No, Really!

NLT - 26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” 28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. 29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

The title of our message today is “No, Really!

28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

Today is a joyous day for those who believe and even for those who are not believers. It’s a joyous day because it’s Resurrection Day, it’s Easter Sunday and this day is not about bunnies and chocolate and candy and hunting for eggs and new dresses and suits.

29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Today is the day we celebrate because Jesus rose from the dead after being crucified on a cross, being buried in a borrowed tomb, going into hell to preach to the lost, and coming out victorious. Now I could stop right there and that would be enough, but I’ve got more good news for you. I’ve got to tell you how what Jesus did way back then affects you today—I’ve got to tell you what it means for you, if you choose to believe.

Today is the day we celebrate an event that gave us the opportunity

to have salvation

to have everlasting life

to see God face to face

to see Jesus face to face and thank him for his sacrifice

to have the opportunity to walk on streets paved with gold

to not have to walk through this life alone

to have a life filled with hope

We celebrate an event that makes Christianity unique because we believe, we love, we follow, we place our hope in a risen Savior.

We celebrate because Jesus got up, he didn’t stay in the grave

Charles Russell, the man who founded the Jehovah’s Witnesses was proven in a court of law to be a perjurer, a liar, about his training, his education, his ability to read Greek, Hebrew or Latin, the fact that his wife divorced him, a man that was never tried or tested spiritually a man who was never ordained, a man they wanted to distance themselves from, but you can’t deny your history, you can overcome it but you can’t deny it. This same group who believes that only 144,000 will enter heaven when we can clearly see in :9 John said he saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. That man is dead.

The founders and the ones known as the mother, Mary Baker Eddy and father, Phineas Quimby of Christian Science are dead.

Joseph Smith the founder of Mormonism — Church of the Latter Day Saints, is dead

Eisai and Dogen, the pioneers of Zen Buddahism — are dead

Yong Myung Moon the founder of the Unification Church is dead.

L. Ron Hubbard the founder of Scientology and a fiction writer, (that should have been a clue) is dead.

Elijah Muhammad

Elijah Muhammad the founder of Islam is dead.

But Jesus Christ,

the foundation of Christianity

the one who came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil the law

the one who healed the sick and raised the dead

the one who was born of a virgin

the Son of God

the King of kings

the Lord of lords

the True and Living God

the one who even though he was God, fashioned himself as a man and came as a servant

that same Jesus is alive.

The Pharisees tried to find fault with him when he healed a man on the Sabbath—but they couldn’t

They wanted to arrest him when he told a parable that highlighted their wickedness—but they were afraid of the crowds who followed him

They tried to take him into custody when Judas, one the chosen twelve betrayed him, and Peter cut off the soldier’s ear, but Jesus was full of compassion and healed the man and went with them willingly

They tried to kill him when they nailed him to a cross— but he said no man takes my life, I lay it down freely.

They tried to bury him when they laid him in a tomb—but he didn’t stay there

Satan tried to hold him in hell, but he went there and preached to captives to free them then left, but he didn’t leave empty handed, he took the keys to death, hell and the grave.

Not only that he got up with all power in his hands. You see, all those other men and women were born to human parents in a natural way, a man and a woman came together, a child was created and they were born and they died. Jesus Christ, the foundation of Christianity, was born of a virgin and his Father was God.

All those other men and women were born to human parents in the natural way, a man and a woman came together and they were born. Jesus Christ, the foundation of Christianity was born of a virgin, whose Father was God.

In our text it’s a week after the resurrection of Jesus and the disciples are in the house, now they were here before and Jesus had showed up, but Thomas wasn’t there, so he didn’t see Jesus. But when they tried to tell him Jesus had come, he said I won’t believe it unless I see the marks in his hands and put my hand in his side. No, Really!

Ask and you shall receive, now it’s a week later, they’re gathered again and here’s Jesus again and this time Thomas is there. Jesus knew his heart, just like he knows yours, and he says to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!.” What will it take for you to believe? No, Really?

