We now have earthly bodies, but we will soon have glorified bodies that won't stay in any tomb anywhere. Sure, as described in Scripture for Christians. This change won't be a mere upgrade of our current physical form as we understand upgrades, but we each will be transformed into something perfectly fit for eternal life with God. Meditate upon..
1 Cor. 15:12-20, 1 Corinthians 15:35–41, 1 Corinthians 15:50–58, John 10:17, 18
The Trinity was involved in raising up Jesus, yes, Christ himself though dead was also involved in rasing himself out of that borrowed tomb.
"The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Rom. 4:23-25 niv
"..for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God." Rom. 4:24-25 nlt
And now because Christ lives, we too shall live with Him (John 14:19).
Jesus said, "Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live." Jn. 14:19 nlt
"The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance.." And why? It was for a good purpose! So that the people of Israel would repent and be washed from all their sins.
"The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven." Acts 5:30-31 nlt
We have a living Lord (1 Cor. 15:1–19). Jesus died on that cross, but game-changer: he is now fully alive, and the gospel message is 100% true ..for you too! It's to be believed by all people. Witnesses who saw Jesus have passed along their testimony from generation to generation down to us. It's simple. When you repent and trust in Christ, you receive free forgiveness and resurrection life. Yes, abundant and eternal life ; death can hold you no more. We pray and God's will.. will come to pass with nothing in the way.
“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life." Jn. 5:24
We have a living hope who lives inside of us (20–49). We believers hope for what? To see Him face to face at the time of the Rapture. Man, I think God wants every generation of believers to look for Christ in the rapture.. in their own lifetime. We just need to live ready for that. Jesus Christ will come again in the air, and the dead in Christ will be raised up. We who walk with Jesus here will go up too. We each will have glorified bodies like Christ’s body. It's true, it's for you.. too!
"See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure." 1 John 3:1–3 nlt
Keep in mind that resurrection is not a refurbishment or reconstruction. God does not reassemble all the old parts of the original body and put some glue and duct tape on it. That which has turned to dust doesn't get thrown into a mold with strong resin.
Like flowers and fruit from the planted seed, the glorified body will be related to the earlier “planted” body but will be completely different from it too.
We have a living dynamic due to this vertical relationship (50–58). You and I in Jesus have no reason to ever get down or give up because Jesus didn't. He has conquered sin, Satan, this world system, all demons and death! If you really believe in the resurrection and soon return of Jesus, verse 58 will characterize your life. The best is yet to come, so let us daily give Him our best now. You might not like your current job at all, but you have a job, and besides.. that employment isn't forever.
Q: How did the disciples feel on Good Friday? Down, cuz they didn't know it how good it would be for them. How did they feel on Sunday? Stunned.
It's so hard when a loved one dies. How have you felt when a loved one passed away? There is such a shock. There's disbelief..sometimes followed by denial or even anger. There's a deep DEEP sadness inside that sets in like a fog. There's an intense morning and then the greaving process starts.
You realize that this person who was so much a part of your life is now gone -- is no longer going to be there for you. You can no longer call them or have a simple visit. We don't have conversations with them. You can't hear from them again. Your world, as you know it, has suddenly changed overnight.
It's crushing.. of hopes and cheer. The disciples felt these types of emotions 2000 years ago, when Jesus Christ their Savior passed away before a watching crowd. Their beloved Lord and Master was murdered in cold blood before their very eyes and the flawed delegated authorities were not at all doing the right thing about it. There seemed to be nothing good at all about life here. Yes, they saw it happen and they watched that Roman soldier take his spear and thrust it up into Jesus' side, then out came blood and water, indicating a complete heart failure. But Jesus' heart didn't fail forever -- he didn't let himself stay dead. He told them, He tried to warn them about this tough situation.The Father, the Son, and The Holy Spirit were very much involved in the Physical Resurrection of Jesus. That was one great miracle of Jesus. He raised himself from the dead ..while dead. Yes, while he was room-temperature Jesus raised himself up from the dead never to die again.
