All right, so there we are in Acts chapter 2 and the title for the sermon this afternoon is the resurrection in the Old Testament
The resurrection sorry in the New Testament that was that was Wednesday the Wednesday
So it was a resurrection in the Old Testament the sermon today is the resurrection in the New Testament
Now what I want you to notice just a few verses there in verse number 29
It says here men and brethren let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David
That he's both dead and buried and his sepulchre is with us unto this day
I want you to notice there that King David a very important Old Testament saint the king of Israel
His grave is still there with them today. He's still dead and buried
Okay, but of course
When we talk about someone that is dead a saints of God
They are the spirit is with God the soul is with God they are in heaven are they not they definitely are in heaven
But I want you to notice the emphasis here is on resurrection a bodily resurrection a
Resurrection of the flesh and what's being pointed out here is David has not yet experienced that
resurrection and verse number 30 therefore being a prophet
That's David being a prophet and knowing that God have sworn an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins
According to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne
So when did when was Christ risen up to sit on the throne
After the resurrection right and it's pointed out here
The one that would sit on the throne of God would be the fruit of the loins of David would be according to the flesh
Okay, so important to understand the resurrection that's mentioned here verse number 31
He's seen this before
Spake of the resurrection of Christ
Okay
Now when we talk about the resurrection in New Testament, we talk about our resurrection
It's about our rapture
the first thing we must do is think about the resurrection of Christ because if not for the resurrection of Christ a
Physical fleshly bodily resurrection. We would not be able to experience that same thing
It's only through Christ that we can experience this resurrection, but it says here that his soul was not left in hell
Neither his flesh did see corruption
So the resurrection of Christ is his soul
Departed from hell being reunited with that flesh that flesh did not see corruption
Why because remember we read in first Corinthians 15 that that which is corruptible must put on in corruption
Okay, so Christ receives this new
Resurrected glorified body and then it says in verse number 32
This Jesus have God raised up where of we all are witnesses
Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost
He have shed forth this which you now see and hear
Now look at verse number 34 for David is not ascended into the heavens
Where is David then?
Well, what are we talking about we start off in verse 29 his sepulchre his grave
Right when the Bible says in verse 34 that David has not ascended into heavens
They're talking about the physical resurrection that David has not ascended into heaven in the flesh
Okay. Now again, he's so his spirit. Yes is in heaven. Yes. It's that just like
The the Prophet the Apostle John remember when he was caught up into the spirit in heaven
But he's bodily alive on the earth, but his spirit was ascended or caught up into heaven. Okay, but bodily he was not
Okay, we have something similar except with David and all the Old Testament Saints
They are physically dead, but their soul and their spirits are in heaven
But right now David is not ascended into the heavens
This is important because there are those that will twist again the resurrection of the Old Testament Saints
Let's keep going
But David is not ascending into the heavens
But he saved himself the Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand
Until I make make thy full that falls thy footstool
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God have made that same Jesus whom ye crucified
Both Lord and Christ, okay
So the key thing I want you to take out of there is the resurrection of Christ is a bodily
Fleshly
resurrection in comparison to the Old Testament Saints that have not yet had that bodily
Fleshly resurrection just yet. Okay, when the Jehovah's Witnesses speak of the resurrection of Christ
I mean, they've got a lot of problems in their teachings, but that primarily they reject the fleshly bodily resurrection of Christ
They just believe he he ascended in the spirit or whatever
All right, and his spirit is in heaven whereas no Christ had a fleshly
Bodily
Resurrection and the comparison there is with David his grave his body. His bones are still there in the grave. Okay
Now when we talk about the resurrection, we must differentiate
Between two types of resurrection. Okay. I'm not talking about the resurrection of the of the living and the resurrection of the damned
I'm talking about the Bible speaks a lot about resurrection
There's a lot of people that die and go and are brought back to life. Okay, you've even before Christ
Okay. Now this resurrection though is different. Okay, go to Matthew 27, please
Matthew 27 verse 50
Because the rachmanites the hyper dispensationalist will say well some say that no the Old Testament Saints already had their
Resurrection and they'll point to Matthew 27 verse 50 go to Matthew 27 verse 50
Again
About the resurrection of Christ Matthew 27 50 it says Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice
Yielded up the ghost and behold the veil of the temple was rent in twain
from the top to the bottom and the earth did quake and the rocks rent and
The graves were opened and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose
If you stop reading there, it sounds like these graves were opened when Jesus died and he yielded up the ghost
But actually verse 53 confirmed clarifies this it says here and came out of the graves
after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared unto many okay, so
The resurrection of Christ was so powerful
Okay, it just opened up the graves and these autism essentials came back to life
