WEBVTT 00:00:00.001 --> 00:00:02.200 All right, starting at verse 29. 00:00:02.200 --> 00:00:11.080 Now I'm gonna try to preach this verse 29 and we'll see how difficult it is. 00:00:11.080 --> 00:00:17.820 Verse 29 says, "Otherwise, what do people mean"by being baptized on behalf of the dead? 00:00:17.820 --> 00:00:22.260 "If the dead are not raised at all,"why are people baptized on their behalf? 00:00:22.260 --> 00:00:26.760 "Why are we in danger every hour? 00:00:26.760 --> 00:00:32.659 "I'll protest, brothers, by my pride in you,"which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:00:32.659 --> 00:00:38.700 "I die every day." Can you say that about yourself? 00:00:38.700 --> 00:00:46.079 And before we read on, can you say that about yourself? 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:55.159 "I die every day." Verse 32. 00:00:56.119 --> 00:01:02.700 "What do I gain if, humanly speaking,"I fought with beast at Ephesus? 00:01:02.700 --> 00:01:07.840 "If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink"for tomorrow we die. 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:12.700 "Do not be deceived, bad company ruins good morals. 00:01:12.700 --> 00:01:19.079 "Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right,"and do not go on sinning. 00:01:19.079 --> 00:01:21.120 "For some have no knowledge of God. 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:34.420 "I say this to your shame." What we see in this passage, the big theme of this paragraph, is without the resurrection, the Christian life is meaningless. 00:01:34.420 --> 00:01:42.859 Now, it's already explained to us in the first part of chapter 15, that the gospel falls apart without the resurrection of the dead. 00:01:42.859 --> 00:01:52.700 The theological foundation of our faith is destroyed if we do not maintain the future bodily resurrection of the dead. 00:01:52.700 --> 00:01:58.780 If there's no future resurrection of the dead, that means Christ in the past did not raise from the dead. 00:01:58.780 --> 00:02:06.480 And if he did not raise from the dead, then there's no hope, there's no forgiveness of sins, there's no salvation. 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:25.639 All of Christianity is built upon and rest upon the fact that Christ rose from the dead, which secures not just our regeneration, which is being spiritually resurrected from the dead, but it also guarantees and secures our physical future bodily resurrection from the dead. 00:02:25.639 --> 00:02:33.139 That is a central cardinal truth of the gospel, but it's not only true on the regards of the foundation of our faith. 00:02:33.139 --> 00:02:44.020 We see here that the very essence of the Christian life, how you experience Christianity, is all wrapped up in the fact that there's gonna be a future resurrection. 00:02:44.020 --> 00:02:57.139 If there's no future resurrection of your body, if the graves do not come busting open with the dead bodies coming out of them one day, then the whole Christian life is meaningless. 00:02:57.139 --> 00:03:00.199 Everything about the Christian life is meaningless. 00:03:00.199 --> 00:03:17.560 Your baptism, which is your initiation into the Christian faith, you come into the Christian faith by your faith in Jesus Christ, and that is symbolized in your death to your old man and your resurrection to your new man, and that is seen in your baptism. 00:03:17.560 --> 00:03:19.360 That is meaningless. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:24.099 It has no meaning if there's no future resurrection. 00:03:24.099 --> 00:03:32.500 Your suffering, your dying to yourself, is meaningless without the resurrection. 00:03:32.500 --> 00:03:35.699 All your Christian service and obedience means nothing. 00:03:35.699 --> 00:03:40.879 You might as well eat, live, drink, and be merry. 00:03:40.879 --> 00:03:45.180 For tomorrow you're gonna die, and after death there's nothing. 00:03:45.180 --> 00:03:50.780 If there's no resurrection, then all that we're doing as Christians comes to nothing. 00:03:50.780 --> 00:03:55.199 So the very Christian life, according to this text, is based upon the hope of the resurrection. 00:03:55.199 --> 00:03:59.539 If we have no hope of the resurrection, then why are we living the Christian life today? 00:03:59.539 --> 00:04:08.280 You see, the Christian life is built upon dying every day to ourselves. 00:04:08.280 --> 00:04:13.580 The essence of Christian life is picking up our cross and following the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:04:13.580 --> 00:04:20.259 We have to die to self, die to this world, die to sin, die to our aspirations, die to our pride. 00:04:20.259 --> 00:04:23.220 It's always a picking up our cross. 00:04:23.220 --> 00:04:24.819 It's an instrument of crucifixion. 00:04:24.819 --> 00:04:27.560 We have to mortify our flesh. 00:04:27.560 --> 00:04:32.560 We have to put to death the sinful activities within us. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:37.600 We must put off the old man, which is another way of saying, we gotta die to our old former ways. 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:41.480 We gotta die to self and forsake all. 00:04:41.480 --> 00:04:49.980 And unless we love God above our mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, even our own life, we can't be a follower of Christ. 00:04:49.980 --> 00:04:55.879 And Jesus put it this way, unless the kernel of the seed dies, it does not produce fruit. 00:04:55.879 --> 00:04:58.060 Unless there's death, there's no resurrection. 00:04:58.060 --> 00:04:59.959 Unless there's death, there's no life. 00:04:59.959 --> 00:05:02.160 There's no Christianity without death. 00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:06.259 Christ had to die to produce life for us. 00:05:06.259 --> 00:05:09.160 And if we're gonna be a Christian follower, we must die. 