Sermon Tone Analysis

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

January 19, 2003

 

*Intro:* Last time we examined certain facts concerning our present

         existence in contrast to our future existence.

*1 Corinthians 15:44*, It (our physical bodies) is sown (buried at death) a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

*A-  **There is one thing that all mankind has in common WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE.*

1-   We started in the direction of that destination from birth.

a-   Regardless of the timing we’ll all end up there.

2-   It matters not what your:

a-   Religion is, nationality, social status, or race.

-         Your body is decomposing  to the point of death (Then a rapid decomposing takes place).

b-   Death has made the rich realize he is poor

-         taken down nations, and filled the hearts of humanity with grief.

*B-  **To deal with all this man has:*

1-   Tried to cheat it

a-   Diet, exorcise, surgery

2-   Ignore it

a-   Eat, drink, and be merry

3-   Redefine it

a-   Going to a better place,  passing away, going home, expiring.

4-   Lessen it’s effects

a-   Reincarnation, (Satan’s false resurrection)

-         *BOTTOM LINE THE BIBLE SAYS.*

*Hebrews 9:27*,  And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

*A-  **We, or parents, our children, our friends all have a divine appointment with the undertaker.*

1-   It’s where the Philosopher falls short in his wisdom.

*Sigmund Freud*, the founder of psychiatry, wrote: “And finally there is the painful riddle of death, for which no remedy at all has yet been found, nor probably ever will be.”(death)

a-   It’s where man knows he is not God (Shirley McClaine

-         It’s the 1st time I saw my father cry (Grandma) and the 2nd (Grandpa).

-         It’s where I saw the finality of it  (Terry’s dad)

2-   It’s also where I learned “In Jesus Christ there is still the heartache but no sting (My Father is in heaven)

a-   For the Christian death is a necessary means of travel between the Celestial body and the terrestrial body.

Ø *Keep in mind that the Apostle Paul is still addressing a false teaching.*

*Read Verse 12,  But came to the conclusion Read Verses 20-22*

*1 Corinthians 15:49-50*,  And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.

A-  *Some have taken the term “that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” and used it as proof text that we can’t earn our way into heaven*.

1-   *True:* but not what is meant HERE.

a-   IF all you had was a body of flesh and blood (Terrestrial) in heaven think of the sight!

-         Think of the smell, think of the Blind, lame, ???

*b-  **Once again we look to Jesus as the example.*

*Hebrews 2:14*,  Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,* *

*John 14:19*,  “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me.

Because I live, you will live also.

*1 John 3:2*,  Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Ø *Now Paul seems to answer an important question;  “What about those who are here when the Lord removes His church” (the rapture).*

*A-  **They are not going to die so what happens to their bodies.*

*1 Corinthians 15:51*,  Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—

*A-  **Speaking of the rapture Paul is defining a mystery.*

1-   Mystery = that which has been hidden and unknown BUT now is revealed.

a-   Hidden = O.T.

b-   Revealed = N.T. fulfilled some way in Jesus Christ.

-         *Where is the rapture in the O.T???*

*#1- Genesis 5:24*,  And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

A-  *Walked with God* = Lived his life in a manner that was well pleasing to God.

1- How do we live a life that is well pleasing to God??

*Hebrews 11:5-6*, By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.6

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

a-   Taken = snatched away (Married)

*#2- Turn to 2 Kings 2:9-11*

A-  *Elijah take to heaven in a chariot of fire ????*

1-   Proof text that aliens took him.

(not really)

a-   *Chariots and horses of fire* = Power of God.

-         A powerful kingdom would have Chariots and horses

-         God’s kingdom has Chariots and horses of fire.

b-   Notice the vehicle that took him Whirlwind = a storm with thunder and lightning and clouds

-         Representative of the pillar of cloud in Exodus.

·        So we would not think that little green men took him BUT that GOD TOOK HIM.

*B-  **You would not know what was up with this until the New Testament revealed what God was showing us.*

1-   “Some shall not die but we will all be changed”.

a-   *Changed* = Transformed from one thing to another.

-         Something ceasing to be and another taking it’s place.

*Philippians 3:20-21*,  For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

*1 Corinthians 15:52*,  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

*A-  **Both the dead and the rapture are changed in a moment.*

1-   Those who sleep just as fast as those who are raptured.

*a-   **This is not a process*

-         The instant your eye begins to close upon death.

·        (A person is dead before the closing of his eyes).

-         God changes both just as fast.

*B-  **WHEN will the rapture happen “At the last trumpet”*

*See Revelation 2:7,11,17,26   3:5,12,21*

1-   All speak of future rewards

a- The church age

*Matthew 28:19-20*,  I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Amen.

-         He won’t be with us after the church age because we will be with Him.

-         *THEN*

*Revelation 4:1-2*

*1 Thessalonians 4:16*,  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God…

*Isaiah 27:13*,  So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, And they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, And shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

*(See Exodus 19:16)*

* *

*Read Verse 53*

*Turn to 2 Corinthians 5:1-5*

* *

*Read verses 54-57*

*A-  **Death has been destroyed, abolished, and rendered useless at this time.*

1-   It will now longer have an effect on Me, you, Or on us because of the unbeliever.