2020-4-19-LIVE OAKS - 4/19/2020 - Resurrection..."So What?"
Now that's a very beautiful sentence, but it's a very incomplete truth. Just last week. We celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus was raised from the dead. It happened. Like it actually happened and he is returning. But why does it really matter? That's a question. I'd like us to answer this morning. Why does it matter that Jesus actually Rose and is actually returning cuz I think a lot of Christians are actually living life right now in a way that makes Christ bodily resurrection and his bodily return rather irrelevant. If you ascribe to more the social justice gospel and it's all about making the world a more Justin Moore right place. You don't need a resurrected Jesus nor do you need a car returning Jesus? You just have the the heart and character and example of Jesus and you're going to live out that example in this world right now, you're going to try to it to bring the kingdom here right now. You don't need the resurrection to do that. Nor. Do you need his return you just have his example Or like easy believism heaven-bound Christians that the all they need to know is I'm a sinner and I need to be saved so that I can go to heaven. You don't actually need a bodily resurrected Jesus because what we understand right is that we're sinful sin has a price that price is death. Jesus died for me. I'm going to heaven his life over yet.
Apparently not yet. There's more time for the Prosperity Gospel Christians. They need the bodily resurrected of resurrected Jesus, but they could care less about the returning of Jesus because it in in their mind the resurrection of Jesus has already afforded the Christian total victory. Over over over sickness right now. Kobe 19
Prosperity Gospel Christian says Jesus already bought our healing. Why did you die Christian? You didn't believe enough? They don't need the returning Jesus.
The last week we ended with a really beautiful long, but very beautiful picture from John's Vision in Revelation of New Jerusalem descending from a new Heaven Upon A, New Earth. So was that just a was that just a nice thought was that just a poem. I mean, it was very poetic. There's no doubt, but was it just symbolic? Was it just a pretty picture meant to make us feel hopeful about the future we even if you ascribe to a Biblical school that believes that John's Vision was was just purely and largely symbolic. Here's what we know. There is a place called New Jerusalem and it is coming. It is tangible. I'm going to go out on that be a logical in then I must say it is tangible and it's new and it's coming from Heaven it it's coming to Earth. It's tangible and its physical some people skirt through that by saying it's actual the same. No. No, I believe in a New Jerusalem. I believe in a returning of Jesus and I believe in a in an in a new worse. I believe it's actually going to happen the problem with the word actually. Is that okay? I hope that no one would would doubt that my love for my wife my love for my family is actual. But that doesn't mean it's tangible. Resume its physical. I mean you just have to it's just this ethereal thing in the minds of everyone else right? It's just that it's just a wistful thawed. And if you care about your pastor loving his wife and his family that you can take comfort in imagining that I do so it's actual but it's not tangible, right? You can't you can't bottle it or or or you know, or I don't know what else would you do with it? My brain come back right now. We're back cuz one trip I just took.
New Jerusalem the new heaven the new Earth The returning of Jesus the resurrection of us. It's not just actually it's going to be tangible. It's going to be real. New Jerusalem descending from a new Heaven Upon A, New Earth It's a place. It's tangible. It's physical. How do I know that? How can I make such a Tort claim that it will be tangible and physical and you know in the question hanging out there is like why does that matter?
The reason the new Earth New Jerusalem returning Jesus resurrected the reason it's going to be physical and tangible is cuz we are. We are physical intangible. Jesus was physical and tangible follow along with me here through some scriptures through some thoughts and then some scriptures. Have you contemplated this Jesus comes in the flesh that's undeniable even history that refutes the Divinity of Jesus won't argue with the that. What is that fancy word that makes me sound really smart the historicity of Jesus. That's an undeniable fact. Jesus came in the flesh undeniable. Jesus Walks. He talks he sleeps he eats he weeps he bleeds it's undeniable. and Jesus Is raised from the grave Jesus rises from the grave for those of us who believe it's also undeniable. He appears to his disciples undeniable from 1st Corinthians 15 starting in verse 1. No, I would remind you Brothers of the Gospel. I preached to you which you received in which you stand and by which you are being saved. If you hold fast to the word I preach to you unless you believed in vain. Bride delivered to you as of first importance what I also received that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures that he was buried is that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures and that he appeared to cephas then to the 12v appeared to more than 500 Brothers at one time. Most of whom are still alive. The sum of falling asleep with Paul is saying is you can go ask him go ask him. If Jesus really Rose from the grave go ask him then he appeared to James then to all the impossible to all the apostles if you if the apostles do something impossible. It's a possible. I just made it up. Really did you really? For those of us who do believe this is undeniable fact. It's undeniable that Jesus actually Rose for those of us who do believe. This was a physical Resurrection. Not just a spiritual or an ethereal Resurrection. The the thoughts and memories in warm fuzzies of Jesus is not all that was all that was that was resurrected. Look at the interactions that the resurrected Christ has looking Luke 24 starting in 38, and he said to them, this is Jesus speaking post crucifixion post to Jesus said then why are you troubled in NY to doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet that it is I myself touch me and see.