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:11.240 The old man has to be crucified. 00:05:11.240 --> 00:05:15.879 And that old man has to continuously be put off every day. 00:05:15.879 --> 00:05:22.220 Jesus says, whoever does not pick up his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 00:05:22.220 --> 00:05:26.620 So we live a life of mortification. 00:05:26.620 --> 00:05:31.120 We live a life of suffering. 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:37.000 The Bible says it's been granted to you on the behalf of Christ to suffer for his namesake. 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:42.500 First Peter tells you, you have been called to suffering. 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:49.339 The Bible says he who wants to live a godly life shall be persecuted. 00:05:49.339 --> 00:06:06.860 So this life today, until we get to glory, until the resurrection takes place, or until we die, until the resurrection and Christ comes back, it's gonna be a life of hardships, a life of denying ourselves and suffering for the name of Christ. 00:06:06.860 --> 00:06:11.160 To live, we must die. 00:06:12.660 --> 00:06:15.040 To gain everything, we must lose everything. 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:20.779 Remember what Jesus said to the rich young ruler, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 00:06:20.779 --> 00:06:26.420 You're gonna sell everything you have. 00:06:26.420 --> 00:06:40.819 Every one of you that I'm speaking to myself, you can't have anything you don't give to God and be a Christian. 00:06:40.819 --> 00:06:49.199 There's not one little compartment to your life that you can say, that's mine. 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:50.300 That's mine. 00:06:50.300 --> 00:06:54.639 You're gonna have this, this, and this, and this, and this, and this, but I'm holding onto this. 00:06:54.639 --> 00:06:57.199 This keeps people from being saved. 00:06:57.199 --> 00:07:03.180 I've talked to a lot of unconverted people, I've witnessed a lot of unconverted people, and they don't mind giving this and this and this away. 00:07:03.180 --> 00:07:10.879 They don't care about these things of their life, but there's one little area, one little sin, and one little idol in their life that they say, that's mine. 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:17.199 And typically, you know what is in man that man doesn't wanna give up is self-control. 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:26.399 Who here would say, I'm ready for Jesus to tell me what to do, and I'll go anywhere he tells me to go, I'll do anything he says for me to do. 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:32.139 If he wants me to die tomorrow for his namesake, sign me up, where's the cross? 00:07:32.139 --> 00:07:33.040 Where's the cross? 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:33.879 I'll go. 00:07:33.879 --> 00:07:44.019 And you say, well, I'll be a missionary, and you think, I'll do this great thing for the Lord, but what if God says, I don't want you to be a missionary to some great place, and you're gonna have a lot of conversions. 00:07:44.019 --> 00:07:46.819 What I want you to do is die to yourself in your marriage. 00:07:46.819 --> 00:07:50.060 Wait a minute, that's not glorious. 00:07:50.060 --> 00:07:52.560 There's no fanfare. 00:07:52.560 --> 00:08:00.399 I'm not gonna have some biography written about me, how I died to my marriage, or died to my children, or died to my career. 00:08:00.399 --> 00:08:02.040 I died to that aspiration. 00:08:02.040 --> 00:08:03.779 I'm not gonna get, no one's gonna know about that. 00:08:03.779 --> 00:08:05.579 Yeah, that's what it means to die. 00:08:05.579 --> 00:08:10.579 It's giving up on living for yourself. 00:08:10.579 --> 00:08:29.600 But if you want to gain life, eternity, Christ, righteousness, eternal life, heaven, the new earth, riches untold, then you've gotta give up that which you cannot keep. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:33.539 You've gotta give up the things you have now. 00:08:33.539 --> 00:08:36.340 And you've gotta continuously lay them on the altar. 00:08:36.340 --> 00:08:39.840 Every day, you have to die to yourself, as Paul says. 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:42.039 Every day, I die to myself. 00:08:42.039 --> 00:08:46.279 Every day, I'm putting off my will. 00:08:46.279 --> 00:08:49.720 I wanted to do this, but Lord says, no, you don't do that, you go here. 00:08:49.720 --> 00:08:55.879 You find contentment in the cards that God deals you. 00:08:55.879 --> 00:08:59.799 He said, this is the allotment that God wants me to live. 00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:02.259 He wants me to live this life for his glory. 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:07.840 And I wanna be holy, consecrated to Christ. 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:09.539 I want all my life to belong to him. 00:09:09.539 --> 00:09:11.240 I want all my wealth to belong to him. 00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:13.240 I want all that I do to belong to him. 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:17.419 I want everything I have to be laid on the altar. 00:09:17.419 --> 00:09:20.940 I wanna sacrifice everything, and I wish I had more to sacrifice. 00:09:20.940 --> 00:09:25.919 This is the heart of Christianity is that if I had 2,000 worlds, I would give them all. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:29.000 And I wish I had another world to give him that world too. 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:32.100 I don't have enough to give him for what he has given me. 