1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,040 Good morning. Wow, what, what a wonderful 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:04,360 worship time. And this is the presence of God 3 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:07,720 in this place and they're so grateful for all of you who have 4 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,720 a heart to serve the Lord in different ministries like John 5 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:14,720 is here today. I, I went through that program 6 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:18,240 many years ago in the company I work for in Pittsburgh, an 7 00:00:18,240 --> 00:00:21,600 optical company and the owner of the company was a Christian and 8 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:25,000 part of our monthly management meetings were going through 9 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:28,520 experiencing God together. It was really life changing and 10 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:31,600 I'm really at the time I really needed to experience God in the 11 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:34,800 deeper way. So if you feel that way or you 12 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:37,440 need the Lord more, which I believe we all do, take 13 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:39,600 advantage of that class. You won't regret it. 14 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:42,040 Invite some friends too. Maybe they don't want to come to 15 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,160 church, but they'll come to the class and then leave after. 16 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:48,360 But I would encourage you to also consider inviting some 17 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,640 people that need to, to really experience God. 18 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,560 So we're studying the resurrection now. 19 00:00:55,560 --> 00:01:00,880 One of the help you guys and as well as myself to understand the 20 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,400 critical importance of understanding the literal 21 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,120 resurrection of Jesus Christ rising or raising from the dead. 22 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,480 Our our faith hinges on this truth. 23 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:15,640 It's pivotal, it's foundational. It's the most important aspect 24 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,520 of our belief as Christians. There's no other religion in the 25 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:23,160 world that has a leader and a savior like Jesus Christ who 26 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:26,960 died for our sins and conquered the grave and rose again from 27 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:29,600 the dead. And because he rose again from 28 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:33,360 the dead, that gives all of us as believers the hope that there 29 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,400 is truly everlasting life, eternal life. 30 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,680 And I don't know about you, but the older I get, the more I'm 31 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,480 excited about the fact that this isn't all there is. 32 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:47,880 This is just the beginning. And so we showed a short video 33 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:54,440 last week from the Chosen and it was Jesus coming up to Martha 34 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:58,680 after Lazarus death. And I want to read what that was 35 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:03,000 all about. Verse 17 of John Chapter 11. 36 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,400 So when Jesus came, he found that he had already been in the 37 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,080 tomb for days. This is referring to his friend 38 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,080 Lazarus. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, 39 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:16,000 about two miles away, and many of the Jews had joined the women 40 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,120 around Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their 41 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:21,960 brother. And we always need comfort. 42 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:26,760 When someone passes away that we love deeply, It's not an 43 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:31,200 immediate recognition that we'll see them again many times 44 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,840 because we're believers and we know that there's life after 45 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:39,240 death, the horror of death and the sadness of death and what it 46 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:41,320 does to everyone that goes through it. 47 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,480 Family I'm Speaking of and loved ones and friends is unlike any 48 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,640 other heartache that anybody could ever experience. 49 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:53,360 But in time God by his Spirit comforts us, the God of all hope 50 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:57,400 and the God of all comfort, and he gets us through the loss of 51 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:00,680 the loved one with the anticipation of the fact that 52 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:02,960 one day we will see each other again. 53 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:07,920 And heaven isn't that wonderful? And so they were grieving. 54 00:03:08,640 --> 00:03:13,520 And Martha, she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him. 55 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:15,680 But Mary was sitting in the house. 56 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:19,920 Now Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother 57 00:03:19,920 --> 00:03:22,960 would not have died. But even now I know that 58 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,880 whatever you ask of God, God will give you. 59 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,560 And Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. 60 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,080 And Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the 61 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:37,680 resurrection at the last day. And Jesus said to her, I am the 62 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:41,520 resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though 63 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,960 he were dead, yet shall he live, and he that believeth in me 64 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,160 shall never die. Do you believe this? 65 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:54,000 And she said to him, Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the 66 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:58,840 Christ, the Son of God who has come into the world. 67 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:04,720 And so I've done a lot of funerals in my life as a as a 68 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:08,680 pastor. And I know Pastor Lewis has as 69 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:13,280 well. And this might sound weird or 70 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:17,079 strange, but that's my favorite service to do. 71 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:22,200 Why in the world would I be excited about doing a funeral? 72 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:25,840 Because it's the greatest place to preach the gospel. 73 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:32,800 Most people at a funeral, many times are lost and they don't 74 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,800 understand the fact that there is life after death. 75 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:39,440 And if it's the person who passed away who's a Christian, 76 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:44,800 we can really emphasize the fact in that service that they are 77 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,800 alive in the Kingdom of God as we speak. 78 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:54,600 Some of you have lost a loved one this past year and you're 79 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:58,720 still grieving. And I remember doing the funeral 80 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:05,080 for your loved one and seeing your face and your expression in 81 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:10,720 the midst of the memorial service, the funeral, and seeing 82 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:15,320 the hope and the glow on your face and the trust and the 83 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:19,560 belief you have, knowing that you'll see your loved one once 84 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:24,280 again in the Kingdom of heaven. There's nothing like that. 85 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,160 And then the challenge to the people. 86 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,560 I always say like to know my audience when I'm preaching. 87 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:35,640 How many here today believe that there is life after death? 