The Love of an Eternal Father
Notes
Transcript
Continuing from the practical life of the church with ambition
quiet life, attending to your own business, work can become monotonous
Is there more to Christian life than this?
Especially as you see Christians around you die
You will seek to find out a more eternal perspective
Paul addresses the tension caused by being uninformed (agnoien)
Agnoien = Agnostic= No certain knowledge when it comes to this topic
35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?”
32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.
You can see how this can be a point of grief/sorrow/despair/burden/anxiety/depression/fear
In fact:
1 Now we ask you, brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2 that you not be quickly shaken in your mind or be alarmed whether by a spirit or a word or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
What happens to to them? What happens to us? Where do we turn to find the answer?
In this passage Paul gives you 3 reasons why you should respond differently with comfort to these questions.
Because of Jesus- Past
Because of Scripture- Present
Because of the Promise- Future
Because of Jesus- Past
Paul’s first explanation has to do with the core of our faith.
Takes into account the condition of your trust (if we believe)
Calls into question What is your view of the death & Resurrection of Jesus?
When you look back in real history what do you actively/really/in a real way/personally/ to your core/take to be true about Jesus’ death & resurrection?
If this is you
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
If your heart has been pierced by this testimony
Acts 2:22-24 “22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of lawless men and put Him to death. 24 “But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.”
This is a real historical event with multiple eye witnesses
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 “1 Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel which I proclaimed as good news to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I proclaimed to you as good news, unless you believed for nothing. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that, He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.”
Then you can look at the God who has done that will also do the same for everyone who dies physically in that state and respond with comfort and not fear/anxiety/sorrow/ despair
Because of Scripture- Present
Paul’s second reason for comfort is in v15
The reason you are not misinformed is because the apostolic discourse (what the apostles tell us about this matter) is a means of divine revelation
It’s God’ word (not only in a verbal/ and general way but in the comprehensive presentation of the bible.
You have an authoritative/divine revelation from the Lord in scripture by which you can be comforted and answer the questions about what happens to people that die in christ.
You can do that now/ in the present/
You have a trust worthy testimony as a reference
24 For,
“ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS,
AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS.
THE GRASS WITHERS,
AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF,
25 BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.”
And this is the word which was proclaimed to you as good news.
2 Peter 1:16-19 “16 For we did not make known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, following cleverly devised myths, but being eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”— 18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have as more sure the prophetic word, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.”
And this trust worthy divine revelation tells you that there is a resurrection of the dead in Christ
And there’s an order on when it happens and how it happens (at the coming of the Lord and those who are alive will not attain this resurrection before the dead Christians.
You are to respond differently and with comfort in your soul because you have God’s own divine revelation of things in the scripture
But how does this ressurection happen? What does the actual event look like
Because of the Promise- Future
The third reason/explanation you have in this text has to do with what the Lord Himself promised
you can be confident and comforted knowing whether you or your fellow believer dies they will not miss the ressurection
Because this is what the Lord promised
3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
28 “You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
Revelation 19:11-16 “11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sits on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; having a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself, 13 and being clothed with a garment dipped in blood, His name is also called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may STRIKE DOWN THE NATIONS, and He will RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON; and HE TREADS THE WINE PRESS OF THE WRATH OF THE RAGE OF GOD, the Almighty. 16 And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.””
Therefore, you can look forward with comfort and hope for that day when the Lord who has never broke His promises fulfill this promise
This will happen as He had ordained it. You see this in:
23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.
When you think about death (your own or others in Christ) don't despair/be afraid because you have hope in the resurrection of which Jesus was the firstfruit/ you have God’s word that endures forever supplying you with the endurance you need/ and you have the everlasting hope in the coming of the Lord to bring you home. Be comforted in that.
1 Corinthians 15:58 “58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”