We shall be changed. Believer, things will not remain
as they are. You may be feeling pretty good,
you may be feeling pretty wretched, but whatever way it might be,
things will not remain as they are. We shall be changed. We know this is our future. The
Word of God has stated this as part of the mystery of Revelation. Paul said, Behold, I show you
a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed. And this will happen Instantaneously. Paul says in a moment. And that
word in the original is where we get the word Adam from. The
smallest measurement. Paul describes it as in the twinkling
of an eye. We shall be changed. I will find myself perfect. That's how I'll be changed. I'll
find myself in a sinless body that I will have eternally. We
shall be changed. There's nothing uncertain about
this. We shall be changed. In verse 50 of our text, 1 Corinthians 15, Now this I say, brethren, that
flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither does
corruption inherit incorruption. Flesh and blood speaks of fallen
humanity. It's what Paul called the body
of this death. And really only a believer understands
that. An unbeliever understands the
difficulty of being human, the trials, the troubles, the problems,
the conflicts, the sickness, the disease, the heartache. They
understand that, but an unbeliever doesn't understand this thing
of living in a body of death. It speaks more of the process
of aging than the process of aging. I mean, I'm aware of aging
more and more. I get new aches and pains. When I was young, I thought somebody
my age ought to be dead. I got past that. As far as that
goes, I thought somebody lived into their 50s. Well, they've
lived a good long life. It's about time to close her
down. I'm not simply talking, or Paul's
not talking about aging and disease and heartache. He's talking about
the ravages of sin. These sinful bodies that we live
in. It's impossible for flesh and
blood to inherit the kingdom of God. Speaking of the eternal heavenly
kingdom, the way I am, I can't enter. Neither does corruption inherit
incorruption. That's speaking of the decay
that will take place after physical death. When my body dies and
my soul is separated from my body, my body will begin to decay. decompose, it will turn into
dirt if given long enough and that cannot possibly inherit
incorruption, a body not subject to corruption. That's the only
ones that are going to be in this heavenly kingdom, those
with a body that's not even subject to corruption, not even, sin's
not possible for that body, perfect, holy. Now it's evident that flesh and
blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither does corruption
inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery. Now one of the things I love
about the word of God is the mystery of the word of God. Things that are so high, so holy,
so other, so glorious, that we could never have known them had
not God made them known in his word. This book is full of mystery. That's one of the things that's
so thrilling about it. It's filled with the mysteries
of God. The Lord had said, it's given
to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom. You know, I tried
to think about coming up to somebody who'd never heard of the God
of the Bible. And if I said to them, God is one God in three
distinct persons. Not three gods in three persons,
one God in three persons. God the Father, God the Son,
God the Holy Spirit. They said, where did you ever
come up with something like that? The Bible. That's the answer. The mystery of scriptures. Behold, I show you a mystery. Something that we could never
have known had not God made it known. It's something we can't
understand intellectually. We just believe it. That's true
with regard to all of the mysteries of the scripture. We can't give
an intellectual, comprehensive Here's what this means. It's
just something we believe. Can you explain the Trinity?
Can you explain how God can be one God in three distinct persons?
I've heard people try to make earthly illustrations. Well,
it's like water. Ice, vapor, and liquid. Same thing in three
different forms. It doesn't come close to giving
any kind of explanation of God. You can't give an explanation
of this, you can only believe. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. Paul spoke of this great mystery,
Christ in you, the hope of glory. The Lord, Paul, or Paul used
The Lord used Paul to say in Ephesians chapter 5, 32, speaking
of the two becoming one flesh, the man and woman in the marriage
relationship, the two becoming one flesh, he says, now, this
is a great mystery, but I'm speaking concerning Christ in the church.
This is not really about the marriage of a man and woman.
It's given to illustrate this relationship, this eternal union
that exists between Christ and the church. I've always been
in Christ. I've always been one with him.
How mysterious. How beyond comprehension. One with Jesus Christ. Both he
that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one. For the which cause he's not
ashamed to call them brethren. He's not ashamed of you. He's
proud of you. You're united to him. One with him. There's nothing
about you that's displeasing to him. If you're united. One
with Him, what a mystery. And then Paul says, I show you
a mystery. We shall not all sleep, and he's
talking about death. We're not gonna stay dead, but
we shall all be changed. The mystery of our future resurrection,
we shall all be changed in a moment, in an atom. In the twinkling
of an eye, there's no process involved with this. We shall
be changed. I don't know how many times I
thought, it's going to be different with
me. I'm going to change. You ever thought that? I'm going
to change. How long did it last? I'm going
to change. This is a lot better. I'm going
to be changed. all the difference in the world.
