And so if you're on the Church Bibles, it's page 1156, chapter 15, verse 50 to 58.
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Listen, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.
In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised, imperishable, and we will be changed.
For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with the immortal.
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true.
Death has been swallowed up in victory.
Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, he gives us the glory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.
Thanks so much, Avin. Keep your Bibles open there, and Kirsty's going to hand round some little notes there if you want to follow along.
You can get a pen and a piece of paper with headings which will help you to follow along with the talk.
Thank you.
So again, just to remind you and encourage you to come along on Wednesdays.
It's the opportunity to pray for each other as we look at God's Word as well.
We encourage each other through that, and there may be things you want to discuss further about this morning's talk and have questions about that.
We're going to pray, and as we pray, been asked to pray for somebody who's requested prayer this morning.
Somebody they know who's very, very ill.
We just want to pray for that right now.
Let's pray.
Our Father God, we come to you as the one who is Lord over life.
You speak, and the dead are raised.
You speak, and you bring spiritual life, opening eyes to see you, and ears to hear you clearly.
Father, we pray for this person who is very ill at this time.
We pray that if it's your will that you would bring healing to them.
We pray ultimately that they will come to trust in the risen Lord Jesus.
That they may face the future without fear because of their hope in Christ.
Father, we pray the same for each one of us.
That we would renew our trust in you.
That we would be a people who not only talk about the resurrection,
but see it change our lives day by day.
For that is what we long.
Father, speak to us afresh today.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, I want to start by asking a question.
Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead?
Have a look at verse 20.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep,
for since death came through a man,
the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
For as in Adam all die,
so in Christ all will be made alive.
Do you believe this?
I don't mean do you agree with it,
or can you tick the box to it?
But does the truth of the resurrection change your life?
Because that's the test of whether you believe in the resurrection.
Does it actually change you?
Have you become a different person because of it?
Even over these last few weeks of looking at the theme of the resurrection,
have you become a different person because of it?
Or let me put it another way.
Suppose there is no resurrection.
Imagine Jesus did not raise from the grave.
Would it make any difference to how you live your life now?
When you get up tomorrow morning,
if Christ didn't rise,
would it make any difference to you?
You see, the evidence that you truly believe in the resurrection
is that your life is dramatically transformed.
So this morning, we're going to look at three ways
belief in the resurrection changes your life.
Here's the first one.
First, it changes our view of the future.
It changes our view of the future.
If you were to conduct a survey to ask people,
what happens when you die?
You'd probably get two general answers.
You'll have some who will say something like this,
nothing happens when we die.
We just die and that's it.
We rot in the ground.
We just become dust.
Others will say something like this,
well, I hope there's life after death.
I'd like to think we go to a better place,
but I'm not quite sure.
Well, if we believe in the resurrection,
there are two things we can be guaranteed will happen.
First, we will be immediately changed.
Look at verse 51.
Here we get into our text.
Verse 51.
Listen.
This is really important.
Listen up, everyone.
I tell you a mystery.
Something that is revealed to you.
We will not all sleep.
We'll not all die.
But we will all be changed.
Listen.
When the risen Lord Jesus returns,
we will have already died,
or we will still be alive.
That's the state we will be in when Christ comes.
We will have already died,
or we will still be alive.
And in that moment,
if we believe in the resurrection,
if we're trusting Christ with our life,
at that moment when Christ returns,
we will be wonderfully changed.
And it's not going to be some long,
drawn-out process.
It will be immediate.
Verse 52.
In a flash.
In the twinkling of an eye.
Before you can even blink.
At the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound,
the dead will be raised imperishable,
and we will be changed.
I wonder if you can remember hearing
the final school bell
on the day of your school holidays.
Can you remember the sound of that bell?
There you are sitting in that desk,
that wooden hard desk,
long, dreary days of listening to the teacher
moaning at the front.
Sorry, teachers.
And then the sound of the bell.
And in that moment,
everything changes.
School is finished.
Screams of joy.
Uncontrolled excitement
as everybody runs out of the classroom
with renewed enthusiasm.
Well, one day,
in the future,
you will hear another sound.
The sound of a trumpet.
