The Inevitability of the Resurrection

There is one thing in life that is absolutely inevitable. It will happen to all of you. This time of year you are brought face to face with this inevitable fact of life.

Income Taxes!

Why is it inevitable? There is power behind Income Tax.

But there is something more inevitable than Income taxes. What is more inevitable than Income Taxes?

Death!

If you don’t believe that death is inevitable, I challenge you - Don’t Die!

People Avoid Death They Ignore it! They Fight it! Health food Exercise Meditation Miracle cures Freezing bodies - Cryonics

Age anxiety can be Fear of Death? We run from age Plastic surgery, face lifts, etc. If we look younger will we be younger? Subconsciously are we thinking we can postpone death?

Do we have contempt for the aged? Death is more inevitable than age, because some will die before they age.

There is a power behind death! If death had no power it wouldn’t be feared and revered.

What is death’s power? The power behind death is SIN!

Death is the result of Sin! Romans 5:12 (ESV) 12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Death is the Payment for Sin! Romans 6:23 a 23 For the wages of sin is death, …..

Though it appears that death is inevitable, there is something more inevitable than death. For not all die

Enoch did not die Genesis 5:24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. Elijah did not die 2 Kings 2:11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Some of you may not die 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

What is more inevitable than Death?

Resurrection!

All Will Be Raised Up!

The Righteous will be raised up to eternal life. Revelation 20:4–6 4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

The Unrighteous will be resurrected to judgment! Revelation 20:11–15 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Resurrection has greater power than death! 1 Corinthians 15:50–57 (ESV) 50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

Resurrection has greater power than death! 1 Corinthians 15:50–57 (ESV) 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

What will the Resurrection do to Death? The Resurrection will nullify the effects of death and decay. The Resurrection will swallow up death – making it void or ineffective. The Resurrection will remove the sting of death for believers.

Jesus’ resurrection is power over death? Ephesians 1:17–22 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

His Resurrection demonstrates His power Power over sin Power over death Power over nature Power over all authorities, human and spiritual

Jesus is the Power of Resurrection. John 11:21–26 (ESV) 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Do you believe this?

It’s Empty Phillip’s story, by Harry Pritchett, Jr.

“Do You Believe this?”