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:37.899 But in giving all that you have, which you don't have nothing, because everything you have, you're gonna lose. 00:09:37.899 --> 00:09:41.820 You have nothing to give God, because all that you have is tainted with sin. 00:09:41.820 --> 00:09:44.419 All that you have is your sin and defilement. 00:09:44.419 --> 00:09:50.360 You have nothing that which is being taken away from you through death, through corruption. 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:52.580 All your wealth is gonna be destroyed one day. 00:09:52.580 --> 00:09:55.320 All that your aspirations are gonna be forgotten. 00:09:55.320 --> 00:09:58.000 Your name is gonna be forgotten in two generations. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:00.120 You're gonna lose everything you have. 00:10:00.120 --> 00:10:05.139 So might as well lose it today so that you may gain that which you can never lose. 00:10:05.139 --> 00:10:15.799 And you know, one of the things I think that's a problem, and I always want young seminary students to have low expectations of the ministry because everybody wants to be the next John Piper. 00:10:15.799 --> 00:10:17.340 Everybody wants to be a George Whitfield. 00:10:17.340 --> 00:10:19.620 Everybody wants this great aspirations. 00:10:19.620 --> 00:10:29.860 It's like, no, you gotta be willing to be a backwoods pastor to a small church and have no fanfare, no appreciation. 00:10:29.940 --> 00:10:31.539 You have to be willing to dig ditches. 00:10:31.539 --> 00:10:32.620 And that's so true. 00:10:32.620 --> 00:10:33.460 You're so true. 00:10:33.460 --> 00:10:35.179 That's dying to yourself. 00:10:35.179 --> 00:10:36.500 You gotta die to yourself. 00:10:36.500 --> 00:10:41.620 But it's also true, I think what's wrong with us is we don't aspire to great things. 00:10:41.620 --> 00:10:45.980 We aspire to the things of this world. 00:10:45.980 --> 00:10:49.539 We aspire for silly things that will not last. 00:10:49.539 --> 00:10:52.100 We aspire to get a little bit of wealth. 00:10:52.100 --> 00:10:57.299 I mean, how many of you here today have just thought, in fact, you just have a little bit more money, just a little bit more. 00:10:57.299 --> 00:10:58.899 You're not wanting to be filthy rich. 00:10:58.899 --> 00:11:05.860 I mean, you're not trying to be a billionaire, but if you could just have a little bit more cushion, you would be just a little bit happier. 00:11:05.860 --> 00:11:09.860 And you thought that thought probably this week, just a little bit more. 00:11:09.860 --> 00:11:15.320 And God says, you got too much as it is. 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:17.820 Why don't you take what you have and give it away? 00:11:17.820 --> 00:11:22.100 It's like, I can't give it away because I'm clinging to it. 00:11:22.100 --> 00:11:31.360 Well, Christianity is about dying to self that we might be resurrected. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:37.580 There's no resurrection without death. 00:11:37.580 --> 00:11:40.659 Remember that. 00:11:40.659 --> 00:11:46.639 There's no new life without first dying of the old life. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:53.759 There's no riches without departing of the garbage that we have. 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:58.700 There's no glory without enduring shame. 00:11:58.700 --> 00:12:02.120 There's no being first until we seek to be last. 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:05.279 This is the essence of Christianity. 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:07.240 This is the heart of the Christian life. 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:15.860 And in this text, we have three points, three points that shows us that the whole Christian life is based upon death and resurrection. 00:12:15.860 --> 00:12:21.500 And if there's no resurrection, then every aspect of the Christian life of dying is meaningless. 00:12:21.500 --> 00:12:26.460 The first meaningless act, if there's no resurrection is the baptism. 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:32.100 Baptism means nothing if there's no resurrection. 00:12:32.100 --> 00:12:41.480 You don't take a body and throw it into the water and immerse it in the water if you didn't want to bring it back up out of the water. 00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:51.620 You don't just take a half-baptism approach or you take someone and just dump them and leave them. 00:12:53.059 --> 00:12:58.059 But the glorious moment, the climax is the coming up. 00:12:58.059 --> 00:13:02.259 The climax is when Jesus came out of the grave. 00:13:02.259 --> 00:13:03.860 But there's no coming out of the grave. 00:13:03.860 --> 00:13:06.820 There's no glorious moment without that death. 00:13:06.820 --> 00:13:13.639 Every movie, good movie, it's always, always predictable. 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:19.600 The ones you're pulling for about 10 minutes before the movie's over, it looks like it's all hopeless. 00:13:20.419 --> 00:13:23.460 It gets terribly bad at the end. 00:13:23.460 --> 00:13:36.519 And they do that on purpose because they want you to leave the theaters or leave the movie going, whoa, that was awesome because they want to see this impossible situation resurrected. 00:13:36.519 --> 00:13:39.100 That's what we have with Christ Jesus. 00:13:39.100 --> 00:13:44.460 And brothers and sisters, that's what you have coming to your life. 00:13:44.460 --> 00:13:47.840 You're gonna come out of the grave victorious as a champion. 00:13:48.700 --> 00:13:55.980 You're gonna inherit the victory of Christ Jesus when you overcome death itself. 00:13:55.980 --> 00:13:59.259 You see, baptism is the implication of that. 00:13:59.259 --> 00:14:02.659 Look what it says in verse 29. 