The Resurrection of the Dead #2

Q: What does the Bible say about the resurrection of the dead?

The Bible teaches that at the resurrection, believers will receive glorified bodies, similar to Christ's resurrected body. The Bible presents a profound truth about the resurrection of the dead, especially in 1 Corinthians 15. Paul addresses the skepticism surrounding the resurrection when he states that the body that is sown is not the same as the resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:37). He draws a parallel between the seed that must die in order to bring forth new life and the human body, which must also die to be raised in glory. As believers, we are assured that although we may return to dust, God will give us a glorified body that is free from corruption, dishonor, and weakness (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). This transformation is rooted in the power of God, who not only created the world but also orchestrates our resurrection.

Q: How do we know the resurrection of the dead is true?

The truth of the resurrection is rooted in the power of God and the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ as the firstfruits. The resurrection of the dead is affirmed by the authority of Scripture and the historical event of Jesus Christ's resurrection. Paul emphasizes that the resurrection is a vital component of the Christian faith, asserting that if there is no resurrection, then Christ has not been raised, and our faith is futile (1 Corinthians 15:14). However, we know that Christ was raised as the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18), which guarantees our own resurrection. The certainty of the resurrection rests firmly on God's ability to call forth life from death, as demonstrated in creation itself (Romans 4:17). Thus, our faith in the resurrection is not only based on the promises of Scripture but also on the historical reality of Christ’s victory over the grave.

Q: Why is the resurrection of the dead important for Christians?