This is the work of God. I'm going to be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, I'm going to be changed. Will you recognize me? Well,
I think, but I look a lot better than I do now, I'm sure of that.
I'll be in a glorified body. I shall be changed. I will be in a body incapable
of sinning. I will be in a body that cannot
sin. I will be in a body that cannot
fall. I will be in a body incapable
of a sinful thought, incapable of pride, incapable of ingratitude. All that will be gone. We shall
be changed, perfectly conformed to the image of Christ. In a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound.
I asked Rich the other night, what kind of trumpet is that?
He said, I don't know. Back then it was a horn, but
since this is a future event, it might be some kind of super
trumpet that ain't even been invented yet. And it's gonna
be something that's gonna wake the dead, I know that. This trumpet,
this last trump shall sound, and the dead shall be raised,
incorruptible, and we shall be changed. Let me remind you, whatever's
going on now, it's not gonna remain that way. This is God's promise to every
believer. We shall be changed. And look what he says in verse
53. For this corruptible must. Now don't miss that word. That
means it's necessary. It's necessary. This corruptible
must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality. Now why the word must? Why is
this an absolute necessary? Listen to this scripture and
this will answer that question. For whom he did foreknow, them
he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
Son. That is why this is necessary.
It's God's eternal purpose. Let me quote it to you again.
for whom he did foreknow, not what he foreknew, whom he did
foreknow. Them he also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brethren. That is why it is necessary. It's the eternal purpose of God
Almighty. Now this work of Christ, this
great end of Christ and his death on the cross was to purchase
this for those God purposed it for. It is, is it, question,
is it necessary for one that God elected to have this end? Absolutely. Is it necessary for
one that Jesus Christ died for to have this end, to be perfectly
conformed to the image of Christ? Absolutely. Is it necessary that
one that God the Holy Spirit has given life to, is it absolutely
necessary that they be conformed to the image of His Son, that
this is their future? Yes, it is absolutely necessary,
and it's just as necessary for this corruption to put on incorruption
and this mortal to put on immortality. This is what takes place in the
resurrection. I'd love to think about this. I don't have any
consciousness. I guess my soul's with the Lord.
I don't know about my body. I know he doesn't have any consciousness. All of a sudden, raised from
the dead. to an inheritance, undefiled,
incorruptible, that fadeth not away. Verse 54. So, when this corruptible, not if
this corruptible, but 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. Now let's look at where this
is written in Isaiah chapter 25. Would you turn with me there? Isaiah chapter 25, verse six. And in this mountain, and as we go on reading, I think
you're going to see that it's talking about Mount Calvary.
This mountain. In this mountain shall the Lord
of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast
of wines on the leaves, of fat things full of marrow, of wines
on the leaves well refined, And he will destroy in this mountain
the face of the covering cast over all people. It will be removed. And the veil that spread over
all nations, he will swallow up death in victory. That's what's gonna happen on
this mountain. When the wrath of God fell down upon him, he
swallowed it up. And it is no more, it's gone.
He will swallow up death in victory, and the Lord God will wipe away
tears from off all faces, and the rebuke of his people shall
he take away from off all the earth. There's now nothing to
rebuke them for, the sin has been removed, for the Lord hath
spoken it." Death is swallowed up in victory. Back to our text. First Corinthians 15. Let's read verse 54 again. So, when
this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal
shall put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written. And you can count on this. Every
saying that's written shall be brought to pass. And here's what
it is. is swallowed up in victory. Now, Paul makes these amazing
statements in verses 55 and 56. He challenges death. Oh, death,
where is thy sting? Oh, 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. Now, unless the
Lord comes back in our lifetime, we're all going to die. Just think about that. If the
doctor said, you're gonna die. Oh no, well, doctor doesn't need
to tell you that, you're gonna die. If the Lord doesn't come back
in our lifetime, we all shall die. Have you ever lost a loved
one? What sting there is in that? A woman puts her husband in the
grave, her companion for life that she loves so dearly, he's
no more. What sting there is in that?
A man puts his wife in the grave, his soulmate, Gone, now all alone,
separated. What sting there is in that?
When children put their parents in the grave, we're now orphans,
they're gone. The people who loved us, the
people who took care of us, they're gone. What sting there is in
that? What if you're a parent that has to bury your child?
Some have experienced that. What sting there must be in that? The sting. of death, and there's
a sting in death. It's a difficult time. Every
time I look at a body where the life is gone, it's such a sobering
thing. There was once a vibrant life
in that body with thoughts and plans and aspirations, and now
there's nothing there. The person's gone. The body is
dead. What a sting there is in that. And yet Paul says in this challenging
term, oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy
victory? Now the sting of death, Paul
tells us in verse 56 is sin. He died of cancer, no he died
of sin. He died of heart disease, no he didn't, he died of sin.