It kind of sounds like that story where that dead person was buried in a rush and it touched
Elisha's bones and he came back to life right I mean, but we've Christ his resurrection
You know just somehow awakens these graves and these some it says there are many bodies
Not all of the Old Testament Saints just many of the Saints came back to life
Okay, now one site that definitely did not come back to life
He was David because David's grave was still there, but here's the thing about this resurrection
This resurrection is not a resurrection of a new glorified
Incorruptible body it is a resurrection of the same corruptible body that we still have
Okay, meaning that people that died and was brought back to life
When they were brought back to life, they could still sin, you know, they were in other words. They would still die
Okay, so these Saints that have died in the past now
I don't fully understand the why don't leave us much more information than this what they were doing
I guess it was a shock. I guess they're preaching the gospel. I don't know
Maybe they're given a second chance to preach the gospel
But they would have died again is what I'm saying
They would have died again because they did not receive their new resurrected bodies just yet
I'll prove that to you later, but there are many people like I said, you know Elijah
Or the dead man that touched Elijah's dead bones was brought back to life
Elijah raised a widow's son in the Old Testament
Elijah also raised a woman's son
We know the story where Jesus, you know had compassion on a widow and he raised her dead son to life as well
Remember the story of Jairus' daughter. She was raised from the dead. Of course, the most famous one is Lazarus
he was raised from the dead and then even after Christ went to heaven and
the apostles were doing works of God even we have Peter who raised Tabitha from the dead if you remember that and
Remember the story where Paul raised a man who fell asleep during church three stories up
He fell out the window or whatever fell off the back of balcony and he died and Paul brought him back to life
Okay, but all of these resurrections are not the resurrection of the new glorified body
Okay, that's not that we are these are other resurrections
Just come back in your like like you were before you come back to life for God's purposes
So we must differentiate between those two things. Okay, it's not the same type of resurrection
Now, please go to Acts 24. Acts 24 verse 14
Acts 24 verse 14
These are the words of Paul after he was arrested, you know for causing unrest for preaching about Christ for preaching the gospel
Acts 24 verse 14
What I just want to keep further driving home here is that the resurrection of the Old Testament saints is the same
Resurrection of the New Testament saints. The Old Testament saints have not been resurrected from the dead yet
In the manner of Christ with that new resurrected body. It hasn't happened yet. Look at Acts 24 verse 14
Acts 24 verse 14. This is after Christ is sent into heaven after Paul is preaching to you know
You know the New Testament churches have started Paul is preaching and he says this
But this I confess unto thee that after the way which they call heresy
So worship I the God of my fathers. Look at this believe in all things
Which are written in the law and in the prophets. Paul is saying look, I'm just believing the Old Testament scriptures
I'm just believing what the Old Testament prophets of old said
That's all I'm you know, that's what I'm getting in trouble for for believing what they wrote about now
Notice the column at the end of prophets
So it expands on what that is and have hope toward God which they themselves allow
that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and
Unjust
Okay, so he says look the Old Testament saints taught on this they wrote about this and all I'm doing is believing what they wrote
That there's a resurrection to come and this resurrection is of the just and of the unjust we've seen that on Wednesday
There's a resurrection to life and there's a resurrection of damnation
Okay
This resurrection is a resurrection that follows the resurrection of Christ that is in the same manner the one of the just
Follows after the example of Christ and the one of the unjust are for the ones that have
Rejected Christ and we saw that on Wednesday for the ones that did not have the names found in the book of life were cast
into everlasting fire
Now, please go to I'll get you to go to um
first Corinthians 15
first Corinthians 15 is the chapter on the resurrection I
Mean if you just want verse after verse and you want just black and white doctrine on the on the resurrection
On the Rapture that is the chapter
Okay, just jot it down first Corinthians 15 another one of my favorite chapters in Bible
Well, definitely like top three for me personally first Corinthians 15, okay
But while you're turning to first Corinthians 15, let me just ask you, you know ask the question
Why is teaching on the resurrection important? Why do we need to know this?
Say maybe it's not worth it, you know, because you know
You're fighting with your independent Baptist on the pre-trib rapture post-trib rapture
Maybe we shouldn't just maybe we should just not teach it
Let's just get along with the things that we all agree on and just don't teach on the things we disagree on
Because it ruffles people's feathers
It doesn't ruffle my feathers if someone believes the preacher of rapture
It doesn't bother me if someone believes it, okay
What bothers me is when that brother wants to break fellowship with someone like me for not believing that or for getting upset?
You know that I have a different belief to that. I don't get upset when people believe differently
Because I'm sure in what I believe, you know, I have doctrine
I have scripture on why I believe what I believe I have the confidence of the Word of God
You only get offended when you haven't got the confidence
And someone's challenging you and you don't have the confidence from the Word of God
Okay, but why is it important to teach on the resurrection?