"But God released him (Jesus) from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip." Acts 2:24
“God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this." v. 32
"So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” v. 36
Check out that context too. The Father raised up Jesus. Jesus raised up Jesus--Himself! Remember His words...
"No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” John 10:18 nlt
And the Spirit had a part in this miracle too! (Last week I wrote about this!)
"The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you." Romans 8:11 nlt
All three persons of the Godhead (of the Trinity) are active. They always function in complete unity and harmony.
Remember when Jesus physically raised Lazarus.. well, he died again (Jn. 11:1-45), and Jairus' daughter..and she grew up and died again (Mark 5: 21–24, 35–43), and that young man in Nain.. who also died again (Lk. 7:11-17). These were types of what was to come.
Because of Christ's Cross and resurrection event, we have a new people on the earth now - the Church (not a building with a Pope or Cardinal). We have a new Book to daily read, the Bible (with then New Testament now). We have a new and living hope inside (cuz Jesus is coming again). We have a new day to worship on! (The Jews had long worshipped on the Sabbath), but we celebrate our living Lord Jesus on the Lord's day. The first day, Sunday and we worship all week long as well!
The witness of the Church and the daily walk of those in the Church are bound together in the resurrection of Christ, so we need to understand this well.
Back in 1874, a Baptist named Robert Lowry penned one of the most stirring hymns to ever exalt Jesus Christ in regard to His resurrection — "Low in the Grave He Lay."
Notice how these verses contrast the impotence of death, of pain, and of suffering ..with the resurrection power of God!:
Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior;
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!
Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Savior;
Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!
Death cannot keep its Prey, Jesus my Savior;
He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!
Death, is man's most dreaded enemy, is powerless to reign over the Lord of life. And that truth has significance for you and me, here and now in the twenty-first century. You can see it in the most exciting and rousing part of Lowry's hymn, the refrain that punctuates each stanza:
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!
1. Your new Body Will Pretty Much Be Modeled After Christ’s Resurrected Body
It's true. The clearest picture of our glorified bodies is found in the resurrected body of Jesus. After His resurrection, Jesus had a body that could still be touched (John 20:27), be recognized (Luke 24:31), and could eat (Luke 24:42–43). Yet, it was no longer bound by earthly limitations, such as walls or distance (John 20:19; Luke 24:36). The Apostle Paul affirms in Philippians 3:21 that Jesus “will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body.”
2. Imperishable and Immortal
Yes, Paul’s description in 1 Corinthians 15:42–53 contrasts our current bodies with our future glorified bodies:
- Our present bodies are perishable, subject to decay and death.
- Our glorified bodies will be imperishable and incorruptible, always free from sickness, disease, malady, aging, or any physical weakness.
- They will no longer be bound by time or the effects of sin, living eternally with the Father in the victory of Christ.
3. Free from Shame and Sin
In Genesis 3:6–7, shame entered this world when Adam and Eve each chose to sin, resulting in their recognition of their nakedness. In heaven, we will no longer carry the shame, or guilt, or any stain of sin. Instead, we will be clothed in the pure righteousness of Christ, symbolized by white garments in Revelation 3:4–5, 18. These garments signify total purity, holiness, and victory over sin.
4. Empowered and Glorious
Unlike our earthly bodies, which are weak and subject to the natural laws of this world, our glorified bodies will be powerful (recognizable) and spiritual. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:43–44 highlights this fantastic transformation:
- Sown in weakness, raised in power.
- Sown as a natural body, raised as a spiritual body. This does not mean we lose our physicality but that our bodies will be empowered by the Spirit, no longer limited by physical or spiritual weakness.
5. Designed for Eternity
Just as our earthly bodies are suited for life here on earth, our glorified bodies will be perfectly designed for life up in heaven in God’s eternal Kingdom. Yes indeed, they will be physical yet spiritual, and capable of enjoying God’s creation like never before -- in its fullness. Jesus demonstrated this in His post-resurrection appearances, where He could interact with the physical world and transcend its solid limitations.
6. Basking in God’s Glory
Our glorified bodies will reflect the glory of God. Remember how in Matthew 17:2–3, Moses and Elijah both appeared in radiant form during the Transfiguration up on the mountain top, more than hinting at the glorified state of believers in heaven. We will live in the presence of God too, enjoying eternal satisfying fellowship with Him and with one another.