The resurrection is vital as it assures believers of eternal life and victory over sin and death. The resurrection of the dead is foundational to the Christian faith, as it confirms our hope in eternal life and ultimate victory over sin and death. Paul clearly states that the resurrection is not merely an event, but a transformative promise for every believer. Those who trust in Christ will not only be raised but will be transformed from corruption to incorruption (1 Corinthians 15:53). This emphasizes that death is not the end; rather, it is the gateway to eternal fellowship with God. Furthermore, the power of the resurrection gives believers assurance that they will triumph over their struggles and trials in this life, serving as a source of hope and encouragement as they labor for the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Now, 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15. If you're here tonight and you
were not able to be here this morning, Ronnie will have the first part
of this message. If you leave in your name, he'll
be glad to mail it to you, I'm sure. You'll have it this week,
won't you? I'm preaching on the resurrection
of the dead. I preached this morning the first
half of this 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians. And I'm going
to bring a message tonight on the second half, and I'm not
going to go back and repeat any of the verses I covered this
morning. So if you want the morning message, after church, see Brother
Trabert, call the church, or write to him, and he'll get the
message to you. Now, I'm not by any measure,
any stretch of the imagination, unauthoritative on this subject. No man is. No man is. In fact, for everything I know
about the resurrection, there are a hundred things I don't
know. But I have carefully and prayerfully
studied these verses in 1 Corinthians 15. I've given quite a bit of
time to them because I'm very interested in this subject. Like
Brother Gerald said this morning, I like to hear you preach because
you believe what you preach. Well, that's a compliment, but
I do believe what I'm preaching, and I'm not going to preach anything
to you of which I'm not confident and which I do not believe. I'm
not bringing my doubts up here. But here's the question in verse
35. But some man will say, how are
the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?
Now if that question is asking faith, and I do ask it, I'm interested
in that, aren't How are the dead raised up, and with what body
do they come? When I was down in Mexico, I
think the second time we went down there may have been the
first time. I went down the first time in 1970 with Stan, Terry,
and Gene, do you remember? Nineteen years ago. Might have
been that time, might have been the second time. But we went
out to a cemetery. Now I had never experienced this
before. I had never seen a grave opened
and the remains dug up and brought up and laid on the side of the
grave. But we went out there. Now down in Mexico, in the Yucatan,
not all of Mexico, but here in the Yucatan where Walter and
Betty ministered, Most of the people do not own cemetery lots. They do not even own the grave
site. Land is at a premium. Land that
can be used for a cemetery. Most of it's so rocky. But they
rent a grave. In other words, there'll be a
grave site here. Some of those cemeteries are
no bigger than this church auditorium. Maybe a little bit bigger. But
they'll rent a grave, and they'll rent it for two years. And after
the body, they put the body, when a person dies, they do not
embalm them. They've got to bury them in 24
hours. When a person dies, they put them in a little box, wooden
box, and they dig down between the rocks into this soil about
four or five feet. It wasn't six feet. It wasn't
that deep, was it? About four or five feet. And they put that
box in there and cover it up. There's a lot of water under
there, and in two years, they've got to dig that, open that grave
and take out whatever's there. They take it out, and each family
has a little box about this big over in the corner along the
walls of the cemetery. They're stacked on top of each
other like this. Each family has a little place
about cement vault about this big. And everybody's put in that
vault. They'll dig up, we were standing
there and they were digging up a woman. They'd been buried two
years. And they brought up a skull. It was lying right there and
the coffin was already rotted, just gone back to the dirt. It
was a few boards. just a few what left aboard.
There was a skull with that black hair on it just lying there beside
the skull. And there were a few bones. And
they gathered it all up and they had a little, they had a sheet,
a white sheet lying there beside the, beside the grave and they
put these bones in this, that skull and those bones and that
hair. And then they gathered the thing up by the four corners
and tied and took it over here and put it in this concrete box,
shoved it back there with the rest of the bones. In other words,
in this little box, in this little thing, there'd be bones of mother
and father and brother and sister and uncle and aunt and whoever.
But I stood there and watched them dig up this person. I've been in the grave two years
now. And there was hardly anything left. Just enough, about like
this, That would hold every bit of it. Now think, after 50 years,
or 100 years, or 200 years, there's nothing left. Like the Word of
God says, we go back to the dust from which we came. What's left
of David? You couldn't find anything. What's left of the Apostle Paul?
What's left of James and John? When I was in the Navy, we buried
a couple of fellas at sea. Now you think about this a moment.
Had the ceremony and dropped them off the side in a burlap
bag, and they went down in the water. And you know that the
fish tore that bag apart and devoured those bodies, and then
another fish ate that fish, and then that fish died, and there's
nothing left. So this is a good question. if
it's asked in faith, how are the dead raised? And with what body do they come?
It's a good question. And Paul gives us the answer,
but I tell you, it's not a good question if it's asked in doubt
of the resurrection. It's not a good question if it's
asked questioning God's power. You say, You know, how can God
bring back something that's totally gone? Well, he brought this whole
thing out of nothing. He said, let there be light,
