testament commenced no because the the new testament commenced with the death
of the test data okay so this new testament's about to begin don't get me wrong it's just
around the corner now but it's still old testament times okay so luke 23 42 one of my favorite
stories the thief on the cross i love it i love it it says in verse 142 and he said unto jesus
lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom look at the response and jesus said unto him
verily i say unto thee today shalt thou be with me in paradise so think back to the abraham's bosom
idea inside the earth so that's why they call it paradise inside the earth they say well
if jesus is going to be with him and believers are not in heaven therefore when they pass away
jesus and the thief on the cross are also going to go inside abraham's bosom which is also paradise
and then you know christ will bring them all into heaven that's that idea in doctrine okay
but you can see here that christ is going to be with the thief in paradise that very day and then
it says in verse 144 and it was about the sixth hour and there was a darkness over all the earth
until the ninth hour and the sun was darkened and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst
and when jesus had cried with a loud voice he said father into thy hands i commend my spirit
where the spirits of saved men go heaven and having said thus he gave up the ghost ghost is
the same word as spirit same thing holy spirit holy ghost same thing gave up the ghost gave up
his spirit all right by the way just in case you don't know i believe when christ died his soul was
in hell his spirit was in heaven and his body was in the grave he's god god is on my present okay
that's that's that's his nature but what i love about this is he promised the thief on the cross
he'll be with him in paradise who dies first jesus or the thief on the cross
jesus remember jesus just gives up the ghost the thief on the cross had to have his legs broken
to suffocate and then perish but i'm happy that jesus was there first in a sense because
who's going to welcome me in paradise like how good is that like jesus so you're going to be
with me all right maybe abraham's there as well but jesus like welcome you made it
in paradise like what a wonderful promise from from our lord god but what is what paradise what
is paradise like you know again let's build our doctrines on clear passages what is the location
of paradise is that the compartment in hellfire the the the you know i don't know the country club
the the paradise of hell where it's all nice and pretty or is this talking about the third heaven
where god is well again we have a very clear bible passage on this second corinthians chapter
12 please turn there second corinthians chapter 12 verse number two you know what's really
interesting about the bible why you turn the second corinthians chapter 12 like a lot of
these passages i've read from them recently teaching on revelation but even though we're
turning to the same passages it's like you can learn something else like you know what i love
it's not like you've read it once okay get it once but it's just applicable in so many places
you know god's word is just this this masterpiece where it's all consistent it's all beautiful it's
all true it all helps in multiple places and different types of doctrines but second corinthians
chapter 12 verse number two and i knew a man in christ about 14 years ago whether in the body i
cannot tell or whether out of the body i cannot tell god knoweth i want you to notice the next
phrase such and one caught up to the third heaven i think we all believe and understand
the third heaven there is where god is okay the first heaven again the atmosphere second heaven
sun moon stars third heaven where god is okay and then he says in verse number three and i knew such
a man whether in the body or out of the body i cannot tell god knoweth how he was caught down
into paradise now how he was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words which is
not lawful for a man to utter so this man was caught up into paradise and what we read in
verse number two caught up into the third heaven so here we have a clear black and white passage
right what is paradise the third heaven what is the third heaven paradise so when
jesus said to the thief on the cross today that shall be with me in paradise third heaven
okay third heaven what is abraham's bosom his chest you know and it may very well be when we
all perish and go to be with the lord in heaven that abraham might be one of the very first to
welcome all of us there's a reason why he's known as father abraham the father of the faith
even though they'll save people before abraham of course but that would make sense hey dad you're
here family reunited in the spirit praise god so what is the location of paradise the third heaven
what is abraham's bosom his chest where was abraham in paradise okay and of course when
abraham spoke of the great goal fixed that when you're in hell you cannot cross over it's a it's
true when you're in hell you cannot go to heaven your fate is set your eternity is set and when
you're in heaven when you go to be the lord you cannot be hurt by the second death you cannot be
hurt by hell you cannot be hurt by the lake of fire you know it's one or the other it's not like
we can cross from one place to another place no it's very clear that the great goal fixed that
abraham spoke about is the separation between heaven and hell all right brethren let's pray