00:14:02.659 --> 00:14:10.259 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead if the dead are not raised at all? 00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:12.259 Why are people baptized on the behalf? 00:14:12.259 --> 00:14:16.980 What he says, otherwise, why do people, why do people baptize? 00:14:16.980 --> 00:14:27.419 I mean, before we try to explain what this verse means, one of the main points he's making is why do we do baptism if there's not a resurrection? 00:14:27.419 --> 00:14:33.559 If there's not coming up out of the water, we wouldn't do this. 00:14:33.559 --> 00:14:43.320 We wouldn't just put people in the grave, immerse them, bury them if we didn't have that moment we pulled them up. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:50.820 So what does this mean when Paul says being baptized on behalf of the dead? 00:14:50.820 --> 00:14:53.659 Well, I'll tell you the truth, I don't know. 00:14:53.659 --> 00:14:56.779 I don't know for sure. 00:14:56.779 --> 00:15:00.440 Some say this is some type of vicarious baptism. 00:15:00.440 --> 00:15:06.240 The Mormons use this verse to justify baptizing people who are already dead. 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:13.539 Maybe the thief on the cross, he wasn't baptized, so someone has to stand in his place to be baptized on his behalf. 00:15:13.539 --> 00:15:18.700 So some form of vicarious baptism for people who didn't get the chance to be baptized. 00:15:18.700 --> 00:15:35.860 Some say that this was going on in the church of Corinth and Paul's not necessarily approving of this practice, vicarious baptism, but he's just alerting them that this is what they're doing. 00:15:35.860 --> 00:15:37.580 I don't think that's the meaning. 00:15:37.580 --> 00:15:44.860 Some say that the word baptism is just used metaphorically as a reference to martyrdom. 00:15:44.860 --> 00:15:52.759 Like all the early martyrs, why would they willfully and willingly go to the cross or go to the stake? 00:15:52.759 --> 00:16:02.340 Why would they be willing to be crucified upside down as Peter was, or to be stoned to death, or to fight beast, an ephedis? 00:16:02.340 --> 00:16:06.440 Why would people be willing to be martyred if there's no resurrection? 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:18.879 Some say the word baptism is referring to some type of ceremonial washing of dead bodies, anointing dead bodies and preparing them for the resurrection. 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:26.460 Christ's body was anointed by the Marys, Mary Magdalene and Mary Martha. 00:16:26.460 --> 00:16:37.860 They anointed, and some would say that was a baptism of his body, and why would you anoint a dead body and prepare a dead body if you didn't think there was gonna be a resurrection from the grave? 00:16:37.860 --> 00:16:45.340 You bury dead bodies, anticipation that there's gonna be a resurrection and prepare the body for that. 00:16:45.340 --> 00:16:55.419 Some say the word, the preposition here for should be over, like they were doing baptism over graveyards. 00:16:55.419 --> 00:16:57.419 That seems the least likely. 00:16:57.419 --> 00:17:14.779 I tend to think that the meaning of this verse is the word baptism is referring to a burial, and the dead are referring to those who die to self. 00:17:14.779 --> 00:17:25.039 So why are you ministers burying or baptizing professors who say they have died to themselves? 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:28.339 What do you do with dead bodies? 00:17:28.339 --> 00:17:33.819 You don't leave them out. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:37.519 There's only one proper thing to do with a dead body, bury it. 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:40.559 What do you do with your old man? 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:49.119 Now that you come to know the Lord, and you forsaken your sins, and the old man has passed away, what do you do with that old corpse? 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:50.519 What do you do with the old man? 00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:51.920 The old man has to be buried. 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:54.920 And you gotta bury the old man. 00:17:54.920 --> 00:17:57.920 That's the only thing you can do with dead bodies. 00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:02.519 And so baptism is a symbolism of the old man dying. 00:18:02.940 --> 00:18:04.740 And you gotta bury that. 00:18:04.740 --> 00:18:14.220 And what's glorious about baptism is when the old man is buried into Christ or buried into the ground, that old man stays in the ground. 00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:23.099 But a new man, a resurrected man, comes up in its place. 00:18:23.099 --> 00:18:28.099 You see, Romans six speaks of this in verse three. 00:18:28.099 --> 00:18:36.140 "Do you not know that as many of us as one can do as we're baptized into Christ Jesus, we're baptized into his death? 00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:41.940 Therefore we are buried with him through baptism into death." So this is what it refers to. 00:18:41.940 --> 00:18:44.740 Baptists like this old man is dead. 00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:45.579 How did it die? 00:18:45.579 --> 00:18:48.779 Christ died on our behalf, and his death is our death. 00:18:48.779 --> 00:19:07.980 Knowing this, verse six says,"That our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with." Colossians two, 12, "We were buried with him in baptism." You see, baptism is a public profession that we're no longer who we used to be. 00:19:07.980 --> 00:19:13.779 It's a public profession that I'm no longer my own boss. 00:19:13.779 --> 00:19:18.079 I'm no longer a slave to sin. 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:25.200 The word baptism in the Greek means immerse, to be buried. