Our Resurrected Body: An Extreme Makeover

Christ rose from that grave on that third day, and that is fact in which I have no doubt, but there are three things to understand about the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.

(1) On Calvary’s cruel cross, you died with Him.

As a Christian, your identification is with Jesus who gave Himself for you. When Jesus died, you died with Him. You are no longer a slave to sin. Since He was your substitute, you were on that cross. His death had your name on it and the old person that you were was nailed to the cross with Jesus Christ. You see, if all He did was to forgive your sin and doesn't deal with you, then He has not delivered you from your worse enemy.

Galatians 2 : 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

(2) As was Christ dead and buried, you are buried with Him.

Baptism symbolizes that you have been buried in a liquid tomb and your sins are in the grave of God's forgetfulness. You not only have died with Christ; you've been buried with Christ.

1 Corinthians 15 : 3 – 4 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

When the devil comes looking for the old me, I can say, "He's not here." "Well, where is he?" "He's buried. When Christ was buried, I was too."

(3) As with the Resurrection of Christ, you are raised with Him.

You are not with Him in the grave because He is no longer in the grave. He arose from the tomb! The grave could not hold Him. He has given that life to you and you are a new person. The Resurrection is a settled fact. If Christ had died for my sins but remained in that grave, guess where you and I would remain when we die? But Jesus is no longer in that grave and the grave will not hold me either, but just exactly what does it mean?

I want you to know just as the Resurrection of Christ is a fact that there is a coming resurrection for believers. God created man with eternity in our hearts. We are made for Heaven, and we are not going to exist in some disembodied form. When we die in Christ, our bodies fall asleep and are buried, and our souls go to be with Christ until the Resurrection that we call the Rapture takes place.

But what then? What will our resurrection bodies be like? How will they function? You can find the answers to those questions throughout the Bible.

Tonight, we are going to look at our resurrected body, and remember, Jesus is our pattern. We are joint heirs with him.

I. OUR INDESTRUCTIBLE BODIES

1 Corinthians 15 : 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.

Our new bodies will be indestructible. Up to this point, there has only been one body that died that was not subject to corruption, the body of Jesus.

Jesus was buried, but on the third day, He came out of the grave escaping corruption.

Our present bodies wear out and grow old, but our resurrection bodies will never wear out or grow old. Your new body will be designed for eternity.

How many of you get tired? Why? Because your body is wearing out. It is the curse of sin, but in your resurrection body, you will never tire, and your body will never wear out.

Revelation 21 : 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

There will be no death, disease, aging, aching or accidents. The exclamation point to this truth is found in Romans 6 : 8 – 9.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.

Hallelujah and Amen!!!! Paul says in verse 9 that Jesus will die no more. From the moment He arose from that tomb, there is one thing Jesus Christ cannot do. Jesus can never die again.

He died once, and it is impossible for Him to die again. His resurrected body is indestructible, but do you know what that means for us? Paul said death no longer had dominion over Christ, and he also said that we shall live with Him meaning the resurrected body of Christ is the pattern for our own resurrection bodies.

Notice what Paul says.

Hebrews 9 : 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

How many times are we appointed to death? How many times did Jesus die? He is our pattern. Our bodies will be sown in corruption, but they will be raised in incorruption. Our bodies will be resurrected and glorified like the body of Christ, and we will never die again.

Our new bodies will be able to serve God’s will and purposes for an eternity and will never wear out because those bodies will be indestructible. The Resurrection of Christ means that one day I will have an indestructible body.

II. OUR IDENTIFIABLE BODIES

1 Corinthians 15 : 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

Our new bodies will have a brilliance to them. Our appearance will have a spit-shine. It happened to Moses.

Exodus 34 : 29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses' hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.

Moses’ face became radiant with the glory of God and began to shine after spending some time with the Lord. The same thing happened to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Revelation 21 tells us the New Jerusalem will be brightly illuminated from the light that radiates from Christ.

We will have the same glory in our bodies that Christ had in His when we are resurrected. That is the blessed hope found in the Resurrection. The Resurrection of Christ provided the payment, proof, and pattern for our own resurrection. Let me share the corresponding Scripture.

Philippians 3 : 20 – 21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

1 John 3 : 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

1 Corinthians 15 : 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

What an incredible way to phrase it by Paul. I will have lived my life on this earth in the image of Adam, the man of dust, but because I have placed my faith and trust in Jesus Christ, when I am resurrected, I will have the image of the Heavenly Man, which is Jesus Christ.

We will no longer bear the image of Adam but will bear the image of Jesus Christ!!!!

I want to try to dispel certain theories.

Namely, when we die as Christians, we do not gain our wings, and when we die, we do not become disembodied spirits. The Bible says that Christ made about 10-12 appearances during the forty days between His Resurrection and Ascension, and we have said that we are resurrected to be like Him.

So if we are resurrected to be like Him, what was Jesus like after His Resurrection?

(1) His body was glorified, but His body was real, literal, and physical. It was His body. He still had the scars from the Cross.

Luke 24 : 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have."

(2) During two of His post-Resurrection appearances, Jesus ate.

Luke 24 : 40 – 43 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, "Have you any food here?" 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate in their presence.

To me, these verse in Luke prove that Jesus was a Baptist because Baptists cannot get together without eating, and Jesus had a Baptist delight, grilled meat, and dessert. That does not sound like some ghostlike phantom floating around nor does it sound like Jesus was sitting around flapping His wings like a hummingbird ringing a bell because He just got His wings.