It's the sound of the Lord's return.
And before you can even blink,
you will be changed.
And that change will be complete transformation.
Screams of joy.
Uncontrolled excitement.
Renewed enthusiasm
as we have been changed.
Look at verse 49.
And just as we have borne the likeness
or bear the image of the earthly man,
so shall we bear the likeness
or the image of the man from heaven.
We will be changed.
We will become,
just like the resurrected Jesus,
a life without suffering or sin.
No more pain.
No more sickness.
No cancers.
No more temptations.
No failing.
No falling.
We will bear the likeness of Jesus
for we will be forever changed.
And it gets even better.
We will be clothed eternally.
Look at verse 50.
I declare to you,
brothers and sisters,
that flesh and blood,
the very bodies that we have right now,
that we're sitting where we are,
I declare to you,
brothers and sisters,
that flesh and blood
cannot inherit the kingdom of God.
Nor does the perishable
inherit the imperishable.
Verse 53.
For, or because,
the perishable must clothe itself
with the imperishable,
and the mortal clothe itself
with immortality.
You see, life in our present bodies,
as we are right now,
is marked by decay and death.
We're perishable people.
We're mortal.
We become weak.
We get sick and eventually we die.
These bodies,
the way that they are right now,
are not fit
for the eternal kingdom of God.
We need something different
than this body.
But when the Lord Jesus returns,
he tells us here,
we are going to be clothed
with the imperishable.
We will have an immortal body.
Do you remember the superhero comics
and films?
Clark Kent.
See him there in his little spectacles
in his ordinary clothes?
And then in the moment,
he rips open his shirt,
and there he stands
in his superhero suit.
All of a sudden,
he can fly.
He can bash through concrete,
rip steel.
Now, I'm not saying
we're all going to become
supermen and superwomen
and be wearing red capes
and doing all kinds of things.
That's fantasy.
But I think you get the point.
When the risen Lord Jesus comes,
we are going to be clothed
in a real,
eternal,
supernatural body.
A body that lives forever
and never decays
and never breaks
and never dies.
Look back at verse 44.
It is sown,
the body is sown,
it is born,
and it dies,
a natural body.
But it is raised
a spiritual body.
The other word
that's sometimes used is,
it is raised
a supernatural body.
Continue,
verse 44.
If there's a natural body,
there is also
a supernatural body.
The idea is,
is that our bodies
will be powered differently.
No longer under the effects
of sin and suffering,
but they will be
wonderfully made new.
With a divine power,
meaning we will never,
ever die.
We will live forever
pure and perfect.
The people that God
longs that we would be,
reigning in God's
eternal kingdom
forever and ever.
This is the sure
and certain future
that is guaranteed
if you believe
in the resurrection
of Jesus Christ
from the dead.
But it not only changes
our view of the future,
it changes our attitude
towards death.
It changes our attitude
towards death.
I'm sure this is something
you find to be true,
that most people
fear death.
You might even fear death.
In fact,
we don't often like
to talk about death.
We avoid it.
Because death is destructive.
It's our undefeatable enemy.
It robs our joy.
It steals away our loved ones.
It turns our dreams
into sorrows.
But,
if we believe
in the resurrection,
we need not fear death.
We can face death
with confidence
and assurance.
First,
Christ's victory
over death.
Look at verse 54.
Follow with me
verse 54.
When the perishable
has been clothed
with the imperishable
and the mortal
with immortality,
then the saying
that is written
will come true.
Death
has been swallowed up
in victory.
Let's have a look
at that quote.
Keep your finger there
and go back to
Isaiah 25.
That little sentence,
death has been
swallowed up in victory,
comes from
Isaiah
chapter 25.
So,
if you could go back there
and if somebody
has a page number
and help me out,
that would be great.
Isaiah chapter 25.
Page 708.
Thank you.
Isaiah 25
and we'll start
from verse
6.
So,
we're thinking about
death being
swallowed up
by victory
and through Isaiah
God promises
that a day
would come
when death
would be defeated
and things
would be made new.
And here we get
a picture of what
that will be like.
So,
verse 6.
On this mountain,
so we're thinking here
of God's eternal kingdom.