For Spirit does not have Flesh and Bones as you see that I have and when he had said this he showed them his hands in his feet and while they still disbelieved. Her joy and were marveling. He said to them have you anything here? to eat like mac service was not very good in the Tomb. I am famished. Is anybody have any food? This is a physical Jesus. He's got two hands and feet that that bear the stars and he's got an empty. Tummy that wants to be fed the gave him a piece of broiled fish and he took it and ate before them or from John 20 starting in 2017. Then he said to Thomas put your finger here and see my hands and and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve but believe Thomas answered him my Lord and my God. Jesus said to him you have believed because you have seen me. Have you believe because you have seen me blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe?
Awesome, John 21 starting in 12. Jesus said to them come and have breakfast. They were out fishing the song walking on the shore and make a charcoal fire in Cooks up. Some fishes come and have breakfast. No, none of the disciples dared ask him. Who are you? They knew it was the Lord Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them. And so with the fish. Jesus served and breakfast breakfast wasn't floating around them being held Aloft by warm feelings. Jesus handed them the fish.
They're being served by the man. They saw butchered in front of their eyes.
The man they saw buried sealed in the Tomb this man is serving them breakfast.
That's something that they would have to reconcile, right? Look at the illogical cuz it doesn't make any sense. But it's something they have to reconcile.
Jesus really was delayed. Any blood every drop of blood that he had and he was run through and she died. He didn't swoon. Didn't have an owie that he had to just walk off on the way to Emmaus. He died. And came up from the grave. He just didn't have just like like a secret twin brother that popped up out of nowhere. Like it's an episode of Days of Our Lord's lives. twist
Kent State dad
Shout out to my ladies trapped inside catching up on their stories.
I wonder if Bo and hope we're still trying to get together when she's this was crucified and rose again from the temperature.
Jesus was either raised or he was not We believe that he was. Soap to what happens next that's that's where we are today like we celebrated his resurrection last week. We believe that Heroes. The Lord is risen. He is risen indeed. We believe that will now what what happens next. What does it have to do with a with a physical tangible new heaven, New Jerusalem and new earth? Matthew 28 starting in verse 16 now the 11 disciples went to Galilee to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them and when they saw him they worshipped him but some doubted and Jesus came and said to them all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me go therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and behold I Am With You Always to the end of the age Or Mark 16 verse 19. So then the Lord Jesus after he had spoken to them was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God or Luke 24 5353 and he led them out as far as Bethany and lifting up his hand to bless them while he blessed them. He parted from them and was carried up into heaven and they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and we're continually in the temple blessing God or John 21 verse 25. Now, there are also many other things that Jesus did where every one of them to be written. I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books. That would be written. borax one starting in verse 6 So when they had come together, they asked him Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them it is not for you to know the times or Seasons at the father is fixed by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria into the end of the Earth. And when you get set these things as they were looking on he was lifted up on a cloud.
Took him out of their sight. System things to note here. First of all, the gospel accounts are all different. But none of them contradict one another and altogether. They paint a very clear picture of something truly uniquely remarkable. Jesus was literally I used it correctly this time. Jesus was literally Resurrected. He was literally resurrected. He was lifted up then. He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. He was taken up into heaven. He was carried up into heaven.
And he's returning.
When do we next see Jesus? We next see Jesus 1st. Thessalonians 4 starting in 16. The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command with the voice of an archangel in with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ. Will rise first, then we who are alive. Who are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord or back in Acts. 1 starting a person 10 verse 10. And while they were gazing into heaven as you went. They hold two men stood by them in white robes and said men of Galilee. Why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus who is taking up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.
