Life After Death

“Psalm” of the Day: Matthew 28:1-10

Matthew 28:1–10 ESV

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Scripture Memorization: Genesis 50:19-20

Genesis 50:19–20 ESV

But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

1 Corinthians 15:12–19 ESV

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Sermon:

Good Morning Church! I was certainly glad when they said to me let us go and worship in the house of the Lord here this resurrection Sunday!

Once again, and as always, good morning church. I was glad when they said to me let us go and worship in the house of the Lord. Well, for those of you that have not maybe been here, or just to remind all of us who have for the past. Few weeks, we have been going through the Book of Genesis in our sermon.

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We have made it. This is our 14th sermon in that. We are smack dab in the middle of the story of Noah and the flood. And last week. As we ended our sermon. Just to remind us. In Genesis 7, flood began. God came to Noah, he said. Noah, you better build an ark.

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Noah Faithfully by faith built that Ark. And the floods came. And for 40 days, and for 40 nights it rained on the face of the Earth and the whole Heavens. Every Mountain under the heavens was covered. By up to 15 qubits. That's like 20 feet underwater, the highest mountaintops.

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And it's raining, and Noah and his wife and his three sons and their wives are all locked in the ark. For 40 days and for 40 nights, it rains. And then chapter seven. We ended with this last week. And the waters prevailed on the earth.

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In 50 days. The the flood has sat on the face of the Earth for a hundred and fifty days God has in the language of Genesis 7, 23. Or sorry, since 7:22. Everything on the dry land, whose nostrils was breath of the life, died verse 23. They were blotted out from the earth, God has poured out his wrath upon the Earth and everything with breath in its lungs, the scripture says.

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Has died. There's death. Death rules on the earth in a very painful way more than in the genealogy. In Genesis, chapter 5, where he read and he died, and he died, and he died, and he died, and he died as we closed our lesson on the flood last week.

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Everything is dead. When God made the Earth in Genesis 1, he looked and saw that it was good. Into mankind. He breathed the breath of. Fashioned him in his own image, and then carefully and beautifully from out of his rib. Built for man, a helper in woman, and here at the end of Genesis 7, they're.

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What hope is there? For any sort of life. After death.

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Well, that's what we'll look at today. Our text for this morning, Genesis chapter 8, starting in verse 1, we will be looking through verse 19. This morning. Let's read God's word together. But God. Remembered Noah. And all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the Earth and the waters subsided. The Fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed. The rains from the heavens was restrained. And the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days, the waters had abated.

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And in the seventh month on the 17th day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Iraq. And the waters continued to Abate until the 10th month. In the 10th month on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen. At the end of 40 days, Noah opened the window of the Ark that he had made and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. Then he sent forth a dove from him to see if the waters had subsided on the face of the ground.

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But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him in the Ark. For the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. He waited another seven days, and again, he sent forth the dove out of the Ark. And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So, no one knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. Then, he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.

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In the 60 and first year in the first month on the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the Earth. And Noah removed the covering of the Ark and looked and behold the face of the ground was dry. In the second month on the 27th day of the month, the Earth had dried out. Then God said to Noah. Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your son's wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of All Flesh, birds and animals, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth that they may swarm on the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.

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So, Noah went out and his sons and his wife and his son's wives with him. Every priest, every creeping thing, and every bird. Everything that moves on the earth. Went out by families. From the ark. These are the words of the Lord for us this morning. Let's open with a word of prayer. Oh Lord, Our Lord, how Majestic is your name and all the Earth? We thank you for your grace and mercy. For you are? Rich in Mercy, abounding and steadfast love showing kindness and steadfastness to Those whom you have set your redeeming love upon.

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Even as we read this story, we thank you that we know that there is hope for life after death because of your grace and mercy and your work. Help us to see that clearly here in this text. Help us to see that clearly in our lives. We ask you would speak to our hearts this morning. May we be a people changed by the hearing of your word in Jesus name that we pray. Amen. And amen. Eventually. The flood does subside. Eventually. The waters we read at a bait and recede eventually. The Earth is dry eventually.

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Noah and his wife and his sons and his son's wives with him get to leave the Ark eventually. The animals come off the ark, and they are able to as they come out in. Families repopulate over the face of the Earth eventually. The flood is in the past.

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But that eventually for Noah. Took a long time. And so, as we walk through and remember and read and study this story and allow it to speak to us. The most important thought to keep in mind here is.

