We'll be taking our text from
the verses we read in 1 Corinthians 15. But first, first, let's go
to Matthew's Gospel, chapter 27. Matthew chapter 27. Let this serve as sort of an
introduction to our message. The title of the message is Our
Living Savior. Our Living Savior. Our Lord came down from the Mount
of Transfiguration, and when he came down, he found
the eight disciples, eight or nine disciples, that he had left
at the foot of the mountain while he went there with Peter and
James and John to pray and to converse with Moses and Elijah
concerning that great work of redemption that he should accomplish. That's the word that's used at
Jerusalem. But as he came back down, he
found his disciples surrounded by scribes being questioned concerning
this father's son, lunatic, that could not be healed by the disciples. The father cries out, Lord, I
brought him to your disciples and they couldn't heal him. Please
help us, the father said. Please help us. And our Lord
said, if you can't believe, All things are possible to those
who believe. And you remember what that father
said. He cried out, Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief. Can both those exist in the same
heart, belief and unbelief? Absolutely. And in considering
this message in our living Savior, I thought to myself, I'm much
like that father was, this mixture of belief and unbelief. because
often I live and act like I don't have a living Savior, that I
don't have one who is risen and ascended back to glory, that
I don't have a very present help in time of need. That's just so. That's just so. God forgive me, but that's a
fact nonetheless. Here in Matthew chapter 27, The Pharisees, in verse 62, after
our Lord's been crucified, after he's already been put in the
tomb, they're still not satisfied.
They're still not content. Verse 62 of Matthew 27, now the
next day that followed, the day of preparation, The chief priests
and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember
that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, after three
days I will rise again. Command, therefore, that the
sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples
come by night and steal him away, and say unto the people, He's
risen from the dead, so that the last era shall be worse than
the first. You remember at our Lord's trial,
that mockery of a trial, this thing that they confessed to
Pilate that he said, on that occasion, they pretended that
he did. Remember? They got false witnesses to say,
well, we heard that man say, that deceiver, that he will destroy
the temple, and in three days raise it up. They were willing
to take a liar's word against he who was the truth. But now
on this occasion, it serves them better to confess what on that
occasion they denied knowing, although they did. That deceiver
said, after three days he shall rise again from the dead. Our
Lord spoke that plainly. Plainly in John's Gospel, chapter
2, he told them, destroy this temple and in three days I'll
raise it up again. And they said, how can that be? This was more than 40 years in
the building and you're going to raise it up in three days?
And he spoke concerning the temple of his body. He spoke plainly
of that to his enemies, and he spoke that also to his disciples. The closer the time came for
his offering up himself to the Father, the more often he seemed
to speak of that. We're going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men, and they'll
mock him, they'll spit up on him, and they'll crucify him. But he didn't stop there, did
he? He said, after three days, I'll rise again. In verse 64
of Matthew 27, they say, he claimed that he
would rise again, his disciples may steal his body, and then
the claim that he made, this that they may claim afterwards
that it really happened, that it's really taken place, that'll
cause more harm than the original claim of his rising from the
dead. And all we've done, they said,
will be for nothing. Everything we've done will be
for naught. Well, they were exactly right.
They were right on that point. All they'd done was for naught. God used them, as a matter of
fact, to accomplish his purpose concerning his son. The psalmist
said, surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, and the remainder
of wrath shalt thou restrain. God says, my counsel shall stand
and I shall do all my pleasure. There's no question about that.
There's no question about that. If he's God, he'll do all his
pleasure. One hymn writer put it like this,
great is the mystery, truly great, that hell's designs should hell
defeat. But here eternal wisdom shines,
for Satan works what God designs." Oh, how that must irritate the
devil. For Satan works what God designs. Paul said, all the depths. both
of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are His
judgments and His ways past finding out. You have an example of it
right here. But look at verse 65. This is Pilate's answer to them. This is one of those occasions,
and you have them in Scripture. where even the enemies of our
Lord said more than they intended to, like Caiaphas. Remember when
he said, it's better that one die for the nation than we all
be destroyed. Pilate says here to their request,
you have a watch, I'll give you the soldiers at your request.