88 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:39,240 Just raise your hand, keep them up for a minute because I want 89 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,000 to zero in on you who haven't raised your hand. 90 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:48,720 It looks like we got 100% belief in that, which is awesome, but 91 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,400 it's important for us to realize that the belief that we have 92 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:56,800 needs to be communicated to people that have no clue about 93 00:05:57,360 --> 00:05:59,240 what the resurrection is all about. 94 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:08,800 So I think about the the mind, how it works, and there's a lot 95 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:13,160 of people that don't believe in life after death for various 96 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:20,440 reasons, philosophical reasons, lack of hearing the gospel of 97 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:25,440 being impacted by smart people that don't know what they're 98 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:30,120 talking about. That that Hawkins got it passed 99 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,440 away. The sad he died without any 100 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,280 understanding that there was life after death. 101 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,720 He just said it's done. The only wisdom he gave to 102 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:45,280 people was whatever you do, do not speak to aliens, 103 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:47,760 supernatural beings. I don't know how he came up with 104 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,800 that or what why he said that. But that was one of the things 105 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:56,160 he was known for after he died. But he had no faith and he had 106 00:06:56,160 --> 00:07:00,560 debates with believers and and he he just never came to the 107 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:04,800 knowledge of the fact that Jesus died for him and that he needed 108 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,880 a savior. Now you may be here today or you 109 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:13,400 may know people that have their reasons why they don't believe 110 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:20,880 that there's life after death. And so in the Bible, Proverbs 111 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:25,680 chapter 3, verse five and six says trust in the Lord with all 112 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,560 your heart. Lean not into your own 113 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:32,960 understanding in all your ways. Acknowledge him and he will 114 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:39,720 direct your path. So for us, logic or philosophy 115 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:45,200 is secondary to our thought processes. 116 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,520 Intellectually, if we're Christians, we're really 117 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:52,320 Christians. We know the foolishness of man's 118 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:57,360 thought processes and the things that maybe we were taught when 119 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:00,520 we were in school or college or whatever books we read, 120 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:07,320 philosophy books that they have no ability to speak the truth 121 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,800 that the Word of God can speak to us. 122 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:15,480 This, this book, this Bible, everything you have need of in 123 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:19,920 your life that means while you're living and while you're 124 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:26,480 preparing to pass on to eternity has the clear answers for what 125 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:31,320 the human heart longs to know. You don't have to buy a bunch of 126 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,480 different books of Barnes and Noble to try to convince 127 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:40,640 yourself of some kind of truth. That's a lie written by man. 128 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:45,560 You can go right to the main book, the source of truth, the 129 00:08:45,560 --> 00:08:50,480 word of God, which is the words of life from Jesus, and clearly 130 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:55,440 learn the truth and by God's grace and believe the truth. 131 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,080 And when you believe the truth, your life changes. 132 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:04,560 When you don't know the truth, your life is very, very dismal 133 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:09,240 and depressing. I can't imagine what it must be 134 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:13,120 like because I've never been in that place where I'd lost a 135 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:17,560 loved one that knows the Lord, that I didn't believe with 100% 136 00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:20,360 conviction that I was going to see them again. 137 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:25,680 But that's not what happens to people that don't know Jesus. 138 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:30,440 They're hopeless, they're despairing, they're depressed, 139 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:35,200 they're fatalistic, and they think that life has no purpose 140 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:41,040 or no meaning, no reason. Now, when we study, excuse me, 141 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:46,320 First Corinthians 15, which is where we're at today, there was 142 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:52,240 so much credible documentation historically of eyewitness 143 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,880 accounts that saw Jesus after he rose again from the dead. 144 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:02,160 It wasn't like a rumor. It was a reality and people 145 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:06,720 confronted him in his resurrected body after he rose 146 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:08,600 again from the dead on the third day. 147 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:19,840 The evidence is 100% historical, 100% reliable, and 100% 148 00:10:20,560 --> 00:10:25,360 convicting for people to be able to trust in and believe in 149 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:32,280 without any shadow of doubt. And so Paul was referencing the 150 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,200 different people that had seen Christ. 151 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:38,280 And I'll just read the verses up to where we're going to start 152 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,680 today. Moreover, brethren, first one of 153 00:10:40,680 --> 00:10:43,280 chapter 15. I declared you the gospel which 154 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:47,240 I preached you, which also you received, in which you stand, by 155 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:51,280 which also you are saved if you hold fast that word which I 156 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,520 preached you, unless you believed in vain. 157 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,960 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, 158 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:02,120 that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and 159 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,600 that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day 160 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:09,200 according to the Scriptures. So everything we teach, 161 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:13,120 everything we believe, everything we stake our very 162 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:18,200 lives upon is what is found written in this reliable book 163 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:22,200 called the Bible, as was prayed this morning. 164 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:26,080 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it's 165 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,400 profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and 166 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,800 instruction of righteousness, that the person of God may be 167 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:37,000 thoroughly furnished, equipped into living a life that would 168 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:41,560 please God. And the Word of God is sharper 169 00:11:41,560 --> 00:11:46,360 than any 2 edged sword. It's able to Pierce and divide 170 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:51,680 asunder the heart and the flesh, the joints in the marrow. 171 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:57,360 It gets into the deep recesses of what makes you a human being 172 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:00,840 and causes you to be alive and to breathe. 