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What's the end? What are we looking forward to? And how do we know? That we'll get there. Well, our story. Started. With the two most important words in all of scripture. And, and really, just a good thought. If you read the word, if you're reading your Bible? And you get to these two words in this order. Something good is going to happen. Now, that's something good. Might be God's justice and his wrath, maybe, but largely mostly usually. It's something like this Genesis chapter 8, verse 1. But God.

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Death rules on the earth. Death Reigns on the earth. Life is being blot out the breath of life that is in the nostrils of man in all of these creatures is being snuffed out. But God. And here in our text, but God. Remembers. But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the Ark. As life is being blotted out, as death is ruling and reigning as the Breath of life is being torn from the lungs of all of these creatures.

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God remembers Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock with him in the Ark. Now, we noted this before a couple weeks ago, but it's worth saying again. Through two weeks ago. In our sermon, sort of getting ready for the flood, we read that the Lord, regret it. And we said, we need to be careful. When we think of regret? God doesn't regret the way mankind. Like, when we say we regret, it's like, I wish I didn't do that. I'm sorry, I didn't anticipate it. Being this bad, I had there were unforeseen. Cons our regret deals a lot with our inability to see and know everything if we're being honest.

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God doesn't regret in that way. We just use that language to communicate.

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Well, did we say God remembers Noah? It's not like he ever forgot. Noah, the r can all the creatures on the ark were always God's plan. That's why he told Noah to build the ark because he knew what was going to happen. That's why all of this took place to say, God remembered Noah here in many ways means God looks upon him with favor and kindness. Noah. The righteous man. Blameless. In his generation, Noah, the one who walked with God. God knows him. God remembers him. God will care for him. Here to say God remembers is, in many ways, saying, God had a plan all along.

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He didn't forget about Noah at all. He always remembers Noah and Noah was always God's plan. And so, while all this blotting out is happening. Noah's safe. No is secure. Noah is protected. Noah, his wife, his three sons, and his son's wives with them and all the animals on the ark God knows. Though all around, though all around. Is death?

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God knows. God remembers. And so, what does God do? Well, he makes a win to blow on the earth, so the water subside. He closes the windows of Heaven from which rain was pouring. He closes The Fountains from the deep from which water was springing up. He restrains the rain that has been going for 40 days and 40 nights. And so, in verse 3, the waters receded from the earth. Continually.

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God remembered. And so the water? Begins to go away. At the end of 150 days, the waters had abated. At the end of 150 days. Right, and we should count it this way 150 days in verse 24 plus 150 days here. How do we know we should count that way? Well, we're given times dates. When did the flood begin Genesis 7, 11, in the 600th year of Noah's life in the second month?

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Well, when did the waters? Abate Genesis 8, 5. The waters continued to obey until the tenth month in the tenth month. On the first day, the tops of the mountains were seen. So, Noah was in the ark. From the second month. To the 10th.

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And then for 40 days. Noah opens a window. And then he has to wait again. And there's a pattern of days if you pay attention to the whole story. Where it's in seven days. I'll send the flood seven days. Noah Waits 40 days. It rains 150 days with the water 150, our story for today, 150 days the water 40 days. Noah waits seven days again. We go 7, 40, 150, 150, 47. There's a there's a beautiful symmetry to this text.

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Because God remembers. The waters will recede. That which caused death on the face of the whole earth? God knows. God will provide. God will protect. God will hold. God will keep. God will call. God will remember.

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God remembers.

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And then Noah Waits. What we want to read? As we start to read ourselves into the story, let's just be honest. Put yourself in Noah's position. What we want to read? God remembered Noah. And so, Noah got to hop off the ark. But that's not what happened. We just discussed there were 40 days. Of rain 150 days. The water was on the earth. God remembers Noah. And now, at the end of 150 days, the water had abated. And in the end of 40 days, Noah opens the window to the ark. And what does he do? He opens the window and he sends out a raven.

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And that Raven. Was sick and tired of being on the art. It doesn't come back. It just it just floating. It's just flying around. Verse 7 he's sent for the Raven he went to and fro until the waters were dried up on the Earth. So, the Raven Noah sends he's, like, hey, this Raven. Big bird, right? Not big bird. It is a bigger bird. It'll be easy to see, right? This big black bird against the the sky as we look out, let's send the Raven. Or even's like? Thanks for the time in the ark. I'm out of here.

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Okay. Verse 8. So then? Noah sent forth a dove. And the Raven. He sort of just sends out, and there's a little bit in here about an unclean bird and the devil be a clean bird. And sort of God. Preserving, protecting, and using the clean. That's important, but our point for today is. No, it sends a Raven. It doesn't come back. So, what does he do? He sends a dove. And the dove flies around verse 9, but the dove found no place to set her foot, so she returned to the ark. So, Noah has waited. It rained for 40 days 150 days after 150 days. The water is dried up from the faith and mountains 40 more days. Noah Waits. He sends out the Raven nothing. He sends out the dove. It flies around and it flies back. It's got nowhere to land.