I do not know if we will need to eat and drink in Heaven, but we will certainly enjoy it when we do. Imagine being able to eat heavenly chocolate without having to worry about gaining weight. Christ ate with His disciples.

(3) The body of Christ was also touchable.

John 20 : 27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving but believing."

Jesus had a physical body that was capable of being touched after His Resurrection. The most asked question about our resurrection bodies is whether or not we will be known and whether or not we will know each other. As loudly and confidently as I can say, YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our bodies will be glorified but recognizable. After the Resurrection, the disciples knew Jesus. If He is the firstfruit, and we are the fruit to follow, it means we will be like Him, meaning we will be recognizable. The disciples were so certain of the identity of the Risen Glorified Jesus that they laid down their lives proclaiming it.

The Jesus that rose was the Glorified version of the One buried, and His disciples recognized Him. When we get to Heaven, we are going to know everyone that we knew down here that are Christians that were resurrected, and I believe we will know every person ever born-again the same way, including Old Testament saints. Seriously, why would I know less in Heaven than I know on Earth? Do I know Jimmy Anderson on Earth? Then I will know him in Heaven. I do not know where people get this stuff.

1 Corinthians 13 : 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

We will have a greater sense of recognition as a part of our glorified bodies in Heaven than we have ever had on earth.

The reason people have trouble understanding this is because they think if they are known and know everyone, they are going to be disappointed because of a loved one that missed the resurrection by rejecting Jesus Christ, but dear friend, you will not miss that person one iota. You will be like Christ.

They had their chance. Your body will be glorified, and the Lord will dry your tears and erase your memories. The Resurrection of Christ means that one day I am going to have an indestructible but identifiable body.

III. OUR INCREDIBLE BODIES

1 Corinthians 15 : 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

Can I share a secret, something I have discovered through vast research? A dead body has no strength. If it did, it would not be dead, but when we come out of that grave, we will be supercharged with energy and strength.

We will be like sticks of dynamite. When you read about Jesus after His Resurrection, you see that energy and power on full display. He could enter sealed rooms by going through sealed doors.

John 20 : 19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."

I believe we will have those same capabilities. We will need those type of capabilities just to be able to live in the New Jerusalem. We will not have the limitations we have today. We will travel through the New Heaven, the New Earth, and the New City with wonder and joy.

The Resurrection of Christ means that one day I will have an indestructible, identifiable, and incredible body.

IV. OUR INFINITE BODIES

1 Corinthians 15 : 44 – 45 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

We will have bodies that will no longer be controlled by the physical but will be controlled by the spiritual.

Our spiritual bodies will be suited for life in Heaven for eternity with God. When our resurrection bodies come out of the grave, we are going to be totally in the Spirit. We will be spiritual people.

We will no longer have the nature to sin. We will not be able to sin. We will only do those things that please the Lord. Our struggle with the flesh will be over. No more temptation. No more defeat. No more sin. No more Satan.

Paul wrote about the moment of resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15 : 51 – 57 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall 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 shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades where is your victory?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus is coming soon to meet us in the air. He will shout. The voice of the archangel will ring out. A trumpet will blast. Those who have died in Christ will come out of ground and sea, and somehow, God will reassemble and transform their bodies instantly giving them eternal, resurrected, incorruptible, and glorified bodies.

Then in that same twinkling of an eye, every Christian who is still alive at that moment will be snatched up with them in the air, and their bodies will be likewise transformed. Then all of us who trusted Christ will be ushered into Heaven by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself with glorified bodies patterned after our Lord Jesus. What do you think about that?

Now, I would be remiss if I did not mention that the lost will be resurrected too, but theirs is a different resurrection. The difference is that the lost will not be resurrected until the Millennium is over because they will still need to be judged.

Revelation 20 : 11 – 15 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Just as my body has to be changed to experience the glory of Heaven, if you reject Christ, your body will be changed so you can experience the full torment of Hell. You will be given a body that never dies too because hell, just as heaven is, will be eternal.

As Christians will have their memories erased, lost people will have their memories enhanced, if you will, because they will remember every rejection of Christ. They will be fully cognizant of loved ones in Heaven, as evidenced by the rich man in Hell remembering Lazarus. They will see into Heaven through that great gulf, and what they see will torment them even more.

Every lost person will hear Isaiah’s words echoing through their minds in torment.

Isaiah 53 : 3 He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Dear friend, if you die lost or if the Rapture occurs with you in a lost condition, it will be too late for you to recognize Jesus as Lord. You will have despised the name of Jesus and will have rejected Him, and throughout eternity, you will be haunted by those choices.

I would much rather experience the glory of Heaven instead of the torments of Hell.

You can enjoy the glories of Heaven if you repent of your sins and confess Jesus to be Lord of your life. He has already nailed your sins to the Cross. You just need to accept His payment, repent of your sins, and call on Him as Lord, and He will save you.

Life on earth can be fragile and uncertain, and you might think that you are just too bad of a person for Jesus to save you, but dear friend, He will. He died for your sins, was buried, and rose again, and by that same power, He can make your scarlet red sins as white as snow.

Isaiah 1 : 18 – 20 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;20 But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword"; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Are you willing and obedient? The Lord can do anything, and when you accept Christ, you will join the Christian community in waiting on that wonderful day when we will be raised and given our glorified bodies made by Christ for an eternity in Heaven.

Dear friend, the Resurrection is the Christian’s hope. Because of Christ’s Resurrection, I will have an indestructible, identifiable, incredible, and infinite body, but for the lost person who continually rejects Christ, His Resurrection is your greatest nightmare.