You're going to die because you're a sinner. I remember one time
preaching a funeral for someone, and I don't remember who it was
right now, but I said the reason so and so died is because they're
sinners. And the funeral director came
to me and said, I've never heard that in my life. The reason they
died is because of sin? Well, that's the reason I'm going
to die. That's the reason you're going to die. The sting of death, the
cause of death is sin. Paul said in Romans chapter 5
verse 20 that a sin hath reigned unto death. Now what's that mean? That means that no matter what
you do, you can't prevent death. You can live more healthy than
anybody to ever live. You can eat nothing but that
which is perfect. You can take care of yourself,
get plenty of sleep, do all the stuff people do to try to stay
healthy, and it will do absolutely nothing in preventing death.
You're still going to die. Why? Because of sin. There's no avoiding of death.
Sin hath reigned unto death. There's not one thing you can
do to stop it. You'll remember that the Lord
said to Adam in the garden, in the day you eat thereof, you
shall surely die. That's spiritual death. And that
will end in physical death. And that will end in eternal
death. If the Lord doesn't do something for us. The sting of
death is sin. And then he makes this amazing
statement that only someone taught of God can understand. The strength
of sin is the law. Now, we naturally think, now,
how can the str... It's the law that prevents sin.
It's the law that makes people afraid to sin. They're afraid
of the punishment that's annexed with it. And that's going to
keep them avoiding sin and trying to stay away from sin. And that's
not what Paul says. Paul says the strength of sin
is the law. Now, what in the world does that
mean? The strength of sin, the power of sin is the law. Thou shalt have no other gods
before me. Every time I sin, I put something
before God. Is that so? Every time I sin,
I put something before God. The commandment against graven
images. How many times have you tried
to reinvent God so you could be comfortable with him? a God
that you're all right with, or a God that other people will
be all right with. And thus we make an idol. Every time I take the Lord's
name in my mouth, even when I'm preaching, I know that if I took
his name, it's in vain. I've never used the proper reverence.
I've never had the proper respect. I've never had the proper fear.
Holy and reverend is his name. And every time I say his name,
I am aware of taking his name in vain. When I say his name
now in preaching this message, I do not have the proper reverence. And the Lord is so glorious and
holy that to take his name in vain is a sin that calls for
damnation. Now you think of what a glorious
being He is. That's so. The strength of sin
is the law. Remember the Sabbath day to keep
it holy don't work. Have you ever in your experience
perfectly rested and not worked and trust Jesus Christ alone? Now we try to but the flesh is
always there. There's always something that
comes up. Fights against that. Thou shalt not kill. I've never murdered anybody.
Well, I guarantee you, you've murdered somebody's character.
You've misrepresented them. Or you've murdered somebody even
by not taking up for them or remaining silent when you should
have defended them. That's murdering somebody's character.
Being angry, the Lord says, without a cause. Being jealous of somebody. is murdering him. That's what
the Lord said in the Sermon on the Mount, to be angry at your
brother without a cause. Now, as I'm going over the commandments,
I can see I've not kept one of them. Thou shalt not commit adultery. All sexual sin is forbidden,
not only in the act, but in the mind. Thou shalt not bear false
witness. My conscience tells me that everything
I've ever said, I'm always bearing false witness. Even if everything
I say is true, I realize I'm saying it in such a way to make
me look better, make somebody else look worse. Are you really
that bad? Yeah, I am. I am. You are too,
whether you know it or not. You see, the strength of sin
is the law. All the law does is show me that I haven't kept
one commandment one single time. Thou shalt not steal. How many
times have you tried to rob glory from God? I'm not even talking
about shoplifting right now. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt
not covet. You're to be perfectly content and perfectly satisfied. The strength of sin is the law. All the law does is condemn. And so as long as I'm under law,
I'm under the power and authority and strength of sin. Turn to
Romans chapter seven and Paul tells us of his experience. The
strength of sin is the law. Verse seven. Now he'd been talking
about believers being freed from the law. And he says in verse
seven, what shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. You know, with regard to God's
holy law, the Ten Commandments, I love the Ten Commandments.