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So, Noah in verse 9 takes out his hand. He brings the dove back in.

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Verse 10. Here's a language we need to hear. He waited. Another seven days. And again, Senator. Now, on one hand, when I read this. You sort of start adding up days. You're like 40 plus 150 plus 150 plus 40. That's a long time. What's another seven days? What's another week? But those of us that have been, you know, you plan a big vacation? You plan some big trip? On one hand. When the time is coming, and we feel like we've done all the preparation. And there's there's nothing like, there's no time left. Seven days doesn't feel like a lot, but on the other hand, when you're a kid.

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Those seven days feel like in eternity. You just want to go on that trip these seven days, probably for Noah. Felt like in eternity, I just won off this Arc. It was fun while it lasted, but these animals stink. And they're loud. It's uncomfortable. I've been seasick for a year. Can we please get off the boat? Seven more days. Noah Wings. And again, he sends forth the dub out of the Ark verse 11. And the dove came back to him. In the evening, I just want to know. There's more waiting. The dove doesn't come back. It's the evening when the dove comes back.

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And behold in her mouth was a fleshly plugged, freshly plucked olively. So, no one knew the waters had subsided on the earth, and now we think great. We sent out the dove, the dove brings back the leaf, the waters are gone, we're getting out of here. Genesis chapter 8, verse 12. Then, he waited another seven days. And sent forth the dove. And she did not return to him anymore.

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It's like the dev thought about the Raven was, like, wait, a second, that Raven got out of here. Great plan. The dove is sick and tired of the boat and Noah's waiting another seven days.

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Until when? In the 600 and first year in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried off from the Earth. So, what is our total time frame? We started thinking through this. The 600 year in the second month on the 17th day is when it starts. The 601st year on the first month, the first day the waters were dry, dried up. And, you know, remove the covering of the art, the waiting's done. We think Noah's going to remove the cover of the Ark. It has been 11 months. We'll do some quick rounding.

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Finally, we take the cover off the ark. We're getting out of here. And behold, he looks the face of the ground was dry. Great! The ground's dry. The flood has subsided. Death no longer is raining right here water. We need to understand the water here, symbolizes death because water is what took the life from every animal. What blotted it out? Death is gone. The death has receded. The death has been abated. And no one looks out. He takes the covering and there his dry ground in the 600 first year on the first day of the first month.

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Genesis, chapter 8, 14. In the second month on the 27th day of the month, the Earth had dried out. It has been a year and 10 days. That Noah and his family, his wife, his three sons, and his son's wives have been stuck on a boat. Those of us that have family. Just imagine how fun that might be being stuck in a boat with your family for over a year. With all of these crazy, loud, smelly animals.

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Just real life. Price for flights, some tension, some difficult times, and when you have a fight, there's nowhere to disappear to. Hey, you have a fight with your wife. There's no couch to sleep on. You get to go sleep with the stinky. You know, your wife's over here. Sleeping with these stinky animals, you're gonna go over there and sleep with those stinky animals. So, you guys can make up, right? This is not. Jolly happy fun times! And Noah just sits here and waits and waits and waits and the ground's dry. In the first month, he waits till another second month.

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What is Noah waiting for? God speaks.

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Genesis, chapter 8. Verse 15. God has remembered no, and this whole time this whole time God has remembered now. I know it just waits, and he waits, and he waits. Genesis, chapter 8:15. Then God said to Noah. Go out from the ark. God speaks to Noah. It's time. You can go.

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God's Wrath is poured out. To use some sort of New Testament type language, the the cup. Of God's Wrath has been drunk by the Earth and everything's dead. Everything's done! God has completed his his plan of Wrath and Justice upon the Earth for its sinfulness. And just to remind us. Because I think these are good. How sinful was the Earth? Every intention of the thought of man's heart was only evil continually, and God was done with it, so he blots them out and the Earth and all that is on it. Everything with breath in its life, God flaunts it up.

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And for over a year, Noah sits there in this art. Waiting. Protected, cared for loved and provided for by God. And yet, Noah still Waits. And then God speaks and says, go out for me. You, your sons, your son's wives, your wife. All the animals. Pairs by pairs every birds and creeping things. And so, verse 18 of Genesis, chapter 8.

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So, Noah went out. With his sons and his wife and his son's ways.