173 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:06,080 And it says that that word and the power of the Holy Spirit is 174 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:09,080 a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 175 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:13,760 So today as I'm preaching, I have complete confidence that 176 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:17,800 the Holy Spirit is doing something in your heart that I 177 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:21,200 could never do, and I have no business thinking I could do. 178 00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:24,080 It's His word that'll convince you. 179 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:26,520 It's his word that'll convict you. 180 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,600 It is his word that will encourage you. 181 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:35,120 And it is his word is what alone can save you from your sin and 182 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:37,880 your despair and your hopelessness. 183 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:41,000 And then he says he was seen by Cephas. 184 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,680 That's Peter, the one who denied Jesus. 185 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:47,720 Then by the 12, the rest of the other 11 that were still alive, 186 00:12:48,680 --> 00:12:52,520 that you know Judas had committed suicide after 187 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:57,000 betraying and denying. After that he was seen by over 188 00:12:57,000 --> 00:13:01,280 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater part remained to the 189 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:04,680 present, that some have passed away or fallen asleep. 190 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:08,240 After that he was seen by James. That's the half brother of 191 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,320 Jesus. He became the first apostle, 192 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,240 first leader in the church in Jerusalem, then by all the 193 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:19,240 apostles, then last of all, he was seen by me also as by one 194 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:22,640 born out of due time. So Paul's now going to give his 195 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:26,800 story about how he came to faith in Jesus Christ. 196 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:29,320 Now he wasn't one of the original 12. 197 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:35,560 He came on the scene much later on and the church in Corinth 198 00:13:35,560 --> 00:13:39,680 gave Paul a lot of problems. This this book of Corinthians is 199 00:13:39,680 --> 00:13:42,200 a corrective letter for a church. 200 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:46,560 It was really messed up. It had a lot of weird thoughts 201 00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:49,120 and actions and ideas and attitudes. 202 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:52,680 And so Paul, being the founder of that church, had written 203 00:13:52,680 --> 00:13:57,600 letters to bring them back into a place of biblical stability 204 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:03,360 and reliability. So Paul says I experienced 205 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:05,880 Jesus. Now how did Paul experience 206 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:08,760 Jesus himself? Like to go over to Acts, the 207 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:12,000 book of the Acts, Chapter 9, we're going to read how Paul 208 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:15,120 came to faith in Jesus Christ and what type of person he was. 209 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:19,560 Now, Saul, that's what his name was before he became Paul. 210 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:23,480 The apostle, still breathing threats and murder against the 211 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:26,400 disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked 212 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:30,160 letters from him to the synagogues that Damascus said if 213 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:33,160 he found any who were of the way, meaning people who were 214 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:37,080 following Jesus, whether men or women, he might bring them bound 215 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:40,240 to Jerusalem. So Paul's whole life was 216 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:44,560 involved with persecuting people that believed in Jesus Christ, 217 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:48,880 people like us, to bring them into prison and eventually have 218 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:52,360 them martyred and killed because of their faith in Christ. 219 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:55,840 As he journeyed, he came near Damascus. 220 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,120 So this is just like another normal day Paul out there. 221 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:04,240 How many Christians can I get and get him in jail and see him 222 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:05,880 kill that? That was his joy. 223 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:07,760 That was his, his vision in life. 224 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:11,840 And as he's journeying, he comes near Damascus and suddenly a 225 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:14,400 light shone around him from heaven. 226 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:18,560 So this, this bright light. And we believe it's the Shekinah 227 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:22,560 glory, the the very presence of the living God that was seen in 228 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:26,440 the temple in the Old Testament and showed up in specific times 229 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:30,320 when God was really about ready to do a big, big thing in which 230 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:32,040 he is about ready to do in Paul's life. 231 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:34,200 Paul's encompassed by this light. 232 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:37,680 Then he fell to the ground. This light was so bright and so 233 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:41,400 intimidating, it weakened his knees and he fell on his face to 234 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:43,760 the ground. And he heard a voice saying to 235 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:47,520 him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 236 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:52,240 This is Jesus himself speaking to Paul vocally. 237 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,640 Not only did Paul hear this, but the people who were with Paul 238 00:15:56,640 --> 00:16:01,120 actually heard this voice too. And he said, Who are you, Lord? 239 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,840 He didn't have to. He didn't have to guess at this 240 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:06,440 point in time. Immediately he knew who he who 241 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,560 he was dealing with. He calls him Lord. 242 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:13,520 Then the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 243 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:16,320 It is hard for you to kick against the goads. 244 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:20,040 In other words, now that the reality of who I am is being 245 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:24,680 revealed to you, you can't kick against my ways anymore. 246 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:28,560 And so he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what do 247 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:32,680 you want me to do? I wish there was more. 248 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:37,280 People like Paul when they came to faith in Jesus Christ would 249 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:41,360 be like Paul on their face. And the first thing they would 250 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:45,840 say after they got saved was, Lord, what do you want me to do? 251 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:48,680 The world would be completely different, wouldn't it? 252 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,480 Then the Lord said to him, Arise and go to into the city, and you 253 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:58,280 will be told what you must do. And the man who journeyed with 254 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,440 him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no one. 255 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:05,960 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, 256 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,640 he saw no one. He was blind because of the 257 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,560 light, but they led him by the hand and brought him into 258 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,599 Damascus. And he was three days without 259 00:17:14,599 --> 00:17:17,400 sight, and neither ate nor drank. 260 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:20,800 I find it interesting how God uses a symbolism of three days. 261 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:25,960 Three days Christ in the tomb rises again. 262 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:29,400 On the third day Paul's blinded for three days. 263 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:33,040 So Paul runs into the sky by the name of Ananias. 