7. No Hunger, Thirst, or Pain
The Revelation speaks to the complete satisfaction, comfort and restoration that await us:
- Revelation 7:16 promises no hunger or thirst, and no scorching heat.
- Revelation 21:4 assures us that God will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain.
This Hope Is Rooted In Christ Alone, And Is Nowhere Else To Be Found
Simple as that. It's time for us to go tell, and to emphasize that the promise of glorified bodies gives us hope and lasting comfort in the face of earthly struggles here.
Let's live thankfully and express this gratitude. This transformation is made possible through Christ’s Cross at Calvary time and His victory over sin and death. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:57, "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Our glorified bodies will represent the culmination of God’s redemptive work according to his earlier promises, enabling us to worship on-fire for Him. Yes fully enjoying eternal communion with Him, and live in unending joy.
You know in Philadelphia, you can go find Benjamin Franklin’s tombstone in Christ Church, Philadelphia. Have you ever been there to read it? Here's what it says: “The body of Franklin, printer, like the cover of an old book, its contents torn out and stripped of its lettering and gilding, lies here food for worms. But the work shall not be lost, for it will appear once more in a new and more elegant edition, revised and corrected by the Author.”
Ever been to that magnificent mausoleum that holds the remains of Queen Victoria and those of her royal husband? What did you read there? Here is what is inscribed with English words: “Here at last I will rest with thee, and with thee in Christ I shall also rise again.”
Satan at Easter time tries his best to cast doubt on the empty tomb. Remember when the TV had a show about how they found the bones of Jesus. It turned out to be a total fraud and they had to yank it from the screen never to play it again.
Skeptics, both ancient and modern, have argued against the truth of the resurrection, scoffing at the idea that the body, which disintegrates in the grave, or which is virtually destroyed in a fire, or at the bottom of the sea, or in some other way is decaying.. that a body could ever rise from the dead.
Allow me to borrow from another preacher you've undoubtedly thought about: “There is a preacher of the old school, but he speaks as boldly as ever. He is not popular, though the world is his perish; and he travels every part of the globe and speaks in every language. He visits the poor, he calls on the rich, he preaches to people of every religion and people of no religion, and the subject of his sermon is always exactly the same. He is an eloquent preacher, often stirring feelings which no other preacher could, and bringing tears to eyes that never weep. His arguments none are able to refute, nor is there any heart that has remained unmoved by the force of his appeals. He shatters life with his message. Most people hate this preacher, everyone fears him, his name is death. Every tombstone is his pulpit, every newspaper prints his text, and one day every one of us will be his message.”
Thomas Gray said, “The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, and all that beauty and all that wealth e’er gave await alike the inevitable hour. The paths of glory lead but to the grave.”
Graves await people. That’s how it is for all of humanity, but for the Christian, we sort of kind of look forward to our bodies sleeping (physical death) only cuz we'll see Jesus' face!
Physical Resurrection and the transformation of believer's bodies -- that's rooted in key biblical texts. Let's unpack and expound upon some of the critical elements:
The Imminent Transformation:
The repeated phrase, "We will be changed," underscores the certainty and immediacy of this snatching up harpazō (G726) event.
This is not some very distant possibility for us but it's an imminent reality that could occur at any moment. Yes, without any prior signs or warnings -- it's a signless event.
This transformation is described as instantaneous, happening "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Cor. 15:52). "One sixth of a nanosecond. That's the time it takes for light to hit the eye and pass through the eye to the retina. This emphasizes the swift-rapidity, the miraculous nature of this divine rescue act.
Necessity of Change:
The passage highlights the necessity of physical transformation because this current, mortal, and corruptible human body (you and I live in) is unfit for the imperishable and immortal realm of heaven.
With this change, we will put on new garments, as seen in the word "clothed." You and I desire to dawn white. We've discarded the old life for new life in Christ here. This metaphor is so profound: just as we discard old, worn-out clothes for new ones, so too will believers shed their mortal bodies for glorified bodies, eternal ones. No more aches or pains!
