1 Corinthians chapter 15. I have two texts this morning,
not two messages, but two texts. And when we read them, we'll
read one in a moment here in 1 Corinthians, it'll be verse
58 as our text. And then the second part of the
message will be from Galatians chapter 6, verse 9. The subject
in both places is the same. You'll recall that last Sunday,
we took our message from this chapter in 1 Corinthians. In
this chapter, Paul tells us, and I realize I'm repeating some
things I said last Sunday, but they're worth repeating. I need
reminded of them, and I suspect you do too. But in this chapter,
Paul tells us the implications, well, more than an implication,
the certainty of some things if Christ didn't rise from the
dead. For example, he said, if Christ
didn't rise from the dead, there would be no reason to preach
the gospel. What I'm trying to do this morning
would be useless. I mean, it would just be plumb
ignorant if Jesus Christ hadn't rose from the dead. Because if
he didn't, there really wouldn't be any gospel. It was a risen
Savior They told His disciples, you go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature. And there would be no such thing
as true faith. Because faith rests upon the
risen Savior. The object of faith always rests
upon the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what makes it genuine
faith. And without that, without a living Savior, The writer in
Hebrews chapter 7 said, Christ, seeing that he ever liveth, seeing
that he ever liveth, a dead Christ doesn't save anyone. Yes, he
put away our sins on the cross, but it's the risen Lord that
applies the benefits of that redemption. Seeing that he ever
liveth to make intercession for us, he's able to save unto the
uttermost all that come unto God by him. Why? Because he's
alive. He ever lives. If not, without
that living, resurrected Savior, we're yet in our sins. We're
yet in our sins and can only live and die. Now I said this
last Sunday, but I thought about it a lot since then. If without
the living Savior, the only thing we could do, the best we could
do, is just live Get what you can of this, like the rich fool
said, well, take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry. I mean,
if after this we die like a dog, why not? Why not? That would
be our condition without Christ's resurrection. We would live and
die and then go out to meet a holy God without a mediator. Now, can you imagine anything
more horrible than that? Standing before Jesus, standing,
I'm sorry, before God Almighty, not like the religious world
presents him, not like our friends and neighbors and children imagine
him to be what they would like him to be, but God as he really
is high and lifted up, holy, holy, righteous, sitting on his
immaculate white throne of absolute justice, stand before that just
and holy God without a mediator, without a go-between, without
an advocate, Ah, so such would be our case. The only thing we
would have to look forward to is to hear the words of doom,
depart from me, depart from me, cast them into outer darkness,
or they'll be weeping and willing and gnashing of teeth. But thank
God, thank God Paul brushes all that aside when he says in verse
20, that was our text if you recall, but now, now, Christ
is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that
slept. I repeat again what I said then. It's not possible to overestimate
the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It proved everything
he claimed. It became him. Again, the writer
in the epistle to the Hebrews said in chapter 2, it became
him. That is, it was necessary for
him. It was necessary. God required
this. It became Him, that is Christ,
for whom are all things, and by whom are all things in bringing
many sons to glory, many sons, many sons to glory. not one or
two, but many sons, that make the captain of their salvation,
that one we read about a moment ago in John 6, the captain of
our salvation, perfect through sufferings, the Son of God became
the Son of Man, so that the sons of men might become the sons
of God, behold. Here's a wonder, here's a wonder.
Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.
Talk about the seven wonders of the world. There's not a greater
wonder than this, that sinners like you and I have been made
the sons of the living God. Behold what manner of love can
produce such a thing as that. And in the last two verses of
this chapter, here in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul sounds a clear, glorious
note of certain victory. Oh, I like that. Look at verse
57. But thanks be to God. But thanks be to God. Literally,
but thanks to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ. What a sweet song. There's not a note, not a hint
of doubt in those words, are there? There's no questions there. There's no uncertainties about
it. I mean, look at it. Read it all day long. Store it
in your heart. Take it with you. There is no
its or maybes or perchance about this. Thanks be to God, which
giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. I like
that song, don't you? I like that tune. Because I need
that, as I spoke to you a moment ago. I was being honest with
you. I need that. I need to hear that. I like that. I love to hear songs like that,
don't you? Because this old heart of mine
is always mourning something. Sad, sad tune. Oh, woe is me. We all fall into that Elijah
complex from time to time, don't we? Oh, Lord, I'm the only one
left. They've killed all your prophets. I'm the only one left.