Go your way, make it as sure as you can. Make it as sure as
you can. Almost prophetic words, aren't
they? And they did. They did. They made it as sure
as they could, verse 66, so they went and made the sepulchre sure,
sealing the tomb and setting a watch. And everything they
did, everything, redounded to the glory of God. They did, whether
they did their best or did their worst, it all redounded to the
glory of God who said, my counsel shall stand. My will prevails. My will prevails over the will
of all creatures, be angels, devils, or men. My will shall
prevail. Now look down at verse 5 of chapter
28 in Matthew. You know the story, you're familiar
with it. the two Marys come to the tomb because when his body
was taken down from the cross and Joseph took it to put in
his tomb, they hurriedly prepared his body for burial. And because
the Sabbath was drawing on, they had to stop. So now they come
back to finish preparing his body. Mary Magdalene and another
Mary. But in verse 5, the angel answered
and said unto the women, Fear not ye, for I know that ye seek
Jesus which was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen,
as he said, come see the place where the Lord lay. He's no longer
here. He's not here anymore. This same
Jesus that three days ago you saw die, this same Jesus that
your hands handled, his limp, lifeless body, that one who said,
I'm the resurrection and the life, him, that one who stood before the
tomb of Lazarus, and said, come forth, and that one who had been
dead four days came forth, that Jesus, yeah, he's not here. They had prepared his body, Joseph
laid it in the tomb, but now the angel says, I know you seek
him. You can see where he was, where
he laid, but he's not here anymore. That same Jesus, that Joseph
was told by the angel to give him that name because, especially,
because he shall save his people from their sins. That same very
Jesus who said, except a corn of wheat falling to the ground
and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth
much fruit, without a doubt. The only savior for sinners,
the only hope of salvation, the angel says he is not here. He's risen. Joseph of Arimathea,
it was his tomb that had never been used before that our Lord
was put in temporarily. He can have it back now. It was
only borrowed. It was only temporary. And brothers
and sisters, so it is with you and I. We remember when we read
in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 20, now is Christ risen from the
dead and become the firstfruits of them that slept. Our grave,
too, will be only temporary. He's the firstfruits. That means
there must be a second. If he's the first, there must
be a second. Wherever the head is, the body
must follow and will follow. He's the firstborn. We read in Scripture that Christ
is the firstborn of many brethren. In heaven there's a multitude,
John saw that none could number. Our blessed Redeemer wears a
glorious crown. As the prophet said in Isaiah
53, we referred to it this morning. That's where the eunuch was reading
from. when Philip spoke to him and expounded unto him from that
passage Jesus. But among the things the prophet
said was also this, he shall see of the travail of his soul
and be satisfied. It's amazing, in a sense, how
people read verses like that and just hurry over them. But
could words be plainer? He shall see of the travail of
his soul. The fruit of his death will bring
forth that many brethren. How many will be in heaven? How
many people will be in heaven? All that the Father gave him.
That's what he said, didn't he? All, all. I'll lose none. All that the Father giveth me,
he said, shall come to me. And him that cometh unto me,
I will in no wise cast out. Where I came down from heaven,
not on a hope so, not on a maybe. How degrading such talk is of
the omnipotent, omniscient God. God who knows everything. Knows
the beginning from the end would send his son on a possibility? Well, of course not. That's a
reflection on every attribute of the triune God. His power,
His wisdom, His mercy, His justice, His grace. Oh no. Christ said,
I came down from heaven for a purpose, on a mission. to do the will
of my Father. And this is the will of my Father
which is sent to me, that of all which He hath given me,"
John chapter 6, I should lose none, none, but raise them up
again at the last day as He prayed. His will was that all that the
Father had given Him should be with Him, that they might behold
His glory. Look again at verse 6 of Matthew
28. He is not here, for He is risen. My soul, I can only imagine how that must have sounded to
the hearts of these dear women that had ministered unto Him,
that had prepared His body for burial. The message is, he's
no longer here. He is risen. What glorious news! As we said
earlier, everything stands or falls. Our most holy faith stands
or falls upon this. If Christ be not risen from the
dead, we don't have anything to believe in. We don't have
any reason to believe that he wasn't an imposter, a deceiver,
because this is the very thing that proves every claim that
he made to be the Son of God. This is the very thing that proves
the evidence of his accomplishment of eternal redemption for his
people, the fact that he rose from the dead. Yes, as he said
to his disciples. I'll rise again." Even as he
said to his enemies, the angel says, he is risen as he said. As he said, as he often said.