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Godspeaks. And Noah. Is saved and delivered. How can there be life after death?

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God's power. God remembers.

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No, it does nothing.

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No built an ark. But God sealed him up. No, a bill to Mark but built an ark because God told him to. And then Noah sits and he waits. He gets to do fun things like opening a window. And removing a cover from the ark, but God's the one doing all the work and then God speaks and Noah. Is saved in the living. I will just say right now. For my heart. That's a pretty good Easter sermon. God will remember.

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We may have to wait. But when God speaks life, dead Hearts will raise. And we know dead Hearts will raise because Christ himself rose from the grave. But I want to help us, maybe a little more. And I do want to encourage and speak to our hearts and lives and Minds. This this Easter Sunday. So, turn with me. If you will to First Peter chapter 3. Sorry. First, Peter chapter 1, verse 3.

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If there is one? Sort of New Testament character that seems to to Really like, no, it's actually Peter. He'll speak about Noah a couple times.

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But instead of going to where Peter talks about Noah, because part of what Peter focus on Noah is sort of his preaching and his message and his faith, and that's good, that's important. I, I want us to to maybe get a picture of how this whole life. Impacts our life and how what our life can look like here. So, flip with me. First, Peter chapter 1, verse 3.

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How can we? Be sure. Of life after death. That's the question.

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Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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According to his great Mercy, he has caused us to be born again. To a Living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. Kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through, say through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. In this, you Rejoice, though now for a while. If necessary, you have been grieved by various trials. So that the tested genuineness of your faith more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor. At the revelation of Jesus Christ.

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Though you have not seen him, you love him, though you do not now. See him, you believe in him, and now Rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with Glory. Obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation. Of your souls. What is Peter saying a lot? A whole whole lot? But let's just go here. Use this little outline and think through this. God remembers. How do we know God remembers that though man was dead in his sin and trespasses? John 3, 16, for God so loved the world. He sent his only son. This is how Peter starts blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great Mercy.

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He has caused us to be born again to a Living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. God looks upon us. And he sent his only son and Jesus rose in Victory on the third day, and that Resurrection gives glory, honor, and praise to God and gives confidence to us in our heart that God will remember.

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Because of his mercy. And because Christ raised from the dead, we have verse 4 of First Peter 1. An inheritance that is. Imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for those who are by God's power being guarded. The language here is is super fascinating and super important. What did the ark do it guarded and cared for Noah? What is Peter saying here? The resurrection of Jesus is that for our souls, it guards us. It keeps us. We are guarded through faith for salvation that will be revealed in the last time.

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Noah had to wait, guess what? We, in some ways, wait too. First Peter 3, 1, 6, sorry. First, Peter 1, 6. In this, you Rejoice. Though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials. What does it look like for us to wait? It looks like this. There's trials. There's difficulty. There's pain. This life is not easy and not always fun. Sometimes difficult, sometimes painful. Painful for us are in ourselves. As we go through trials and various difficulties and pains painful for us as we watch and witness those, we love and care for going through the same.

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It's hard. Pierce says, I know, it's hard that's testing your thing. Noah, we're told, is, is waiting here in First Peter. We have the theological value of that waiting that waiting. It was testing his face. And we know his faith was genuine. Hebrews teaches us, his faith is genuine. The scriptures Proclaim his faith was genuine because it was tested that time of waiting work to test Noah's Faith. Hear me Church, this time of waiting for you, is testing your faith as well, though. There is difficulty, though. There is trial, though. There is pain and difficulty trust in Christ and the power of his resurrection.

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Have faith.

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Because God has spoken. Trust in his words.

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Though you have not seen him. You love him. Hold fast to Jesus Christ. Though, you do not now see him. Trust him. You believe him, and that belief in God's words. This is the tie to all of us. God has said, right, Jesus came and said. Believe in me. All who call upon the name of Jesus will be saved. Jesus, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. In the beginning was the word, the word was with God. The Word was God. He brought life to us in him was life, and the life was the light of men. Look to Jesus all of his words.

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And that will give you. Joy, that is. First, Peter. Inexpressible and? Filled with Glory. You will obtain. Salvation.

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Understanding the flow of how the flood subsides is important. Because this is our life.

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God looks, he remembers. We know he remembers us because he sent his son.

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And in sending his son, he has given us joy and salvation unspeakable. Mind-Blowing Splendor and Grace given to us.

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For a little while.

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We may face trials and difficulties.

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Hear God's words. He will save. He will deliver. We know this. For our savior. Is indeed. Risen. Let's pray.