alright turn to 1st Corinthians
chapter 15 1st Corinthians chapter 15 I want us to well I will read and
I want you to either follow along or listen closely to read a section
of Paul's words that which he wrote by inspiration. And let
us remember that. The Spirit of God was moving
Paul to write the exact words that he wrote. And I have every
reason to believe that we have that exact truth translated for
us here in this Bible. By inspiration he wrote this.
And the words I'm going to read that Paul wrote in solemn support
of the bodily resurrection of the dead. 1 Corinthians 15, I'll
begin in verse 35. But some man will say, you see,
people say, but why do preachers do that? Because they're led
in the Spirit of God, that's why. They anticipate the objections. Why? Because they used to object
themselves, and they're so familiar with men continually still rejecting. before they even say it. But some man will say, how are
the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? Thou fool. That's strong language. Thou fool. I know if you've ever
done any studying, some of the Greek manuscripts. When I say
Greek manuscripts, I'm not talking about the pieces and the fragments
and the parts. I'm talking about years later,
the past four or five, six hundred years, that men have compiled
of the Greek New Testament. That's what I'm talking about.
Many of them leave that out. I think it's too tough for them. You know why? Because the preponderant
pieces, whether it's a fragment, whether it's quotations from
men of old, or whether it's actually big parts, in the well into the
90 percentile point, all of the manuscripts have thou fooled. This is what Paul wrote by inspiration
of the Spirit of God. Thou fool, that which thou sowest
is not quickened, except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou
sowest not that body that shall be but bare grain, it may chance
of wheat or some other grain. What's Paul doing? He's giving
a physical illustration to refute the very question. That's amazing. That's why he says thou fool.
This is not some ethereal thing way out there. God has manifested
these things in everyday life. Thou fool, that which thou sowest
is not quickened, except it die. That which thou sowest, thou
sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain. It may chance
of wheat or some other grain, but God giveth it a body as it
hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. All flesh
is not the same flesh. There is one kind of flesh of
men. There is another kind of flesh,
there is another of beasts. I'm sorry, there is one, but
there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts,
another of fishes, and 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." This man wrote
this around 2,000 years ago. So also is the resurrection of
the dead. It is sown in corruption. It
is raised in incorruption. It is sown in honor. I'm sorry. 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. There is a natural body. There
is a spiritual body. Now that's the passage I wanted
to read. There are a few reoccurring themes, or words we might say,
words, but themes because those words have true meaning. There are a few reoccurring themes
in this text, or bring to your attention, it's not going to
be my subject necessarily, but the word kinds. Now you may see
it's in italics, but it's still a part of the text. Kinds. Paul says different kinds of
flesh. Human flesh. There are flesh of beasts. There's
the flesh of fish. There's the flesh of fowl. They're
different. Paul also says different kinds
of bodies. There are celestial bodies. There are terrestrial bodies. There is a body of corruption
and a body of incorruption, a natural body and a spiritual body. Paul also says there, or indicates
here, I should at least say, there are different kinds of
glory. Now, some 1900 years, give or
take a few, some 1900 years before the discovery of DNA. Before
the mapping of the whole human genome, the Spirit of God revealed
there to be different kinds. Why? This man didn't know about
DNA. I've got no reason to think that.
Or about the human genome. But yet the Spirit of God moved
this man to talk about different kinds of flesh. Think about that. Different kinds
of flesh. When man discovered DNA, mapped
out the whole human genome and actually began to see other kinds
of DNA, they found out this DNA is different. And even there
we found out that though some DNA is According to what they
say, I can't refute it because I'm not a scientist as they are.
I don't have the access to the equipment they have. They say
that the DNA between humans and the great apes is up in the well
90s the same. And yet that small percentage
that is different, look at the difference it makes. They try
to triumph the 90 some percent same, but look at the difference.
And if you don't see the difference, I have to say to you, thou fool.
1900 years ago, God moved this man
to write this, different kinds of flesh. There's a difference
in the flesh of a man from a beast and that from a fish and that
from a fowl. How did he know this? It's not a matter of how
he knew this. The God who created all this
moved him to write this. God knew. God created the DNA. All of that strand as it connects
together. And if there's one little flaw,
what a catastrophe it can cause. Isn't it? Before we peeped through our
telescopes. Before we had Voyager or even
Hubble. Before we had the discovery of
quasars and red dwarfs and blue giants and yellow stars. These were all different kinds
of stars and stuff that's out there. Before we discovered the
planetary diversity that's not just in our solar system but
in the whole universe. Even before all this, the Spirit
of God revealed there are also celestial bodies and there are
bodies terrestrial. But the glory of the celestial
is one, the glory of the terrestrial is another. They are different. Hear this little old ex-rabbi. is writing down these words,
there is one glory of the sun and another glory of the moon.