and there was light. Where'd light come from? It came
from God. We know that the worlds were formed and created by the
Word of God. He spake. He said, let the dry
land appear, and it appeared. Let the sun shine. Let the moon
reflect light. Let the stars take their places.
Spake, and these things happened. And that's no problem. But look
at the next verse, verse 36. Verse 35 says, Well, how are
the dead raised, and what body do they come? Now, the fellow
that's asking this is the fellow that's doubting the resurrection.
He said, I say, some among you there's no resurrection. Now,
verse 36, foolish man. Paul says, you're a foolish man
to question the power of God, to question the resurrection.
Now he uses an illustration. He says, that which thou sowest. He's talking about the farmer.
Paul is an illustrator. Bob's good at this with his young
people. He's good up here with illustrating.
Our Lord used parables. He used stories. He used earthly
stories to illustrate heavenly truth. And Paul is a great illustrator. He uses athletic events. He talks about us running a race.
He talks about shadow boxing. He talks about finishing the
race and being crowned the winner, those who persevere. And here
he uses a farmer. That which you sow, that which
you plant. And I'm a farmer. I can't resist
planting that little garden every year. Every year I'll say, well,
I'm going to plant grass. But I've got to see those tomatoes
grow. I've got to see that okra grow. Got to see that broccoli,
just got to do it. And so he's talking about farming.
That which you sow, you put the seed in the ground, is not quickened,
it doesn't grow, it doesn't come up except it dies. Now I've done
this, I've gone out, plant corn or something and get anxious
and go out and dig around in the ground, scratch around in
the ground to see what's going on down there. And if you catch
it at the right time, you'll see what's going on. That grain
of corn turns black. It just rots. But here comes
that little shoot out of it. But that little shoot's not coming
out until that corn is in the ground and dies and rots. Now,
is that clear? And the same thing is true, what
he said in verse 37, and that which thou sowest, what you plant,
is not what you reap. That which you sow, thou sowest
not the body that shall be. I've given this illustration
before, but suppose we're planting corn. Suppose we're planting
corn. You don't take a whole stalk
of corn. You don't go somewhere and buy a stalk of corn with
the ears on it and the leaves and the tassels and all the top
and take a corn and dig a trench and put the whole... No, that's
what you're expecting. That's what you're going to get.
But you don't plant what you're going to get. You take one little
grain of corn, one little teeny, withered, dried up, dead-looking
grain of corn a year old, and put it in the ground. But that's
not what you're hoping to get. A farmer couldn't make a living
on that, could he? He's got to have the whole thing
multiplied. So Paul is saying that, that
which you sow, you sow not the body that shall be, Bare grain. Bare grain. It might be a chance
of beef, wheat, or some other grain, but it's bare grain. But
now watch it. Bare grain. But God gives it
a body. Here's the key to the whole thing.
God gives it a body. Apart from God, there's no resurrection.
Apart from God, there's no hope. Apart from God, there's no life.
God gives it a body. In other words, now watch this.
Two or three things. Number one, no one can deny that
the corn or wheat that comes up comes from that seed. Right?
Is that true? No one can deny that. I've watched
it. Like I said, I've dug around
and I saw that little shoot coming out of that grain of corn. You
can't deny that that whole stalk and all those ears came from
that grain. Right? Well, the Son didn't do
that. The farmer didn't transform that
grain of corn into that luscious stalk. The sun didn't do it.
The rain didn't do it. The farmer didn't do it. God
did it. God did it. It's the power of
God. These things are not by chance.
That's why He said, God gives it a body as it pleases Him. See that? It pleased God. And
to every seed His own body. Each seed has its particular,
it's all beautiful. It's all healthy. It's all wonderful. It's all a miracle. But God gives
the body. Don't thank the rain. God uses
that as an instrument. Don't thank the sun. Don't say,
I'm a good farmer. I got a green thumb. Well, you
might know how to do it, but your thumb won't give life to
those seeds. Try it sometime. Without the
rain and the sun. God gives it a body. Now watch
this. And we're talking about the resurrection
now. That's what we're talking about. The question was, how
are the dead raised? And with what body do they come?
We go out and bury our loved ones. They go back to the dust.
Minute particles, smaller than you can see, back to the dust. But they'll be raised, and God
will give it a body. It has to die. It's going to
be a body of flesh and bones. That's right. I want you to turn
to Luke. Luke chapter 24. You know a lot
of people when they think about the resurrection, they read,
they see these cartoons and these pictures. And they get, they
see these wispy looking things floating around on clouds with
harps. No sir. No sir. What we planted is what's going
to come up. It's going to be kin to it. It's going to be, I'm flesh and
when I'm raised I'm going to be flesh. I'm flesh and bones
and when I'm raised I'm going to be flesh and bones. You plant
corn, you're going to get corn. You plant a man, you're going
to get a man. You plant a woman, you're going to get a woman.
That's what's coming up out of the grave. But all flesh is not
the same flesh. Now look at Luke 24. Luke 24,
36. And as they thus spake, Jesus
Himself stood in the middle of them, in the midst of them, and
said, Peace be unto you. Now this is after He arose from
the grave. And they were terrified and affrighted, supposing they
had seen a spirit. And He said, Why are you troubled,
and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold, My hands
and My feet, it is I Myself. Handle Me. Handle Me. Touch Me. And see, a spirit hath
not flesh and bones, as you see me have. Our Lord had risen from
the grave, the firstfruits, the firstborn of every creature,
the body, glorified body, glorified human body, flesh and bones.
And He stood before them and they were frightened. They saw
