The Resurrection of Believers A

This is Phil Johnson with an important note about the grace to you program your about to hear all this week we are airing John MacArthur sermon series called the end is not the end. From first Corinthians 15.

The series explores the Christian's perspective on death and dying. John preach the series in 2016 and it was months ago that we scheduled that the error of all weeks. This week in God's providence, the series was already set to be on the radio well before anyone knew anything about the covert, 19 pandemic. We decided that the content of the series is so timely and encouraging that we let it run as originally scheduled.

Just be aware. You won't hear John or me say anything about covert, 19 or the current crisis.

Also, you'll want to tune in next week. We plan to bring you a brand-new sermon. John just delivered in which he addressed some issues related to the pandemic.

Now on with John series, the end is not the end were going into the imperishable world and were going into the immortal world and what is perishable and what is mortal, cannot in every facet of our lives, disease and death in crime. These are all products of the curse that was the result of man's sin the world celebrates immorality. We all battle with selfishness and sin. These are the things that make our lives hard. But here's the wonderful news there is coming a day when all of that evil will be wiped away and today John is going to look ahead to that glorious day as he continues his series.

The end is not the end. This study is showing you what life is like for the believer after death is an amazing look at the blessing that's ahead, which will be forever. And here's John skeptics, both ancient and modern have argued against the truth of resurrection. Scoffing at the idea that the body which disintegrates in the grave or which is virtually destroyed in a fire or the bottom of the sea, your some other way. Whatever rise from the dead.

So Paul writes this chapter this massively important chapter 58 versus to help us understand the resurrection. Another four lines to follow.

Here there is first the great transformation then the great triumph, then the great Thanksgiving and then the great therefore that's just the way that we can break it down so that we can access with some level of understanding its wonderful cruise.

So let's begin with the great transformation that takes place in resurrection verse 50.

Now I say this brother and that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

This is a transitional statement from the prior section.

You can't take the perishable inside the imperishable realm of eternity. Flesh and blood refers to our bodies as now designed for life on this earth and we know very well what that means we know what it is to live in flesh and blood. Hebrews 214 says the children share in flesh and blood.

That's just a way to describe our physicality. Now physicality as we have it in this world cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

It can't be taken into God's realm flashes often used in the Scripture in a moral way, such as in Romans chapter 7 in other places, but here it's not used in a moral sense whenever it's combined with blood. It simply means physical physical flesh and blood is simply a reference to our physicality. We cannot enter the heavenly kingdom. The way we are.

You say wait a minute. The Old Testament you not did and Elijah did. This is true you have those two, but I will promise you one thing. Based on this verse alone. Something happened between the time they left here and got there because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. We must be changed. What is the kingdom of God here it refers to more than just living in God's spiritual kingdom. It has reference to the future heavenly kingdom go back to verse 24 in chapter 15. It's when we come to the end and Christ hands over the kingdom to the God and father when he has abolished all rule all authority, all power, and he reigns and has abolished the last enemy's death taking us all the way into that kingdom which follows this life. The future rain of Christ in the kingdom that is eternal. This is the concept here, the resurrection becomes necessary because we are creatures of flesh and blood and corruptible cannot inherit incorruptible and perishable, cannot live in an imperishable world and flesh and blood is not suited to the realities of eternal heaven. Consequently, we need a radical transformation. A radical transformation must take place.

Death becomes then like the planting of the seed that bursts forth in new life after the resurrection. The possible use that illustration earlier in the chapter transformation is really described in versus 35 through verse 49 and here is just reminding us of it that it is necessary, it is necessary so that poses a question that poses the question and apparently the question in the mind of the apostle Paul, as he thinks about how the Corinthians, and others are going to respond to this is what about what about believers who are living when Christ comes. What about them what's going to happen to them if they haven't died. Do they have to die in order to experience this transformation.

They have to be put into the ground and decompose before this can happen.

Paul response to that question by launching into this lyrical pay on a phrase in verse 51, 57, there is to be a complete transformation of all believers. He says dead and living dead and living those people who are alive at the time that Christ returns and brings about the resurrection.

What happens to them. We find out verse 51 behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep were not all going to die. Not all believers are going to die. Some will be alive when Christ returns and raises his people. We will not all die but we will all be changed to see that answers the question you're alive when the Lord comes for his church. Even though you haven't died your body hasn't decomposed on the way up, you will have in Enoch, Elijah experience, you will be transformed now.

Why does Paul say I tell you a mystery what the what's mysterious about this will mystery in our culture is very different than mystery on the Greek and its use in the New Testament.

This is not something hard to figure out this is in the riddle mystery in the New Testament means something previously unknown now revealed something some truth some reality previously unknown now reveal what you mean, previously unknown not clear in the Old Testament not clearly revealed in the Old Testament, but clearly revealed in the New Testament Jesus calls New Testament teaching the mysteries of the kingdom, the things that were hidden in the past and are now reveal just kind of give you a context.