Thomas responded saying, “My Lord and my God!” But now Jesus has something else to say to him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” What do you need to hear, or see, or have happen for you to believe

that Jesus is the Son of God,

that He died on a cross,

that on the third day He rose again and

that he now sits at the right hand of the Father

interceding on our behalf,

praying for us,

when we don’t know we need prayer

when we’re too inexperienced

in too much pain

too ignorant

too arrogant

too grief-stricken

too sad

too mad

to pray for ourselves.

Jesus is praying for you and me and He’s praying for the things he knows we need, things that are better for us than we even know to ask for, for ourselves. No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love him. Do you love Him today? Praise God, then He can and will do exceeding, abundantly, above all you could ask or think according to the power that works in you.

We Christians celebrate this occasion because all those other men and women I talked about before, they died and they stayed dead, but Jesus Christ, He got up on the third day and when you are a disciple of Jesus Christ you will rise again too.

All those other men and women died and stayed dead, but Jesus Christ, He got up on the third day and when you are a disciple of Jesus Christ you will rise again too.

Now you may be saying to yourself, Pastor that’s not possible, how will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have? Well let me start by saying, No, Really, that what happens.

Here’s what you have to understand and get in your spirit When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. The seed is literally destroyed to allow what’s on the inside of the seed to grow.

You have to die to self, you have stop listening to the flesh and listen to the Spirit of God who made you, who knows all about you and who desires that you would walk in the calling and in the purpose that He has set aside just for you.

The seed has to die for the plant to come forth. Then you have to understand that what you put into the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting.

I gave you some pictures of some seeds and what they grow in to. Can you match the seed with what it’s going to become? Do you see that none of the seeds look like what they are eventually going to become and neither are you when you get to heaven.

When you get to heaven God is going to give you the new body He wants you to have and everyone is going to have their own type of body. Everything has its own seeds of flesh, there’s one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds and another for fish, so you will see Fido the dog and Moby Dick the goldfish again.

Not only that, there are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies. What I mean by that is, the sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars are different from each other in their glory.

35 But someone may ask, “How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?” 36 What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. 37 And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. 38 Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed. 39 Similarly there are different kinds of flesh—one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies. 41 The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory. 42 It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. 43 Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies. 45 The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.”[h] But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. 46 What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48 Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 49 Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like[i] the heavenly man.

37 And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. 38 Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed. 39 Similarly there are different kinds of flesh—one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies. 41 The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory. 42 It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. 43 Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies. 45 The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.”[h] But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. 46 What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48 Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 49 Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like[i] the heavenly man.

40 There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies. 41 The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory. 42 It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. 43 Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies. 45 The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.”[h] But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. 46 What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48 Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 49 Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like[i] the heavenly man.

It’s the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever.

Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory.

They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength.

They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. Because just like there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.

The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. The natural body comes first, then the spiritual body comes later. Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven.

Earthly people are like the earthly man Adam, they are frail, fallible and will sometimes fail, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man, perfect in their pursuit of God, in their obedience to God. Just as we are now like the earthly man Adam, we will someday be like the heavenly man Jesus.

42 It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. 43 Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.

So here’s what I’m saying, our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies, these bodies that suffer with pain and cancer and diabetes and arthritis and hair loss and weight gain and the list goes on, cannot inherit what will last forever.

56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

But let me tell you this secret, it’s a wonderful secret that you can tell everyone you meet. You don’t have to keep this one to yourself. Are you ready? Lean in, here it is, not everyone will die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. And when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. Saints it’s called the rapture.

54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die,[j] this Scripture will be fulfilled:

What I need you to understand is that our dying, decaying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?”

58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Jesus was victorious over death so when we die in Christ we’re not lost. Sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thanks be to God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ, we can rejoice with God the Father over our victory in a battle that Jesus fought and won for us.

Sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

So, my brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless and only what you do for Christ will last.

All the money, all the silver, all the gold, all the accolades, all the awards, all the platitudes, all the successes and all the failures will all pass away and the only thing that will be left, the only thing God will want to know is did you accept His Son Jesus as the Lord and Savior of your life. Did you believe that He existed, did you believe that he came as a man and died for your sins, did you believe that he rose and ascended back to heaven?

If you’ve never made that profession and you’d like to do so now, I invite you to come now, today is a great day to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

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