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:30.819 Therefore we were buried with him through baptism, Paul says in Romans. 00:19:32.420 --> 00:19:35.460 This talks about death and judgment and punishment. 00:19:35.460 --> 00:19:54.500 When Jesus was going to the cross, he says, "I'm gonna be baptized." And Peter says, "Hey, I want that baptism." The disciples says, "We'll be baptized with you." He says, "Can you be baptized?" Jesus says, "Can you suffer what I'm about to be suffered with? 00:19:54.500 --> 00:19:55.579 What I'm about to endure? 00:19:55.579 --> 00:20:07.420 Can you do that?" You see, baptism is a curse upon the old man and the wages of sin is death. 00:20:07.420 --> 00:20:10.819 And so it's taking sin and it's burying it. 00:20:10.819 --> 00:20:17.539 But why do we do that? 00:20:17.539 --> 00:20:22.980 So that we can come up out of the waters. 00:20:22.980 --> 00:20:25.740 So that we can come out a new man. 00:20:25.900 --> 00:20:32.019 ( Romans 6, 4) That we have been buried with him through baptism to death. 00:20:32.019 --> 00:20:38.019 But just as Christ was raised from the death by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life. 00:20:38.019 --> 00:20:44.640 For we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certain we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection. 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:51.740 Now, if we die with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ have been raised from the dead, dies no more. 00:20:51.740 --> 00:20:54.180 Death no longer has dominion over him. 00:20:54.180 --> 00:20:58.059 For death that he died, he died to sin once for all. 00:20:58.059 --> 00:21:00.619 But the life that he lives, he lives to God. 00:21:00.619 --> 00:21:08.619 Likewise, you also consider yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:21:08.619 --> 00:21:14.700 The point I think he's making, regardless of what the wording of this text actually means or doesn't mean. 00:21:14.700 --> 00:21:20.539 In the end, he's saying this, baptism is meaningless without the resurrection. 00:21:20.539 --> 00:21:25.140 And this is the beginning of the Christian experience. 00:21:25.140 --> 00:21:36.500 But not only is the beginning of our Christian life meaningless without the resurrection, all our sufferings that we experience on behalf of Christ becomes meaningless without the resurrection. 00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:39.200 We see that in verses 30 to 32. 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:43.059 You see, if there's no resurrection, why would we suffer for his sake? 00:21:43.059 --> 00:21:57.019 Verse 30, Paul says, "We are in danger every hour." The apostle Paul's had a comfortable life as a Pharisee. 00:21:57.019 --> 00:22:02.900 He was being promoted and elevated in his position. 00:22:02.900 --> 00:22:24.980 And then once he died to himself, the first thing that God wanted to tell Paul or Saul, he says, "Go tell Saul the great things he must suffer for my name's sake." You wanna follow the Lord Jesus Christ, prepare yourself for suffering, aim yourself to suffer. 00:22:24.980 --> 00:22:28.420 If you wanna live a godly life, you're gonna be persecuted. 00:22:28.420 --> 00:22:30.980 You're gonna suffer for his name's sake. 00:22:30.980 --> 00:22:39.380 It's been granted to us, Flippin's willing tells us, to not only believe but also to suffer for his name's sake. 00:22:39.380 --> 00:23:02.299 Peter tells us, as I've already said, Peter says it's appointed to you, not just to have ailments that everybody has, even unbelievers have, not just to have the aches and pains and difficulties that human race has, but because you're a Christian, it is pointed to you to endure affliction and suffering. 00:23:02.299 --> 00:23:06.059 This was the Christian life. 00:23:06.059 --> 00:23:12.160 But this doesn't make sense if there's not a resurrection. 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:22.480 Paul says, "I'm in danger every hour." You know, we can go to 2 Corinthians 11 where he gives a whole list of all the sufferings he endured on the behalf of Christ. 00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:28.859 He says, "Are they servants of Christ? 00:23:28.859 --> 00:23:30.339 I'm a better one. 00:23:30.339 --> 00:24:16.779 I'm talking like a madman, far greater labors, far more imprisonments, countless beatings, often near death, five times I've received by the hands of the Jews, 40 lashes, less one, three times I was beaten with rods once I was stolen, three times I was shipwrecked, a night in the day I was adrift at sea, on frequent journeys and dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and toll and hardship through many a sleepless night and hunger and thirst, often without food and cold and exposure." All this because he was a Christian, all this because he was a minister of the gospel, all this for the name of Jesus Christ, all this because he's trying to serve and minister to others. 00:24:16.779 --> 00:24:29.059 He was self-sacrificing his time, his labors, his health, and he was burning both ends of the stick, if you would, the candle at both ends, and he was putting himself in an early grave, if you would. 00:24:29.059 --> 00:24:33.420 Why was he doing that? 00:24:33.420 --> 00:24:42.299 We see in verse 31, his suffering was for the sake of the Corinthians. 00:24:43.339 --> 00:24:49.339 Verse 31 says, "I protest brothers by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:24:49.339 --> 00:24:59.380 I die every day." In other words, you're saying,"You Corinthians, you're my most, you would I take pride in, is on your behalf that I'm die every day. 00:24:59.380 --> 00:25:10.700 It's on your behalf that I'm suffering, and I'm glad to do it for your sake." It's worth it to see Christ formed in you is worth the suffering that I'm enduring. 