Romans 6 4 says
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ
Was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father
Even so we should walk in newness of life and that's what we get the name of our church New Life Baptist Church
But verse number five says this for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death
We shall also look at this in the likeness of his resurrection
We are going to have a resurrection and it's going to be like his resurrection
We've had a spiritual death like the death that Christ had
You know, our sins have been nailed to the cross as it were Christ died in our place
Okay, he died for us, but he also resurrected for us
Okay
And so our resurrection will be in the likeness of that the reason why the teaching the resurrection is so important is like
It's said in verse number four
I'll just read the second part again that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father
Even so we should walk that's today. We should walk in newness of life
So in light of the truth of the resurrection in light of the truth that we will have these new glorified bodies
That never sin because we know that truth because Christ opened those laws
We should today even though we haven't got those bodies today, we should still strive to walk in units of life
We should still strive to walk as though we have those new resurrected bodies now
We don't have that flesh right that new flesh
but we do have the new spirit and by walking the spirit that gives us the ability to
Subdue this flesh and make it seem as though we have those future bodies to come. Okay, this is why important
It's important because we ought to live in light of that truth
It's not like God says, okay, wait till you get those bodies so you can live righteously
No, God wants us to live righteously today with that promise to come of those new bodies. Okay?
So that's why it's important
Okay, number one so we can live in accordance that the second reason it's important to teach on the resurrection
I would just read it to you Hebrews 6 1 it gives us some foundational doctrines
It says therefore leave in the principles of the doctrine of Christ
Let us go on to perfection or let us mature let us continue learning is what it's saying there right not laying again
the foundation of repentance from dead works and
of faith toward God
These are all fundamental truths right that we need to repent from trust in our dead works
We need to put our faith on God of the doctrine of baptisms
this is another fundamental basic thing and of laying on of hands and then it's this and of
Resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment the Bible here says that the resurrection of the dead is a
Foundational doctrine. It's a fundamental doctrine
It's important, you know and the fact that the JW's do not believe in that bodily resurrection
Immediately just says that is a not that's not a true Church of God immediately
Just just by denying that fundamental truth. They are not a true Church of God. They are a cult the JW's
Okay
so this is why it's important because there are some doctrines are so important that if you miss it if you
Get it. If you if you make it insignificant, it'll mess up your doctrines or not in other places. Okay
now first Corinthians 15 verse 12
first Corinthians
15 verse 12
The other reason why teaching on the resurrection is important is because by by denying the resurrection of the Saints
By extension we are denying the resurrection of Christ by extension, even though you may not realize that
Okay, but that's what it means if you deny the resurrection of the Saints first Corinthians 15 verse 12
Remember he's right into the Corinthian Church. Okay, there are some in the Corinthian Church
It was really messed up lots of babes in Christ
They're just not doing very well in the teaching department the verse number 12
Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead now stop there
What's the Corinthian Church teaching that Christ rose from the dead? Yeah, okay. That's what we gather there
Right now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead
How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
So it's not that they're denying that Christ rose from the dead
It says that some in the church were saying well, there's no resurrection for us
You know, they just had the thought that we just got to heaven in the spirit and that's the end of us
You know, there is no this physical resurrection. All right, look at verse number 13
But if there be no resurrection of the dead, that's of us, then is Christ not risen
And if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain
Alright, so these two things go together the rapture our resurrection is tied in to the resurrection of Christ
Without the resurrection of our bodies then Christ did not raise from the dead. That's what it's saying
Okay, so if you believe in the resurrection of Christ, you must believe in the resurrection of the Saints
Okay, or the resurrection of the dead. All right
Now drop down to verse number 20 verse number 20
It says here, but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of them that slept
For since by man came death, that's Adam. Okay, Adam death came through Adam
By man came also the resurrection of the dead and that man is Jesus
Okay, Jesus. So Adam is like a type of Christ, you know, we're all going to die because of Adam's sin
But we're all going to live if we're in Christ because of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection, okay
Drop down to verse number 22 for as in Adam all die
Even so in Christ shall all be made alive
I might just skip this because I'm going to cover this later on
Yeah, I'll just skip that but I just want to show you that our resurrection is tied in to the resurrection of
Christ now drop down to verse number 50, please same chapter 1st Corinthians 15 50
Why is the resurrection necessary? Why?