264 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:37,360 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. 265 00:17:37,360 --> 00:17:39,800 And to him the Lord said in the vision, Ananias. 266 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:44,080 And he said, Here I am Lord. And the Lord said to him, Arise 267 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:47,320 and go to the street called Straight and inquire at the 268 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:50,840 House of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. 269 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:55,400 For behold, he is praying. So not only is Paul waiting for 270 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,320 his sight to be recovered and restored, but he's actually 271 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:02,240 talking to God. He's he's having a conversation 272 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:05,880 with him, he's praying. He's he's probably got all kind 273 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:09,000 of thoughts and, and the Lord is communicating to him. 274 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,200 And this is wonderful relationship that's beginning to 275 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:16,080 develop now because he's now a follower of Jesus Christ. 276 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:21,920 And in a vision, this Ananias, he's seen a man named Ananias 277 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,240 coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive 278 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:28,200 his sight. Fascinating how the Holy Spirit 279 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:32,400 gave Paul this vision that it's going to be OK, You're going to 280 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,600 be able to see again this guy Ananias. 281 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:39,440 And Ananias answers, Lord, I've heard from many about this man, 282 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:42,800 how much harm he's done to your Saints in Jerusalem. 283 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:46,800 And here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all who 284 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:50,000 call upon your name. So Ananias is like checking it 285 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,280 out with the Lord. You really sure you want me to 286 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:56,760 go to see this guy Like I'm I'm my knees are shaking and I'm 287 00:18:56,760 --> 00:18:59,480 intimidated. I I don't want to I actually 288 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,640 don't want to do this. But Ananias is obedient and the 289 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:06,440 Lord said to him, go, for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear 290 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:10,120 my name before Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel. 291 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:13,960 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my 292 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:17,440 sake. So I I find it fascinating he's 293 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:20,320 telling Ananias like the plan he has for Paul. 294 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:23,960 So think about your own life or the, the person you, you, you 295 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:27,120 see in your, your world is like the worst person you could ever 296 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:30,520 like, want to have a friendship with someone you just like, 297 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:36,080 don't want to be around or or be even even near, like Maduro, 298 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:38,280 right? The guy that just got captured 299 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:42,280 in, in Venezuela, just a wicked, wicked leader and ruler, right? 300 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:45,080 Is that guy beyond God's hand to salvation? 301 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:48,920 Maybe he's going to get saved in, in the American prison here. 302 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,600 That would be wild, wouldn't it? That would be cool, right? 303 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:54,200 That's what we should be praying for. 304 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:56,920 Amen. But anyway, we all have our own 305 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:01,000 thought processes about people and what we think should happen. 306 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:05,000 If you were on the planet at the time and you were a Christian in 307 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:08,120 the church in Jerusalem, and all of a sudden you get news that 308 00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:11,880 this guy saw who used to kill Christians is now one of God's 309 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,400 main spokespeople, what would you think about that? 310 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:18,480 It wouldn't, like, connect right away. 311 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:24,120 There's got to be a mistake. Anybody but Paul, anybody but 312 00:20:24,120 --> 00:20:27,000 Saul. And I think about my life and 313 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,880 your life and how God saved us from wherever we were and 314 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:35,160 whatever we were doing. I had dreamed last night and I 315 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,800 was praying and I was thinking about this message. 316 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:41,280 And, and then all of a sudden, I, I, I sensed that I needed to 317 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:48,040 have a, a life confession. A life confession going back 318 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:54,600 into my earliest years of my sin and rebellion against God and 319 00:20:54,600 --> 00:21:00,480 him flashing in front of my eyes and my memory, all the things 320 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:06,720 I've done that were so sinful and ugly in a mess. 321 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:13,000 And just like, I mean, it was, it was graphic, it was painful. 322 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:17,280 It was like, God, can I get a redo? 323 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:21,560 I'd love to have a redo. And he says, yeah, the redo is 324 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:25,560 repentance. I'm long-suffering, I'm 325 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:30,000 forgiving, I'm patient, I'm gentle, I'm merciful. 326 00:21:30,120 --> 00:21:34,160 You just come with all that dirt, all that guilt, all that 327 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,480 memory stuff, and you and you just give it to me and ask for 328 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:42,120 me to forgive you. And I will forgive you, for I 329 00:21:42,120 --> 00:21:44,960 choose to remember your sins no more. 330 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:49,840 How beautiful is that? How good is God? 331 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:53,680 How patient God is. Cindy and I were praying this 332 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:58,120 morning about this message and the importance of God's mercy. 333 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:02,360 And who are we to judge anybody for anything? 334 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:10,160 After you have a life repentance and a life confession, you 335 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:18,920 realize God is gracious, He's patient, and He will receive to 336 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:22,960 Himself anybody that comes to Him with a heart of knowing they 337 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:26,640 need Jesus. And he won't say, huh, Not you. 338 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:31,320 Your list is too long. There's too much dirt, too much 339 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:35,360 baggage, too much. You're beyond help, Clark. 340 00:22:35,360 --> 00:22:37,880 You're beyond ever getting saved. 341 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:42,360 God is not like that. He seems to choose like the 342 00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:46,560 worst of the worst, and then He chooses to use them for His 343 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:48,840 purposes. That's what's astounding. 344 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:58,160 That's what's so wonderful. So Ananias went his way, entered 345 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:01,320 the house and laying his hands on him, he said brother Saul. 346 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:03,520 And it was cool. He didn't say the Saul. 347 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:05,720 He said brother. He's a brother now in Christ. 