00:25:13.059 --> 00:25:20.819 Mothers and fathers, it'd be a lot easier if you didn't have to pray for your kids, and weep tears for your kids. 00:25:20.819 --> 00:25:27.480 It'd be much easier if you didn't have to wake up and come to church and be consistent in your prayer life, and read the Bible. 00:25:27.480 --> 00:25:31.220 You could just be, it's just easier to be lazy. 00:25:31.220 --> 00:25:42.940 And then you wouldn't have to have all the looks at your place of work, and people look down on you, and shun you in various ways, feel like you don't really fit in. 00:25:42.940 --> 00:25:51.200 I mean, if you could just join with them, and forget about Christianity, life could be much easier for you. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:58.680 Paul told the Colossians in Colossians 1.24,"I am suffering for you. 00:25:58.680 --> 00:26:10.700 I'm doing this on your behalf." All of us, if we want to live a godly life, according to 2 Timothy 3.12, we will be persecuted. 00:26:11.460 --> 00:26:13.900 We will be hated by all nations. 00:26:13.900 --> 00:26:22.819 We'll go like sheep before wolves, and they're gonna hate us, and take us to court, and despise us, and use us, and mock us. 00:26:22.819 --> 00:26:25.299 And it's not fun to be mocked. 00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:32.440 It's not fun to be, to try to do something good, and it be turned against you. 00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:46.880 But such suffering that you and I endure, such dying to yourself, as Paul says, "I die every day," becomes meaningless, we see in verse 32, without the resurrection. 00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:58.759 He says, "What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus?" I mean, here I am, I am fighting animals. 00:26:58.759 --> 00:27:02.900 I was put in the arena, and they let lions out on me. 00:27:02.900 --> 00:27:07.019 And the only way I'm leaving, I'm gonna have to fight these things. 00:27:07.019 --> 00:27:07.940 I might die. 00:27:07.940 --> 00:27:14.059 He didn't know if he's gonna live or die, and what about all the stonings, near-death experiences that he went through? 00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:15.380 Why do all that? 00:27:15.380 --> 00:27:26.220 Humanly speaking, he says, "What do I gain by all this?" If all there is, is this life, and this body is not resurrected, then we don't have any hope. 00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:35.460 He earlier said, "If this is all we have, we above all people are to be most pitied." We're giving our life to empty calls. 00:27:35.460 --> 00:27:44.500 I mean, your grandma is gonna say to you, or your relative is gonna say to you,"Don't go on the mission field, don't give everything. 00:27:44.500 --> 00:27:46.660 You need to diversify. 00:27:46.660 --> 00:27:58.299 If that doesn't work out, you can do this." You don't put all your eggs in one basket. 00:27:58.299 --> 00:28:00.660 Give Christ in a little bit, don't give them all. 00:28:00.660 --> 00:28:03.059 That's the message of Satan. 00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:08.059 But if there's no resurrection, that message is right. 00:28:08.059 --> 00:28:13.500 Would it be most pitied? 00:28:13.500 --> 00:28:19.140 I mean, I think of Elon Musk trying to get to Mars, like you're living for the wrong reason. 00:28:19.140 --> 00:28:24.160 You have the wrong escape plan. 00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:34.660 You have the wrong solution to the problem, and you're gonna give your whole life to try to solve something that's not gonna solve the problem. 00:28:34.660 --> 00:28:37.839 Mars is gonna be destroyed too. 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:41.859 This whole universe is gonna be destroyed. 00:28:41.859 --> 00:28:44.059 There's no escaping the wrath of God. 00:28:44.059 --> 00:28:46.740 Who's to be pitied? 00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:49.059 Those who are living for this world. 00:28:49.059 --> 00:28:51.119 That's who to be pitied, why? 00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:53.099 Because there is a resurrection. 00:28:53.099 --> 00:28:55.119 There is a life after this life. 00:28:55.119 --> 00:28:57.940 This life is not the end. 00:28:57.940 --> 00:28:59.140 That's the point. 00:28:59.140 --> 00:29:00.900 We're not living for this world. 00:29:00.900 --> 00:29:03.299 We're not living for this present evil age. 00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:05.420 We're not living for creature comforts. 00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:08.259 We're not living for the American dream. 00:29:08.259 --> 00:29:10.579 That's not our hope. 00:29:10.579 --> 00:29:17.019 And you who are getting discouraged because your life is not turning out the way you want it to turn out. 00:29:17.019 --> 00:29:20.220 You wish you had a little bit more and you're kind of complaining to God. 00:29:20.220 --> 00:29:22.680 Why? 00:29:22.680 --> 00:29:25.019 He's giving you heaven. 00:29:25.019 --> 00:29:28.180 He's giving you eternal life. 00:29:28.180 --> 00:29:31.220 He didn't want you to inherit this world that's fading away. 00:29:31.220 --> 00:29:34.220 He wants you to inherit a world that doesn't have an end. 00:29:34.220 --> 00:29:40.940 He wants you to have a new heaven, a new earth and everything in the earth is gonna be yours. 00:29:40.940 --> 00:29:45.619 All things will belong to you because you've been made joint heirs with Christ. 00:29:45.619 --> 00:29:47.940 Everything is a gift to you. 00:29:47.940 --> 00:29:51.700 You are filthy, filthy, filthy rich. 00:29:51.700 --> 00:29:55.619 You've been given all things. 