Okay, it says here now this I say brethren that flesh and blood
cannot
inherit the kingdom of God
neither of corruption
inherit in corruption
Look the grave of King David, even though he was a man after God's own heart
He cannot go to heaven in that body that's in the grave
All right, he's made of that flesh and blood his grave remains there
His bones remain there till this day even today wherever that grave is right the bones of David are still there and he cannot
Completely inherit the kingdom of God just yet. Yes is in heaven, but he cannot physically inherit the kingdom of God just yet
All right, and then verse if you can now let's go to verse number 42, let's track back backtrack a little bit first
Corinthians 15 42
It says here
So also is the resurrection of the dead it is sown in corruption. It is raised in in corruption
I love these words right that we have corruptible bodies. You're corrupt
You wonder why you sin you're corrupt. There's nothing good in you
All right, nothing good in you, but it is sown in corruption and it is raised in in corruption
I love that right look at this verse number 43. It is sown in dishonor
You know without Christ you're just dishonorable
There's no honor in you in the eyes of God, but then it is it is raised in glory
It is sown in weakness. You're weak today. Okay, you're physically weak. You're gonna get sick
You can't live forever, but then it says it is raised in power
The new bodies are gonna be powerful bodies. I
Can't fully understand what we're gonna be able to do. Okay, but we're gonna be like Christ
It is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body
There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body
Okay, this is why it's important we need that spiritual body we need those honorable powerful
Incorruptible bodies to come that's the only way we can be in heaven the new heavens the new earth
The only way we can possibly see God is by having those new resurrected bodies seen with you with our eyes, right?
verse number 45
For so it is written the first man Adam was made a living soul
The last Adam was made a quickening spirit the last Adam is a reference to Christ
Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and afterward that which is spiritual
So in order for you to be saved you first have to be born in natural
Then you're given that spiritual birth and then you're given that spiritual body
Okay verse number 47. The first man is of the earth earthly. The second man is the Lord from heaven as
Is the earthly such are they also
That are earthly
Reverend you're earthly right now in the bodies you walk around with they are earthly because they're from the earthly as
And as is the heavenly
they are sorry such are they also that are heavenly and
As we have borne the image of the earthly we shall also bear the image of the heavenly
Okay, so you're like Adam because you were born through Adam but one day we're gonna be given these heavenly
Spiritual new resurrected glorious bodies and we're going to be more like Christ than ever before. Okay?
What a what a great promise and then it says no, I just read it there to you. So
There needs to be a change in our bodies now. I might get Sebastian and Matthias. I need another another couple of volunteers
Can you guys come up here?
Sebastian and Matthias I've taught in this many times, but let's just do this very quickly the Bible teaches
I'll represent the body
Matthias can represent the spirit and
Sebastian can represent the soul and we know that human beings where we're given a body soul and spirit
Okay, and when you're born into this world, you know, you're born in that have earth you can't see Sebastian
Well
We're born these earthly bodies right and when we're born we have the body the soul and the spirit
But the Bible teaches us in Romans chapter 7 there comes a time when we come to realize and understand that we're sinners
We've broken God's laws and the Bible says that the law slays us the knowledge of sin basically kills us
But we're not dead in the physical body, but the spirit dies now actually we'll put this we'll say on this side is death
Okay, this side represents death and this side represents life, okay, so
most people
walk
This earth in that earthly body their soul is still there is using that vehicle of the physical body
but they're spiritually dead, okay, and
We need to win souls
Okay, and we're going to preach the gospel speak of that being born again being born of the spirit, right?
But here's the thing if someone does not believe on Christ is not born again and their body dies
You know their body goes over here
Now in in the realm of death we have the body and we have the spirit. So where do you think the soul is gonna go?
It's gonna join. It's gonna come here and the soul be punished in Hellfire. This is the sad reality
This is the bad news. Okay, but the good news is whilst people are still living
Okay, they hear the gospel they should hear the gospel
Be saved and the Bible says that they are spiritually born again born of the spirit and that's when the dead spirit is revived
Becomes that new creature in Christ born again
Child of God, okay, but I'm still walking this earth in this corrupted body
I'm still working on walking on this earth in this earthly body and there's the spirit
Okay, and this earthly body still wants to do earthly things once the sinful things wants to please itself and this spirit born of
God perfect without sin is saying stop doing those things and there's that constant battle right between the spirit and the flesh
And we ought to try to walk in accordance to that new man over here. Okay?