And Jesus always keeps his word, doesn't he? Jesus said, I'm the
truth. That one who was in the beginning
with God, the word, the eternal word, that was made flesh and
dwelt among us, he always keeps his word. He cannot lie. And we cannot trust him too much,
can we? Now, that's one thing we don't
need to have a concern about. We cannot trust him too much. Remember what Joshua said. When
he had become an old man and was ready to go the way of all
flesh, he called the leaders of the children of Israel around
him and said, you're my witnesses. You're a witness of this, that
of all that God has promised us, when we came out of Egypt
those many years ago, everything that God has promised us You
remember what Joshua said? Not one word has failed, Mike. Not one word has failed. And every child of God can say
that. It's grace that's brought us
right up to this very point, and in all honesty, how many
times have we all thought, I won't make it, won't get through it. This is too heavy. This is too
hard. This is too much. But here we
stand on the other side of that trial, and it's grace that brought
us safe thus far. And it's grace that's going to
lead us all the way to glory. Because He who is the embodiment
of grace, the very personification of grace, is the one who leads
His dear children along. Mr. Newton, John Newton, he said
this. It will not be a burden to me
at the hour of my death that I thought too highly of Jesus
Christ, or expected too much from him, or recommended him
too much to others." He says, that won't be a burden. When
I'm getting ready to cross out of this world into eternity,
it won't be a burden to me that I thought too much of him or
trusted him too much or recommended him to others too much. No, he
said, it'll be the contrary, that I trusted him so little,
that I didn't speak more highly of him. Oh, that will be the
thing. Old Newton and that famous hymn
we sometimes sing, one of my favorites. When I first heard
that after God saved me, I'd heard it before, probably many
times when I was lost, didn't mean a thing to me. Didn't have
a clue, didn't care. Oh, but then when God granted
me that amazing grace Newton wrote about, I heard that, him. Really, for the first time, and
I thought, oh, that is so right. That old boy has hit the nail
on the head. That's me. That's me. I'm that
rebel. Amazing grace sought me. Amazing
grace opened my blinded eyes. But included in that hymn, Newton
said, when we've been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the
sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first
begun. When this journey is over, and God has gathered all of his
chosen home to the Father's house, all the redeemed are with their
glorious Redeemer, and they behold him who loved them and gave himself
for them. It will be their united testimony. He have done all things well.
He have done all things well. We'll look from that vantage
point, from that perspective, in such a way that we just can't
now, but then we'll see. not through a glass darkly. Oh,
it was well with my soul. He worked everything together
for my good. He had done all things well.
Oh, that God would give me grace to say that now. The angel told
the women, go quickly. Verse 7 of Matthew 28, go quickly. and tell his disciples that he's
risen from the dead. Hurry. Hurry. Go tell those 11. They're hiding in an upper room,
perhaps that same upper room where the Lord took the bread
and the wine and instituted the Lord's Supper. But they're there
for fear of the Jews. My soul, what's going to become
of us? When he was with us, we were
safe. When the captain of our salvation was with us, we had
nothing to fear. Oh, but now he's gone. What will
become of us? Go tell them the good news. Be
quick about it. Go tell them there's no more
need for them to fear or be sorrowful. No more need for them to mourn. They don't need to mourn anymore,
for He has risen from the dead, as He said. Remember what He told His disciples
that night, just before He went to the garden and was arrested?
He said, the world shall rejoice, but you'll have sorrow. you'll
have sorrow. The world will rejoice and oh,
didn't they rejoice on Mount Calvary. My soul, can you imagine the vilest criminal. They wouldn't
act that way witnessing the execution of somebody like Charles Manson,
that murdering People wouldn't act like that.
Oh, no, that's inhumane. That's inhumane. They wouldn't
mock and make fun. Come down from the... They did
on Calvary, didn't they? Come on down from the cross.
That deceiver said he could save others. Why don't he save himself?
