Change Is On The Way

OCTOBER 27, 2021 STUDY NOTES PHILIPPIANS 3:21 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES CHANGE IS ON THE WAY Both the saved and the lost want to see a change in the world we live in Many want to see a change in their life, but they are not turning to the one who can change them Jesus is the One who can make a change in your life today and one day He will change all things Change is on the way because Jesus is on His way, Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Christians are looking and longing for Jesus to return just as the Heavenly messengers promised, Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. But until Jesus returns, Christians have a mission to fulfill and a message to share, Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. A faithful witness for Christ will change lives today for those who will receive Jesus A faithful witness for Christ can make changes in a local church family today Those changes need to be made today because Jesus is going to come back one day Change is on the way because Jesus is going to return to the earth When Jesus returns there will be a change in those who are lost and the world they live in But that change will not be what they want to see or experience, they don’t want it to happen When Jesus returns there will be a change in those who are saved, Paul explains it in, Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. There are many promises in scripture related to the return of Christ for those who are saved As Christians we must agree with what Paul told Titus, live a changed life today, Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; A change that will take place if we are looking for Jesus to return, Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; “Looking for” presents an eager expectation, waiting with excitement The return of Jesus is our “blessed hope,” His return will be a “glorious appearing,” Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: Paul gives us the assurance of a “glorious change” when Jesus returns “WHO SHALL CHANGE OUR VILE BODY” Jesus is the “Who” that will make the changes for the world, the lost, and the saved In Matthew 24 Jesus tells us of the events that will change things when He returns Jesus also gives us the assurance of those changes taking place, Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Jesus is expressing the certainty of what He has promised in the previous verses by a comparison It would be easier for the heavens and earth to be destroyed, and they will be (2 Peter 3:7-10) Then it would be for His promises found in Matthew 24 to go unfulfilled Paul tells us of one promise that will be fulfilled, Christ “shall change our vile body” “Shall change” means to change the outward form or appearance, a transformation As a Christian, an inward change began when we were born-again, 2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. In Christ we are now a new creation, when Christ returns, we will receive a new body Why does there need to be a new body? Because our present body is a “vile body” Literally, “vile body” means a body of humiliation,” but does not mean “our humble body” It is the body through which our humiliation is manifested, a body belonging to our humble state It is a body of shame and disgrace because it is a sinful body, it is also called a corruptible body Because of sin it is a body that will die and go into the grave, 1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: Because of the sin nature we now live in a corruptible body The evidence of that is the weakness and limitations of this body The body that we now live in is a body of sickness, disease, sorrow, and pain So, what is a “corruptible” body: Remember when you could see without glasses? Remember when you could hear without a hearing aid? Remember when you could get up and down without moaning and groaning? Remember when you didn’t have a pill box marked AM and another one marked PM? Remember when you didn’t have to go back and check the pill box to see if you took your pills? Remember when you could remember? Now, you know what a “corruptible body” is Because of the inherent sin nature, we are born with a corruptible body A body that day by day throughout its life is wearing out It is a body that goes from home to the nursing home and then to the funeral home It is the “vile body” that Jesus will change when He returns to the earth What kind of a body will the changed body be? (Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-49) Paul knew people were going to have questions about the resurrection of the body, 1Co 15:35 But some man will say, how are the dead raised up and with what body do they come? One question is how, how can it be possible for a decomposed body to be resurrected? The answer to that question is found in 1 Corinthians 15:36-41 (Read it) A resurrected, changed, new, glorified body is no problem for the Creator of all things Another question is, what kind of a body will it be? Paul said THAT IT MAY BE FASHIONED LIKE UNTO HIS GLORIOUS BODY It will be changed to be like the “glorious body” of Jesus In Philippians 3:20-21, Paul is telling us of our glorious future with Jesus Christ Christ is going to return to the earth to redeem all of creation Christ will create a new heaven and a new earth all things will be made new, Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. All things new means a glorified state of all things, new heaven, new earth, New Jerusalem And we must have a “glorified body” to live in a glorified creation with a Glorified Lord Our new body must be “like unto His glorious body” The body that dies and goes into the grave will be resurrected and changed It will be changed from a corruptible body to an incorruptible body (1 Corinthians 15:42-49) The incorruptible body is exempt from decay, disease, and death (Hallelujah) Not capable of deterioration, no more sickness, no more disease, no more doctors, no more death It is raised in glory, 1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: When the body dies and is buried, it is buried as a body of no value, which is the result of sin The resurrected body will be