Him die and saw Him buried. And now they see Him standing
here and they thought they'd seen a spirit. a vision or something, their
eyes were bothered, he said, reach out and touch me. And then,
when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet,
that's where the scars were, and he kept those scars. And
while they yet believed not for joy and wondered, he said, do
you have any meat, anything to eat? And they gave him a piece
of boiled fish and honeycomb, he took it, and ate it right
in front of him. And whatever he is like, when I come out of
the tomb, I'm going to be like him. Now let's go back to 1 Corinthians
15. You say he was flesh and bones,
that's what he said, and that's what he is. But 1 Corinthians
15.39 says all flesh is not the same flesh. Now this is important
here, and in the next few verses, Paul's going to show you the
great difference between this flesh now and that flesh. That's what he's going to show
in these next verses. You understand what he's going to show us? We
plant, I'm going to die in just a few years, a very short time,
and we're going to bury, you're going to bury me and some of
you out here. We're going to bury this flesh. And this person,
this same person, Henry Mahan, John Flanding, Martha Lou, Cecil
Roach, I called Doris, each one, Mike, but we're coming up. We're
coming out of the tomb. And we're coming up flesh and
bones, like our Lord. Real flesh and bone. But what
he's saying here is that flesh and bone is not the same as this. Alright, look at verse 39. Or
verse 39 says, all flesh is not the same flesh. When you say
flesh, you don't mean it's all the same, because there's one
kind of flesh of men, and beasts have flesh, and fish have flesh,
and birds have flesh, and that's different kinds of flesh, isn't
it? It's not the same flesh. My flesh is far, this human flesh
is far above dog flesh, or bird flesh, or fish flesh. is the
flesh of fish. But even now there's a difference
in flesh. Think of the difference then.
It'll still be flesh. The fish has flesh, and I have
flesh, but we're not the same. It's different. Verse 40, there
are celestial bodies. What's celestial? There's heavenly
bodies, moon, sun, stars, and there are earthly bodies. And
the glory of the heaven is one, and the glory of the earthly
is another. That's different. Bodies are different. Heavenly
bodies and earthly bodies are different. There's one glory
of the sun, another of the moon, another glory of the star. Even
the star is different in glory. It's a difference. And this is
what Paul is showing us here. Even the heavenly body is different.
And our body now, and our body then, You call it the same, you
call it flesh, but oh, the infinite, the infinite difference. And
he said, look at the next verse, so is the resurrection of the
dead. It's sown in corruption. It's
corrupt flesh we got right now. It's flesh, but it's corrupt
flesh. Well, you mean my flesh is corrupt, Preacher? It is sickness,
sickness, disease, Subject to death, this flesh is dying. See
these little brown spots? That means you're getting old.
Hair falling out. Decay. But when I'm raised from
the dead, I'm not going to be subject to these things. It's
raised in corruption. It's raised in incorruption.
When that flesh comes out of the grave, that new flesh, we're not going to be sick anymore.
No more pain, no more sickness. That flesh cannot die. See what I'm saying? It's so
different. Alright, looky here. It's sown in dishonor. Sinners
by birth, by choice, conceived in sin, shaping in iniquity. But I tell you, when we're raised
from the grave, we're going to be raised in glory, not dishonor. Not dishonor. And then it said
it's sown in weakness. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. Who's weaker than we are? Are
you weak physically? Are you weak emotionally? Are
you weak spiritually? Boy, we're not going to be weak
when we're raised. We're going to be raised in power.
I'm going to know as I have been known. I'm going to see. Not
through a glass dimly, but perfectly. I'm going to be conformed to
the image of Christ. I'm not going to be subject to
temptation. I'm not going to be subject to
my enemies. I'm not going to be subject to evil. I'm going
to be raised in power. You talk about power. And then
what's this? It's so natural body. What's
a natural body? Well, a natural body is born
from another body. A natural body is supported by
food, water, breath, and sleep. I've got to have food, water,
breath, and sleep. I'm going to be raised a spiritual
body and dependent on none of those things. I'm sustained by the power of
God in me then, not now. I've got to have sleep. A natural body is dependent on
all food, sleep, breath, water. But when we're raised a spiritual
body, we're not going to be subject to nor dependent upon any of
these things. We're going to be holy, spiritual,
powerful, glorified flesh. That's right. Constantly renewed by the presence
of God. That's right. That's what he's
saying here. There's a natural body, we know that. There's a
spiritual body, we hope that. All right, verse 45, and so it's
written. The first man Adam was made a
living soul. The last Adam made a quickening
spirit. Now here we come. What I talked
about earlier today, this morning, this representation, this imputation,
this impartation, this federal headship. All that we are in
the flesh, all that we have in the flesh, all of this disease
and darkness and death is traced back to that gentleman called
Adam, that first man. Everything we have, everything
we're plagued with, everything we're subject to is traced back
to Adam's fall and sin. That's just so. And that was
not first which is spiritual, that's Christ on this earth.
but that which is natural. Afterward, that which is spiritual.
And in me, that which came first was natural. I'm waiting for
the spiritual. Alright, what's the next verse?
The first man is of the earth, earthy. In fact, the word Adam
means red, red earth. He came from the earth. And the
second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they
that are earthy. Everyone who's And that's all
of us. Everybody goes back to Adam.
And we're like him. Everything about him. This flesh
and bones, this corruption and weakness and dishonor and decay
and death. When he sinned, God said to him,
Dust thou art to dust, thou shalt return. You sinner. Flesh. But then came that second