Scriptural Foundations:
Reread 1 Corinthians 15: The Apostle Paul here emphasizes the resurrection of the body and the victory over death, sin, Satan, the world system with its tempations, the old fleshly nature -- a central hope for us believers
And see 2 Corinthians 5: Paul describes our earthly bodies as mere "tents," temporary housing that's very fragile, which will be replaced by eternal "dwellings or buildings" from God.
See John 14 too: Jesus reassures His disciples of a prepared place (rooms in the Father's house) and His return to bring them to Himself. This speaks of His promise of the rapture for the righteous, which is distinct from the judgment at the time of His Second Coming.
Muse on 1 Thessalonians 4: This passage details the order and detailed nature of the rapture, emphasizing the reunion of the living and the dead in Christ (who came out of their graves before we still living went up. I hope it's not later than my life here).
The Rapture as a "Signless Event":
The concept of imminency is central to the rapture, like a thief in the night. No end-times prophecy of Scripture must precede this catching away, making this event a constant anticipation for believers. It'll be joyous, exciting and triumphant, focusing solely on us seeing Jesus.
A Full Triumph Over Death, Like Jesus Was And Is Triumphant:
Death is portrayed as our final enemy -- it is defeated and "swallowed up in victory."
"He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord [b]God will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken." Isaiah 25:8 nasb
"So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:54, 55 nasb
That imagery of swallowing conveys ein total Schlucken-eradication, leaving no trace of it again.
There this taunting of death in Hosea 13:14 you must see:
"I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes."
Death, which once wielded a hard-bite and power through its "sting" (from sin), gets rendered completely powerless by Christ's earlier resurrection.
Resurrection and Victory:
Christ's resurrection has literally reversed all the negative effects of death for us, restoring life and eliminating its impact entirely.
Christ paid the price. Now all God's blessings are free of charge. We get freed up glorified bodies—free from all sin, free from all decay, and free from all frailty and weakness—designed for freedom through eternity in God's presence!
Practical Implications:
This promise offers profound comfort and encouragement in every age, especially in the face of trails, testings, suffering, mortality, and sometimes personal loss. So we share this Message!
We're called to Him daily and to sharing in anticipation, faith, prayerfulness and readiness with your feet shod.. yes, fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. See the context:
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." Ephesians 6:10-18 niv
Q" Why is death called an enemy? Cuz due to the fall in the garden it is. It has not been welcomed since then. Yes, it's cuz of sin. At the resurrection the enemy of death will be conquered. Gone forever away from God's children. Death dies in Christ's resurrection.
"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:53-55
The transformation of believers at the Rapture of the Church (that ends the Church-age. BTW There are some different views of the timing). I personally am pre-trib. Yes, it will happen before the tribulation years.. is not merely some ho-hum event of theological curiosity -- it is connected to the cornerstone of our Historic Christian hope.
This affirms the faithfulness of God to all His promises, the victory of Christ over death, and the eternal destiny awaiting the Church, His righteous (not self-righteous) people. Let's be expressively thankful! Very grateful! Let's live all-in, with expectancy, striving (not in the flesh, but by His power within) to glorify the Lord. Yes, in holiness and full trust in God with His perfect plan.
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Brethren, let's live steadfast every day, and immovable, always abounding the gracious work of the Lord, knowing that our toil is not in vain in the Lord.
Look around, you and I be in the end-times. Christ's physical resurrection and the future bodily resurrection of all believers will be wildly exciting!
Got Some Question of Life After Death?
Q: "If a man dies, shall he live again?" (Job 14:14).
Mr. Job captured humanity’s deep existential inquiry in this area. Unlike Socrates, who expressed great uncertainty about life after death, the Bible offers a strong definitive and hope-filled answer to people: Real life does not end at the grave for God's kids.
The Bible says "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." God is perfect and holy, and our sins separate us from God forever. The Bible says "The wages of sin is death."
The good news is that, about 2,000 years ago, paid for all our sins on the Cross! You've heard this before undoubtedly?