Well, that's clearly visible. That's quite easy to see, right?
You can look at the moon, which is merely reflecting the sun's
glory. You can't look at the sun very long without it actually
damaging your eyes. And he says there is one glory
of the sun and another glory of the moon. another glory of
the stars, listen, for one star differeth from another star in
glory. Now he didn't know red dwarfs,
giants, yellow stars, but the Creator did. Think about that for a minute.
The one who moved him to write these words created these things,
therefore he knew. And while he didn't give Paul
the details here, Paul still gives a 2,000 years ago, he was
up to par with the science of today. For star differeth from
star in glory. Now you can't just look and see
that, can you? All we see is twinkling lights
way out there. But Paul back then said they're different.
How did he do that? Because God Almighty moved him
to write these words. The one who created these things. This is not my message, but let
me say this this morning. This book is scientifically accurate. Did you read along with Paul
as he read from Ecclesiastes chapter 1 about the rivers in
August? We see that now on our maps when
you watch the weather channel. And you see the, what's it called?
I can't think of it even now. The air blows the United States.
What's it called? The jet stream. Paul knew that! Or I should say Solomon wrote
about that. In Ecclesiastes chapter 1. We think we've discovered a lot.
No, God's just showed us a lot. It's always been there. The men
way back yonder wrote about it, and they wrote about it accurately.
Why? Because the Creator was moving
them to write about these things. This book is scientifically accurate,
but it is not a book of science. It's a book about Jesus Christ. Now let me narrow this down,
because right now I know you're wondering, where is he going
with this? Well, I'm not here to preach
against evolution. Evolution is a lie. That is said. It's
done. The argument's finished. But again, I say now, think of
this word, glory. Glory. It's mentioned right here,
right? There's the glory of the sun, glory of the moon. Stars differ
in glory one from another. This old rabbi, writing this
some 2,000 years, glory! Glory means the beauty of a thing.
Glory means it's majesty. Glory means it's honor. It's
dignity. It's splendor. And you could
go on and on with all of these words to describe the word glory. That's the word glory. But now
one more text. Turn to the 19th Psalm. Psalm 19. For the next few weeks, God willing,
I want to talk about glory. This morning, it's this. The
glory of God. That's where I want to begin.
The glory of God. The heavens declare the glory
of God. And the firmament, not just what's
up yonder, way out there, that we just recently, through our
telescopes, have been able to really start examining, right?
But what else? And the firmament, that's down
around here. And the firmament showeth His
handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech,
and night unto night showeth knowledge. What's the psalmist
saying? Creation teaches us lessons. That's what he's saying. No. Creation teaches us lessons. There is no speech nor language
where their voice is not heard. You don't have to know English.
God Almighty has revealed it to every person of every kind
of language. The things up there and the things
all around us teach it every day and every night. their line
is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of
the world in them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun. My subject again is the glory
of God. Now, having read this, Paul also
in another epistle, turn to Romans chapter 1, Paul also, in another epistle,
makes a personal connection in all these things. In other words,
he brings it home. He puts a face on it. Puts some
shoe leather on it, as Don Fortner likes to say. In Romans chapter
1, let me read these verses. Verse 18, For the wrath of God
is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness because Because
that which may be known of God is manifest not just to them. It is manifest, how? In them. For God hath showed it unto them. This is a reality whether man
realizes it or not. For the invisible things of him
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are what? Made. The heavens declare the
glory of God. The firmament. His handiwork. Even, even his eternal power
and Godhead, so that what is the conclusion? is without excuse. Isn't that what that says? So that they are without excuse. But I just didn't know. It's
been around you all your life. We even go to school. We train
our children up in these things to study the heavens. To study
the firmament. Don't we? In great detail. been around us all our life. God says these things. He has
made us without excuse before Him. Right? That's what Paul
says. Because that, but there's a problem
here. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him
not as God. Neither were thankful, but became
vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Not only did Adam fall, not only did Adam fall, that made us totally
corrupt, but everything that God had around us, teaching us
day and night, day and night, about His handiwork, His eternal
power in Godhead, we turned against it. We turned against it. And that
added more darkness to our darkness. more corruption to our corruption. Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible
God into an image made like into corruptible beasts and to birds
and to four-footed beasts and to creeping things. And man still
does that very same thing today, even with all of our enlightenment.
with the Hubble looking out there into space. There are still some
of our fellow men and women on the face of this earth still
chiseling out a little thing of a beast or something and worshiping
that thing. Calling that thing God. Right? This is not just something that
took place way back yonder 2,000 years ago when Paul was around.
