Go with me back to John 20. John chapter 20. Lord willing,
next week or the next time that we're in John, we will look at
these verses that I just read in the scripture reading as our
Lord recorded them. These are the events that happened
after the resurrection. Everything I just read, those
are the events that happened after our Lord's resurrection. If you look at John 19 verse
42, there laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews preparation
day for the sepulcher was nigh at hand. They laid our Lord in
that sepulcher. And then John chapter 20 verse
1 says, he's not there. They went and he's not there. So somewhere between those two
chapters, our Lord was resurrected. Okay, he was actually resurrected.
Tonight, I have some really good news. I mean, I have some really,
really good news. Concerning the actual resurrection
of our Lord The physical resurrection of our Lord. This will be our
text tonight John chapter 20 verse 1 says the first day That's
our text the first day May our Lord prepare us for this. I This
is glory. This is glory. Christ in us is
the hope of glory. Alright, we just sang about friends
I have known and loved long ago. Joy like a river around me will
flow, yet just a smile from my Savior I know. I can't believe
I'm here. Glory. I mean glory. Glory. Christ in us is the hope
of glory. The first day. You know what
I'm trying to get to? Him. He's my first day. The first day. In glory there is no time. There is no time. There is no
night and day and night and day. No time. It's just as He is,
so are we. That's how it is in glory. As
He is, so are we. Alright, well how is He? How is He? If as He is, so are
we, how is He? Turn with me to John chapter
8. John 8 verse 58, Jesus said unto them, Verily,
verily, that's I'm telling you the truth, I'm telling you the
truth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was,
I am. I love the use of his tense right
there. Before Abraham was, I am. I am. Genesis 1 says, in the
beginning, God. God. Moses asked him the question,
who should I say sent me? He said, you tell them, I am
hath sent you. I am. He said in Malachi 3, I
am the Lord, I change not. I don't change. I am. I just am. Hebrews 13 says, Jesus
Christ, the same. Yesterday, today, forever, the
same. Hebrews 11 says, He that cometh
to God must believe that He is. He is what? I am. I am. Turn with me to Revelation
chapter 1. Revelation 1, look at verse 8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the ending, saith the Lord. Now He did not say, I was in
the beginning and I will be in the end. He said, I am the beginning. And I am the end. I am. Turn with me now to John chapter
11. John 11 verse 24. Martha saith unto him, I know
that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though
he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth
in me, shall never die. Believest thou this? Now let me tell you what that's
saying. Our resurrection has already
happened. That's what it's saying. Our
resurrection has already happened. I hope God raises me in the resurrection. He already has. He already did. All right, now
let me give you some reality. I want to illustrate some reality
to you. Lord willing, when this message is over, I'm going to
finish preaching this message and then I'm going to go get
in my car. I'm going to drive to my house. I'm going to put
some PJs on. I don't sleep in this suit. I
know you always see me in this, but I'm going to put some PJs
on. I'm going to relax on the couch for a little while. I'm
going to go to sleep, and then I'm going to get back up tomorrow
morning and come back to that study and start studying. Believest
thou this? Do you believe I just told you
reality? Well, you told me, you know,
something spiritually that means something else. No, I just told
you reality. I just gave you a piece of reality. That's what I pretty much do
every Sunday night, in reality. Well, our Lord said, here's the
reality of things. You want me to tell you the reality
of things? Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Always remember this, the word
shall is a powerful word in the scriptures. When God Almighty says, verily,
verily, shall, you can bank on it. Whosoever liveth and believeth
in me shall never die. Believest thou this? For a believer, there is no death
to go through. There's no death to go through.
Hebrews 9 says, It is appointed unto men once to die. One time. for a believer when
Christ said, it is finished, and when he gave up the ghost,
that's when the believer died. That's when the believer died. Well, you're talking metaphorically. No, I'm not. I'm talking real. Did he die? Really? Yes. So did I. So did I. That was our death. Everything
we just went through in John 19, we were describing our own
death. It was me that committed all
that sin. It was me that had to be judged
by God. That was my death. That was my
death. It was appointed unto us to have
one death and that was it. That was it. That was our darkness. That was our unknown beyond. You laid this body down and where
do people go? That was our unknown beyond. We have already died and we have
already risen. We've already risen. What about
the believers who haven't been born yet? What about the believers
who were born thousands of years before the Lord came and died
on that cross? What about Abraham? What about
Moses? What about David? If they were
in Christ, those who were thousands of years before he came, if they
were in Christ, they were in the end. He said, I'm the end. No, the
believers who haven't been born yet, they're they're the ones
in the end. OK, all this time has happened
and that was the Adam was the beginning. And then he's going
to come back and the Trump shall sound and that's the end. And
those believers who have there in the end know if they're in
Christ, they are in the beginning. They just are. We just are. In Christ, we are. He is. We are. Even though they have not been
born yet, they've already died. They died in Him. And that's not fairy tale. That's
not wishful thinking. It's reality, as real as I'm
going to put on some PJs. They've already died. They've
already risen. Our resurrection is not our resurrection. He is our resurrection. He said, Martha, quit talking
about the last day. I am the resurrection. I'm the
resurrection. He is our resurrection and there
is no more death to endure. Go with me to Matthew 22. This is where some Sadducees
came to the Lord and they don't believe in the resurrection.
