All right, go with me to 1 Corinthians
15. 1 Corinthians 15, Lord willing,
we're going to finish this chapter this morning. And I want to begin by reading
one particular verse to set up the tone or the theme
of this Bible study. Verse 55 says, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Death, where is your sting? Grave,
where is your victory? You know, even though we believe,
we believe, don't we? We believe this word, we believe
what our Lord has written in His word. But even though we
believe, death still seems so final to us, doesn't it? Death
seems so final. It still seems like the end.
That's how we see death. The end. Right? Naturally, that's
how we look at it. And we associate so much pain
with death. Pain for the one who's dying.
Pain for everybody who's left behind. So much pain. Death is so dark to us. is so unknown. There's so much
we just don't know about it. We don't understand. We have
this word, and we believe this word, but we have not experienced
it, and we don't understand what is going to happen at that moment.
And so it's very dark, very mysterious. But here's my hope this morning.
This is what I pray we will enter into this morning. I pray that
the Lord would allow us to see that for the child of God, death
has no sting. No sting at all. The grave that
we put our body down into has no victory. And it's all because
Christ has overcome them both. He overcame both of them. He
went to war with death and the grave. Isn't that wonderful?
On the cross, He died. He went into the grave, and a
battle took place, and Christ won. He won. He has gotten the victory. He's earned the victory. So we
begin this morning in verse 45. It says, and so it is written,
the first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made
a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first, which
is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward that
which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth,
earthy. The second man is the Lord from
heaven. The first man is of the earth,
Adam, made out of the dust of the ground, earthy. The second
man is the Lord from heaven. Now the first thing he's saying
here is there's a difference. There's a huge, huge difference. There's a difference between
a soul and a spirit. A soul was made to be a living
soul, an eternal thing. But there's a huge, huge difference
between a soul and a spirit. They are two different things. Verse 46 says, how be it that
was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural. That's
us right now. We're born into this world not
spiritual, we're born into this world natural. And afterward,
for the child of God, that which is spiritual. This is so hard
to get our mind wrapped around. This is very hard for our mind
to comprehend this. But that verse of scripture right
there explains the fact that natural man is born into this
world eating, breathing, moving, living, yet dead in trespasses
and sins. We stand up here and we tell
people, you're dead. They say, no, I'm not. That's what they're
saying in their heart and their mind. No, I'm not. Yes, you are.
You're dead. No, I'm not. How can that be? Here's how.
We're born into this world natural, not spiritual. First, we come
in natural, and we do eat, and we do breathe, and we do move,
and we do live, yet we are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins. Man is born with a natural life. Man does have life. He does. But without God's spirit, He
cannot be joined to God. Without God's Spirit, he cannot
be joined to God. And if a man is not joined to
God, if a man is separated from God, then his soul will continue
in eternal death. That's what happened when Adam
sinned in the garden. He became separated from God. Physical death is when this soul
leaves this body. Spiritual death is when the soul
is separated from God, separated from His Spirit, cut off from
the Spirit, and He'll continue in eternal death. Natural life
is actually eternal death. That's what it is. And the natural
soul is going to realize that once it goes back to God to be
judged, to be judged by God. Go with me over to John chapter
4. John 4, look at verse 19. The woman saith unto our Lord,
Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped
in this mountain, and you say that in Jerusalem is the place
where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman,
believe me, the hour cometh. when you shall neither in this
mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father. You worship
you know not what." And that's religion, okay? They're all gathered
together and they're all... I mean, men can worship things.
Men worship idols. But he said, you don't know what
you're worshiping. We know what we worship for salvation
is of the Jews. But the hour cometh and now is
when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit
and in truth. For the Father seeketh such to
worship him. God is a spirit. And they that worship him must
worship him in spirit and in truth. God is a spirit. Does he have a body? Yes, he
does. He has a spiritual body. But God is a spirit and if man
does not worship him in spirit, he is not worshiping God. It's
impossible and he's going to be eternally damned for that. So this is what makes the gospel
such good news. Hold your place right here. We're
going to flip right back to John, but hold your place and look
at our text. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 45 says, And so it is written, The first
man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening
spirit. The word quickening means life-giving. And that's Christ. That's the
Lord from heaven. He was made a quickening spirit,
a life-giving spirit. Back in John 5, verse 21 says,
John 5, verse 21 says, For as the Father raiseth up the dead,
and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. Did Christ come to give life
to everybody? He quickens whom he will, doesn't
he? It's his decision, it's his choice,
it's his will. Whom he will, that's who he quickens.