This still happens today. The Hindus worship elephants.
I think one of them might have two or three heads. I don't know
what happens. Wherefore, God also gave them
up to uncleanness. Do you see that? It didn't say
God gave up on them. It wasn't that God was trying
to do something. God showed us what the truth
is. The heavens declare His glory
and the firmament His handiwork, but we turned it around. We changed
it around. We make God likened to us rather
than God being who He is as He's revealed even in the creation. Wherefore also God gave them
up to uncleanness through the lust of their own flesh to dishonor
their own bodies between themselves who changed the truth of God
into a lie. Worshipped and served the creature
more than the Creator who is blessed forever. Amen. But he ain't done yet. Amen don't
mean I'm done. Amen means so be it. For this cause, now he just keeps
adding to it, see he just keeps adding to it, adding on, adding
on. For this cause, God gave them up into vile affections.
For even their women did change the natural use into that which
is against nature. And likewise also the men, leaving
the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward
another, men with men, working that which is unseemly, and receiving
in themselves the recompense of their error, which was meat. Now you know what that's talking
about. Talking about homosexuality. This is what the human race rushed
headlong into after the fall of Adam, and we're still rushing
headlong into it today. Now somebody says, but that's
them. That's them old homosexuals. Be careful. We're not done. And even as they
did not like to retain God in their knowledge. See how at one
time they acknowledged there was God. They tried to build
a tower to get to Him. Remember? But things just kept
growing worse and worse and worse and worse. To the point now to
where there are some amongst the human race that don't even
like to retain God in their knowledge. They want to get rid of the knowledge
of God altogether. God don't even exist. Right? God gave them over to a reprobate
mind to do those things which are not convenient. He didn't
say now that's what homosexuals are like. Now look, He said that's
what it's like. They come out of the closet today.
Yeah. No more shame even about it.
The thing to do today is what? Come out of the closet. Be proud
of who you are. Some are even talking about God
made me this way. No, you were condemned in Adam.
That's your problem. I was condemned in Adam. That's
my problem. Why? Being filled with all unrighteousness. Now look, this is not just an
indictment against one kind of thing. Being filled with all
unrighteousness. Fornication. Paul links you up. If you ever committed fornication,
Paul links you up with everybody else. These others he just mentioned,
I should say, right? fornication, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate. Somebody says,
hey, talk about the presidential debates. I don't know. Some of
them probably ought to fit right in there. That's tongue-in-cheek, but still
meant. Deceit, malignity, whisperers. So how many times, and I'm not
preaching down to anybody, I'm guilty myself, how many times
has somebody come to me and said, so-and-so said this, I wonder
if they meant that? I don't know. They may have,
but I don't know. I think they're talking about
this, but they said that. Well, deal with that. Then you
can find out if they really meant this. Problem is most of us don't
want to talk about that, we want to whisper. You know, the pie
hole is flapping. Whisperers. Back biters. Haters of God. Despiteful. He ain't done yet. It's like,
come on Paul, just stop now. Think we get the picture? Huh? No, we don't. That's the problem. We don't. Proud boasters. Inventors of evil things. What? Disobedient to parents. Paul links them right up with
the homos, and the fornicators, and the murderers. Yes or no? Without understanding. Covenant
breakers. Without natural affection. Now
most people, they won't love. They don't even know what natural
affection is. Most people think that love is, remember that word
I gave you earlier on? Somebody said it, I forgot what
it was. Fraternization, yeah. They think fraternization is
love. No, fraternization is dangerous. That's right. Without understanding
covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful,
who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things
are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure
in them. that do them. There's your fraternization. I'm not going to preach on that
this morning, but this is the state of the human race. This
is you and me by nature. That's me as well as the homo
in San Francisco. Do you hear me? That's you as
well as the murderer locked up in prison who will never see
the light of day as we say it. This is what we all are by nature. And if God gives me up, I'm damned
forever. I didn't say if God gave up on
me. I said if God gives me up, if He gives me over, I'm gone
forever. And let me say this, when it
comes to these things and the flesh from which they flow, God
has given it up. Joe doesn't mention it. God doesn't
come and save you and start working on your flesh. God leaves your
flesh right where it is, condemned, and tells us to acknowledge what
it is, condemned. Do you see the connection between
the glory of God? Right? Think of this. I must move along. Maybe just
a few things this morning. God is glorious. He is intrinsic glory. We are
told to glorify God. Men are judged because they didn't
glorify God. But God is glorious intrinsically
nonetheless. In other words, we didn't really
take away anything from God. We took away from our own hope.