On this mountain,
the Lord Almighty
will prepare
a feast
of rich food
for all peoples,
a banquet
of aged wine,
the best of meats
and the finest
of wines.
On this mountain,
he will destroy
the shroud
that enfolds
all people,
the sheet
that covers
all nations.
That is,
the shroud
of death,
the sheet
of death.
Verse 8.
He will swallow
up death
forever.
The sovereign
Lord
will wipe
away the tears
from all faces.
He will remove
the disgrace
of his people
from all the earth.
The Lord
has spoken.
In that day,
they will say,
surely this
is our God.
We trusted
in him
and he
saved us.
This
is the Lord.
We trusted
in him.
Let us rejoice
and be glad
in his
salvation.
Go back
to 1 Corinthians.
that promise,
that picture,
has partially
been fulfilled
with the coming
of the Lord
Jesus Christ,
who through
his death
and resurrection
has defeated
death
and has given
us a future
beyond the grave
and eternity
where all
is made good.
And so,
the cry of celebration
can go up.
Look at verse 55.
Where,
O death,
is your victory?
Where,
O death,
is your sting?
The enemy
has finally
been destroyed.
Christ
has victory
over death.
But it is not
just Christ's
victory over death.
death.
This is
our victory
over death.
Continue on.
Look at verse 56.
The sting
of death
is sin
and the power
of sin
is the law.
You know,
from,
maybe from
your experiences
in life
or certainly
watching TV
programs,
when somebody
dies,
an autopsy
is carried out
to determine
the cause of death.
how did this
person die?
Well,
the cause
behind every
single death,
ultimately,
is sin.
The reason
we all die,
whether it's
through the
natural process
of age
or through
a tragic
accident,
is because
we've all
broken God's
law.
We've all
disobeyed God.
We've all
sought to live
life our own
way,
and we die.
the consequences
of sin
is always
death,
and not one
of us in
this room
can avoid
it.
But,
look at
verse 57,
but thanks
be to God,
He gives
us the
victory.
He gives
us,
you and
me,
the victory
through our
Lord Jesus
Christ.
Victory
over death
is ours.
A little
girl was
heard screaming
in the
garden.
A bee
was flying
around her
face,
and she
was getting
anxious and
flapping her
arms,
and her
dad,
who was
nearby,
ran over
towards her,
wrapped his
arms around
her,
and covered
her over
with his
big body.
A few
moments later,
he let her
go,
and said,
there's no
need to fear
the bee
now.
The bee
has stung
me,
and bees
can't sting
twice.
You see,
we all
deserve to
die,
but in
this incredible
act of
love,
the Lord
Jesus took
the sting
of death
for us.
When he
came and
as he hung
on the
cross,
he took
my sin
and your
sin on
himself,
and it's
like at that
moment he
wrapped his
arms around
us,
covering us,
protecting us
from the
judgment we
deserve,
he took
the sting
of death
for us
so that we
don't have
to,
and where
the sting
has fallen,
it will
not sting
again.
But more
than that,
he rose
triumphantly
from the
grave so
that we
might live
with him
forever.
verse 57,
thanks be
to God.
He gives
us,
you insert
your own
name there,
if you are
trusting in
him,
he gives
Johnny Grant
the victory
through our
Lord Jesus
Christ.
We can
now face
death,
look death
in the face,
without fear,
and say,
verse 55,
where,
oh death,
is your
victory,
where,
oh death,
is your
sting.
This is
the assurance
and confidence
we can have
if we
believe in
the resurrection
of Jesus
Christ from
the dead.
So let me
ask that
question again.
Do you
believe in
the resurrection?
Do you
believe that
your future
is secure
and that
death has
been defeated?
Well,
the test
of whether
we believe
these things
is seen
in how you
live your
life today.
Does it
make any
difference
to how you
live?
So third,
it not only
changes our
view of the
future,
our attitude
towards death,
it changes
our priorities
in this
life.
Look at
verse 58.
Therefore,
because the
resurrection
changes your
view of the
future,
because it
changes your
attitude towards
death,
therefore,
my brothers
and sisters,
stand firm,
let nothing
move you,
always give
yourselves fully
to the work
of the Lord
because you
know that
your labour
in the Lord
is not in
vain.