Woe is me. What did God say? Elijah, you
don't know what you're talking about. I reserve to myself, you
don't know this, but I'm going to tell you. I reserve to myself,
how many was it? 7,000, 6,000? That have not bowed
their knee to Baal. You're not alone. You're not
alone. Oh, I love those songs. Songs
of victory. That's what Paul says here. As
we sometimes sing, so now upon his father's throne, we just
sang a moment ago, oh, worship the king. The king. We're worshiping
the king this morning. The King of Kings and the Lord
of Lords. There's nobody higher than Him.
There's none above Him. Everything and everybody. From
eternity past to eternity to come, everything is under His
feet. That's our King. Oh, He must
be mighty. Mighty. His subjects with willing
hearts fall down and worship Him. So now upon His Father's
throne, Almighty to release us, From sin and pains he gladly
reigns, our Prince, our Savior, Jesus. O Jesus, by that matchless
name, your grace shall fail us never. Today is yesterday the
same. You are the same forever." Every
Sunday, or every morning, actually, I look in the mirror and I think,
well, well, how I've changed, like it or not. I got a haircut
the other day, and I was teasing the young girl that cut my hair
when she got done, and I stood up from the chair. I said, Ma,
so where'd all that gray hair come from? That must have been
the fellow before me. That's not mine. Oh, yes, it
is, more and more. Oh, but Christ, he doesn't change. We love to sing of Christ our
King, and hail him, blessed Jesus, for there's no word here ever
heard. Once God opens that ear, ever
hers, so dear, so sweet as Jesus. Yes, thanks be unto God, which
giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. That is
why we can say what Paul does in verse 54. Look at that. What
we just read, these last two verses, is the foundation of
everything he said prior to that. Verse 54. So when this corruptible
shall I put on incorruption. Oh, that's another dogmatic Tune,
isn't it? Not it might put on corruption.
Oh, no, he said prior to this, we shall be changed. Oh, thank
God, we shall be changed. I'm not always going to be like
that. We shall be changed. So when this corruptible shall
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. Now, what was Paul talking about?
Where is that written? That's written in Isaiah chapter
25. And then look what he says here
in verse 55 of 1 Corinthians 15. Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory? Where is thy victory? That verse
is from Hosea chapter 13 verse 14. Those are the two places
Paul was referring to. Let me read them to you from
those places. Isaiah 25 verse 8. He will swallow up death in victory. That's a prophecy of the Messiah,
our King. He will swallow up death in victory,
and the Lord God will wipe away all tears from off all faces. And the rebuke of his people
shall be taken away from off all the earth, for the Lord hath
spoken it. The Lord hath spoken it. He spoke
and it stood fast. And then, when he said, O death,
where is thy sting? That's from Hosea chapter 13
verse 14. Listen to how it's written there.
Again, our great God and Savior speaks and he says, I will ransom
them from the power of the grave. I will ransom them from the power
of the grave. He told his disciples that. I've
come to give my life a ransom for many, the many that God gave
me. Hosea 13 and 14, I will ransom
them from the power of the grave. I will redeem them from death. O death, I will be thy plague. O grave, I will be thy destruction. Repentance shall be hid from
their eyes. And then again, verse 53, for
this corruptible must put on incorruption. Oh, child of God,
we've got a bright, bright future. Things are not as they seem. No, listen, this corruptible,
you cry out. I did a moment ago over this
battle, this constant battle with the old man. Oh, I want
to love God with all my heart, but I can't. I don't. I want
to do those things that please him and don't do anything that
displeases him, but I can't. I can't. Oh, but one day, when
this corruptible has put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality,
oh, I'd like that. Otherwise, otherwise, if he doesn't
do this for his people, how could a man be fit, be a fit inhabitant,
a fit citizen of that place where we're going to, heaven, which
is incorruptible? How can he possess an eternal
inheritance in this old body of flesh and dead? How can that
which is corruptible and fitted to possess an eternal inheritance?
