The Sure Hope Of Our Resurrection Series

• And at the end of the age, all the dead will be raised to face God at the Last Judgment.

15:26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. It is not our body that will be destroyed but death.

• Our bodies will be transformed, not destroyed. Paul says later in 1 Cor 15:51-53:

51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in an instant, 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. 53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

Let’s conclude:

Christ’s resurrection is the heart of the Gospel. Take that away, there is no hope for us.

• Our resurrection is sure because Christ has been raised. And because He has been raised, then…. (let me reverse the words said here):

1. Our preaching is not in vain, it has eternal significance (14)

2. Our faith is not in vain, it is anchored in the unchanging truth of the Gospel (14)

3. We are true witnesses of what God has said and done (15)

4. We are no longer in our sin, we are forgiven and justified (17)

5. We who “fall asleep” will awake and be transformed in His presence (18)

6. We are greatly blessed and not pitiful (19)

Let me close with this thought. Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25)

Jesus was confronted by the death of his friend Lazarus. He arrived at the place late:

John 11:21-26

11:21Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

[the perspective of man, emphasizing His absence or His delay…]

22But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

[theoretically correct, the resurrection can only happen in the distant future…]

25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Jesus said, “I AM the resurrection and the life” and challenged her to believe it.

Martha saw TIME as a great obstacle, even for Jesus…

• “You should have come before he died; it’s now too late, and about resurrection, well that has to wait until the last day!”

• Jesus draws her attention to the present. “I AM the resurrection and the life.”

• It is not about the EVENT but the PERSON of Jesus. There is no resurrection apart from Him; there is no life apart from Him.

We have victory over death the moment we place our trust in Jesus Christ.

• The focus is on the PERSON of Jesus Christ. We are assured today of the future realities because of Jesus.

• John 17:3 says “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

• Eternal life is not defined by time but by a relationship with Christ.

Jesus went to the tomb and even before He called Lazarus out…

• 11:40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”