Hey, you that build the temple in three days after it's destroyed,
why don't you come on down? Imagine that. The world shall
rejoice and ye shall be sorrowful, ye shall lament. But he didn't
stop there, did he? He said, but. Your sorrow, John
16, shall be turned into joy. Your sorrow shall be turned into
joy. Go tell my disciples. Go tell
them. He's risen from the dead. And
it's true. What our Lord said to his disciples
is true of you and I often. We now have sorrow. Yes, we now
have sorrow. But his promise is also true
to us. But I will see you again. That's
what he told them. But I will see you again and
your sorrow will turn into joy and your joy no man, no man can
take from you. No one can take the joy that
I shall give you. Verse 1 of chapter 28 in Matthew. We're told, as it began to dawn
toward the first day of the week, in the end of the Sabbath, as
it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. As it began to dawn,
oh, they were soon to find out that was the dawning of a new
day, wasn't it? As it began to dawn toward the
Sabbath, is the literal reading. In the end of the Sabbath, as
it began to dawn toward the Sabbath. The Sabbath of rest. The Sabbath of Jesus Christ,
our Sabbath. Entering into Him who is our
rest. The dawning of a new day. He arose from the grave. the
first fruits and guarantees the resurrection of all those for
whom he died and rose again. One hymn writer put it like this. What a day that will be when
my Jesus I shall see. And I look upon the face of the
one who saved me by his grace What a glorious day that will
be, and your heart shall rejoice. Now let's look at verse 20 of
1 Corinthians 15. But now is Christ risen from
the dead and become the firstfruits of them that slept. There's that
word again, Lord. That little three-letter word,
but. just as it does in the context
of this chapter. It changes everything. You were
dead in trespasses and sins, but God, who is rich in grace,
hath quickened us together with Christ. But, Paul says, another
declaration of God's mercy. Another declaration of God's
will. Not man's, but God's. But now
is Christ risen? This is the answer. This is the
truth against all those lies that people were saying. The fact that he had not risen
from the dead. As we mentioned in the reading
and you read with me, if that's so, then this is so too. If Christ be not risen from the
dead, verse 14, then is our preaching vain." I'm wasting my time here. If Christ didn't rise from the
dead, this is an empty, futile thing
we're doing here. And look what he says in verse
15. "'Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we
have testified of God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised
not up, if so be that the dead rise not.'" But more than that,
look at verse 17. And if Christ be not raised,
your faith is vain. It's empty. It's empty. You don't
have an object for your faith. The object of our faith is the
Lamb of God. Behold the Lamb of God. But if
He be not risen, our faith has no object. We don't have any
faith. Our faith is vain. Ye are yet in your sins. You are yet in your sins. Why?
Because if Christ be not risen from the dead, that means that
God did not accept His sacrifice. That's exactly so. That means
that atonement was not made. It means that redemption was
not accomplished. It means that our sins have not
been put away and never will be put away. That's why Paul
says in verse 18, if these things were so, Those which are fallen
asleep in Christ are perished. They're in hell because they
died in their sin. Oh, how refreshing in the light
of that to come to our text. But, but, that's not so. That's not true. Wash it all
away with this blessed truth. Now is Christ risen from the
dead. At this very moment. None of those things can be.
They can never be because Christ arose from the dead. He has arisen
with healing in his wings. And he has the dew of youth,
the psalmist says, the glory of the morning. But, Paul says,
all these things cannot be. Child of God, we're not yet in
our sins. Oh, no. Because he bored them
all away, Mike. He bored them all away. He satisfied
divine justice. He satisfied every claim God's
holy law had against us. He fully paid the debt. Isn't it nice? It's nice. When you've been making payments
on something 36 months, or 48 months, or 72 months,
or whatever. They say, oh, easy payment. Well,
it's not so easy. It's easy to sign your name,
but it's another thing doing it. It's always refreshing. It's a delight when you make
that last payment And they stamp on her, paid in full. You got that right. Paid in full. Nice feeling. Oh, Jesus Christ
took our sins and His own body on the tree and He nailed them
to the cross. He paid the debt. Paid in full. Paid in full. And God says, I
can demand no more. I'm satisfied. They're free. They're free. Oh, hallelujah. What a Savior. This is what Paul
said. Look if you will in Galatians.