348 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:10,320 He's part of the family. The Lord Jesus who appeared to 349 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:13,920 you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive 350 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:17,440 your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 351 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:21,480 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales. 352 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:25,120 He was able to see, and he received his sight at once, and 353 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:29,360 he rose and he was baptized. So when he had received food, he 354 00:23:29,360 --> 00:23:32,760 was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with 355 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:36,440 the disciples at Damascus. This is fascinating. 356 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:40,040 He, he, he gets saved, he gets filled with the Holy Spirit. 357 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:41,280 And what's the next thing he does? 358 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:43,760 Immediately he's preaching the Christ. 359 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:47,840 And the synagogue said he is the Son of God right away. 360 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:51,200 He's sharing his faith, telling people what Jesus has done for 361 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:54,240 him. Then all who heard were amazed 362 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:58,280 and said, is this not he who destroyed those who called on 363 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:02,600 his name in Jerusalem, and has come here for the purpose, so 364 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:05,480 that he might bring them bound to the chief priest? 365 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:09,960 But Saul increased all the more in strength and confounded the 366 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:14,640 Jews who dwelled in Damascus, proving that Jesus is the 367 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,880 Christ. You talk about an encounter with 368 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:21,640 the Lord and someone who's qualified by the by the Lord to 369 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:26,160 speak to these people in Corinth that were really messed up in 370 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:31,760 their understanding of what this faith in Jesus Christ really is 371 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:35,720 truly all about. And then Paul, he also writes 372 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:39,960 the book of Galatians and he says in Galatians chapter 1, 373 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,800 something very fascinating as well. 374 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:48,840 Paul, an apostle, not from men nor through man, but through 375 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:52,120 Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead, 376 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:54,360 and all the brethren who are with me. 377 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:58,440 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus 378 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:02,600 Christ who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us 379 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:07,320 from this present evil age according to the will of God and 380 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:10,160 our Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. 381 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:12,360 Amen. This is several thousand years 382 00:25:12,360 --> 00:25:17,640 ago and Paul is saying to the church in Galatia that Jesus is 383 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:21,400 the one who gave himself for your sins that he might deliver 384 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:24,600 you from the present evil age. We're living in an evil age 385 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:29,120 right now and he's still the one that delivers people in the 386 00:25:29,120 --> 00:25:31,720 midst of this evil age from their sins. 387 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:35,560 But anyway, Paul then says, I marvel that you are turning away 388 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:39,480 so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to a 389 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,480 different gospel. So they were being deceived by 390 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:46,200 false teachers and false preachers to to not understand 391 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:49,200 the grace of God. They were putting legalism on 392 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,840 them and they were giving them a bunch of rules and different 393 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:53,360 things saying, well, you got to do this. 394 00:25:53,360 --> 00:25:55,000 If you're really saved, you got to do this. 395 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,240 And if you if you do this, you're not saved. 396 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:59,080 And this a lot of crazy stuff, right? 397 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:04,400 And so this different gospel, Paul says is not another, but 398 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:08,000 there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel 399 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:11,200 of Christ. And then Paul so convicted and 400 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:14,520 committed to the truth of what the word of God and the Holy 401 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:18,880 Spirit teaches that even if we are an Angel from heaven preach 402 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:22,440 any other gospel to you, then what we have preached you. 403 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:25,680 Let him be accursed, as we said before. 404 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:29,960 And so we say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you 405 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:34,200 than what you have received, let him be accursed. 406 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:38,800 For do I now persuade men or God, or do I seek to please men? 407 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:42,680 For if I still please men, I wouldn't be the bondservant of 408 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:46,720 Jesus Christ. So we go back to the Corinthians 409 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:53,400 now, First Corinthians 15, and Paul is the spokesperson now to 410 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:57,560 this church in Corinth regarding the gospel, the death, the 411 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:03,320 burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Paul's testimony 412 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:07,200 of grace. This is what Paul begins to to 413 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:11,400 speak about regarding his own life. 414 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:17,560 He says that I am the least of the apostles in verse 9, who am 415 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:21,880 not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the 416 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,360 Church of God. But by the grace of God, I am 417 00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:28,600 what I am. And His grace toward me was not 418 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:34,200 in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet 419 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:38,120 not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 420 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:43,160 Where therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach, and so 421 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:55,800 you believe. Paul understood the grace of God 422 00:27:56,840 --> 00:28:01,000 and thank God he did because if he didn't we wouldn't understand 423 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,320 or have the grace of God. God used him to be the 424 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:12,240 spokesperson of the grace of God, not religion, not self 425 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:17,040 works, righteousness, earning our way into the presence of 426 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:21,640 God's forgiveness, but receiving it freely by the grace of God. 427 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:27,280 Nothing you and I could do other than believe for he said Paul 428 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:29,280 again. For by grace are you saved 429 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:32,080 through faith, and this is not of yourselves. 430 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,040 It's a gift of God, not of works. 431 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:38,720 No one can boast, Amen. No one can boast. 432 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:45,680 Paul received the grace and he gives the grace of God to others 433 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:50,480 because he so was full of it and aware of it. 434 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:58,960 Now if Christ is preached in verse 12 that he's been raised 435 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:03,560 from the dead, how do some of among you say that there is no 436 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:12,880 resurrection of the dead? Paul talked about the importance 437 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:19,120 of of working for Jesus and he talked about his relationship 438 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:24,200 along with the other apostles. And Paul wasn't working for 439 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,840 salvation anymore or never did work for salvation. 