Foundations of our faith: RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD Penge Baptist Church 16 th October 2011

Foreshadowed in the Old Testament I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God (Job 19:25-26) But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. (Psalm 49:15) But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust,wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. (Isaiah 26:19)

Prophesied by Christ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. (John 6:39) “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. (John 5:28-29) Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)

Described by Paul And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith….. if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17) 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. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

What kind of resurrection? A product of death –What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. (1 Corinthians 15:36) With continuity from our earthly bodies… –When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. (1 Corinthians 15:37-38)

…but also transformation –“The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44|) To a body like Jesus’s! –“And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:49)

A changed body –As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. (Luke 24:15-16) A miraculous body –“While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.” (Luke 24:36-37) A physical body –he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. (Luke 24:41-43)

It will happen suddenly at the second coming –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. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52) And death will be defeated! –“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 victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:54- 57)

Some questions How plausible is resurrection? What is the “rapture”? What happens before the resurrection? What happens after the resurrection?

A different perspective on life!