Tip to Jesus. He shows them his hands and his feet and his side. He asked for food. He serves food he walks. He talks he Embraces and then he's taken up or when I was a kid. As I said, he was sucked up into heaven right in front of them as His bodily form. He was brought up taken up into heaven and the angel say in the same way. He's coming back. That same resurrected body is returning from the moment of his resurrection. Jesus has not and will not change.
He is a glorified physical body. That is both. Undeniably, Kim and unrecognizably Kim. What did the men on the road to Emmaus didn't recognize them? The women in that morning couldn't recognize him. But then as soon as he spoke. There is so he gives physical and he's tangible, but he's changed it and and miraculous. She doesn't weird stuff shows up in a room with a lock door boom there is but yet he's like tangible physical but yet he appears and it disappears.
He's real he's got skin on. Yet he ascends and descends from heaven.
What is this have to do with our conviction that a New Jerusalem descending from an actual tangible real new heaven onto a physical tangible actual newer CNN and why does that matter?
The body that walked out of the Tomb is the body who will descend from heaven know where in scripture does it show that the tangible. is temporary No, wait, hold on a bunch of the Bible. Just maybe just flew up right into it right into your head right off a whole bunch of just just came to your mind and write. Thank you. I'm aware of some of them. They Genesis 3:19. Right after the fall. God declares by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground for out of it. You were taken for your dust and to dust you shall return see temporary. The body is temporary that the physical is temporary. Will thank you very much shattered sea. What what's a sadducee?
K spoken like a true Sage see to dust you shall return.
Sadducees were like Pharisees the reason you can tell apart I learned this a long time ago. I think it's clever very helpful. What's the difference between Sadducees in a Pharisee? The Sadducees didn't believe in the resurrection. So they were sad you see.
Sadducees didn't even believe in an afterlife of any kind.
You live and then you die and it's over.
But yet here's Cheese's. physical tangible actual back from the grave
In his body that was crucified. At that same body.
the glorified body the resurrection of Jesus happened
the butchered man serves breakfast There's no room for a sadducee in that reality. There's no room for there not to be a resurrection for this to be possible Loop 20 starting in 27. There came to him since a jasies those who deny that there is a resurrection and they asked him a question saying teacher. Moses wrote for us. I mean, can you just eat it already hear it in the tone, right? Cuz I'm sure that's how they felt. Just got changed into Aramaic. But the tone is the same. Teacher Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies having a wife but no children the man must take the Widow and raise up Offspring for his brother-in-law here. Now they were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died without children and the second and the third took her and likewise all seven left. No children and died afterward. The woman also died in the resurrection there for whose wife. Will the woman be for the seven had her as a wife. And Jesus said to them. The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage for they cannot die anymore because they were equal to angels and our sons of God being sons of the Resurrection. But that the dead are raised even Moses showed in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the god of Abraham the god of Isaac the god of Jacob what Jesus is saying there? He can't be called the god of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob Abraham and Isaac and Jacob or dead.
If it's a who's the guy who was the god of Abraham and was the god of Isaac and was the god of Jacob but they're dust. So, who is he the god of now? Hector not gone now he is not God of the Dead. But up the living for all live take him.
Sadducees And that age and in this one, they love dust to dust right? That's their favorite Bible passage that got it on their coffee mugs. Right, right. They have it in their offices. They have another date. They probably have an inspirational poster. I'd like a little kitty Hanging On by a Brandt by his little paws and underneath the kitty. It says, hang in there Kitty soon. You'll be dust and it won't matter anyway.
We are not saggities. We are Christians and Christians celebrate the resurrection and what it means. Christian celebrate the resurrected Jesus and the returning Jesus.
we celebrate that this body your body. Our body is the body of Christ the church. It will not be lost. yes, it will one day return to the dust of the ground, but when that trumpet sounds my dust
Shake the Dust off and he who first from the earth shaped the man of dust will reshape my dust breathe into my body again and reunite my eternal spirit to a body that is imperishable and unfading undefiled.
1st Thessalonians 4 starting in 16 for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command with the voice of an archangel with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive who are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. So, I don't know if you want to call that the intro. for the first sermon of a double feature But now that I've gotten that out of the way I can really get to preaching this morning.
Go back to our question. Why is the physical Resurrection such a source of Hope for the Christian? Why does this physical even matter? Why can't we just be happy with a picture of a cereal heaven? Now, you know where stereo Heaven is he still having you imagine when you were little? Is it it's the heaven you imagine? It's all floaty, and spiritually it is beautiful and its eternal. Right, and we're all just kind of like floating around. Right. We're probably joining in a choir somewhere.