How can it be? Oh, by Christ, the firstfruits
of the resurrection. This corruptible body must be
made incorruptible, and this mortal body must be changed into
immortality, that the man may be capable of enjoying the happiness
of eternity forever. If a lost man could get into
glory, he would be one miserable creature. If we could enter there
without a change, without this mortal putting on immortality
and this corruptible being made incorruptible, how could we love
and worship God? It would be no better than here.
Oh, but it's a prepared place. I go to prepare a place for you.
And it's for a prepared people. And when His people are risen
incorruptible, when they're changed, when this old body of death,
like a corpse that's been strapped to my back ever since God called
me by His grace, when I lay that in the grave forever and I enter
into that place prepared for me, I'll be a prepared man for
a prepared place and I will worship God perfectly. How can a member
of Christ's body, therefore, the church, His body, His bride,
His church, ever be lost. We're members of his body, of
his flesh, and of his bones. Would that not be the fault of
the bridegroom if he loses his bride? Who's going to be the
blame for that? God's holding Christ accountable
for that. The shepherd losing his sheep? The head of the church,
Jesus Christ? The young convert was once rejoicing
about her newfound joy. The joy of her salvation, she
wasn't over the wonder of it. God forgive us that we sometimes
seem to be. But some older sourpuss said,
now wait a minute, wait a minute. You better be careful with that.
You better, you know, you better be careful. How do you know you
might not be overcome by a certain trial and the waves of tribulation
overflow you and you'll drown? You better check that rejoicing,
as she said very wisely. How can I drown with my head
so high above the water? Jesus Christ, our head, sits
high and lifted up, and all of his members are secure in him. Verse 57, but thanks be to God,
which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. By dying,
he conquered death. He spoiled the grave. And in
him, believers become partakers of his conquest. Remember, he
represented us. He was the firstborn among many
brethren. He's the firstfruits of those
who died. By dying, he conquered death.
And we often, and I think we should, I think it's right, we
rejoice beforehand, don't we? We rejoice in the very prospect
of it. The certainty of it. The hope
we have of this victory. His victory was our victory.
His conquests are our conquests. Did Jesus Christ arise? Well,
that's proof positive that everyone in Him, everyone that died in
Him, rose in Him, will be resurrected and brought to glory, and so
shall we ever be with the Lord. Remember these words from Christ
our King. Christ our King said this, Fear
not. Fear not. I'm the first and the
last. Before anything was, I am. I'm
the eternal I am. I am he that liveth. And it's
true, I was dead. I was dead. Oh, he bowed his
head and died. Wonder of wonders. My soul, the
mighty. He told Mary, I'm the resurrection
and Martha. I'm the resurrection and life.
Whoever believes in me shall never die. And yet he died. Wow. Oh, but he rose. Yes, I was dead. Oh, but behold, don't forget
death. Don't leave me hanging on the cross. No, no, no. Behold,
I'm alive forevermore. Amen. And I alone have the keys
of hell and death. They're in my hand. They're in
my hand. Oh, the prospect of that, of being with our great
God and Savior, our King, our Redeemer, doesn't it make your
heart leap? I mean, the very prospect of
it. I sometimes try to imagine what it'll be like. And I may
not be in a state of mind to have enough sense. They might
have me so drugged up that I won't know nothing. But Christ will. But, oh, I sometimes think if
God is pleased to allow me, oh, to be aware, aware, that very
soon, any minute now, any minute now, in just a few more minutes,
Just a few more breaths. I'm going to expire, as they
say. I'm going to exhale here, but then I'm going to inhale
in glory, and the first thing I'm going to be looking at is
not mansions, not streets of gold, not mama, not papa. I'm
going to be looking at the face of Jesus Christ who loved me
and gave himself for me. I'm looking forward to that.