440 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:34,400 He was working his heart out for the sake of people to know Jesus 441 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,520 Christ. This was on his thought in the 442 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:40,720 morning when he got up and before he went to bed at night. 443 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:45,240 Who can I tell about Jesus? There's a lot of work to be done 444 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:48,000 and it can't be done by one person. 445 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:53,320 Jesus said go into all the world as we speak into his disciples 446 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:56,760 and preach the gospel to every living creature. 447 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:01,840 Your responsibility and my responsibility is to share our 448 00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:06,320 faith as we're able by the power of the Holy Spirit with people 449 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:12,360 who need to know the gospel. Paul was always looking for 450 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:17,320 opportunities and ways to to change the conversation as we'll 451 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:20,840 have the training in a couple weeks, I guess coming up to 452 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:22,960 learn how to share your faith with people. 453 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:24,880 A lot of people don't share their faith because they're 454 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:26,720 intimidated. They don't know how. 455 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:30,480 I encourage you to come to that training with Fred and Gideon's 456 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:35,160 training. But there's nothing like sharing 457 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:39,440 your faith and seeing someone get saved. 458 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:42,320 It's, it's better than hitting the lottery. 459 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:47,600 Believe me, I never hit the lottery but I know it's better 460 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:52,680 when you see someone come alive and their whole life changes and 461 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:55,920 you begin to hear them tell you, all I want to do is become a 462 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:59,120 better person. I want my life to change. 463 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:01,400 I don't want to do the same things I used to do. 464 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,800 I'm working with a young man now that this got saved recently. 465 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:07,080 He was telling me yesterday up here in the front of your 466 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:13,240 praying the new believers Bible. All he wants to do is become 467 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:18,160 more like Jesus and to see the hunger and the thirst and his 468 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:22,440 life for the word of God and the understanding of his need of the 469 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:27,680 Holy Spirit at a young age, 18 years old. 470 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:33,000 Here I am, 75 in February, sitting with a guy. 471 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:35,520 He's got his whole life ahead of him, ahead of himself. 472 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:40,840 I'm thinking if he can catch this now and understand the 473 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:45,160 power of the Holy Spirit in his life, oh ha, I'd love to trade 474 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:49,920 places with him and get a get another shot, knowing what I 475 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:51,960 know now. But I pray that Lord will use me 476 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:55,480 to encourage him to to go deeper and to be used mightily. 477 00:31:56,120 --> 00:31:59,120 And the Lord, but that that was Paul's whole effort, his 478 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:03,400 emphasis and his life every day. So now he's, he's saying this 479 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:07,480 thing to them about him being the least of the apostles and 480 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:09,920 not worthy to be called an apostle. 481 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:13,320 And all these different thoughts and processes and comments he 482 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:17,080 had about himself. It's interesting because 483 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:20,560 everything he did, everything I'm doing, everything you do in 484 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:24,240 regard to the Kingdom work is by grace, right? 485 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:26,520 It's all by God's grace that we do what we do. 486 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:31,160 So God does this work in you, gives you favor, gives me favor. 487 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:35,120 And then his expectation of us is we're not going to be 488 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:37,320 perfect. But boy, one thing he he's 489 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:41,600 definitely like focus on. I hope you guys want to share 490 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:44,760 this with other people because someone had to share it with you 491 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:48,080 for you to know. So share this with other people 492 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:51,320 so they can know. And Paul didn't rest in his 493 00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:55,080 laurels. He didn't want to be receiving 494 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:57,240 this grace of God and being passive. 495 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:01,200 He wanted to be active in his faith and sharing it with other 496 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:04,280 people. He said in First Corinthians 39, 497 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:08,040 we are God's fellow workers. So I was praying with Pastor 498 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:10,880 Lewis this morning and he was talking about the work that 499 00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:14,680 needs to be done, the hard work that needs to be done in order 500 00:33:14,680 --> 00:33:19,400 for God's Kingdom to be brought on earth as it is in heaven. 501 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:23,720 And it comes by everybody being mobilized and using their 502 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:28,200 gifting and, and sharing what it is that God wants us to do. 503 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:31,720 And a lot of Christians, they struggle at this point. 504 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:33,960 They say, well, what am I supposed to do? 505 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:39,600 And what, how, how do I do it? And you got to trust God. 506 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:42,480 You got to have a heart like Jesus, obviously. 507 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:44,920 And when he comes into your life, he gives you his heart 508 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:48,360 that you begin to care about other people more than you care 509 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:53,560 about yourself. Self love is one of the biggest 510 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:57,680 sins that we all have. We, we love ourselves, we watch 511 00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:00,040 out for ourselves, we care about ourselves. 512 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:01,840 We need to think about ourselves, right? 513 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:05,560 But not obsessively where we're not thinking about other people 514 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:09,080 and first of all, thinking about what it is the Lord wants us to 515 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:12,960 do. So we need to go to work and 516 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:19,120 work hard as you possibly can so that God's work and his plan in 517 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:23,120 your life is accomplished. I often think about let when I 518 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:27,600 pass and I'm in the presence of God and I'm in that like fire 519 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:31,639 where he's trying my works and whatever was done by the Spirit 520 00:34:31,639 --> 00:34:35,159 of God for the glory of God comes out gold, silver, precious 521 00:34:35,159 --> 00:34:38,040 stone and whatever was about Clark, is this going to burn? 522 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:41,080 I pray that there's some evidence when I'm before the 523 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:45,440 Lord that my life was lived for a purpose that was worthwhile as 524 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:49,360 opposed to wasting my life on social media or some other 525 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:56,719 stupid thing, right? You got a phone, I'm sure, and 526 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:59,320 it tells you how how many hours you're on social media. 