I honestly used to imagine getting a little boring and getting a little bored. And then I was just trying to okay. I'm wispy floating around singing. forever
Why can't that really be enough? Right? I mean if if this life is painful that there probably is just a beautiful thought if we I mean, I mean I mean every day. We lose brothers and sisters by their own hand because they are imagining if all this could just end. If you get the physical the tangible in the real is painful.
And wouldn't it be great if it was just over and I could slip the Surly Bonds of Earth.
Me why can't be enough when our bodies just say, you know, that's it. I'm out. I just can't even today.
body becomes dust but you know, my spirit will be with Jesus.
Who the heaven cares if my body is just rotting the ground my spirit gets to be with Jesus. Apostle Paul cares for 1 And that's the text. I I I need to work quickly through but I need us to see. 1st Corinthians 15. We've already read a little bit from 1st Corinthians 15 this morning. But Paul is responding to Christians who are totally cool with Jesus having been raised from the dead. They're fine with that doesn't bother him at all. What they don't really care for what they don't care about is the idea that we would be raised physically tangibly actually good that they don't really care. They don't get it. Maybe they're Sadducees that came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah. I'm not sure maybe they were able to bend their minds around the idea of Jesus resurrecting is after all you know, he's God, but we're not right. We're just we're just creatures right? He's God so he can rise from the grave. But but I mean as Genesis says we're just going to return to dust Paul is answering them that that is not this is not just one of those little Minor Details that could cause some dissension between Christians and we should probably just Didn't the Yom, not necessary Piolin not worth dividing over Paul disagrees with that and he's going to make a very long but beautiful and Powerful argument. So in 1st Corinthians 15 starting verse 12 He says 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 what Paul is saying he's going to back it up here. It's saying look. If we're not being raised in Jesus wasn't raised that seems like a backwards way to do the argument, right? The Colosseum located we're not going to rise from the dead in Jesus couldn't rise from the dead. Jesus isn't Rising the dead then we're certainly not rising from the dead either. We're all being resurrected or none of us are
first 14 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 himself because we testified about God that he raised Christ whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. If the dead are not raised and we're lying when we say that God raised him from the dead 4/16 worth a dead or not. Ray's not even Christ has been raised for 17th. And if Christ has not been raised your face is futile.
And you are still in your sins.
Polishing the resurrection is key for even our forgiveness of sins. Not even talking about you know, where is Paradise? What is Paradise will be there? Will we have a body but would be a spirit with all those debates are are meaningless. If the dead are not raised then our faith is feudal. Our preaching is feudal or misrepresenting God were lying about God and our sins can be forgiven. First 18th, then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished to hope for the Christian right now. And in the first two years after Christ resurrection and his Ascension, when a brother or sister in Christ would die. They would say they're not dead. They're just asleep. And that immediately tied back to the gospels. Remember when Jesus says to the girl to the family of the little girl who had passed he says She's not dead. She's just asleep Progressive biblical theologians like to say yeah, she was like in a coma or heart rate had slowed.
Jesus was not lying. Jesus is speaking in a higher greater reality that he already knows your little girl is not lost. She's just asleep and posting if there is no Resurrection, then let's stop with this asleep business. They're done. They're gone build a bridge get over it. You will never see them again. Nor will you ever see Jesus again? What are we doing here people? Let's pick a better Hobby.
Convert 18 Windows. 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.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead.
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep
What was the first fruit steal my return. Fruit now, that was a surprise. I was inspecting fruit.
surprised by fruit I could have called the sermon that
what's the first fruit? It's a term. That means an example a sample. Here it is. It's representative of things to come. If you were to want to sell apples, then you would say to a prospective buyer. Hey, would you like some apples? Did you like apples? How good are your apples?
here Here's my here's my fruit to my first fruit of the season. This is the kind of apple that is available. Look at the sample.
Support Office saying do you like apples what kind of apples apples like the resurrected Jesus? How do you like them apples?
Do you like the resurrected Jesus?
the tangible the physical the death conquering Be from the grave sprinting. Be in the middle of the room appearing to the talking sharing hugging embracing breakfast making Heaven ascending glorifying glorified Jesus. Do you like that? Jesus is just the first fruit of a harvest. It's coming.