Aren't you? I'm looking forward to that.
That's a reality, brothers and sisters. That's not a fable.
That's not a fable. Father, I will that those whom
you gave me be with me where I am, that they may behold my
glory. And oh, what a joy, as the hymn
writer expressed it, when I can read my title clear to mansions
in the skies, I'll bid farewell to every fear and wipe my weeping
eyes. Let cares like a wild deluge
come. Let storms of sorrows fall. May
I but safely reach my home, my God, my heaven, my all. There
shall I bathe my weary soul in seas of heavenly rest, and not
a wave of trouble roll across my peaceful breast. Imagine that. My imagination
doesn't reach that high, but oh, I look forward to it. Yes,
let cares like a wild deluge come, let storms of sorrow fall. A child of God has good cause
to expect, to hear their king, the captain of their salvation
as he comes to them walking on the waves and speaking as only
he can, it is I, it is I, be not afraid. Don't be afraid. Is it any wonder we read these
words in verse 58? Look at that. Verse 58, it begins
with therefore. Therefore, what's it there for?
It's therefore because of what he said in verse 57. because
he giveth us the victory. Therefore, in light, if that
is true, if that is true, if we really believe what we read
in verse 57, therefore, in the light of such great God and Savior,
seeing we have such a mighty God that has all power in heaven
and earth, whose promise has never one time been broken. Now think about that. There's
a multitude of sinners already in glory that no man can number.
There's a multitude of redeemed believing sinners down here.
And there has not been one case among any one of those, no matter
who they are, no matter what they've done, there's not been
one commas of their redeemer ever been broken to them. As
Joshua said on his deathbed, I'll bear you wit, you bear me
record. This day, he told the elders
of Israel, that there's not one thing that God Almighty promised
us that has not come to pass. And our Joshua, our Joshua, greater
than Joshua, the picture, the type of him, shall say the same
thing. Not one promise. Not one thing. Not one thing. Oh, what a day
that will be. when he gathers all his sheep
home to be with him. Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be ye steadfast. Be steadfast. Just stay put. Unmovable. Don't be shaken, don't
be blown about. Always abounding in the work
of the Lord, for as much as you know, your labor is not in vain
in the Lord, despite what we may say, what we may think, what
we may observe. What did our Lord say? You give
a cup of water to one of my thirsty children, it's the same as you've
done it unto me. Nothing done in the name of Christ,
for Christ, for his people, for his church, can ever be in vain.
Remember that God said of Christ, Behold my servant, behold my
servant, whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit upon him.