All humans will exist unending in either heaven or hell, we each must choose while sucking air. Choose life, choose the Jesus Christ of the Bible.
God will forgive you of your sins today, and He give you an inner assurance that stems from the bloody Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ even now if you want. You want this right!? Sure you do.
Paul biblically affirms the believer's compete triumph over death, demons, his own flesh, this corrupt world system, and that real place called hell is through faith Christ alone.
The Physical Resurrection: Essential to Christianity
Norman Geisler highlights the significance of the physical resurrection, asserting that Christ rose in the same physical body, transformed and glorified. This is not merely a spiritual resurrection; it involves the body being raised imperishable (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). For Christians, this means:
What About Continuity?: Our resurrection bodies will be identical enough to be recognizable to our earthly bodies, only transformed, free from temptations, sin, the stink of decay, and mortality.
Hope in Christ: Without the resurrection, Paul argues in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19, that faith is totally empty and futile, in vain, and humanity remains in sin. The resurrection validates Christ’s victory and promises. To deny the resurrection undermines the gospel’s very foundation that supports all other doctrines like soteriology (on salvation), eternal life, and ultimate sjustice.
Alternative Views vs. Biblical Truth
Throughout history, various philosophies and religions have attempted to answer the question of life after death:
Materialism: Death is the cessation of existence.
Reincarnation: Souls return repeatedly in different forms here like bugs and animals.
Platonism: The soul escapes the "evil body’s prison."
Buddhism: Physical existence is merely an illusion, with ultimate survival as cosmic consciousness.
In biblical contrast: believers will reunited together in love. We have a great rendezvous up in the sky ahead of us. We will be resurrected into new, glorified bodies like Christ’s. Jesus is He..
"..who will transform the body of our lowly condition into conformity with His glorious body, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself." Philippians 3:21 nasb
(Philippians 3:21). This future transformation surpasses anything these alternative views offer.
He is The Resurrection and the Life: Jesus redefined what people thought on this claiming, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). His resurrection was a model for the resurrection of all real believers:
He rose in a physical, touchable body (Luke 24:39). Jesus post-grave ate food with His beloved disciples (Luke 24:42-43), proving He was not a mere phantom. Christ's resurrected body was mobile and glorified -- able to go through.. to transcend time and space. Jesus said, “Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:26). Resurrection is no longer abstract to us!
Wise Application? Study the Word. Pray gobs, without ceasing. Toss one up to the Father in the name of Jesus. Be Ready to give an Answer for the Hope within and to Refute False Doctrines and Lame Theories!
You know how the Resurrection has faced numerous skeptical theories:
Swoon Theory: Jesus only fainted and was later revived. This is implausible, given the Roman expertise in execution and the severe physical trauma Jesus endured. The speed when through his heart, the grave was rock, and guarded.
Stolen Body Theory: It's been said His disciples supposedly stole Jesus’ body out of that rock tomb. Yet, the disciples’ willingness to die for their faith and their testimony of the resurrection defies this notion.
Hallucination Theory: Claims of seeing Jesus were mere visions, not real. This theory falters as over 500 people eye-witnessed Christ alive, many of whom were skeptical at first (See 1 Corinthians 15:6).
Mass Grave Theory: Jesus wasn’t buried properly. However, the sealed and guarded rock tomb, coupled with the inability of authorities to produce His body, discredits this idea.
Each theory collapses: Yep, under careful scrutiny, affirming the historical and spiritual reality of Christ’s resurrection.
Resurrection Power for Daily Life And Witnessing
The resurrection is not merely a future hope but a present reality, so we appropriate this power to live it and share the gospel.
Spiritual New Birth: Through Christ’s resurrection, by faith believers experience spiritual new-birth, regeneration inside. We are no longer bound by sin, or our old nature, but we walk in the “newness of life.”
"Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4 nasb
Daily Victory: Believer, you can enjoy resurrection power, and rivers of living water.. while witnessing for Christ. Spring up Oh Well, within my soul! This living water will sustain believers during times of spiritual dryness, and in overcoming trials and all challenges, enabling us to live victoriously by faith through Him.