Think about that God has some secrets. He never reveals to anybody that's Deuteronomy 2929 the secret things belong to the Lord. There are some things that God knows that we will never know in this world. Some secrets we will never understand. On the other hand, God has some secrets he reveals to everyone to everyone. In fact Romans is very clear that God has made himself known in the world. He is made that which is true about him evident to everyone since the creation of the world his invisible attributes, eternal power divine nature be clearly seen, being understood through what is been made so there without excuse.

There are some things God's revealed to no one there some things God's revealed everyone and then there are some things that he reveals only to his own people like go some 2514 puts it this way. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear him or Proverbs 332. His secret is with the righteous in Jesus follows up on this in Matthew by saying these things have been hidden from the world.

The revealed unto you, God has some secrets hidden from everyone.

Some secrets revealed to everyone. Some secrets revealed only to his people and some secrets revealed only in the New Testament there the mysteries Paul speaks of often in our Lord spoke of in Matthew 13, just kind of a footnote. When you read about a mystery in the New Testament reading about something hidden in the past.

Now revealed there are a number of them identified as mysteries Christ in you is called a mystery Messiah dwelling in a person. The church is a mystery Jew and Gentile one in the church is a mystery iniquity is a mystery in the sense that the unfolding of evil is revealed in the New Testament was not known before, and one of the mysteries is revealed here, here it is. We will not all die but we will all be changed. We will not all die. We will all be changed.

We have to be changed because we can't go to heaven like this, this and suited for that we we all Christians. Paul speaking collectively, all of us gathered up in that pronoun in a collective sense, we will all be changed. We will not all die when does this happen this change.

First Thessalonians chapter 4 describes this event.

Verse 13 versus 2413 and here the question is the opposite question.

The question with the Corinthians was what if you don't die.

How can you be resurrected and changed here. The question of the Thessalonians was what if you die and Jesus comes in your dad and he says we don't want you to be uninformed brother about those who are asleep about those who died so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. The Thessalonians were worried the believers who had died would miss the coming of Christ.

This is no. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not proceed.

Those who fall asleep they're going to come first, then the ones that are alive are going to be next. The Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, the voice of the archangel. The trumpet of God. The dead in Christ will rise first. Okay, so what's going to happen to the people died that their resurrection is going to be first, and then those who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And so shall we always be with the Lord. That is the great resurrection, and it occurs at an event that we call the rapture, the catching up of the saints, and you notice there that it happens when the Lord comes from heaven. There's a shout as the voice of the archangel. There's a trumpet of God and the dead in Christ rise first in their resurrection bodies. Those who are alive are caught up in the air and there made eternal there given an eternal body on the way up so that they can meet the Lord in the air and be with him forever. I go back to first Corinthians. Let me add this. Is this a process know it is not a process, it is not a process now show you. Verse 52 to make it pretty clear. It happens in a moment, not a process.

The resurrection of the dead is not like the slow growth of the seed remember reading about it in each of King who had lived a wicked life and he wanted to make sure that he would never have to come out of the grave to stand before his judge to his God.

So he made sure that his tomb was made out of concrete covered with the massive marble slab so that he would never have to come out face judgment for his sins as history went on seed somehow got in a crack in over the years the tree grew and burst the sarcophagus bits little seed can do that but this is not that let me show you in a moment that is the word Adam Moss from which we get Adam Adam ATO M what is an atom in the Greek language and Adam is that which cannot be divided.

I know are not to get scientific here know about neutrons and protons and electrons, but an atom is a single unit that it is the indivisible unit is that which cannot be divided. It indicates then something that can't be any less than it is. It can't be any smaller. It can't be any faster.

It can't be any shorter. It is the indivisible unit so this transformation. This resurrection of those that are dead, and this transformation of those that are alive happens in a moment that Adam must actually means that which cannot be cut the shortest possible time. In fact, it is like the twinkling of an eye. That's not a blink. Blinking is different than the twinkling, to what is the twinkling of an eye, and by the way your eye moves faster than any other external part of your human body, but this is not how fast your eye moves.

This is not blink. This is twinkling and what it means. Essentially, it comes from a Greek word used of the most rapid movement possible. Now how can I explain this. Someone said it would be like 1/6 of a nano second because it's referring to the time for light to enter the iris and hit the retina.

What is 1/6 of a nano second. Well, a microsecond is 1 millionth of a second, a nano second is 1000th of a micro second and the twinkling is 1/6 of a nano second.

This is really fast. That's it folks. That's how fast you to be changed. Isn't it interesting that that we are told this essay will this is good news. It is good news.

When is it going to happen. Verse 52 says it will happen at the last trumpet and we read about a trumpet in first Thessalonians. It will happen at the last trumpet, the trumpet will sound, and in 1/6 of a nano second will be completely transformed. Now when it says the last trumpet. It doesn't mean the absolute last trumpet that will ever sound in all of God's redemptive history because even after the trumpet that is the last trumpet before the resurrection. Even after that we know during the time of the tribulation.

After were already caught up and raised to glory. We know there's a tribulation period on earth. And we know that God will judge the earth and those judgments those judgments will be the outflow of seven seals and out of the seventh seal will come seven trumpet judgments so there will be more trumpets, but this last trumpet is the last trump that the church identifies as the moment of its transformation and resurrection is called in first Thessalonians 416 as we read the trumpet of God. There will be a shout from the Lord.