our own peace, our own safety. When we refuse to glorify God
as He is, Joe, we're not harming God. We are harming ourselves
who ought to be subject to Him. He is intrinsic glory. He is
full glory. He can't be glorified in the
sense of being made better. He is to be glorified in the
sense of acknowledge that He is it. He's full glory. He is revealed glory. He's revealed it. The heavens
declare the glory of God. The firmament is handiwork. He's
revealed glory. He is creator, not created. He is creator and creative glory. All the glory of those things,
the glory of the sun, the moon, all those different stars, where
did they get their glory from? The creator. He is righteous
glory. He is revelatory glory. And that's specifically in the
gospel. specifically in the gospel. This whole book declares that
God is glorious. But specifically in the gospel,
God Almighty sent down His only begotten Son and now is still
sending men and women, if it be, His purpose and His way,
to testify to others of that Son whom He sent. And God said,
concerning Him, He's the brightness of God's glory. There's where
it shines forth, David, in its most splendorous splendor, is
in the person of the Son. He's revelatory glory. He's also
distinct glory. That is, the glory that He gave
to all these other things is but a very small reflection of
His glory. You know, just like the reflection
of the light coming from the sun off the moon. It may look
very bright sometimes. but you look directly at the
sun, you'll know there's a big difference between that direct
glory and distinct glory and the glory of that moon. Right?
Just go out there today since it's shining so bright and look
right at it for a while and see. Don't do that. I don't want you
blaming me. Everybody loves to blame the
preacher. I'm a target. Here's the last one. He is essential
glory. The reason he's essential glory
is because if you try to seek glory anywhere else and you deny
God in any way, you find yourself in the pit of Romans 1. Right? He's essential glory. And I've
just scratched the surface. Etc. etc. etc. Thus, Paul writes these
words to Timothy. Listen to what he says. 1 Timothy
chapter 1. First Timothy chapter 1 and verse
17 now unto the king eternal Immortal Invisible remember even
the invisible things of him are seen from the creation. I think It doesn't mean undiscoverable
No, he's put it out there every day that you wake up. God Almighty is showing to me
and you His glory. But He is invisible. The only
wise God be honor and glory forever and ever. There it is again. Amen. Paul writes that to Timothy.
Yet remember The invisible things of Him from the creation of the
world are clearly seen, be it understood by the things that
are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that we, I know
He says they, but I'm going to tell you this is us by nature,
so that we are without excuse. No wonder the Spirit of God moved
Paul then to write what I read to you, thou fool. Even a seed of grain. We're not even talking about
a seed of a bean. But a seed of grain. When you
cut it apart, all you see is fluff. Nothing. Is it? You throw
it out there and what happens? It dies. The husk on the outside
of that thing dies. And all of a sudden, somewhere
inside Joe, springs up what? Life! Yes sir. But it doesn't
just spring up a bunch of other little seeds. It springs up a
whole different plant. Now, not different from its kind,
but a whole plant that then later has seeds on it. You see it?
Paul says it's all around us. Thou fool. You don't see this? Thou fool! Paul's not just being
tough or mean. This is a fool. Thou fool is
a fool of rebellion against evidence, not a fool of mental capacity.
You understand the difference? We talk about people as a fool.
They can't comprehend. Some people just, you know, it's
not right. Whether it's retardation, whatever
it is, they just can't get things as most normal, as most of us
normal people do. But Paul's not talking about
that. He's talking about a fool. Anybody who rebels against clear
evidence is a what? A fool. A fool. Paul's not being mean, he's being
honest with our souls. Thou fool. Joe sat here and called
us some pretty bad names. And I have to tell you, as I
sat right there, there's a part of me that didn't like a word
of it. But the other part of me knows it's absolutely true. We've had people get mad because
things like that are said, and they get mad and leave this place.