He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. Again, no note
of uncertainty. He shall not fail nor be discouraged. Why would Jesus Christ, who came
to do his Father's will, came to save his people from their
sins and finished the work God put into his hands, why would
he be discouraged when he knows he would not fail? He shall not
fail. Remember what we read in Revelation
17? Revelation chapter 17 verse 14. Now there's a much I don't
understand about this, but I know who the victor is. I know who
wins the war. I know who wins the battle. Verse
14 of Revelation 17, these political powers, religious powers, whatever,
these shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome
them. Why? Why? For He is Lord of lords
and King of kings. Why wouldn't He? And look at
this sweet nugget. And they that are with Him are
called and chosen and faithful. His victory is ours, our victory. What triumph rings through those
last four verses here in 1 Corinthians 15. As generations after generations
of God's people have stood at the bedside or graveside of a
mortal loved one, they've whispered these words to themselves, haven't
they? Oh, death, where is thy sting? Oh, grave, where is thy
victory? Oh, very soon, Very soon the
trumpets note will sound, and all those who are now with Christ
shall descend from heaven. The bodies of those now with
Christ shall be raised from the dead, and every believer that's
living shall be changed. And all of us together, all the
redeemed, of all time, all at once, are going to be caught
up. Oh my soul! And Paul said, so
shall we ever be with the Lord. No wonder he said, be ye steadfast. Should sevenfold storms of thunder
roll and shake this earth from pole to pole, no thunderbolt
shall dot my face with Jesus as my hiding place. A few more
rolling suns at most, There's nobody exempt from that. I wonder
who will be next. A few more rolling suns at most
shall land me safe on Canaan's coast, where I shall sing the
song of grace and see my glorious hiding place. And now turn to
the other text in Galatians chapter 6, much like the one here in
1 Corinthians 15 and 58. And based on the very same reason,
our victorious Savior Galatians 6 and verse 9. Let us not be weary in well doing,
for in due season, in due season, we shall reap if we faint not. This past Tuesday we stopped
by to visit Bobbie last Tuesday evening. And while we were there,
Robin and I and Roger, she tuned in the live stream of the service
there at Grace Baptist Church in Danville, Kentucky. Brother
Fred Evans was preaching. He, I think, fills the pulpit
quite a bit on Tuesday evenings. He's pastor of the Redeemer Grace
Church somewhere in Indiana, near Louisville. Sellersburg,
Sellersburg, Indiana. But anyway, his text Tuesday
night was from Hebrews 13, verses 20 and 21. His message was the
God of peace. And Fred pointed out in that
chapter, in those verses, the exhortations given. And he said,
they're there for a reason. We need to be exhorted to these
things. They're there because God's people
need reminding of, we need those exhortations, such as that in
our text. This text in Galatians 6 is a
very needful exhortation. I need to be exhorted not to
be weary. I need that. Oh my soul, I need
that. Because I grow weary. I need
to be reminded that we shall reap if we faint not. I need
that, don't you? Don't you need that? My article. I wrote, I know that you are
sometimes discouraged when you gather here in such small numbers.
Me too. Me too. You look around and you
see people flocking to other places of worship, as they're
called, where everything but worship takes place. where everything
but the gospel is declared, and it is even more disheartening,
this one hurts, when some from among us just decide to leave,
just leave, just go, just go. Oh, but remember, my brothers
and my sisters, God Almighty has a due season. That's what
our text says, in due season. If you look at the world, someone
said, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be
depressed. If you look at God, you'll be at rest. You'll be
at rest. Wary. Yes, God's people grow
wary, don't they? Wary with that journey through
this world. Like Lot, we're vexed. We're vexed with the filthy ungodly
generation in which we live. It just wears you down. We have
to pray, be on our guard, as the Lord said, because iniquity
will abound. The love of many will wax cold. Nothing seems to bother them.
We're not surprised. Oh, no, no, no. God keep me tenderhearted. But, oh, living into this world,
this ungodly world, it does vex our soul. Robin was filling out,
she got an email the other day through her phone to fill out
some forms. for a doctor she's going to see.
She said, Larry, listen to what they're asking me. They want
to know. She read it to me. Unbelievable. Do you identify as a man or a
woman? Yeah, that's the generation we're
living in. Listen, listen. This stuff is
being pushed down our throat on every hand. What is your sexual
orientation was one of the questions. Are you straight? Are you bisexual? Are you lesbian? Are you homosexual? What pronouns would you like
for us to refer to you as? He, she, both? That's utter insanity. That is utter insanity. But that's
the day in which we live. That's ungodly. That's unnatural. That's the world that we're living
in, and it vexes the child of God, just like Lot in Sodom was
vexed. That's weary, isn't it? We get
weary with the struggle with the old man. Oh, that's another
cause of weariness. Paul wrote about that in Romans
7, didn't he? We all know that. And we know
it in our hearts as well as by heart. That's a real battle. That's a real warfare. That's
a real struggle. These folks that just skip along
always, you know, it's just so fun, so fun serving Jesus. Oh, no, no. They know nothing
about a struggle with the new nature and the old nature. You
can't have a fight with just one. No, no, no. And so many
religious folks, they talk so flippantly about the Christian
life because They don't have a new nature to do battle with. Oh, but a child of God knows.