raised with a new value, a new value determined by God It is raised in “glory,” which must be done because we are going to reign with Jesus, in glory, Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. The resurrected body will be incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and spiritual The body that goes to the grave is none of those, the resurrected body is all of those It will be a body empowered by the Holy Spirit, 1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. The resurrected body will not conflict with the Spirit, it will be Spirit empowered and controlled There will be no “quenching” of the Spirit, which is possible today, 1Th 5:19 Quench not the Spirit. Paul is saying to us, do not discourage the activity of the Holy Spirit in your life today Do not ignore what the Holy Spirit wants to do in your life today In our study of Acts we will learn what the Holy Spirit will do in our life today if we will allow it Don't stifle, suppress, or subdue the Spirit, quit saying “no” to the Holy Spirit There will be no grieving of the Spirit, which is possible today, Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. We “grieve” the Holy Spirit when we do things that He tells us not to do When we sin, and disobey God’s Word we “grieve” the Holy Spirit If we don’t do what God’s Word has told us to do, we “quench” the Spirit Our new body will be filled with the life and power of God to bring honor and glory to God Christ will return in His resurrected body and change our body to be like His glorified body We will bear the image of the heavenly, 1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Heavenly refers to that which is of or from Heaven, what is that like? Three scriptural accounts share with us something of the Heavenly When Moses came down from Mount Sinai his face was that of a Heavenly face (Ex. 34:29-35) Those that gathered around him could not look upon him, he covered his face with a vail Something of the Heavenly state was shown at the time of Jesus’ Transfiguration (Mt 17:1-13) His garments were so bright that the purest of earthly white could not describe them His body was aglow with the glory of Heaven, His face did shine as the sun When Stephen was arrested, accused, stoned, and martyred, his face was aglow with Heaven, Act 6:15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. Paul had a Heavenly experience he was caught up into the third Heaven (2 Corinthians 12:1-10) A Heavenly experience that could not be explained in earthly vocabulary, 2Co 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. The body that we now live in is an earthly body designed for an earthly life Because it is a corruptible body it cannot inherit the kingdom of God, 1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. But praise God, we will all be changed, 1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, “We” is a reference to those who are saved, referring to “all” Christians (with an emphasis) The change is explained in 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 The change will be “according to the working” of Christ Himself, Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. The power of Christ can change things in a hurry, 1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. “In a moment” is an undivided point of time The word means action so quick that it cannot be measured by time There is no earthly word to express how quick it will happen But Paul makes another attempt to express it, “in the twinkling of an eye” Faster than the eye can wink or even blink, so quick that the eye cannot see the process Blink your eyes and it has already happened The eye sees the “now” and before the eye can see anything else it sees the resurrected body The change must take place, 1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. “This corruptible” describes the body that we now live in This earthly body that is decaying with sickness, disease, and age, and will finally die physically We “must put on incorruption,” “we must,” it is of Divine necessity, the only way it can be “Put on” gives us the picture of the putting on of clothes Just like you put on your clothes to go somewhere, the resurrected body has somewhere to go!! It has-to be an “incorruptible body,” it cannot be a deteriorating body that is going to die again “Mortal” means “subject to sickness” and “suffering,” “subject to death” It is the body we now live in, even the Christian lives in a “mortal” body That is why the next statement is true, “This mortal must put on immortality” The new clothing for the Christians body is identified as “immortality” “Immortality” means that our new resurrected body will not be subject to death A body that will not be capable of dying, a body that cannot die The resurrection of our new body will be the end of death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57) Death will be defeated, death will have been conquered, death will be swallowed up forever All because of Christ, ACCORDING TO THE WORKING WHEREBY HE IS ABLE EVEN TO SUBDUE ALL THINGS UNTO HIMSELF The word “working” has the meaning of strength, power, and ability His strength, power, and ability has often been demonstrated, Paul describes it in, Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, An indescribable power, the same power that created the entire universe Is there any doubt that Christ can bring forth a glorified body from the grave? Without question, “He is able to subdue all things unto Himself” Today, He is Lord of all, and all things are already under His control He is the creator and sustainer of the universe, Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. CHANGE IS ON THE WAY 1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 1Co 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. The same power that brings about the subjection of “all things to himself” is working today It is the power that can work in us to change things today, Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, We are going to study Acts and we will learn of the power that worked in the early church Pray that we will learn from personal experience the present working power of the Holy Spirit