But here's here's the news
So if I were to die tomorrow before the rapture
Then my body works it is to die dies
Right and my body would go over here in death in the grave
Okay in the sepulchre, but my spirit is alive. The spirit goes to be with God and so does that soul
Okay, the soul is there with God, you know when the thief died on the cross
His body was hanging that cross was in death
But Jesus says that he will be today that shall be with me in paradise said Jesus Christ
So they there they are in heaven with God but in the grave, here's my body
I've not yet ascended to heaven in my physical body. I'm like King David was okay
But here's the promise when God comes back. Okay, when Christ comes in the clouds, it says that he's coming with his saints
All right. So when Christ descends from the clouds he takes
My new man with him in the clouds
Brings it all the way back to the grave and in the grave. He gives me those new resurrected bodies now
for the first time
Spirit was already saved the new man
The body has that heavenly body now the resurrected body and I'm all one now, you know
I'm in heaven and with Christ body soul and spirit in heaven forever with Christ. Okay, that's the reality of the resurrection
Okay, but for our our loved ones that have died in Christ right now
Their position is over here bodies in the grave in the realm of death as it were the bodies
But soul and spirit with God one day
They're gonna come reclaim that body be resurrected and we're all gonna be here. Happy together in the clouds of Jesus Christ. Sit down
Thanks, guys
okay, so that's the reality of our Christian life and
If you guys can please go to verse number 54 verse number. I'm sorry 51 go to verse number 51
Verse
51 and this is the promise of the rapture the resurrection now
I use these terms interchangeably the resurrection and the rapture. Okay, but we know there's a resurrection of the damned
Okay, so when I say resurrection, it can mean multiple things
Okay, but when we say rapture, we just mean something specific
The rapture is a resurrection when Christ comes in the clouds, but there is another resurrection to come afterwards. I'll show you later on
But it says here in verse number 51
Behold, I show you a mystery and if you go to Bible College, I'll tell you well mystery means that it's never been revealed before
Okay, if there's a mystery nobody knows about it and now it's going to be revealed
That's if you go to Bible College and then they'll say well this mystery has been revealed to the Corinthian Church and New Testament
therefore
Jesus could have never taught on this mystery
Okay, and so this is the first time see Jesus never taught on the rapture they'll say but we know already we looked at that
On Wednesday, that's that's totally ridiculous. That's what they say. They think the mystery is a resurrection. But no, that is not the mystery
We've just talked about what that mystery is. Okay
It's not the resurrection. It's what the resurrection means. That's the mystery. Okay, behold. I show you a mystery
Look at this. Look at the mystery. We shall not all sleep
But here it is this is the mystery but we shall all be changed
That's the mystery our physical bodies will have a change
It's not just a resurrection of the same dead old body
It is a body that will be changed and what did we see from earthly to heavenly?
Okay from from physical to a spiritual new resurrected body in the power of Christ
Okay, that's the mystery that it's not just another
Normal resurrection, but one that reflects the body of Christ. Okay. Look at this verse number 52
Where we shall all be changed in a moment the change happens instantly
Right in the twinkling of an eye the change not the entire rapture not the entire process of Christ coming in the clouds
Resurrected from the you know from the earth
No, no the change in our bodies happens in a moment in a twinkling of an eye at the last Trump
So there's gonna be a trumpet bump
But a bomb and then our bodies will just change like that for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised
Incorruptible and we shall be changed. Notice that he says it over again changed
incorruptible right from from a
dishonorable to powerful, you know
To from from corruptible to incorruptible from mortal to immortal
That's the mystery that our bodies will be a new
Resurrected glorified body just like Christ was when he rose again from the dead. That's the mystery
And so it's a false teachings to say this is the first time the resurrection is taught or the rapture is taught. No
The mystery is the new bodies. Okay, the brand new bodies that reflects Christ's body the other way to
to explain this is
I'm not sure, you know, obviously our Bibles the books of the Bible are not in chronological order
You know, they're not necessarily in that order
They're put together in order for reading purposes usually by
Category of types of books. Okay, and I've not done this research myself, but it seems to be universal
That Paul wrote the Thessalonian epistles first and second Thessalonians before he wrote the Corinthians epistles
Okay, that the first epistles Paul ever wrote was on the Thessalonians and if you know first Thessalonians and second Thessalonians are the
main epistles on the resurrection of Christ the main epistles on the rapture
So if he's already revealed that about the rapture and then he's writing first Corinthians
Obviously wasn't a mystery then I mean even if we say okay, even if we buy into the idea that Jesus never taught it
Well Paul taught it already
Chronologically before he started to write first Corinthians 15
Okay, but he revealed the mystery of our bodies being like unto Christ. That was the mystery. Okay now
please
Please go to verse number 54
Verse number 54. I'll just read another passage to you in first John chapter 3 verse 1
Just as a reminder of what this means it says here first John 3 1 behold
What manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us
You know the John say look just just stop and think for a moment how much God loves you
How much is bestowed upon us look that we should be called the sons of God?
That's the first thing right?