527 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:00,720 It's sort of embarrassing, isn't it? 528 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:04,120 It's encouraging to say, well, last week it was 9 hours, this 529 00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:05,960 week at six hours. That's a step in the right 530 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:08,960 direction. Maybe eventually it would be 10 531 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:11,000 minutes because most of that stuff isn't even worth looking 532 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:16,360 at, right? So I don't want to live my life 533 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:19,160 in vain. And I'm sure you don't either, 534 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:22,680 right? So he goes on to to talk about 535 00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:25,320 this debate. Why are some of you, and these 536 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:29,000 are Corinthian believers supposedly that say there's no 537 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:33,240 resurrection of the dead? And I'm going to read something 538 00:35:33,240 --> 00:35:36,480 here. Fascinating because like this is 539 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:38,760 circular thought. If you read these verses and I'm 540 00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:41,960 sure you have in a path, you're like, what's he saying? 541 00:35:42,240 --> 00:35:45,320 Who's he talking to? Who has the problem? 542 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:48,640 Is there some people that really don't believe he rose again from 543 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:50,440 the dead? That wasn't the case. 544 00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:53,000 They all believed that Jesus rose from the dead. 545 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:56,160 The issue was they didn't believe that they'd raised from 546 00:35:56,160 --> 00:36:00,480 the dead. OK, that that's that's the 547 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:02,200 issue. So. 548 00:36:02,240 --> 00:36:04,240 So where does this thought come from? 549 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:10,680 One must always be careful to separate people's personal 550 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:15,080 beliefs from the church. Teaching popular traditions and 551 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:19,480 personal beliefs have a way of taking a life of its own, as in 552 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:21,560 the case of this text and this issue. 553 00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:25,480 Paul's face with the situation in Corinth that needed an 554 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:29,800 immediate nipping in the bud and the matter and the question 555 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:36,760 concerned the central belief They carried on their shoulder 556 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:40,600 these false teachings. They probably had been under the 557 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:44,240 influence of what's called Phelonic wisdom or philosophy. 558 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:49,480 Phelonic was a an early philosopher and his writings 559 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:54,480 were fascinating, but the whole focus was the writings and the 560 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:58,400 philosophy of men were superseding the teachings of the 561 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:02,720 Word of God. And this wisdom came in the 562 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:06,000 sense that they believed that they already possessed eternal 563 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:07,480 life. Well, that's a step in the right 564 00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:09,400 direction. The Christian and Corinth 565 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:14,600 believed that they had eternal life, but to them the 566 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:17,600 resurrection of the body would have been meaningless because 567 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:21,160 they principally attached no importance to the body. 568 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:25,120 So there's people that live on the face of the earth that think 569 00:37:25,120 --> 00:37:27,400 the body is no good, it's worthless. 570 00:37:27,720 --> 00:37:31,000 It's just a tent to walk around and do your life in and when you 571 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:33,640 die, there's no more need or importance of it. 572 00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:37,760 Well, the body is sacred and and God created it. 573 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:43,840 It's so beautiful that whenever Jesus was on the Mount of 574 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:47,960 Transfiguration, in his glorified state before his death 575 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:50,920 and burial, resurrection, guess who showed up with him and 576 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:52,960 physical bodies that were recognizable? 577 00:37:54,520 --> 00:38:01,360 Moses and Elijah, right, they could be seen Peter, James and 578 00:38:01,360 --> 00:38:04,760 John were there seeing this whole miraculous thing before 579 00:38:04,760 --> 00:38:07,600 their eyes. They were blown away and they 580 00:38:07,640 --> 00:38:12,200 they saw Jesus shining as he truly is, the glorified Savior. 581 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:16,640 And we'll see him in heaven that way, this glowing and shining 582 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:19,880 with brightness that is beyond comprehension. 583 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:26,080 But the human beings, the sinful human beings, Moses and Elijah 584 00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:31,160 were alive and well in physical bodies, proving that there is 585 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:34,120 life beyond the grave. And there was a temporal body 586 00:38:34,360 --> 00:38:37,760 because of the restoration of the physical body at the final 587 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:39,400 resurrection hasn't occurred yet. 588 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:44,960 But nonetheless, Vince, if you went to heaven tomorrow, you're 589 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:47,760 going to see her. You're going to recognize her. 590 00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:51,080 She's going to be beautiful as she was here, and she's going to 591 00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:54,880 be strong and healthy and just, it's going to be awesome, right? 592 00:38:57,160 --> 00:38:59,320 And all you have lost loved ones. 593 00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:04,880 You're going to see them and you're going to be able to touch 594 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:10,000 them and feel them. So what could have brought about 595 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:13,520 such a thought? Corinth, and we studied this in 596 00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:16,520 the beginning chapters as a home to many popular mystery 597 00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:19,920 religions. The New Age religion was back in 598 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:21,840 Corinth. Believe me it this didn't start 599 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:26,240 in the in the 60s, which I've written and spoke about 600 00:39:26,240 --> 00:39:29,120 previously. These mystery cults claim that 601 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:31,920 their initiates had already overcome death and we're living 602 00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:35,600 the life of the gods. While this is what we know about 603 00:39:35,600 --> 00:39:38,280 the mystery religions of that time, we can't be sure what 604 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:40,880 extent these ideas influenced Corinthians. 605 00:39:41,560 --> 00:39:44,160 The Greek philosophy looked down on the resurrection is 606 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:47,280 undesirable. They thought a pure spirit to be 607 00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:52,080 superior to a resurrected body. But within Judaism, we also know 608 00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:54,920 that the Sadducees remember the Sadducees. 609 00:39:55,200 --> 00:39:57,520 They were Sadducee because they didn't believe in the 610 00:39:57,520 --> 00:40:00,400 resurrection. They rejected the resurrection. 611 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:04,200 They thought that the world beyond the dead was just wishful 612 00:40:04,200 --> 00:40:06,760 thinking. The bottom line is that some of 613 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:10,640 the Corinthian Christians believe that they lived forever, 614 00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:16,080 but not in resurrected bodies. So that's heresy. 