- American frontier was the unexplored the unknown areas in the American west
- The final adventure
- Star Trek - “Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. It's five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.”
- The final unexplored frontier is the reality of Eternity
- Going beyond death
- Our outlook on death has changed
- In the 1800’s families used to go the cemetery to have picnics
- This was a way of remembering their loved ones
- Having their loved one present.
- Today we only visit cemeteries is for a burial service
- Imagine seeing someone having a picnic in a cemetery today
- Another view of death is the fact that 80% die in hospitals or convalescent homes
- It used to be that families would gather around the bed of a dying loved one in the home
- We hide the reality of death away in institutions
- We try to put death as far from us as we can
-When we remove death from our midst, we begin to remove God from our midst.
- God is the one who gives and takes life
- We replace God with medicine and medical teams & techniques - What do we need to know, to understand death?
Billy Graham’s father-in-law, Dr. L. Nelson Bell
“Only those who are prepared to die are really prepared to live.”
- Are you living in Christ?
- Have you given your fears to the One who loved you before you were born?
- Is your eternal destination with or without God?
I. Into The New Frontier
- A resurrected Life
- Paul’s double question - v. 35
- His answer comes from seed planting – v.36
The Living Bible | 1 Co 15:36
What a foolish question! You will find the answer in your own garden! When you put a seed into the ground it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it “dies” first.
1. It will NOT be the SAME BODY that was buried - v. 37
- No diseased, broken, nor deformed bodies there.
2. It will be a GOD-GIVEN BODY - v. 38
- He does the changing
Mark 4:26–28 (AV)
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should casted into the ground;
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
3. It will be a body SUITED TO THE INDIVIDUAL – v.38-41
- Look at variety of His creation of life
- Each for His purpose
4. It will be an INCORRUPTIBLE BODY - v. 42
- Today everything decays
- In eternity the body is incapable of death, disease, or decay.
5. It will be a BODY of GLORY & POWER- v. 43
- A seed has nothing to admire
- When it comes to life and full bloom what a change
- We are going to be like His own glorious body
1 John 3:2 (AV)
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Matthew 17:2 (AV)
2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
- The material world will have no power over us
- Jn. 20:19 – Close doors had no power over Jesus
- Lk. 24:30-31 – Space could not contain Him
- Lk 24:50-51, Ac. 1:9 – Gravity had no effect on Him
6. It will be a SPIRITUAL BODY v. 44, 50-51
- Nothing like what we can understand today
1 Corinthians 2:9 (AV)
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
II. The Frontier Song
- Our death is necessary to make the instant change – v.53-54
- Our Resurrection Song – v. 55-56
• Ps 23:4 Shepherd has planned the trip
• He has designed it to be temporary
• The fear is greater than the reality
• The shepherd is always preset
• The shepherd is equipped to bring me safely through
• It’s never by coincidence nor by accident
- A Sting last only a moment and is forgotten
- Because the resurrected Jesus gives us victory – v.57
III. Prepare for the New Frontier
1. Have STABILITY OF CHARACTER - v.58
- Let not the unbelief of others turn you aside from the faith of this Gospel. – Firm & Steady
2. Be CONSTANT IN SERVICE – v.58
Every thought & action will be tried
3. Live with a CONFIDENT HOPE – v.58
- Stay true to the Word as you
Two twins talking to each other in the womb. The sister said to the brother, “I believe there is life after birth.” Her brother protested strongly, “No, no, this is all there is. This is a dark and cozy place, and we have nothing else to do but cling to the cord that feeds us.” The little girl insisted, “There must be something else, a place with light where there is freedom to move.” Still she could not convince her twin brother.
After some silence, the sister said hesitantly, “I have something else to say, and I’m afraid you won’t believe that either, but I think there is a mother.” Her brother became furious. “A mother! What are you talking about? I’ve never seen a mother, and neither have you. Who put that idea in your head? As I told you, this place is all we have. Why do you always want more? This is not such a bad place. We have all we need, so let’s be content.”
The sister was overwhelmed by her brother’s response and for a while didn’t dare say anything more. But she couldn’t let go of her thoughts, and since she had only her twin brother to speak to, she finally said, “Don’t you feel these squeezes every once and a while? They’re quite unpleasant and sometimes even painful.” “Yes, what’s so special about that?” “Well,” the sister said, “I think that these squeezes are there to get us ready for another place, much more beautiful than this, where we will see our mother face-to-face. Don’t you think that’s exciting?”
The brother didn’t answer. He was fed up with the foolish talk of his sister and felt that the best thing would be simply to ignore her and hope she would leave him alone.