You should stop and meditate for a moment
I am a son of God and that should could give you pause and say man how much is God loved me
All right, and then it says therefore the world knoweth us not because he knew him not
Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be
But we know that when he shall appear
We shall be like him for we shall see him as he is
There's confirmation. We will be like Christ when he appears
Just look we should just it should just blow our minds and one just to think they were the sons of God
But and we don't even understand what it means to have these new resurrected bodies
You know how much love how much God has in store for us. We don't fully get it
You know I can teach on it. We can believe the truth, but until we experience it
We're just not really going to fully comprehend it. You know how wonderful God's love is toward us and
You guys are in verse number 54
And
I want you to notice these words here
So when and I've earned again
I taught this on Wednesday
But it says so when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal should have put on immortality
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written death is swallowed up in victory now. I taught on this one Wednesday
I don't want to rehash it all but that statement comes from Isaiah 25 8 and let me just read it again
But I just want to emphasize another part of this Isaiah 25 8 it says
He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all
Faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off the earth for the Lord have spoken it
I want to notice that so the rapture the resurrection to come put it on these new immortal perfect glorious glorious bodies is
Associated with the Lord wiping away tears from off all faces
That's confirmed for us there in Isaiah speaking of the same truth that we just read in 1st Corinthians 15
Now just keep that in mind. I'm going to get back to that very soon
But just keep in mind those two things are associated together
Now go to verse number 23 1st Corinthians 15 23
I know we're jumping around but there are so many truths that we need to understand here 1st Corinthians 15 23
Because there's an order there's a chronology to the resurrection it's not this orderly there's a process behind this
1st Corinthians 15 23
But every man in his own order
including Christ
Says here Christ the first fruits
Okay, so who is the first to be truly resurrected from the dead of that new glorified body?
It's only Christ
Anyone else that was that's that experience a resurrection was a resurrection of the same corrupted bodies, okay?
But Christ no even Christ's body was one that could die obviously you died on the cross, okay?
But he was given a new resurrected body at the resurrection Christ the first fruits
Afterward they that are Christ's at his come in hey, what's the rapture the coming of Christ?
Okay, we've seen that before all right so at the rapture
that's the next group that received this order of resurrection and
Then verse 24 then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God
Let's stop there for a moment Christ will rule and reign for a thousand years. That's his kingdom
Okay, and all things are going to be subdued under Christ during that time at the end of that thousand years
It says here he'll deliver the kingdom up to God now when it says Christ has given it to the to God
That's obviously God the Father. Yeah, okay
It says that even the father right it's confirmed for us King to God even the father
When he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power for he must reign till
He have put all enemies under his feet the last enemy that shall be destroyed is
Death now we need to put this together because we know those corruptible bodies
Can be in obviously can die has you know the power of death can rest over those physical bodies
But at the end of the millennium the last enemy that'll be subdued under Christ or destroyed is death
Okay, and when we're raptured our new resurrected bodies. We will never experience death again
You know we've already destroyed death as it were we will never experience that ever once we have that new resurrected body
Okay
But there's a coming a time when death would be totally destroyed and that happens at the end of the millennium as he's given it
to the Father
Now this is important because please go to Revelation 7
Revelation 7 verse 14
Revelation 7 verse 14 I'm focusing on the resurrection of the just I'm focusing on the resurrection of the Saints right now, okay?
That follows after the pattern of Christ Christ the first fruits
Revelation 7 14 and this is about that great multitude that appears in heaven in verse 14
It says and I said unto him sir thou knowest so the question gets asked who are they he goes well
You know and he said unto me these are they which came out of great
Tribulation and have washed their robes and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb
Who are these people what are they experiencing look at verse number 17 verse 17
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living
Fountains of water look at this and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes
Is that a resurrection was wiping the tears away from the eyes associated with the resurrection? Yes?
Okay, so when we're reading first Corinthians 15, and it goes back to Isaiah about oh death. Where is thy sting?
Oh great. Where is thy victory or did I get those the other way around anyway?
It's pointed to the fact that at the resurrection. That's mentioned in first Corinthians 15 it ties it into
Revelation 7 those that came out of great tribulation and the tears are wiped from off their face you see that
So when does this take place when is the coming of Christ when is the rapture?
after the tribulation
Post tribulation, that's what we're reading if we put it all together
Christ wipes away all their tears, okay, that'll be us all right whatever tears
Whatever with last chance to vent all our problems to God all the stuffings we had and it will take care of it
He'll come for us. He'll wipe away our tears last time. We'll ever cry okay
Now we spoke about Christ because Christ comes then he pours out his wrath
Then he rules and reigns for a thousand years
And what happens at the end of the thousand years again before giving up the kingdom to the father?
Death is destroyed death is the final enemy, okay?