"..and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places," Ephesians 1:19-20 nasb
Christian Perspective on Death and What's Beyond:
For Christians, death is not an end but a door in, a graduation, a relocation and transition:
Immediate Presence with Christ: My last breath on earth will be my first breath in heaven (not of H2O though). At death, the believer’s living human spirit goes up to be with Jesus.
"..but we are of good courage and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 5:8 nasb
Glorified Body in the Future: At Christ’s return, our physical bodies will be raised up and transformed -- the word will change a believer’s attitude toward death.
"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep [through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 nasb
Hopeful Anticipation: Death becomes just a gateway to eternal joy and more fellowship with God.
Comfort in Grief: While Christians do mourn, they do so differently with hope, assured of a future reunion.
The Centrality of the Physical Resurrection:0
Christ's revolutionized the meaning of life, death, and eternity for us. It offers..
Joy, With An Assurance of Salvation.
Strength for Today - Resurrection power that enables us to live right.
Hope and More Hope for Tomorrow - The promise of glorified bodies transforms our outlook on all things. We don't run out of hope.. not long even when things appear impossible.
Memorize Paul’s words in Philippians 3:10 which express the heart of this doctrine: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection.”
I have friends who really REALLY love miracles (and some people drive real far here and there to go see faith healers allegedly do those things). Jesus saving people is the miracle that I really like the best. He rose himself up and he will use you. He will do His greatest miracle in saving people. He will do this through us as we share the gospel.. even today. So what are you waiting for (click)?
The greatest miracle of Jesus is when He saves people, Another was when He raised himself from the dead (all three in the Godhead were involved).. while dead and buried, Jesus was even involved. Yes, the Father, Son, and Spirit are one God and were all involved in Christ's bodily resurrection.
-Deuteronomy 6:4: States that the three persons of the Trinity are one God
-John 10:30 and 33: Explain that the Father and the Son are one
-1 Corinthians 3:16: Shows that the Father and the Spirit are one
-Romans 8:9: Makes clear that the Son and the Spirit are one
-John 14:16, 18, and 23: Demonstrate that the Father, Son, and Spirit are one even in what they do.
Q: What does the resurrection of Jesus Christ mean to you personally?
Practical Principles
-The resurrection of Jesus assures me I am totally accepted by God even when evil worldly people reject me. Romans 4:45 says, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”
-The resurrection of Jesus assures me I have all the power I need to live the Christian life. Romans 8:11 says, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
-The resurrection of Jesus assures me that I too will live forever in Heaven. Death died when Christ rose.
-The resurrection of Jesus assures me that I will receive a new body just like His. Colossians 3:4 assures us with these words. “When Christ, who is our life, appears, you shall be like Him.”
-Because of the resurrection of Jesus, we will have resurrected relationships. “Since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14).
-Because Jesus died and rose again from the dead, we need to live our lives as soul-winners. Mark 16:15: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to everyone..”
Review: Relevant Reminders
-God the Father allowed Christ's death in my place. The incarnation was for the purpose of the Cross and atonement. The birth of Jesus was so there would be the death and Rez of Jesus.
-It was a revolutionary thought to say to a first-century Jew that God was their Father.
-All humans will be resurected, get new bodies and continue to exist for eternity (in heaven or hell). But because Jesus died and rose, there are so many blessings available to us believers: We are made acceptable and righteous before God the Father. God gives us the power to live the Christian life by His Spirit. We enjoy an assurance inside--we know in our knower that we will go to Heaven. After our own death or the Rapture, we know will be reunited with believers that we care about. We know we will have new bodies freely given to us too.
-Between earth and heaven Enoch and Elijah both recieved their new glorified bodies because human flesh and blood can not exist in God's holy heaven (they were each a type of the Rapture to come). They were the only two people God took up to heaven without their physically dying. Genesis 5:24 says, “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Second Kings 2:11 tells of the earth-to-heaven translation of Elijah: “As they [Elijah and Elisha] were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.” Who even was Enoch? He was an OT believer, a good example. Let's all do like he did. Let's all seek the Lord being men and women who walk close and faithfully with God and seek to please Him with our lives.