We are the Harvest.
with the second fruit of that Harvest
in verse 21 for as by a Man Came Death by a man has come also the resurrection of the Dead for as in Adam all die. So also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order Christ the first fruits Then at his coming those who belong to Christ then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every Rule and every Authority and every Power. For he must Reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet The Last Enemy to be destroyed is death.
How do we know that Christ is coming to destroy death itself? Because he already did. in the grave
He buried death in the grave. I did it for me. Now. I'm going to do it for you. Jesus says. But if you deny the resurrection, you're denying me. You're denying my work. You're denying why I have come.
Christian if you think all of this life is just about representing Christ. Well, making sure people are fed making sure people are clothes and house. I mean praise God. Thank you for representing him. Well, we all should know what Paul is saying is if the end is just the end then all you've done is just a forwarded someone a few more moments of marginal Comfort before they're dust.
The resurrection is everything and the returning of Christ is everything we take it all or we leave it all. Skip down the first 35 in 1st Corinthians 15, but someone will ask how are the dead raised with what kind of body do they come? You foolish person. What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you so it's not the body that is to be but a bear Colonel perhaps of wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen and each kind of seed its own body soap. All saying is look you take an apple seed and it's it's apple right? You can't deny its Apple you plant it in the ground and what comes from it Apple. They're both Apple but in a different form, yes. Put the seat isn't lost is it the seed becomes I mean time lapse of seeds bursting forth and sprouting up out of the ground mean. It's amazing. That's the resurrection. This isn't lost. It just Springs forth in New Life. It's still it but it's new and polish saying there's all different kinds of seeds, but got it back in 38, but God gives it a body as he has chosen into each kind of seed its own body for not all flesh is the same but there is one kind for humans another for animals and therefore Birds another for fish. There are heavenly bodies in Earthly bodies, but the glory of the Heavenly is of one kind of gory. The Earthly is another there is one glory of the Sun and another glory of the Moon. glory of the Stars 4 star differs from star in glory When are Mary and I were down in Costa Rica? At night on all the knights in the resort were turned off except for these little glowy Pathway lights and it's like you look up in the sky you go. Oh, There you are stars. Like here in Tampa like the star.
Tell everybody. We can't see them and to imagine what Paul is saying is every single one of those Stars. My dad said on on a destroyer in the middle of the North Atlantic at night. The stars are so bright. You can read by them. There's that many and what Paul is saying is none of them are going to be lost but everything being burned up and
Yeah.
sting reforged that's not lost. Everything that God created will be recreated and none of it will be lost. all the different kinds of seed star moon human animal plant, none of its going to be lost. It's all going to be Resurrected. Verse 42 so it is with the resurrection of the Dead what is sown is perishable. What is raised is imperishable? It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory.
I wish I could say Glory right? I've practiced at practice sometimes trying to say I just I can't get it. I can't pull it off. And it's not in the cards, but I wish I could. I wish I could make that word sing the way it's meant. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is raised in power. Is sown a natural body is raised a spiritual body is not raised a spirit. It's raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body there is also a spiritual body. Dust it is written the first man Adam became a living being right. He was formed out of dust and God breathed into him. Jesus was formed in Mary's womb by the breath of the Holy Spirit physical and spiritual United.
The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
Oh, I'm sorry in verse 45 dust. It is written the first man Adam became a living being the last Adam Jesus became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first for the natural and then the spiritual the first man was from the earth. The man of dust the second man is from Heaven as was the man of God. So also are those who are of the Dust Analysis to man of Heavens. So also are those who are of Heaven just as we have borne, the image of the man of dust we shall also bear the image of the man of Heaven. Don't miss it. Paul saying, yes, just like our first father Adam were formed from dust but like are Big Brother Jesus.
But we pulled out from the dust and remade in reformed and reunited with a resurrected spirit. And I I know I'm going long. I apologize. I look back last week. I only did a breezy 30 minutes. I figured I have a 10 minute credit. Let me let me finish Paul here.
Convert 50. I tell you this Brothers. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Nordista perishable inherit the imperishable behold. I will tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised in perishable and we shall be changed for this perishable body must put on the imperishable in this Mortal body must put on immortality when the perishable puts on the imperishable and the Mortal puts on immortality then shall come to pass the saying that is written death is swallowed up in Victory. Oh death. Where is your Victory? Oh death. Where is your sting? We preachers we Proclaim that at funerals. We Proclaim that next to the hospital bed of someone who is passing, but here it is. That Proclamation doesn't mean anything right now. If it's not going to happen. It's an empty platitude. It's a lie, it's dangerous. It's poison. If Christ is not returning physically bodily if we're not being resurrected physically bodily 1-day that statement doesn't make any sense where Odessa is the victory in the sting right there in the hospital bed in the coffin.