The Sadducees don't believe in it so they were trying to trick
him by asking him a question, whose wife shall this woman be? She married seven brothers in
the resurrection. Whose wife shall she be? Matthew
22 verse 29, Jesus answered and said unto them, you do err not
knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection,
they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels
of God in heaven. You remember a few weeks ago
when we were looking at the mystery of godliness through the point
of view of the angels and Gabriel came to Daniel. He said, I'm
Gabriel. And then 490 years later, he
came to Zacharias and Mary. He said, I'm Gabriel. Same angel,
400. They just are. They just are. So he said they're going to be
as the angels of God in heaven. Verse 31, but as touching the
resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken
unto you by God saying, I am the God of Abraham and the God
of Isaac and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead,
but of the living. Well, what's he talking about? All three of those men are dead.
No, they're not. No, they're not. He's plainly
telling us they are alive and well. Now Esau may be dead, but
Jacob's not. He's not dead. Well, you're talking about spiritually
speaking. You're talking about all this other world stuff. No,
I'm not. I'm talking about reality. Reality. Turn with me to Luke
chapter 20. This is the same account we just
read. Luke chapter 20, look at verse
34. And Jesus answering said unto
them, the children of this world marry and are given in marriage,
but they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world and
the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in
marriage, neither can they die anymore. They can't, for they
are equal unto the angels, and are the children of God being
the children of the resurrection. They cannot die. They cannot
die. It is Christ that died. Neither
can they die anymore. After he died, they cannot die
anymore. Now last Wednesday night, I made
the statement that the children of Israel wept for 30 days in
the plains of Moab after Moses died. And I'm going to keep making
statements like that because our Lord did. He first said,
he first said, Lazarus is sleeping, but the disciples didn't get
it. So then he said, Lazarus is dead. because they couldn't
understand. It's our plain understanding
of what happens when we lay a body down. You see a body lay down. It's how we rationalize it. They
died. They just died. But Lazarus was
not dead. He spoke to him. He said, Lazarus,
come forth. He was not dead. And Moses did
not die. If God wanted to, and I'm telling
you reality, if God wanted to, he could send Moses right now
to walk through that door right there and deliver whatever message
God had for us. He could send him right now if
he wanted to. He has done it before many times. Go to Luke chapter 9. Luke 9, look at verse 28. And it came to pass about in
eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James
and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion
of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and
glycerin. And behold, there talked with
him two men, which were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory
and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem."
There he is. There he is. There stood Moses,
right there. People say things like this,
well, you know, in glory, you won't remember anything about
this earth. That is not true. That's not true. You just won't
have the sin you had on this earth. Moses and Elijah, two
men, Elijah's the man who said, Lord, I'm all alone, kill me.
He said, Elijah, there's 7,000 that haven't bowed to me. Moses
is the one who killed a man, fled for fear of Pharaoh, but
then went through all those plagues, let his people out, sinned against
God by striking the rock twice. God said, you can't go in. The
man, Moses, there he is. Moses and Elijah. We're standing
in glory, it just said. That's why our Lord's countenance
was altered and he was white and glistening. So he changed. He went back. And here stands
now Moses and Elijah right there. And James and John and Peter,
they're standing there and they're looking. And there they are right
there, but they're in glory. And they were talking about everything
that is going to happen in Jerusalem. Moses and Elijah were from glory,
standing there talking about Jerusalem. So, they know what's
going on. They know what all this is about.
All of them up there are crying unto Him that loved us and washed
us from unto the Lamb that was slain. Turn with me to Revelation
22. Revelation 22 verse 8 says, And I, John, saw these things
and heard them. And when I had heard and seen,
I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed
me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou
do it not, for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren
the prophets. and of them which keep the sayings
of this book." Worship God. He said, don't bow down to me.