00:29:55.619 --> 00:30:01.059 And we already have the first fruits of it and now with the Holy Spirit within, that's the first fruits. 00:30:01.059 --> 00:30:04.500 That's more glorious than what we've given up. 00:30:04.500 --> 00:30:13.339 Just to know Jesus and experience Jesus and give me what Jesus is worth more than all this world and the creature comforts and wealth and prosperity and faith. 00:30:13.339 --> 00:30:15.180 Have that, have that. 00:30:15.180 --> 00:30:18.059 You can have that, but give me Jesus. 00:30:18.059 --> 00:30:19.140 And I can have them now. 00:30:19.140 --> 00:30:22.099 It won't happen to be resurrected to have that now. 00:30:22.099 --> 00:30:25.539 But I get that now and I get the world to come. 00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:30.660 Why am I complaining about the little things I don't have that I can't keep? 00:30:30.660 --> 00:30:37.380 If I was wise, we'll see this, I'm jumping ahead because my emotions are getting the best of me. 00:30:37.380 --> 00:30:39.180 I'm jumping ahead to my application at the end. 00:30:39.180 --> 00:30:44.660 But if we were smart, we would give everything we have but we'd see how big we could write the check. 00:30:44.660 --> 00:30:47.500 We wouldn't be given stingily. 00:30:47.500 --> 00:30:49.619 We wouldn't be going, oh, you can have just a little bit. 00:30:49.619 --> 00:30:51.220 I need the rest for my vacation. 00:30:51.220 --> 00:30:52.539 I need the rest for this. 00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:54.380 I need Bob a little bit better clothes. 00:30:54.380 --> 00:30:56.460 I need to really lay up more treasures on earth. 00:30:56.460 --> 00:30:57.740 I need more shoes. 00:30:57.740 --> 00:31:01.500 I need, we would be foolish to think we need to invest in this world. 00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:07.099 Why would we suffer if there's not a resurrection? 00:31:07.099 --> 00:31:13.099 Paul put it this way in Philippians 3.8. 00:31:13.099 --> 00:31:40.220 For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I might gain Christ and to be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know him in the power of his resurrection and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. 00:31:40.220 --> 00:31:44.140 And by any means possible, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 00:31:44.140 --> 00:31:57.500 I do everything in hopes of that glorious day when it comes back, when I come out of the grave with all things been given to me with a new body that is perfectly glorified. 00:31:57.500 --> 00:32:04.539 And I've been brought into the presence of God and all my tears are wiped away and enter into the joy of the Lord. 00:32:04.539 --> 00:32:06.180 That's what I'm aiming for. 00:32:06.180 --> 00:32:12.220 And therefore I count all that I have as rubbish. 00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:14.660 You can, I die every day to this. 00:32:14.660 --> 00:32:16.740 I do not put my hopes on this. 00:32:16.740 --> 00:32:19.339 In fact, I sacrifice all these things. 00:32:19.339 --> 00:32:20.900 I suffer with Christ. 00:32:20.900 --> 00:32:22.380 I endure with Christ. 00:32:23.460 --> 00:32:26.460 I go down with Christ so I can come up with Christ. 00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:31.460 Some of you may be thinking God doesn't care about me. 00:32:31.460 --> 00:32:38.539 You had a little pity party for yourself and I'm not getting onto you 'cause I do this every day. 00:32:38.539 --> 00:32:40.619 I do this more than I'd like to admit. 00:32:40.619 --> 00:32:50.019 To have these little pity parties, little gloomy spells, which you excuse to allow yourself to feel a little bit like you're getting the short end of the stick. 00:32:50.019 --> 00:33:03.819 Someone said something about you and it hurt your feelings and you're dealing with that and you're dealing with this feeling of bitterness or discontentment. 00:33:03.819 --> 00:33:14.420 Remember when Peter looked to the Lord and he says, Lord, we have forsaken all for you. 00:33:14.420 --> 00:33:18.900 You know, I've given up all for you. 00:33:20.460 --> 00:33:24.579 Look what I've given to you, what I've sacrificed for you. 00:33:24.579 --> 00:33:26.819 I love what Jesus said back to them. 00:33:26.819 --> 00:33:35.059 All that you've given up will be repaid to you, not only in this life and I think it's the first fruits. 00:33:35.059 --> 00:33:39.259 What he gives us in this life is better than what we've lost. 00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:44.299 Knowing Jesus Christ is far more easily valuable. 00:33:44.299 --> 00:33:50.500 To be known of him, to have communion with him is more valuable than anything else that we have ever had. 00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:56.380 But he says, not only that I've given it to you in this life, but also in the age to come. 00:33:56.380 --> 00:34:05.460 You see, we suffer all things, endure all things for the hope of the resurrection. 00:34:05.460 --> 00:34:16.900 Paul put it this way, 2 Corinthians 4.17, for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 00:34:17.900 --> 00:34:21.139 I really believe this and I know it's gonna be hard for you to hear this. 00:34:21.139 --> 00:34:26.739 When we get to heaven, we're gonna think, I wish I suffered just a little bit more. 00:34:26.739 --> 00:34:34.380 'Cause when we get to heaven, we're gonna look at our sufferings that we thought were big when we're going through it. 00:34:34.380 --> 00:34:37.179 We're gonna go, oh, that was light. 00:34:37.179 --> 00:34:40.139 In comparison, that was light. 00:34:40.139 --> 00:34:44.179 And it was just momentary and it was so short-lived. 00:34:44.179 --> 00:34:45.420 It felt like it was forever. 