I love the high and holy and glorious way they speak of the
Lord. I love God's law. I'm not looking for an excuse
to break God's law. Oh, I'm under grace now. No,
I love God's holy law. Now, is the law my problem? No,
I'm my problem. The law's holy, righteous, just,
and good. Now, go on reading. Verse seven,
what shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but
by the law. For I had not known lust, except
the law said, Thou shalt not covet." Tenth Commandment. Remember where Paul said covetousness
is idolatry? There is an element of covetousness
in every single sin. Wasn't Adam and Eve coveting
God's place when they ate the fruit, thinking they would be
as God out from under His authority? Covetousness is in every sin,
and covetousness can't be prevented. If I say don't covet that, what
are you gonna do? You're gonna covet it. The strength of sin is the
law. Verse eight, but sin, taking
occasion, using as a basis of operation, the commandment, that's
a military term. We set up a fort. Here's where
we're gonna put our fort for our operations. But sin, taking
occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence,
evil desire. Now for without the law, sin
was dead. I didn't even know I was a sinner.
For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment
came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment which was
ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking
occasion, making this its base of operations by the law, by
the commandment, deceive me. And by it slew me, wherefore
the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made
death unto me? Is that which is good the cause
of my death? God forbid, but sin, that it might appear sin. working death in me by that which
is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. Now all the law does is condemn. That's all it can do. Paul said
in Romans chapter three, verse 19, turn with me there. Romans chapter
three, verse 19, now we know That what thing soever
the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, that every
mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before
God. Therefore, by the deeds of the
law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. For by
the law is the knowledge of sin. And this is what he means when
he says the strength of sin is the law. I love what Paul said
to the Galatians, tell me that you desire to be under the law.
Don't you hear what it says? The strength of sin is the law. But here is the gospel. The sting
of death has been put away because the cause of death has been put
away. Jesus Christ swallowed up death
in victory. I can now look at God's holy,
righteous, perfect law and know that I've kept it perfectly in
my beloved Savior and that I stand before God without guilt. The law has nothing to condemn
me for. The Lord said, think not that
I've come to do away with the law. I came not to take it away,
but to fulfill it. And He fulfilled it perfectly
and completely. And the sting of death has been
taken away. The strength of sin, the law,
has been satisfied. Now look what He says about this
back in our text in 1 Corinthians 15. Verses 55 and 56, 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. Thanks be to God, which giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, when we think
of victories, we think of, I did something to win. In sports, the teams won the
victory. I didn't. But here, I am given
the victory. It's my victory through the Lord
Jesus Christ. Now, as we stand before God perfectly
conformed to the Lord Jesus Christ, inside and out, sinless, glorified
bodies, then we'll understand more clearly how that salvation
is of the Lord. I believe it with all my heart
right now. Salvation is of the Lord in every aspect. But then,
I'll see it much more clearly. As the songwriter said, when
I stand before thy throne, dressed in beauty not my own, when I
see thee as thou art, love thee with unsinning heart. Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
not till then, how much I owe. Thanks be unto God, which giveth
us freely. Oh, it cost Him dearly, but it's
given to us freely. This is the victory that overcometh
the world, even our faith. We're more than conquerors, the
scripture says, hyper-conquerors. through him that loved us. Thanks
be unto God which always causes us to triumph in Christ. I have heard people use the term
a defeated Christian or living a defeated Christian life. There
is no such thing God has given us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ. Victory over sin, victory over
death, victory over the grave. They may put me in the grave,
but it's not gonna hold me. I'm gonna be raised incorruptible. Verse 58, My beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, don't be moved,
unmovable in the gospel, always abounding in the work of the
Lord. Now is this just speaking to
pastors? I'm doing the works of the Lord.
I'm preaching. I'm preparing messages. Is that
just speaking of men who do that? No, that's talking about every
believer abounding in the work of the Lord. Now, I was thinking
two times, Paul said, be not weary in well-doing. Don't be weary in that. You know,
even being here tonight, It's well-doing. It's encouragement
to me. You're encouragement to others. Be not weary in anything
associated with the gospel. Be not weary in well-doing, in
loving the brethren. Be not weary in well-doing, in
hearing the gospel, in preaching the gospel, in supporting the
gospel. Be not weary in well-doing, for
in due season we shall reap. If we faint not, then that's
the promise here. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast
because you shall be changed. This is God's promise. 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. I may feel like something's in
vain, quite often I do, but it's never in vain in the Lord. Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you for the
victory that you've given us in the Lord Jesus Christ. How we thank you that we shall
be changed, that our bodies will be raised incorruptible, that
we'll behold your face in righteousness, being satisfied to awaken your
likeness. Lord, the thought of resurrection,
how thankful we are. Lord, would you give us the grace
to always abound in thy work, thy gospel, in whatever way you
send to us. Because we have this blessed
assurance, our labor is not in vain in the Lord. How we thank you for the victory
that you've given. How we thank you that you swallowed
up death and made us more than conquerors through him that loved
us. Bless us for Christ's sake. In his name we pray, amen. After
the hymn, we're gonna have a get together for Courtney