In John 6 verse 33 says, For the bread of God is he which
cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world. He came
down to give life. to men and women from every tribe,
nation, kindred, tongue, people, generation, all over this world. Verse 39 says, and this is the
Father's will which hath sent me that of all which he hath
given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again
at the last day. And this is the will of him that
sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on
him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the
last day. So Christ came to spiritually
quicken his people, give spiritual life. The spirit of Christ in
a sinner quickens that sinner. Death to life. Go over with me
to Romans 8. For me, I was reading this and
this shed a lot of light on Romans 8 and Romans 8 sheds a lot of
light on what we're studying. Romans 8 verse 1 says, There
is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Now, I
feel like I walk after the flesh. But God says I don't. So who's
right? Me or God? If God chose to lay
hold on me and quicken me by His Spirit, if Christ lives in
me, we're about to read in just a minute, you're not walking
after the flesh, you're not after the flesh, you are of God, of
His Spirit, this new quickened Spirit. Verse 2 says, for the
law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do
in that it was weak through the flesh, and what that means is
my flesh couldn't keep it. God sending his own son in the
likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the
flesh. That the righteousness of the
law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh
but after the spirit. He said you're walking after
the spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things
of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit, the things
of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is
death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to
the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are
in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh.
You're in the Spirit. If so be that the Spirit of God
dwell in you, if Christ is in you, then that's your hope of
glory. Now if any man have not the Spirit
of Christ, he's none of His. Without His Spirit, you cannot
be a child of God. And if Christ be in you, the
body's dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of
righteousness. But if the spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised
up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by his spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we
are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh. For
if you live after the flesh, you shall die. But if you through
the spirit do kill the deeds of the body, you shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons
of God. For you've not received the spirit
of bondage again to fear, but you've received the spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and
if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
If so be that we suffer with him, that way we may be also
glorified together. So, this natural life that every
soul is given is unto death. And this spiritual life that
Christ gives is unto life. Alright, now go with me back
to our text in 1 Corinthians 15. Verse 45 says, And so it is written, the first
man Adam was made a living soul. The last Adam was made a quickening
spirit. How be it that was not first
which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward
that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth,
earthy. The second man is the Lord from
heaven. As is the earthy, such are they
that are earthy. And as is the heavenly, such
are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image
of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. As we have been given this natural
body to house our natural soul. That's the purpose of this body. This soul animates this body.
This body that is subject to nature, this body that can and
must die, it has to die. Just like we've been given this
natural body, we're going to be given a spiritual body to
house our quickened spirit, the spirit of Christ in us. And that spirit is going to be
subject to nothing but God, nothing but God, nothing in nature, only
God. It's a body that cannot die because
it's not natural. It is not natural. It's spiritual. It is joined to God. It's of God in perfect union
with Christ. Verse 50 says, Now this I say,
brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of
God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." Our bodies
right now in this present state, they cannot enter God's presence. They cannot do it. Cannot enter
His kingdom. They bear the effect of sin.
We see sin all over us. They're corrupted. They're dying.
They have to be changed. They have to be. Over in John
3, you can turn or listen, either way, but this is what our Lord
told Nicodemus. In John 3, verse 3, he said, Jesus answered and said unto
him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God. Now I have a margin next
to born again. It says from above. If a man
is not born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. And this
sheds a lot of light on men who think their deeds are going to
get them into heaven. They're in this natural body
and they've done a lot of good deeds. There are men that are
so much better than me. And their good deeds are unbelievable.
I mean, you have people who are known like Mother Teresa and
Gandhi and, I mean, good people. The problem is they're in a natural
body. That's the problem. And I don't
care how good it is, they cannot be in God's presence. Their being good and their good
deeds has nothing to do with it. They can do all the good
deeds they want to do. They're in a natural body. They
are in a body that is mortal. They are in a body that cannot
be in the presence of God Almighty. God is a spirit. And if a person
wants to go to eternity and sit at His feet and worship Him for
all eternity, he must do it in the Spirit of Christ. And the
only way he can have that Spirit of Christ is if Christ Himself
comes to that person and enters him and takes over residency. That's the only way. That's the
only way. So our Lord said, except a man
be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Verse 4,
Nicodemus said unto him, how can a man be born when he's old? Can he enter the second time
into his mother's womb and be born? That wouldn't do him any
good. His mother's natural. If he was born again, it wouldn't
do him any good. He must be born from above. Verse 5, Jesus answered,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh
is flesh. And that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit. So he said, don't marvel that
I said you have to be born again. You have to be born again. Natural man must be changed. The nature of natural man is
sin. The nature of the spiritual man,
the second man, the Lord himself. You know, we talk about this
new man. That is not a reformed man. That is not a better version
of me. It's Christ himself. The Lord
from heaven and his nature is righteousness. That's his nature. Whosoever is born of God does
not commit sin. For his seed remaineth in him
and he cannot sin because he's born of God. So go back with
me to the text. First Corinthians 15 verse 50
says, Now this I say, brethren, that
flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Neither doth
corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound,
And the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed. 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. There will be believers on this
earth when Christ comes back. There will be. I don't know if
it's going to be us or not. It'd be fine if it was. But there
will be believers on this earth when Christ comes back. And even
though they're not going to lay their bodies down in the grave,
like all the other believers, every other person before us,
even though they're not going to lay that body down, their
body will be changed. It will be completely changed.
