06.18. Up, Up and Away

Up, Up and Away John 11:23-27 ; John 11:34-44

Today in the world there is a lot of noise about what happens when we die. We have the thought of reincarnation, and that man ceases to exist. We also see the health food and exercise craze sweeping our land with men trying to add days to their life. Medical science is seeking the fountain of youth in medicine. Man wants to live forever. What does the Bible say about what will happen to man after this life and age are consummated? Will he live again? Job ask this question in Job 14:14 "If a man die, shall he live again?" Then Job answers his own question in Job 19:25-26 as he states, "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and thought after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." Today we will explore the biblical teachings on the resurrection.

I- Biblical Resurrections:

As we explore the word of God we find there were many resurrections for the dead. It was not common but it was certainly not unheard of in the history of man. We find at leas three resurrections in the Old Testament. 1 Kings 17:22 records the resurrection of the widows son by the prophet Elijah. 2 Kings 13:21 records one of the most interesting instances of resurrections when a dead man was thrown in a hole on Elisha’s bones and the Spirit of God was so strong on those bones that he came back to life. In the New Testament we have several recorded resurrections. Matthew 9:25 records the resurrection of Jarius daughter. Matthew 27:52 is the record of the saints being raised and walking around at the time of Christ resurrection. Luke 7:15 gives us the account of the son of the widow of Nain being raised and the resurrection of Dorcus is found in Acts 9:40 . Then the most famous of all in our text is the resurrection of Lazarus of Bethany. Still there is something that we must remember about these resurrections. Every one of these men and women who were raised back to life in the flesh and blood died again a natural death. So we can say that none of these resurrections from the dead give us hope of eternal life. I wish to now focus on only one verse of the text John 11:25 . Notice that Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, thought he were dead, yet shall he live." For us to understand the resurrection we must understand "THE (meaning Christ) resurrection."

II- Biblical Prophecy of Christ Resurrection:

Notice first the Old Testament prophecy of Christ resurrection. Psalms 16:10 "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (Hebrew Sheol meaning the grave); neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." This is quoted in Acts 2:1-47. The New Testament contains many prophecies of the resurrection of Christ by His own words. Lets look at just a couple of them.

    Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Luke 9:22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

III- The Resurrection of Jesus:

The most important event recorded in the gospels is the resurrection. If Jesus had only died we would be without hope. The greatest words of hope for dead world are those of the angel to Mary at the tomb. "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said." Matthew 28:5-6 . The resurrection is the capstone of the Christian faith. It was the topic preached by the early church most often. The bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead is not just a matter of a few men’s opinion but is in fact a historical fact. Still there are many false views about the resurrection of Christ. The swoon theory states that He did not die but only passed out and then revived. The vision theory is that his followers were using some form of drugs to hallucinate. 500 at one time say this hallucination it this is true. The spiritual resurrection theory and that it was not a body resurrection. One of the things that complicate matters is the deception of the religious leaders of Jesus day. Matthew 28:11-15 records the basis for what is know as the Fraud theory. This states that Jesus was a fraud and the whole thing was made up by His followers.

    Matthew 28:11-15 "Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. ¹² And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, ¹³ Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. ¹⁴ And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. ¹⁵ So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day."

IV- The Resurrection Doubted by Most:

    The fraud theory brings us to a good point. The resurrection was doubted by most. Matthew 27:62-64 records and interesting thing in that Jesus enemies believed and remembered what He said about He would rise again.

    Matthew 27:62-64 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, ⁶³ Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. ⁶⁴ Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

What about his friends. Surely they would remember that He said he would rise again, or did they? Mark 16:1-3 records that the women did not remember. John 20:13 tell us that Mary Magdalene did not remember. Luke 24:12 ; John 20:9 reveals that Peter and John did not remember. Luke 24:9-11 shows that the apostles did not remember. John 20:24-29 is where we find Thomas did not remember. We might ask how they could not remember what we cannot forget. They were so focused on the life of Christ they failed to see His death was coming. They probably were so overcome with grief and disappointment at their loss they were not remembering clearly. However, they soon came to believe in the risen Savior. In fact the historical eye witness accounts of the resurrection are not less than 17 times recorded in the scriptures. There is more evidence to prove the resurrection that to substantiate most of the wars fought in history.

V- Where Do We Go From Here?

How does the fact of the resurrection of Christ affect us as God’s children? 1 Peter 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to this abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." As we have previous stated the resurrection of Christ is the capstone of Christian faith. We in fact have nothing to believe in if Christ be not risen. Notice with me 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 which reveals several horrible things that are facts if there is no resurrection. A- All preaching is completely useless. 1 Corinthians 15:14 B- All our faith is useless. 1 Corinthians 15:14 C- All preachers are liars. 1 Corinthians 15:15 D- We are still in our sins. 1 Corinthians 15:17 E- All who have died believing are in hell. 1 Corinthians 15:18 F- Why go on living for life has no meaning. 1 Corinthians 15:19 But my friends because of the resurrection of Christ and the promise of our resurrection because of His preaching has a purpose, our faith is useful, preachers are bearers of truth, our sins are forgiven, all who have died believing are in heaven and life has meaning.

VI- The Order of the Resurrection:

The resurrection to come is going to be a very orderly and by exploring the scriptures we can see the order of the resurrection. A- The resurrection of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:20 says that Christ has become the "Firstfruit of them that slept." Christ is the first to rise. B- The resurrection of the rapture. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says, "...the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first." Those loved ones who have did in Christ will spring forth out of the grave. Notice what else it says in 1 Thes. "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air..." 1 Thessalonians 4:17 . So the next ones to rise after Christ will be the church at the rapture of the saints. C- The pre-millennial resurrection of Old Testament and tribulation Saints. Daniel 12:2 says, "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Daniel makes it plain that there will be two different types of resurrections. We go to Revelation 20:4-6 to see this recorded as being called the first resurrection and second resurrection.

    Revelation 20:4-6 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. ⁵ But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

All those who have trusted God and believed on Christ will be raised to life. D- The resurrection of the lost after the millennial reign of Christ. Remember Daniel said, "...some to shame and everlasting contempt." Again we turn to Revelation 20:5 " But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." We see these will not be raised until after the millennial reign of Christ. The purpose of this resurrection will be to stand at the Great White Throne judgment.

    Revelation 20:10-15 "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. ¹¹And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. ¹²And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. ¹³And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ¹⁴And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

    The most important decision we need to make on this earth is to trust Christ as Savior so we will be raised to life and not to eternal death.