615 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:20,520 So anybody that doesn't believe in the literal resurrection of 616 00:40:20,520 --> 00:40:25,720 the dead or what the true gospel is, is believing a false gospel 617 00:40:25,840 --> 00:40:31,960 and a lie. The Paul's reply to the 618 00:40:31,960 --> 00:40:35,800 Corinthians that Christians denying the dead men are raised. 619 00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:39,360 It's important to note the form of his argument is a circular 620 00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:42,720 one designed to reduce a logical absurdity. 621 00:40:42,960 --> 00:40:46,920 The position of his opponents. Paul shows how the resurrection 622 00:40:46,920 --> 00:40:51,200 of Jesus not and he proves his own resurrection, but it proves 623 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:54,640 the principle of resurrection. He answers them head on. 624 00:40:54,640 --> 00:40:57,400 How can some of you say there's no resurrection of the dead? 625 00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:00,720 If there's no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not 626 00:41:00,720 --> 00:41:04,720 been raised, and then our proclamation has been in vain, 627 00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:09,040 and your faith is in vain. Paul says that there's several 628 00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:12,720 consequences of such a belief, and it goes on to highlight 629 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:18,000 these things. Jesus was truly man and truly 630 00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:20,880 God. This physical resurrection of 631 00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:25,800 Christ from the dead is critical and pivotal to prove that He 632 00:41:25,800 --> 00:41:29,000 truly is the Christ, the Son of the living God. 633 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:31,920 The reality of Christ's resurrection. 634 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:38,040 The Christian faith is the foundation of what is, what we 635 00:41:38,040 --> 00:41:41,640 stand on, what we believe. So do you see how important this 636 00:41:41,640 --> 00:41:44,600 teaching on the resurrection is? I'm not scooting through this 637 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:47,280 fast. I want to go through it slow. 638 00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:50,840 So not only do you understand the truth and the validity of 639 00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:55,000 it, but it it's going to impact your personal life as you move 640 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:57,320 closer to death yourself or loved ones. 641 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:00,160 You're going to be able to tell them Jesus said I am the 642 00:42:00,160 --> 00:42:03,440 resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me though 643 00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:07,200 he were dead, yet shall he live, and he that believeth in me 644 00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:14,760 shall never die. Hallelujah, That's it. 645 00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:18,160 If we're not excited about this, we might as well turn the lights 646 00:42:18,160 --> 00:42:22,680 out, shut the building down, give the money away, it's in the 647 00:42:22,680 --> 00:42:25,680 bank account and just go live your life and do whatever you 648 00:42:25,680 --> 00:42:27,440 want to do. Who wants to do that? 649 00:42:28,360 --> 00:42:31,960 We got to keep on keeping on, keep on preaching the truth, 650 00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:35,160 keep on loving people, keep on sharing the gospel. 651 00:42:35,160 --> 00:42:38,120 I love it when I run into people in Calvary and they tell me, 652 00:42:38,120 --> 00:42:40,320 boy, I'm so excited. I got to tell someone about 653 00:42:40,320 --> 00:42:43,720 Jesus this week. Ted was telling someone about 654 00:42:43,720 --> 00:42:45,920 Jesus in the supermarket the other day. 655 00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:47,640 He's telling telling me and Lewis about it. 656 00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:50,920 My friend Gary's telling me people he runs into in the 657 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:54,840 business world, he loves to tell them about what Jesus did for 658 00:42:54,840 --> 00:42:56,520 him. And you all you guys are like 659 00:42:56,520 --> 00:42:57,840 this. Keep doing it. 660 00:42:57,840 --> 00:43:01,200 This is what it's about. Christ died for our sins 661 00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:04,920 according to the scriptures. He was buried and he rose again 662 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:10,000 the third day according to the gospel in the scriptures. 663 00:43:10,040 --> 00:43:12,040 There's a worship team can come forward. 664 00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:15,520 I woke some of you up, John. You woke up and I was yelling. 665 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:18,960 You know, I do it more often, John. 666 00:43:18,960 --> 00:43:20,760 John listens even when he's sleeping. 667 00:43:20,760 --> 00:43:23,720 So that's good. Because you know, Joe folks, 668 00:43:23,720 --> 00:43:27,240 your pastor in Philly says I'd rather you fall asleep in church 669 00:43:27,440 --> 00:43:30,520 because at least like subliminally something's coming 670 00:43:30,520 --> 00:43:32,720 into your conscience. You'll, you'll remember what the 671 00:43:32,720 --> 00:43:35,480 Holy Spirit gives you, right? So that's a good thing. 672 00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:39,320 Well, let's take the Lord's Supper and we'll we'll continue 673 00:43:39,320 --> 00:43:45,560 in Corinthians next week and praise the Lord. 674 00:43:54,950 --> 00:43:57,230 Thank you for your hearts, for the Lord. 675 00:43:57,230 --> 00:44:00,750 I, Lewis and I were so blessed. We come here and you're hungry 676 00:44:00,750 --> 00:44:03,590 for Jesus. You're desperate for Jesus. 677 00:44:03,830 --> 00:44:06,430 You want to know him better, You want to follow him closer, You 678 00:44:06,430 --> 00:44:09,390 want to become more like him. That proves that you're a 679 00:44:09,390 --> 00:44:12,550 Christian. That proves that you know him 680 00:44:13,550 --> 00:44:16,070 and you got a heart that you want your loved ones to know him 681 00:44:16,070 --> 00:44:19,000 too. So we just keep, keep on keeping 682 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:21,760 on. Lord Jesus, we're so grateful. 683 00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:26,240 Thank you for the Apostle Paul. Thank you for working in his 684 00:44:26,240 --> 00:44:27,720 life. Thank you for giving him the 685 00:44:27,720 --> 00:44:30,800 grace to do what he did until he was martyred. 686 00:44:31,440 --> 00:44:33,840 He was in prison. He's preaching the gospel. 687 00:44:33,840 --> 00:44:36,960 He was in the chains. He was preaching the gospel. 688 00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:41,680 He was in the streets of an empire that hated Christianity, 689 00:44:41,680 --> 00:44:46,240 much like our own country today. It didn't stop him, he just kept 690 00:44:46,240 --> 00:44:51,480 sharing Jesus with people. Lord, enable us to do that this 691 00:44:51,480 --> 00:44:54,040 week. Enable us to do it today with 692 00:44:54,040 --> 00:44:58,760 our loved ones, living on our faith and letting people see you 693 00:44:58,800 --> 00:45:01,560 in us. What really matters to us, 694 00:45:01,560 --> 00:45:03,880 what's most important to us, is you, Lord. 695 00:45:04,920 --> 00:45:09,680 It's because of your grace. You come after us, Lord, you 696 00:45:09,680 --> 00:45:14,160 chase us down. You grind away the vanity in the 697 00:45:14,840 --> 00:45:18,920 immaturity and our weaknesses, Lord, and you show us really 698 00:45:18,920 --> 00:45:20,920 what is most important to live for. 699 00:45:21,720 --> 00:45:25,920 Bless these dear people, Lord, Continually favor them and their 700 00:45:25,920 --> 00:45:30,200 marriages and singleness and kids and little kids next door. 701 00:45:30,200 --> 00:45:33,840 And this all the things you're doing on the air, on the Grace 702 00:45:33,840 --> 00:45:38,120 FM, on the YouTube, in the lives of each believer in this church, 703 00:45:38,120 --> 00:45:41,280 Father. Use them mightily, Father, so 704 00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:46,480 that our faith is not in vain, that we didn't waste our life, 705 00:45:47,400 --> 00:45:49,720 that we'll finish well, all of us together. 706 00:45:51,120 --> 00:45:56,440 And Lord, you've given us this supper to have frequently, to be 707 00:45:56,440 --> 00:46:01,480 reminded of what's most important, how we're learning to 708 00:46:01,480 --> 00:46:06,800 love you more, and how much you love us and how patient you are 709 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:10,560 to us. Lord, on the night that Jesus is 710 00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:13,480 betrayed, he took the bread in his hands and he broke it and he 711 00:46:13,480 --> 00:46:18,120 gave thanks and he said, this is my body which is given for you. 712 00:46:19,240 --> 00:46:32,430 Eat this remembrance of me the same manner that night He took 713 00:46:32,430 --> 00:46:37,070 the cup, and he said, This cup is a new covenant in my blood 714 00:46:37,070 --> 00:46:39,950 which is shed for the forgiveness of sins of many. 715 00:46:40,670 --> 00:46:48,230 Drink this in remembrance of me for His awesomely eat the spread 716 00:46:48,960 --> 00:46:52,400 and we drank this cup. We show forth the Lord's death 717 00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:55,120 till he comes again. God bless you guys. 718 00:46:55,240 --> 00:46:58,200 Thank you for listening. Have a great week.