Bye bye. But some men will say, how are
the dead raised up? With what body? Thou fool. The evidence is all around you. You know what? All around you. No wonder Paul wrote that. Thou
fool. In summary, since the creation
renders men without excuse, How much more does the proclamation
of the gospel? Now go back to Romans chapter
1 again. Since the creation of the world,
the heavens declare the glory of God. The firmament shows His
handiwork. The creation, the things that
are made, shows His eternal power in a Godhead. But listen to what
Paul says before the preceding words to this in Romans 1 verse
13. Now I would not have you ignorant,
brethren, that oft times I purposed to come unto you, but was let
hindered. hitherto, that I might have some
fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles." And what's
Paul talking about, fruit? These religious people talk about
fruit. What are they talking about? I am a debtor both to
the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise. So as much as in me is, I am
ready to preach the gospel to you that are in Rome also, that
are at Rome also. The fruit he's talking about
is seeing, hearing, or having. Preaching the gospel and seeing
God in His grace use that gospel to lay hold of a soul and to
call them out of darkness into His marvelous light. That's the
fruit he's talking about. For I am not ashamed of the gospel. Don't be ashamed. Why do you
talk about it so much? because it's the power of God
and the salvation to everyone that believeth. Don't worry about
trying to make believers. Preach the gospel. Don't try
to convince men, well, which comes first, life or faith? Preach
the gospel. Then you can start to teach them
about which came first. You see what I'm saying? You
go out here to the world, don't try to, well, there's regeneration
by the Spirit and conversion by the Gospel, or they're both
together. That person out there that's lost, don't understand
any of it anyway. He's not even going to understand
the Gospel, as Joe said. But you know what you do? You
preach it to him anyway. You know why? Because God can command
the light to shine out of darkness. And shine in the heart, and He
can give light. light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. That don't happen apart
from the gospel. You don't just wake up one more
and say, oh, I know Jesus. It don't happen that way. Look,
I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power
of God and the salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first
and also to the Greek for therein, you see it, in that gospel. For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith." Not from faith to unbelief,
but from faith to faith. That is, as it is written, the
just shall live by faith. From faith to faith. Let me give
you this. It is, the revelation is of spiritual import, not mere
information supplied. It's not just supply information
to man and then man will make the decision one way or the other
you supply him information What will he do look at what he goes
on to say? We've already read it to you
verses 18 down through the end of the chapter Just supply information
Just supply the evidence God's already did that what does man
do he takes the evidence twists it? So here's the thing. Don't try
to give the lost the evidence. Just preach the gospel. God Almighty
will do His work. He'll do His work. He'll do His
work. Now granted, yes, even that preaching
of the gospel comes by the ability of God. Joe, you adequately proclaimed
that. But preach the gospel. Thus even James, that great proponent
of works, wasn't he? He was. James was a proponent
of works. Not just any kind of work, but
works that go with living faith. Listen to what James says. Now
you know this. It's not new. Even James proclaims
it to be very clear. Verse 17 of James 1. Every good
gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from
the Father of lights with whom there is no variables, neither
shadow of turning. Everyone. whether it's gospel
preaching or simply the manifestation of God's glory in creation, whatever
it is. But look, of his own will beget
us, brought us forth. Beget us with what? With what? The word of truth. That's why
you don't compromise. That's why you dare not compromise. Because if you compromise the
truth, you're compromising a man's soul. Well, I believe in election.
No, you don't. You're playing games. I'll just be myself and
I'll just fraternize and get along with everybody and everything
will be okay because there's an election anyway. You don't
understand the importance of election, nor gospel preaching,
regeneration, or conversion, or none of it. You're using God's
truth as an excuse. You're changing the truth of
God into a lie. You're being mean now, preacher.
No, I'm being honest with our souls. Of his own will beget
he us, what with the word of truth, that we should be a kind
of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren,
let every man be, what, swift to hear, slow to speak, slow
to wrath. For the wrath of man worketh
not the righteousness of God. Lay apart all filthiness and
superfluity of naughtiness. Why is it? Because we're so prone
to it. He's not talking to a bunch of
unbelievers here now. You need to straighten up your
life and get right with the Lord and give your heart to Him. He's talking
to believers. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness.
It took me a long time to learn this. Even as your pastor, Saint
Goderil Cochran was around. Thank God you didn't have to
put up with me from the get-go. Got a hard way of learning these
things, Joe. Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and superfluity
of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted Word which
is able to save you. You rebel against the Word, you
rebel against God. You rebel against God, you will
perish. I don't care what doctrine you
claim to believe. I don't care what kind of experience
you claim to have. You rebel against the Word of
God, you endanger your very soul. Amen. And I'm done. Father, encourage
us in this truth. Warn us in this truth. Turn us
by this truth, I ask it in Christ's name, amen.