There will be the voice of the archangel.

There will be the blast of that trumpet and in the sixth of a nano second the dead will rise and will be caught up in all of us changed on the way to heaven. In the Old Testament and New Testament in the teaching of our Lord even in contemporary Judaism. Trumpets are associated with events significant events significant events that gather the people there are associated with events that bring about festivity and victory and triumph. This is the trumpet that is the signal for the dead to rise with calls calls us all to God. You will remember I think back in Exodus 19, the people of Israel were summoned to come and meet God by the blowing of a trumpet Isaiah 27 says the judgment together Israel in the end time by the blowing of a trumpet, so this is the end. As we will experience it the church of Jesus Christ the end for us will be taken out judgment will be unleashed on the world is the book of Revelation lays it out during that seven-year period of judgment, Israel will be saved.

The end of that time judgment will come again will return with Christ and he will set up his thousand year kingdom followed by the eternal state. Please notice in verse 52 we will be changed. We will be change we have to be changed because the perishable cannot put on the imperishable, the corruptible cannot put on the incorruptible's exact same word used in Hebrews 112 and like a mantle. You will roll them up like a garment. They will also be changed, but you are the same. The heavens will change when God creates a new heaven and a new earth that will bid dramatic implosion of the universe as we know it in unbelievable atomic holocaust to be replaced by new heaven and a new earth, no doubt with the same speed that we will be changed. It has to be this way. Verse 53 reminds us for this perishable must put on the imperishable. This mortal must put on immortality. You have to have a different body to be in heaven.

This one's no good. There I like the idea of put on put on the normal word for getting dressed normal word in the Greek language putting on clothes. With that in mind, Florida. Second Corinthians chapter 5 familiar wonderful chapter verse one second for these five, we know that if the earthly tent, which is our houses torn down.

We have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in heaven. So the next body is a housemaid by God. The building from God, not made with hands, not humanly produced and its eternal in the present house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven. We want to put it on verse three we want to put it on so will not be found naked while we're in this tent verse four we groan, being burdened. We don't want to be unclothed. We don't want to go off into space and be lost in some cosmic nothingness. We want to reappear close, so that what is mortal is swallowed up by life. That is the problem that's John MacArthur he's the Bible teacher here on grace to you is also the Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary in Southern California today. He continued his study titled the end is not the end of John we been talking throughout this series about death and resurrection, and you said almost every day that you pointed out that believers and unbelievers. Eternal destinies are going to be different that something we know, but you also said the moment of death, the experience of passing from this life to the next is also fundamentally different. Explain what you mean by that. Well obviously for the believer.

It is a moment of glory I think about Stephen, who was dying under the crushing stones in the in the book of acts as they stone them to death that he saw the Lord standing at the right hand of the throne in heaven.

I think I've been on deathbed scenes with with believers enough to know there is a settled peace. There is a calm there is a joy. There is an anticipation of people write about the fact that even comment about the fact that heaven seems to be opening there is that there is a sense of calm in their hearts as they enter into the presence of the Lord, on the other hand, I've 5C in the tormented agonies of someone dying without Christ and there's darkness and there's fear and there is dread there.

There is horror.

Sometimes those curse things crying out is not to say that you know you actually experience something, but I do. But I would have to believe that based upon what Scripture says as a Christian passes out of this world. There is the sort of a little bit of overlapping of this world to the next, and you begin to feel the joy of what is coming.

That would be true in an instant death. But if if it can be anticipated there will be a sense of what's coming and I think there's a sense of dread and I've written many testimonials of atheists and godless people who were dying and they they do their horrible experiences as they come to the reality of the end of their life without any kind of hope, but it's not the issue of what's happening when you die, it's the issue of what happens after you die.

That has to be addressed because you will live forever and that's what we been trying to say in this series you're going to live forever. Why in the world would you cling to your sin in this life and for fit blessing forever. That is a terrible exchange. Why would you not abandon your sin, confess Jesus is Lord and enter into eternal bliss. Don't sacrifice the eternal on the altar of the immediate that's right. And thank you John, that is a helpful reminder and friend as you listen to Grace to you messages like today's. That show people how they can escape death and enter into God's kingdom, we are able to be on the year with messages like that because listeners like you support us to help us take the gospel to men and women across the globe make a donation when you contact us today. You can mail your tax-deductible donation to Grace to you. Box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 or call us toll-free at 855 grace or you can also donate online@jidety.org.

Thank you for helping us strengthen people and churches in your community and throughout the world again to partner with us. Call 855 grace or go to TTY.and friend to learn even more about what happens to believers after they die a great complement to John's current radio study is his book title. Glory of heaven. It shows what the Bible clearly reveals about heaven, what heaven is like in the blessings you will enjoy their for all eternity to place your order for the book. Call 855 grace or go to our website TTY.now for John MacArthur in the entire grace to you staff on Phil Johnson. Thanks for making this broadcast part of your day and make sure you're here tomorrow when John looks at future resurrection and how that should affect your worship today. It's the last installment of this study called the end is not the end. Don't miss the next half hour unleashing God's truth one person at a time wasting