Galatians chapter 2. This is exactly what Paul writes
here. Galatians chapter 2 and so many
other places. But here in Galatians 2 verse
12. Speaking of our Redeemer, Paul says, "...buried with him
in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith
of the operation of God who had raised him from the dead." And
you being dead in your sins, sounds like a pretty helpless
state, doesn't it? Sounds like a state that we couldn't
get ourselves out of. You being dead in your sins and
the uncircumcision of your flesh, had he quickened. Do we have
life? We didn't give it to ourselves.
Had he quickened together with him, one with him, having forgiven
you, what's that say? All trespasses. Past, present,
and future. All trespasses. Blotting out
the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was
contrary to us, and took it out of the way, knelling it to his
cross, and having spoiled, the word is disarmed. Disarmed. Having disarmed principalities
and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over
them in it. Oh yes, just like he said. Just
like he said. I go to lay down my life for
the sheep. And if I lay it down, I'll take
it up again. His resurrection proves God's
acceptance and satisfaction with his son's offering himself to
God. He offered himself not to us. No, no, no. Atonement was made
on our behalf for us, but he offered himself to God. God demanded payment. God demanded
atonement. God demanded satisfaction. And
he got it. And he proved that he was satisfied
when he rose Jesus Christ from the dead. That's what Paul says
in Romans chapter 1. declared to be the Son of God
with power by the resurrection from the dead in Philippians
2, because Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. So how does God do that? Therefore,
God had highly exalted him. and given Him a name above every
name that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every
tongue confess that He is the Christ to the glory of God the
Father. You remember when our Lord came
to the River Jordan where John was baptizing as our representative, as our
substitute, one with his people. He came there to be baptized.
His baptism is a picture of what he was going to do. And remember,
after he was baptized, what happened? Of course, the clouds departed. A dove descends and lights on
him and God speaks and says, this is my beloved son. This
is my beloved son in whom I am well Pleased, well pleased. And by the action, God's action,
of raising Christ from the dead, He spoke just as clearly and
with just as much finality as that day at the Jordan when He
said, this is My Son, I am pleased in Him. When He raised Him from
the dead, He was saying, this is My Son, I am pleased with
Him. I accept His sacrifice. It's
done. The great transaction's done. I am my Lord's and he is mine. Galatians 3 and 13, Christ hath
redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for
us. These are all statements of fact. These are all glorious truths,
blessed certainties. There's no elbow room in there,
Louie, for maybes or perchance. No, no, no. Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law and payment God cannot twice
demand. No. He can, he won't be against
his own holy will. nature. Payment God cannot twice
demand. First at my bleeding surety's
hand and then again at mine. Oh no. That's why it's such a
comfort when we sing a hymn like Jesus paid it all. That's exactly
what he did. He paid it all. You remember
a leper came to our Lord One time, well, many leopards came
to him. On this occasion in Mark chapter
1, a leopard came to him and bowed down. Lord, if you will,
you can make me clean. And he touched him. He touched
him and said, I will. And he was cleansed. And he said,
now you go show yourself to the priest. for a witness, for a testimony,
and all for those sacrifices that Moses commanded. You know
what that sacrifice for the cleansed leopard was? He would go to the
priest, the priest would look at him, and if he was cleansed,
he would take two birds. And he would hold one bird over
a bow, kill it. cut his throat and catch
the blood in that bowl, in that earthen vessel. The other bird,
the living bird, he would dip into the blood of that slain
bird. And the law instructed him to
take that bird, dipped in blood, the living bird, out into an
open field and let it go. What a beautiful picture of redemption.
Can you just picture that bird flying through the air with the
blood of that sacrificed bird dripping from his wings? Oh,
redeemed! Redeemed! How I love to proclaim it, brother
of the Lord. Redeemed by the blood of the
Lamb. His child redeemed, rather, through
His infinite mercy. His child and forever I am. Believers will never perish. His resurrection, as we read
here in 1 Corinthians 15, guarantees our resurrection. Absent from
the body, Paul said, present with the Lord. We know if our
earthly house of this tabernacle were designed, we have a building
made of God, eternal in the heavens. Remember what that thief heard,
that dying thief. So that man in just a matter
of moments was going out into eternity, Mike, to face God Almighty,
that thief, that rebel. But amazing grace snatched him
as a brand from the burning. He was dangling right over the
fire. But he who is mighty to save
reached out with his arm of omnipotent grace and picked him up and said,
today you'll be with me in paradise. And when our Redeemer cried,
it is finished, I've redeemed all those you gave me to redeem.