Being cut out of the vehicle with the jaws of life mangled and bloody. That's the sting of death.
The blood test it comes back. That's the sting of death.
That I don't know them but I heard of them this week 2 year old girl incurable brain tumor. That's the sting. It's right here. And we feel it right now read re Paul again in verse 54 when the perishable when the perishable puts on the imperishable and the Mortal puts on immortality then shall come to pass the saying that is written death is swallowed up in Victory. Oh death. Where is your Victory? Oh death. Where is your sting when Christ comes when the trumpet sounds?
That's why preacher Pastor Christian brother sister. You look that sadness in the eye or in your own heart. And you say he has now it stings but staying will not last.
Victory is coming when Christ us verse 56 The Sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law, but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore my beloved brothers be steadfast unmovable. Always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing is that in the Lord your labor is not in vain, why are are laborers in the Lord not in vain now because now is not all there is there is a blessed and resurrected later. Now okay if that was a lot of Bible that was a lot of jibber-jabber, right if you if you couldn't follow along with with Paul's argument or or my attempt at helping us understand Paul. Maybe you don't understand Paul but we were back to our core question here. We're back to the poor question. This is how we're going to end. Why is the physical resurrection and the physical return of Jesus? So important? Why should we care if we're physically resurrected are just spiritually why should we care? I have a name for you. His name is Bud corn. I don't know if you know him. I don't know if you knew him. the bud corn it's a saint of Christ. In the immediate presence of Jesus right now.
As a young man in the service he drove into the water. Hit Iraq. And was carried out and never walked again. He never bathes himself again. But I fell in love.
He couldn't get down on one knee.
He couldn't stand out the altar. Couldn't carry his wife over the threshold.
heinous bride adopted for precious children
He couldn't toss them in the air and catch him. He couldn't run behind them. while they peddled without training wheels He couldn't walk his daughters down. Dial without wheels. batteries in a joystick
and at the end he couldn't even breathe without the help of a cold machine plugged into the wall.
Jesus says through the resurrection and the Glorious returning Bud. Those years are not lost. They are redeemed.
In the blink of an eye.
That broken wheelchair-bound body will be ripped from the grave and in the sky remade reformed and redeemed on a collision course with the spirit of a resurrected man. returning with the Savior who resurrected him
descending on their way from Heaven to abide on a new Earth. Remade reformed and redeemed.
and ready for running without growing weary
Let's pray.
Jesus our hope is in you but not just in your loving compassionate example here on Earth. Our hope is in you resurrected raining and returning. And if we are in you.
We will be resurrected with you.
We will be remade we will be reformed our bodies will be redeemed.
And we'll find ourselves in the twinkling of an eye back on an earth that we know is Earth, but it's different.
Will notice that there are no tears cuz you wipe them all away.
will notice that we will have been sprinting for a century.
And our net loss for breath. Will notice that we could dive to the to the bottom of the ocean just to see what's there and come back. Will spend a millennia around your throne.
He will ask. What's next? more worship more feasting more sprinting more living when we've been there 10000 years bright shining as the sun.
here this is not going to be lost. It's going to be redeemed. These bodies will not be lost. They will just be reformed.
Jesus nothing that you have been given by your father will be lost, but you will raise it on the last day.
Got if there is someone here at there someone listening who does not know.
Doesn't know that they know that they know that they will be resurrected on that last day. I pray that they would find their confidence in you that they would surrender their life now for life eternal that they would confess their sin. They would confess their wickedness and their Brokenness and they would just lay their lives in your hands Jesus you're resurrected nail pierced hands and they would trust in you they would say here Jesus. I can't be trusted with me. Can you hold on to me until I'm dead and gone and resurrected in you. I trust you my faith is in you. May. We may we just bask in the glory of your Resurrection right now today and your name, we pray I'm in and we have an opportunity to redeem our money are our Treasure by giving to the Lord of his ties and our offerings. There's a there's an offering buttons are on the on the email that you received their on the Live Oaks Bible Church. Org website and I just challenged you to continue in worship and I'm continuing trusting in Him until we meet again online or in glory. Go and be God's glorious resurrected people in his name. We pray. Amen.