How will it
change you?
What priorities
will you have
in your life?
Well,
here's the first
one.
Priority number
one,
stand firm
in the
gospel.
Look at the
beginning of
verse 58
again.
Do you
remember how
this whole
teaching of
the resurrection
started?
Go back
to verse
1,
chapter 15.
This is how
he began the
whole teaching
on the
resurrection.
Chapter 15,
verse 1.
Now,
brothers and
sisters,
I want to
remind you of
the gospel
that I
preach to
you,
which you
received,
and on
which you
have taken
your stand,
literally on
which you
are building
your life.
By this
gospel,
you are
saved.
If you
hold firmly
to the
word I
preach to
you,
if you
hold firmly
to the
word I
preach to
you,
otherwise
you have
believed
in vain.
If you
are a
Christian,
holding on
to the
gospel and
making that
the central
foundation of
your life
becomes a
priority.
And we
need it.
Because,
listen,
the longer
that we
live life,
the more
struggles and
heartaches we
will face.
And in
those days
and weeks
when everything
seems dark
and empty
and hopeless,
and you
can't see
any light
in the
darkness,
you'll just
want to
give up
and everything
around you
will be
saying,
this faith
in Jesus
Christ,
this
resurrection
business,
it's useless,
it's a waste
of time,
give up on
it.
And in
those moments
you will
need to
stand firm
on the
gospel,
remember the
truth of
the resurrection
and let
nothing
move you.
So when
sickness
or an
illness
comes
and the
pain is
unbearable
and there
seems no
end in
sight,
stand
firm
in the
gospel.
When
death
sweeps in
and takes
away those
we dearly
love,
stand
firm
in the
gospel.
When
frustrations
and disappointment
come,
and life
doesn't work
out the
way that
you wanted
it to,
stand
firm
in the
gospel.
When the
battle with
sin seems
to rage
and temptation
is unrelenting,
stand
firm.
When
wars
increase
and evil
seems to
run
unrestrained
through our
streets,
stand
firm.
My
brothers
and
sisters,
stand
firm,
let
nothing
move
you.
If you
believe in
the gospel,
you will
make it a
priority in
your life to
remind yourself
daily,
and remind
your brothers
and sisters
in Christ
that he has
risen from
the dead,
that there
will be a
trumpet sound,
that Christ
is going to
return,
and we will
be changed
in the blink
of an
eye,
for the
victory
is ours.
So priority
number one,
stand firm
in the
gospel,
remind
yourself
and each
other
of what
we have.
Priority
two,
give your
life to the
work of
the gospel.
gospel.
If you
truly believe
the gospel,
then look at
verse 58,
therefore my
dear brothers
and sisters,
stand firm,
let nothing
move you,
always give
yourselves fully
to the work
of the
Lord,
because you
know that
your labour
in the Lord
is not in
vain.
The work
of the
Lord is
the work
of the
gospel.
It's
making
Jesus
Christ
known to
people who
do not
know
Christ.
It's
about
investing
our
life,
our
time,
our
money,
into the
one
thing
that is
going to
last for
eternity.
Do you
believe in
the
resurrection?
If it
does,
if you
do,
you will
give your
life to
the work
of the
gospel.
Let me
show you
briefly.
Three
very
practical
ways this
is going
to mean
change.
First,
it's going
to affect
your
attitude to
your
possessions,
to your
money,
what you
do with
it.
Francis
Schaeffer
was a
Christian
thinker
and writer.
He wrote
an essay,
you can
look it up
on the
internet,
it's called
Ash Heap
Lives.
Ash Heap
Lives.
He writes
this,
Have you
ever walked
through a
city dump?
You should.
When I was
growing up in
Philadelphia,
I would hike
every Saturday.
To get to the
clean air of the
country, I used
to save a
couple of
miles by
trampling
through the
city dump.
I have never
forgotten this.
It was a
place of
junk,
fire,
and stench.
It has
helped me
tremendously to
think back on
that place,
because even
as a boy,
I realised
that I saw
there almost
everything people
spend their
money on.