God sent one of the prophets back to preach to John. It might
have been Elijah again. Here's my point. Jesus Christ
is our resurrection. He's our resurrection. In him,
death is finished. Death is finished. Well, he conquered
death, but now you're still going to have to die. No, it's over. It's over. In him, all that a
believer can do, all a believer can physically do is live, move,
and have his being. That's all he can do, is just
live, move, and have his being. He is. He just is. All right. Well, then why am
I still going to funerals? If what I'm saying is true, why
do I still attend funerals? Turn with me to 1 Corinthians
15. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 3. For I delivered unto you first
of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our
sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that
he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he
was seen of Cephas, that's Peter, then of the twelve. After that
he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the
greater part remain unto this presence. but some are fallen
asleep. After that, he was seen of James,
then of all the apostles, and last of all, he was seen of me
also as one born out of due time." Now look at verse 12. Now, if
Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among
you that there's no resurrection of the dead? But if there be
no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen? If
other people don't die, then it means Christ didn't rise.
And if Christ be not risen, then our preaching is vain, and your
faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses
of God, because we've testified of God that He raised up Christ,
whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For
if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised. And if Christ
be not raised, your faith is vain, you're yet in your sins.
Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all
men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from
the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. For
since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of
the dead. Now look at verse 39. All flesh is not the same flesh.
There is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts,
another of fishes, another of birds. There are also celestial
bodies and bodies terrestrial, but the glory of the celestial
is one and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory
of the sun and another glory of the moon and another glory
of the stars, for one star differeth from another star in glory. So
also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption,
It is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor. It is
raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is
raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It
is raised a spiritual body. Now watch this. There is a natural
body and there is a spiritual body. There's a natural body
and there's a spiritual body. The last funeral I went to was
for Brother Maurice Montgomery. That's the most recent one I've
been to. I walked up to the casket. I saw his body. It was an open
casket. I saw his body. I recognized
his face. I know that body. I've seen it
many times. It's the same body that he walked
around in for 70 years, however old he was. Okay, that was his
body. At the exact moment that I was
standing there looking at his body, he was in a body, just
not that body. at that exact moment he was in
a body, just not the one laying right there. Verse 50 says, 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. That's why we still go to funerals.
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. I'm a new creature. Christ liveth
in me. But I'm housed in a sinful body
that's not allowed into glory. And I've got to get rid of this
corruptible and slip on some incorruption. That's what has
to happen. Our brother laid that body down
just like I can take this coat off right here. And then everybody can walk by
and they can say, I know that coat. I saw it many times. I recognize that coat. He just laid it down. That reality
for him is as real as the reality I just
did. Slip it on, slip it off. That really just happened. That
just happened. Our brother experienced the reality. That really just happened. That
just happened. What was a reality for me is
a reality for him. Every believer is going to experience
this reality. And when it comes, When the experience,
when the fact is realized that there is no death, there is no
death. If something was to happen and
this finger right here got cut off, boom, and it fell right
there and I picked it up and set it over there, I would not
call myself dead. That's not attached to me anymore,
but I'm not dead. When that experience is realize
that for a child of God, there is no death. There's only a change
to the incorruption of Christ. That's all it is. It's just a
change to the immortality of Christ. When that reality takes
place, every believer cries, oh death, where is thy sting? Where's thy sting? It's going
to be in the twinkling of an eye. I thought before that it
would be like a shot. You're going to have to get ready. It's going to be hard times are
coming. Prepare yourself. Tense up now, because it's going to
be like, oh! There is no sting. There is no
shot. There is zero pain. O death, where is thy sting?
Verse 55, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy
victory? I thought I was supposed to die.
I thought I was supposed to be dead. Verse 56 says the sting of death
is sin. We're feeling the sting of sin
right now. We're feeling that right now.
It hurts. Verse 56, the sting of death
is sin and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to
God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is our life. Our life, because he died, we
died. We say it all the time, I died
in him. And we think that means, we don't
know what that means. What it means is, I died in him. I was separated to the dark beyond
for three days. Because he died, I died. Because
he arose, I arose. Because he lives, I live. Right now, beloved, we're the
sons of God. We're already in the kingdom.
It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that we
have a brand new body. It looks just like his. Because He lives, we live, never
to die again. There is no death coming. Three
score and ten. Yeah, three score and ten. You're
going to get a brand new body. We are the children of the resurrection. We're the children of His resurrection. resurrected unto eternal life.
When he rose, that meant eternal life for him and everything in
him. Whosoever liveth and believeth
in him shall never die. Believest thou this? I would
like to. I do believe. Help my unbelief. But I do believe it. It's glory,
isn't it? All right, let's stand together.