First Up Wins

The Two Resurrection

Scripture Reading: Jh. 14:1-3

As a boy we use to play a game at the sea, last up wins. We all would dive under the water and the boy who holds his breath longest and stay under water would be the winner, but there is coming a time when the first to come up will be the winner and the last to come up will be the loser. I hope that we will all be winners. The title of my sermon today is The First up Wins.

Prayer

In recent times we have been bombarded with news of disaster after disaster; Katrina in Louisiana; Tsunami in Indonesia; Earthquake in Peru; Typhoon in Bangladash and the list goes on. But there is an event coming which will be more devastating than a typhoon, more earth shaking than your worst earth quake and more terrifying than Freddy Krueger; If …you are not …prepared!!

The bible tells us the day cometh, when the quiet of the evening will be shattered by the noise of a trumpet, the earth will rock to and fro, like a drunkard, mountains will crumble and the heavens will roll back. Terror will seize the heart of men as they run to and fro seeking safety.

Amidst all the confusion and devastation the voice of the Archangel shall ricochets around the world breaking all sound barriers, the graves shall be opened and the dead in Christ will rise, not with corruptible flesh, but with incorruptible flesh. Then to the amazement of the onlookers, those who are alive will be changed in a flash and we will all rise in the air to meet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

It is then that we shall be able to say " .... Death is swallowed up in victory. 0 death, where is thy sting? 0 grave where is thy victory. 1st. Corinthians 15: 54,55.

What a moment that will be, when man becomes superman. No longer will gravity be able to hold us prisoners to the earth for we shall be free. I wait in anticipation to be among the first astronauts to travel through space without a space suit. To view those planets and galaxies which were so long out of reach, to walk on the moon with my bare feet and examine the rings of Saturn. I wait in anticipation.

Jesus wants us to look forward to the future with hope!

With expectation!!

With anticipation!! We must be like the woman who was diagnosed with a terminal illness:

A woman was diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. As she was getting her things in order, she contacted her pastor and asked him to come to her house to discuss some of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at her funeral service, what Scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. She requested to be buried with her favorite Bible.

As the pastor prepared to leave, the woman suddenly remembered something else. "There’s one more thing," she said excitedly.

"What’s that?" said the pastor.

"This is important," the woman said. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing quite what to say.

The woman explained. "In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, ’Keep your fork.’ It was my favorite part of the meal because I knew something better was coming—like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie.

"So, when people see me in that casket with a fork in my hand and they ask, ’What’s with the fork?’ I want you to tell them: ’Keep your fork. The best is yet to come!’ "

 Citation: submitted by Brett Kays

It would be a serious tragedy to miss out on the most momentous occasion in the history of the world. Rev. 19:9 tells that God is preparing a great supper for us. Keep your fork in your hand!!

My brother John as he lived his last days on the Isle of Patmos was given a glimpse into heaven. He sees Jesus as he is about to come for us and he records it in Revelation 19:11-13

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written that no man knew, but He Himself.

And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon White horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.