man, the Lord from heaven. in his glorious perfection. When
Pilate said, Behold the man, that's what he meant, the man,
the perfect man. And when he came forth from that
grave, there he is, glorified, immortal, eternal, just like
we're going to be. And he says here, And as is the
heavenly, such are they that are heavenly, those that are
in Christ. As we have borne the image of
the earthy, And we, you know I looked at Genesis 5, I talked
about it on television this morning. It names all these fellas, and
you know how after each one of them it says, here was Abraham
lived this long, and Noah lived this long, and Enoch lived, and
he died. And he died. And he died. And
that's all we have in Adam is death. But brother, listen to
this next line, verse 49. As we have borne the image of
the earthy, we're going to bear the image of the heavenly. going
to be like Christ. Now, this I say, brethren, verse
50, that flesh and blood as we know it now, as we are now, cannot
inherit the kingdom of God. No, it can't. It's dying flesh. If we were taken to heaven in
these carcasses, into the presence of God, we'd be annihilated when
we looked on him. No man can see God and live.
We couldn't abide in his presence. We'd be ashamed if we couldn't
abide in his presence. So flesh and blood can't inherit
the kingdom of God, neither corruption inherit incorruption. You can't
put them both in the same vessel. But behold, I show you a mystery.
We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed. But if Christ
came tonight here we are, and we're going to be taken to glory,
then we've got to go through this change, this change from
corruption to incorruption, from dishonor to glory, from weakness
to power, from natural to spiritual, from flesh, as we know it, the
flesh, to flesh that's infinitely greater than we know it. From
the flesh of Adam to the flesh of the risen Christ. And he said
that For most of us, it will be a burial and we'll come forth,
but for some, when he comes, it will be in a moment, verse
52, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet
will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we
shall be changed. Won't that be wonderful? What
a change. Boy, I tell you, I visited with
someone just recently who's Very close to death. Very close to
death. And so frail and so sick and
in such pain. And I said, just think how close
we are to that goal. Just think. Just go to sleep
with this body hurting and weary and you can't see or hear or
think anymore. Just go to sleep and wake up
eternally young. eternally young, like Christ.
Oh, boy, I tell you. Trade this old bad back off,
Tom. Get a new one. Trade off this
old dumb mind and get a new one that knows everything, that God's
pleased to reveal. Trade off this old deceitful
heart, get a new one, you know. I tell you, that's something
to think about, isn't it, John? That's what he's talking about.
Verse 53, this corruptible must put on incorruption, this mortal
put on immortality. So, when that happens, when this
corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall be put
on immortality, then, then, then shall be brought to pass the
saying, death is swatted up in victory. No more death. I'm tired
of my friends dying. I'm tired of dying myself. No
more death. Death is gone. The last enemy
is destroyed. The old death, where is your
sting? That talks about the sting of a wasp or the sting of a bee
that hurts so badly that I tell you once that old stinger has
been put in there, it won't be put in again. And that stinger
was put in Christ. And I don't have to fear it.
Death has got no sting for the believer. I think I speak for all of you.
I speak for myself. There's a lot of things about
death that I don't know anything about. It's a mystery. And I don't think I fear death. It's a sort of apprehension of
the unknown. Wouldn't you say so? And then
we have a lot of attachments here. We have a lot of attachments
that make it hard to die. But you know, when you get tired
enough, and sick enough, and weary enough, and God takes away
all these attachments, I think we'll be ready to leave. A man
asked Spurgeon one time, he said, he said, I don't have dying grace.
And Spurgeon looked at him and said, are you dying? He said,
no. He said, well, you don't need dying grace. You'll need
dying grace when you come to die. And that's what it'll be
given. So don't be disturbed with yourself
too much. You say, well, man, I don't have
that dying grace. I don't have that great anticipation. I think more about taking care
of my children and my home and raising my family and doing these
duties and responsibilities. And I don't have that expectancy
like some of you older folks. I don't expect you to. Do you? I think you'd be odd if you did. There's a will to live and to
serve. There's a will. And that's good. And then there's a will to die,
and that's good too. And you'll have that grace when
you need it. I believe that. I believe you. I've watched some
of our folks die here, and they've had that grace when that day
came. They've died so beautifully. God gave them that grace when
they wanted it, when they needed it. Where's your sting? Well, the sting of death is sin,
and Christ put that away, verse 56, and the strength of sin is
the law. Boy, that's what gives sin its
condemning factor. But, verse 57, thanks be to God,
thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ. We have that victory. He's already
won it. He's already gone to the grave
and came out. You know, if I just saw his footprints
leading into the grave, I'd be concerned. But there's a set
of footprints coming out. He didn't stay. Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in
the work of the Lord, for as much as you know your labor in
the Lord is not in vain. Be encouraged. All right. Mike,
lead us in our closing hymn, if you will.

The Resurrection of the Dead #2

What does the Bible say about the resurrection of the dead?

How do we know the resurrection of the dead is true?

Why is the resurrection of the dead important for Christians?

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The Resurrection of the Dead #2

What does the Bible say about the resurrection of the dead?

How do we know the resurrection of the dead is true?

Why is the resurrection of the dead important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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