I bore their sins all away." That included that thief. And
that day, he entered into paradise on the arm of our victorious,
blessed substitute, a trophy of his mighty grace. Entered
in through the gates into the city. And he's been there ever
since, that thief, praising our God and crying, worthy is the
Lamb. But now is Christ risen from
the dead. He that loved me and gave himself
for me now intercedes for me. Turn, if you will, for a moment.
Hebrews chapter 7. Hebrews chapter 7. A dead Christ can't save anybody. Dead Christ can't save anyone.
Oh, it's a living Redeemer that ever lives. We read here in Hebrews
chapter 7 verse 22. By so much more was Jesus made
the surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests
because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death.
That's why there were more than one, replaced and replaced. But
this man, the God-man, because he continued with ever, have
an unchangeable priesthood, don't need any more. Wherefore he is
able also to save them to the uttermost, someone said from
the guttermost to the uttermost, as much as they need saving.
that cometh unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth, he ever
liveth, to make intercession for them. John, I am he that
liveth, was dead. Behold, I am alive forevermore. And because I live, ye shall
live also." Now is Christ risen from the dead. Where does now
find you? brother or sister in Christ.
Where does now find you at this moment? Heavy-hearted? Troubled? Cast down? Now finds your Redeemer. You're
all in all. Your forerunner that's entered
into heaven for you on the throne of omnipotent grace and power,
making intercession for us. That's where now is. For him,
now he watches over his own. Now he cares for his sheep. Now,
now. He appears in the presence of
God for us. One more place, and we'll wrap
this up. Hebrews chapter 4. If that's
so, if now is Christ risen from the dead, and became the first
fruits of those that slept. If at this very moment that you
and I gather here at a few minutes before seven, we're regulated
by time, but he who is from everlasting to everlasting As we gather here, our glorious high priest sets
upon a throne of grace. He's risen. He's alive forevermore,
and he sets upon a throne of grace with all the grace this
sinner needs, all the mercy, and that's a lot. That's a lot. And he has it. Verse 14 of Hebrews
4. Seeing then that we have a great
high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of
God, let us hold fast our profession. We have all the reason to. For
we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the filling
of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin. So what should we do? If that's
so, and it is, what should we do? Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find
grace to help in time of need. We have a Savior, a Redeemer,
who is also our elder brother. He can be touched as we mentioned
this morning. Oh, how many times Has he touched the heart of this
poor, doubting, doubting believer? How many times, bless his name, he ever abideth faithful, even
when I'm not? A hymn in our hymnal asks this
question. Does Jesus care when my heart
is pained too deeply for mirth and song? As the burdens press
and the cares distress and the way grows weary and long? Does
Jesus care when my way is dark with a nameless dread and fear? As the daylight fades into deep
dark shades, does he care enough to be near? Oh yes, we say he'll
never leave us or forsake us, but then we think, oh, where's
he at? Where's he at? And we go and look, perhaps unload
our burdens to everybody but him. Any ear that'll listen. And he says, come to me. The
hymn writer went on and asked, does Jesus care when I've said
goodbye to the dearest on earth to me and my sad heart aches
till it nearly breaks? Is it ought to Him? Does He see? And bless God, I'm glad they
wrote this. The chorus says, oh yes, He cares. I know He cares. His heart is
touched with my grief. When the days are weary, the
long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares. That's just what
we read in Hebrews 4. Let us therefore come boldly
to the throne of grace, that we may find grace, that we may
obtain mercy, rather, and find grace to help in time of need. Look again, if you will, in 1
Corinthians 15, the last few verses in this chapter, and we'll
close by reading them. 1 Corinthians 15. Paul, on the foundation, that
solid foundation of yes, now, Christ is risen, triumphantly,
he says, behold, verse 51, behold, I'll show you a mystery. We shall
not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. Oh, bless God. Changed, oh yes. One day we'll
be changed to be like Him. 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. O
Death, where is thy sting? Only a believer, only a believer
can do this. O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory? 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. Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work
of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in
vain in the Lord. God bless you. Amen.