It's going to happen so fast, it's in the blink of an eye.
As soon as they, in 1 John 3, 2 tells us it's going to happen
as soon as we see him. When he, the trump shall resound. God is going to announce His
coming. No one will miss it. All eyes
will see Him. And most all eyes will wail because
of Him. Especially those who pierced
Him. And that's me. It was my sin
that pierced Him. We all pierced Him. But He's going to announce His
coming. The trump shall resound. And those bodies of the believers
are going to be changed in the blink of an eye. And the believers
who died naturally, and we brought their caskets in and said a few
words and took them out and put them in the ground, all gathered
around the grave and put a tombstone, their bodies are going to come
back together. They are going to be raised with
their changed spiritual body. are all going to put on incorruption
and immortality. That means you cannot decay and
you cannot die. And verse 54 says, 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. I love that. I just love that. I love this verse too. This is
2 Corinthians 5 verse 4 and it says, For we that are in this
tabernacle, in this body, do groan, being burdened, not for
that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality
might be swallowed up of life. We're groaning, waiting for mortality,
death, to just be absolutely swallowed up by life. So our
text, verse 55, says, O death, where is thy sting? O grave,
where is thy victory? I'll tell you where death's stinger
is. It was left in Christ. That's where it is. It was left
in Christ. A honeybee, a honeybee specifically,
can only sting one time. It has a barb on its stinger.
And once the stinger goes in, the honeybee tries to get away.
And when he flies away, it rips that stinger off and he dies. Once that stinger is ripped off,
he dies. Christ took the sting. He took all the sting and now
it's over. It cannot sting again. It just can't. It's over. He has the proof of it right
there. It's right where the stinger went in. It's over. Verse 56
says the sting of death is sin. Sin is what brought death on
us. And it says the strength of sin is the law. Breaking God's
law is what caused us to sin. Verse 57 says, but thanks be
to God which giveth us the victory. It was His victory but He gave
it to us. Thanks be to God which giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. He obeyed God's
law for us. He took death's sting for us,
and now through His resurrection and His spiritual quickening,
we are never going to sin again. Hard to imagine, but we believe
it, don't we? Never going to sin again, and
we're never going to die again. Never. Never. You know how long
eternity is? The answer is no. As far as you
can see, it hasn't started yet. It's eternity. Never going to
die again. Never going to sin again. Never
going to die again. It cannot be imagined. Eye hath
not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart.
Try to let eternity really enter into your heart. It cannot be
imagined. Is it ever going to get old?
No. There's no sin in here. It's always going to be burning
and living and fervent and You know, we do have his spirit.
We do have Christ is in us. He's given us faith as the grain
of a mustard seed. And I used to think, well, we
have stronger faith, but if a person only has that grain of a mustard
seed, he'll be fine. No, I'm convinced the strongest
faith given is the grain of a mustard seed. And one of these days,
we're going to have that spirit and that faith without measure. And we're going to worship him.
And verse 58 says, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast. Don't you want to be steadfast
in this, in the things of God, in the worship of God, in the
learning of Him? Be steadfast, be unmovable. Let's be unmovable. You know,
we can't do it, but we can beg Him to make us unmovable. Would
you just put your hand on us right there and let us never,
never stray. always abounding in the work
of the Lord. I pray that God would let this
little congregation always abound in the work of the Lord. Let's
not decline. 27 years from now, let's work
harder than we are right now. For as much as you know that
your labor is not in vain in the Lord. What he's saying is
we have a sure hope We have a sure hope, and we have a lot to be
thankful for. Man, do we have a lot to be thankful
for. So let's give our all. Let's
give our all to the work of the Lord, and let's encourage each
other with everything that's in us, knowing that our labor's
not in vain, knowing all the glory that awaits us. All right,
you're dismissed.