They know what that's like. That's what Paul's talking about.
Oh, wretched man that I am. And a day goes by I don't say
that to myself. Wretched man that I am. I pray.
I start today praying, God, help me not to dishonor you today.
I know I can and I know I will. I know I will. If you take your
hand off me and then when I lie down at night, I look back and
say, God, please forgive me. I've dishonored you this night.
I've just honored you, this old wretched man. And the weariness,
the weariness of having family that have absolutely no interest
in the things of God. That's wearisome, isn't it? Paul
said, I say the truth in Christ, I lie not. My conscience also
bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost. I have a great heaviness,
Paul said. I'm weary. I have great heaviness
and continual sorrow in my heart. I want my breath. to know God. I bear them record, he said,
in chapter 10. They have a zeal for God, but
it's not according to righteousness. No, no. And it's worrisome to
see your own family, your own sons, your own daughters, your
brothers and your sisters just going through the forms of religion
and don't know God from a goose. Oh, that's worrisome. Here's
the solution to each of those things. Here's your comfort. what our Lord said to his disciples.
He came down from the mountain, and there was a man that brought
his poor, demon-possessed son to the disciples that were waiting
below. And he saw Christ coming, and he came and fell down before
him and said, Master, I brought my son to your disciples. He sorely vexed, and they couldn't
cast out the devil. The Lord said, you bring him
to me. Afterwards, the disciples were embarrassed, and they said,
Lord, why couldn't we cast him out? He said, because of your
unbelief. Have faith in God. That's the
answer to all these things I mentioned. Have faith in God. God has a
due season. And we just read, in that due
season, we shall reap it we think not. Ask Lot if that's not true. Elijah, David, Peter, Paul, they
all had these struggles. These are the light common experience
of all God's people, no matter who they were, no matter where
they lived. They all had the same struggles
as you and I do, but in due season, they were brought out. They were
brought out of their trial better than they went in. Mr. Spurgeon said this, let it be
settled in your minds that you will trust only in the Lord and
keep your expectations only on Him. Come fair, come foul, come
wind, come rain, come hail, come tempest, or come all the brightness
of a fruitful summer, it shall make no difference to us. For
ours is not the confidence which changes with the weather, but
that which has its foundation among things eternal and immutable. Oh, how sweet, how sweet to hear
the promise of our Lord saying, I am the Lord, I change not in
due time. God created the heaven and the
earth. Time began in God's due time. In due time, God sent forth
his son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them
that were under the law. In due time, he called us by
his grace. His own time is the best time. And at this present time, there's
a remnant according to the election of grace, even in this present
day. And in due time, in due time. God who started time will declare
that time shall be no more and he'll send his son to gather
his elect from the four corners of the earth and heaven to bring
them home to be with him. In light of that, God help me
and you not to be weary in well doing for in his due season we're
gonna reap. We're gonna reap. life everlasting. Grace now and glory hereafter. I found, I ran across this hymn
and I'll just quote it to you and I'll be done. One of Joseph
Hart's many hymns. But the title of it was Affection
Set Above. And it was from Galatians 3 where
we read, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ setteth on the right hand of
God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Come, raise your thankful voice,
you souls redeemed with blood. Leave earth and all its toys,
and mix no more with mud. Christians are priests and kings,
all born of heavenly birth. Then think on nobler things,
and grovel not on earth. With heart and soul and mind,
exalt redeeming love. Leave worldly cares behind, and
set your minds above. Lift up your ravished eyes and
view the glory given. All lower things despise, you
are citizens of heaven. Be to this world as dead, allow
to that to come. Our life in Christ is hid, who
soon shall call us home. Dearly we're bought, highly redeemed,
redeemed with Jesus' blood, redeemed, redeemed. God bless you. Thank
you for your attention.