That was
where their
investment
ended.
You see,
think about
all the
stuff we
buy and
accumulate.
Fast forward
10,
20,
50 years,
decaying,
rotting,
rusting,
rubbish.
If you
and I
believe in
the
resurrection,
we will
invest in
stuff,
not in
stuff that
doesn't
last,
but in
the work
of the
gospel,
because,
look at
the end
of verse
58,
you know
that your
labour in
the Lord
is not
in vain.
So it
will mean
change in
our
possessions,
and it
will mean
change in
our
decisions.
See,
most of
the time
our
decisions
are around
securing a
good and
comfortable
life.
Isn't that
what we
encourage our
children to
do?
Get a
good job,
healthy
income,
nice house,
secure
pension,
that's the
things that
matter.
But what
if you
were to
sacrifice
the good
life for
gospel work
where Christ
is not
now?
What would
it mean
for you
to move
to another
country where
Christ is
not yet
known,
and leave
the good
life,
so that
you can
bring
Christ?
Well,
because the
resurrection is
true,
because he
believed in
the resurrection,
Paul made
sacrificial
decisions.
Look back
at verse
31.
This is the
effect it
had on his
life.
Verse 31.
I die
every day.
A little
bit of me
dies every
day.
I mean
that,
brothers and
sisters,
just as
surely as I
glory over
you in
Christ Jesus
our Lord.
In his
decision-making
about life,
he was
willing to
give of
his life,
to make
sacrifices,
because he
knew it
counted for
eternity.
So think
about this.
Every
Sunday
school
lesson you
prepare,
instead of
watching your
favorite TV
show,
or every
Friday and
weekend you
sacrifice for
The Rock,
every hour
of me time
you let go
of to serve
in polo,
every person
you invite
into your
home and
serve,
even if
you've had
a long
week and
you're
tired,
every visit
and phone
call you
make to
somebody,
even when
you feel
fed up,
is a
decision
well made
because,
end of
verse 58,
you know
that your
labor in
the Lord
is not
in vain.
It
affects our
everyday
to day
decisions,
if we
believe in
the resurrection.
And
last,
it affects
our
conversations
with other
people.
talking
about
Jesus,
his
death
and
resurrection
is
perhaps
one of
the
hardest
things
we
have
to
do.
It's
never
easy,
I
struggle
with it.
Don't
we fear
what people
are going
to say?
And because
we fear
people's
responses,
we say
nothing.
What if
I lose
my friend
over this?
What if
people think
I'm weird
and a
nutcase?
What if
I go to
another
country and
I actually
die for
speaking the
gospel?
Because
people do.
Well,
let me put
all this
another way.
What would
it mean
if I
keep my
friends in
this life
but lose
my friends
for all
eternity?
What would
it mean
to save
your life
in this
life
life?
But
lose it
for all
eternity.
Do you
remember the
words of
Jesus?
Whoever
wants to
save his
life will
lose it,
but whoever
loses his
life for me
and the
gospel
will save
it.
Do you
believe in
the
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ
from the
dead?
I don't
mean do
you agree
with it
or can
you sign
and tick
the right
box?
But has
the truth
of the
resurrection
changed
your
life?
That's the
test of
whether you
believe the
resurrection.
Does it
change you?
Have you
become a
different person
because of
it?
Has it
changed your
attitude towards
your possessions
and your
money?
Has it
changed how
you make
decisions?
Is it
comfort or
is it
sacrifice?
does it
change how
you think
about the
conversations
you'll have
with that
person tomorrow
at work?
Well it's
bank holiday
tomorrow so
the next
day.
Listen to
this.
Our life
is but a
moment.
A
breath.
It's the
tick of a
clock.
A blink of
an eye.
a click
of the
fingers.
You get
one life.
One chance.
There's no
replay.
There's no
rewind button.
Don't live
for the
moment.
Live for
the gospel
because you
know that
your labor
in the
Lord is
not in
vain.
let's
pray.
As we
reflect
maybe
there's just
one thing
that we want
to take
away today.
!
olabilir.
I love you crazy.
That's
what I
have to
go.
stop
you
okay.
it's
Mis