This is important because there are people that live on the earth obviously
You know that are in their natural corrupted bodies that go into that millennium
They have kids and etcetera and the population increases from there during that thousand year time
So they can still die they just died a very old age
Okay
They're still in those corrupted bodies
And this is why it's important to identify the fact that death actually is destroyed not at the rapture for us
It will be because we'll never spend step, but ultimately death will be destroyed at the end of that thousand years
So let's go to that end of that thousand years go to Revelation 20 now Revelation chapter 20 verse 7
Let's go to the end of the thousand years Revelation chapter 20 verse 7
The Bible reads and when the thousand years are expired
Satan shall be loosed out of his prison so are we at the end of the thousand years?
Yes at the end of the millennial reign of Christ, okay drop down to verse number 14
It tells us
that after after the thousand years just confirming these two truths it says and death and
Hell were cast into the lake of fire
This is the second death
Is death destroyed at the end of the thousand years yes the power of death whatever that looks like in the spiritual realm
I don't fully understand it, but death is taken and itself is cast into the lake of fire
It is destroyed there in the lake of fire. Okay. This is at the end of the thousand years
so we do see first Corinthians 15 is
Perfectly aligned with Revelation chapter 20
Now look at verse number
1 revelation 21 sorry yet revelation 21 verse 1
revelation 21 verse 1
Again I'm just focusing on our resurrection okay, and again there are people that will live during that millennium
Okay, and then after the end of the millennium God creates what a new heaven and a new earth
But remember we read that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God
So these people that lived in the millennium that are saved
Not the ones that join the devil and rebel against Christ that's for another time
But the ones that are truly saved that have the faith on Christ don't they wouldn't they then need a new resurrected body as well
Absolutely in order for them to experience new heavens and new earth so what happens at the end of the millennium revelation 21 verse 1
Revelation 21 verse 1 and I saw a new heaven and a new earth
for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea and
I John saw the holy city new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven
Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, and I heard a great voice of heaven saying
So there's a voice coming out of heaven
What are they saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and here will dwell with them
And they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God
So this voice is coming out of heaven now look what God does to this voice coming out of heaven verse number 4 and
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more
Death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away
So
Even though it's not spelt out for us, okay
We definitely know some truths to go to heaven you need those new resurrected bodies to seek God to be in that kingdom
You need those new resurrected bodies. God creates new heaven and new earth
Therefore those that are born after the rapture that believe on Christ
They must have a resurrection they must and what do we find at the end of the millennium God's wiping the tears once again
Okay, what is that wiping of tears associated with a
resurrection
So what I'm saying to you is this is relevant is this Christ rose from the dead first
Then the order is at his coming at the rapture. We will be resurrected our tears
We whites those that get saved after the rapture at the end of their millennium
They're gonna get their resurrected body. God wipe away their tears from off their eyes
okay, so we see the consistency there of the Bible and
Death is totally destroyed right there'll be no more death. It's gone. It's finished. It's totally finished. Okay
There's no one else on the earth that will ever experience a death like that. Okay. God creates a new heaven and the new earth
Now please go back to Revelation 20
Verse number four
So obviously the New Testament writings is
Consistent with the Old Testament writings on the rapture on the resurrection consistent, but it gives us so much more
You know helps with the timing the chronology the change of the bodies gives us so much more detail right, but it's still consistent
Okay, it's the same resurrections that the ultimate saints will experience the same as ours
Revelation 20 verse 4 speaking about the tribulation period and it says and I saw Thrones
And
They sat upon them and judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded
For the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshiped the beast
So that's during the tribulation time right these people that are sitting on thrones are people that did not worship the beast
Neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ
A thousand years. Okay, so they've lived with Christ. Okay, they're on the earth
Raining with Christ for a thousand years and that's what it says in verse number five
But the rest of the dead so of course those that lived after the rapture the rest of the dead
Lived not again until the thousand years were finished
So there's another confirmation for you that at the end of the thousand years that the dead will live again
That that resurrection where Christ then has to wipe away the tears again
But when it talks about when the Bible talks about the resurrection of the dead
It's not always about the saved. It could be about damned or it could be a it could be just a general resurrection
altogether, okay
You'll notice that if you do like a word study for resurrection of the dead
Not till the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection
Okay, the first resurrection
Blessed and holy is he that have part in the first resurrection on
such the second death have no power and they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a
thousand years
So the ones that experience the first resurrection right Christ comes the first fruits then at his coming those people that's us
Are going to rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years and if you lose your life
If it happens that you lose your life for Christ in the tribulation you get extra special privilege of Thrones
extra privilege of positions of authority
Okay, but we're gonna rule with Christ for a thousand years
And again, the rest of them are not risen till the end of that thousand years. Okay, the end of that thousand years
There's another resurrection. We've already saw this on Wednesday those that have rejected Christ
they are resurrected in the dead bodies and they cast into the lake of fire because their names are not found written in the book of
life and
Then we have the ones that did believe in Christ they go into the new heaven the earth
They have the tears wiped from off their faces. Okay?
Now just very quickly. I don't I don't want to split hairs too much
The Bible refers to this resurrection of the believers as the first resurrection
Some people say well that means there must be a second resurrection and they'll say well that second resurrection must therefore be the end of the millennium
That's not how I read it, but there's nothing wrong. If that's how you read it. It doesn't really mess up
It doesn't change any any doctrine. Okay, I read the first resurrection
Not as that there's a second resurrection, but rather the first resurrection is a type of resurrection
In other words, I would say and I could be I'm happy to be proven wrong
But the Bible is a bit vague on this issue then but I would say that when you're raptured
That is the first resurrection and those that believed on Christ and are resurrected at the end of the millennium
That they also experience in the first resurrection that we are we are experiencing the same resurrection just at different points of time
But so the first is a type
In association with Christ the first fruits to the same type of resurrection that Christ the first fruits
Experienced that's how I understand it. But if you think well the raptures are the first and at the end of millennium
That's the second. I'm fine with you. It doesn't make a big deal
It's a fact that we both believe those resurrection that happened at the same time at those times and they're saved people
The our millennials have a different view on what first and second resurrection is they also read the first resurrection here
Okay, but they don't believe in a literal millennium. They believe the millennium is now
Okay. Now we saw that those that will live during the millennium rule of Christ in a millennium that they have already experienced the first
Resurrection we saw that already
So because they believe it's the millennium now they believe when you get saved
You've experienced the first resurrection
They believe being born again is the first resurrection and they believe when you get your new glorified bodies
that's the second resurrection at the end of the
Figurative millennium. Okay. I was not, you know, not trying to confuse you just showing you how different people interpret things a little bit differently, okay
But that would be that's a total heresy though. Okay, that's wrong. That's that's completely wrong
But anyway, I don't get too sidetracked
Now I want to notice
verse number
Oh yeah, where did I stop reading from? Oh verse number five. Let's read verse number six Revelation 20 verse 6
Blessed and holy is he that have part in the first resurrection
I already read that on such the second death have no power
So I would say that those that are raised at the end of the millennium
To Christ with resurrected bodies. They also experience they don't experience the second death
That's why I believe they also experience in the first resurrection as a type, okay
But here's the thing that I need you to understand when it comes to the first resurrection
That is one name given to the resurrection of the just
Resurrection of the believers the Bible uses these different names at different times, but it's all the same
Resurrection. Okay, so we saw there the resurrection of or the first resurrection as it's called
Luke 14 14 calls it the resurrection of the just
Acts 24 15 also calls it the resurrection of the just
Daniel 12 to cause of the resurrection to eternal life
Okay, John 5 29. Jesus calls it the resurrection to life
Luke 20 36 calls us that experience this resurrection the children of the resurrection and
Hebrews 11 35 calls it the better resurrection the better resurrection, okay
Better in the sense that you're not being resurrected with your same corruptible bodies
But the the the the changed bodies to be like Christ is a better resurrection. Okay
In contrast at the end of those thousand years those that rejected Christ. Yes, they will be resurrected in dead bodies
Cast into the lake of fire the Bible in Daniel 12 to cause that the resurrection to shame and everlasting contempt
Okay, John 5 29 calls it the resurrection resurrection of damnation and acts 24 15 calls it the resurrection of the unjust
Okay, so there is a resurrection for those that rejects Christ, but it's not one unto life
It's one unto death one unto damnation one unto contempt that being in the lake of fire
Okay, and again when you're reading your Bible, it talks about the resurrection of the dead or from the dead
This is more of a general umbrella term just in reference to the generation
The resurrection as a whole but also the context will dictate whether it's a resurrection of the just or the unjust as well
So you're just gonna look at the the context there
Alright, so that's the resurrection in the New Testament brethren. I haven't gone through the time
I have touched on the timing right after the tribulation
But we'll get into that as we continue on in this series the key thing
I wanted to focus on there brethren the Old Testament resurrection the New Testament resurrection. It's the same resurrection
okay, and we can only experience that resurrection if you've believed on Christ and
Because Christ rose again from the dead. I think it's an amazing privilege an amazing thought to think not only that
We're saved but we're gonna be given these bodies these new glorified resurrected sinless
immortal uncorruptible
powerful bodies
What an amazing thought I can't you know
It'll be even better than the bodies that Abraham that Adam and Eve had before they sinned get even better than that
Okay. All right. Let's pray