00:34:45.420 --> 00:34:50.420 I mean, it just seemed like it went on and on and on and on. 00:34:50.420 --> 00:34:54.860 Some of you are in the longevity of a hardship and it's just like, when will this end? 00:34:54.860 --> 00:34:56.260 When will this pain go away? 00:34:56.260 --> 00:34:58.659 It just won't go away, won't go away. 00:34:58.659 --> 00:35:10.380 But even if that pain and sorrow last to the end of your days, and you go to the grave with it, the moment Christ comes back and you come out of the grave, you're gonna go, well, that wasn't long at all. 00:35:10.380 --> 00:35:18.260 And to think that that suffering produced in you a far more greater eternal weight of glory is unimaginable. 00:35:18.260 --> 00:35:40.219 That's what Paul says in Romans 8, 18,"I consider that our present sufferings"are not worth comparing with the glory"that will be revealed in us." Peter put it this way,"In all this you greatly rejoice,"though now for a little while"you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 00:35:40.219 --> 00:36:07.579 "These have come to you to prove the genuineness"of your faith of a greater worth than gold,"which perishes even though it's refined with fire,"may result in praise, glory, and honor"when Jesus Christ is revealed." He goes on to say in chapter four, verse 12,"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal"that has come on you to test you"as though something strange were happening to you. 00:36:07.579 --> 00:36:32.159 "But rejoice in as much as you participate"in the sufferings of Christ,"so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." If there's not that day of glory, that day of resurrection, then Paul's saying the Christian life of suffering makes no sense. 00:36:32.159 --> 00:36:38.980 The third point, our obedience is meaningless without the resurrection. 00:36:38.980 --> 00:36:40.980 We see this in verse 32. 00:36:40.980 --> 00:36:59.179 "If the dead are not raised,"let us eat, drink, for tomorrow we die." I mean, if there's no resurrection, and if this world just continues on as it is, and there's no second coming, and this is just it, if this is it, go for it. 00:36:59.179 --> 00:37:03.119 Is this the best you got materialistically speaking? 00:37:05.519 --> 00:37:07.780 Go endorse yourself, get as much as you can. 00:37:07.780 --> 00:37:11.099 I was talking to Eric Irons yesterday. 00:37:11.099 --> 00:37:26.300 It's like, do you think it's possible if any man in America says,"I wanna be a billionaire, or half a billionaire,"half $500 million." Do you think it's possible for us if you're young enough you need to put that caveat on in there? 00:37:26.300 --> 00:37:27.900 Some of your old man's too late. 00:37:27.900 --> 00:37:38.619 But if you're young enough, if that was your sole intent to become where you had a half a billion dollars in the bank, you think it's possible? 00:37:38.619 --> 00:38:00.340 I mean, if you're willing to sacrifice your wife, your family, he told me a story, Eric Irons told me a story about the coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Jimmy Johnson, I think his name's, that's something bigger. 00:38:02.300 --> 00:38:04.420 Okay, this has blew my mind. 00:38:04.420 --> 00:38:20.340 Jimmy Johnson got, when he first got the position of the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, he come home once he got the job, he come home and told his wife,"I want you to know that the marriage is over. 00:38:20.340 --> 00:38:23.760 "I'm gonna give up the rest of my life. 00:38:23.760 --> 00:38:26.059 "This is my life's dream. 00:38:26.059 --> 00:38:30.500 "I've done everything I could in my life"to be the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. 00:38:30.500 --> 00:38:33.860 "And now that I've arrived, I won't have time for you. 00:38:33.860 --> 00:38:55.280 "I'm gonna designate and give my rest of my energy,"all my energy, it went to national championships." He did that for a perishable crown. 00:38:58.739 --> 00:39:00.500 A perishable crown, what a waste. 00:39:00.500 --> 00:39:07.500 But if there's no resurrection, why don't we just go for it? 00:39:07.500 --> 00:39:08.980 Why don't we just eat, drink? 00:39:08.980 --> 00:39:12.860 I mean, the young people know this phrase, YOLO. 00:39:12.860 --> 00:39:15.539 Why don't we just go for it? 00:39:15.539 --> 00:39:29.179 But he says,"It's because we lack knowledge in the resurrection"that is affecting the way we behave. 00:39:29.179 --> 00:39:35.260 "The reason we sin more than we should sin"is because we don't have our eye on the resurrection. 00:39:35.260 --> 00:39:40.139 "And by the resurrection, I'm called by the eternal age"and everything that comes after that. 00:39:40.139 --> 00:39:45.320 "We have our eyes on this present evil age,"on this present life. 00:39:45.320 --> 00:39:56.980 "We're really trying to live our best life now"and we want out what we can out today." But it goes on to say in verse 33,"Do not be deceived, bad company ruins good morals. 00:39:56.980 --> 00:40:03.420 "Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right,"and do not go on sinning." What's going on here? 00:40:03.420 --> 00:40:09.500 People come into Corinth, they were teaching, a false teaching that the resurrection is not gonna happen. 00:40:09.500 --> 00:40:11.159 There's no resurrection. 00:40:11.159 --> 00:40:18.380 They were influenced by some form of agnosticism that crept into Greek society at that time. 00:40:18.380 --> 00:40:24.340 Everything physical and bodily and material is evil and God's not worried about the body. 00:40:24.340 --> 00:40:28.699 So they were denying their resurrection, but it was undermining the Christian faith. 00:40:28.699 --> 00:40:34.699 But it also undermined the fact that we are going to inherit a new body and a new heavens and a new earth. 00:40:34.699 --> 00:40:36.699 And I'm gonna tell you something about heaven. 00:40:36.699 --> 00:40:41.639 It's not just an airy space, a airy place that you cannot touch. 00:40:41.639 --> 00:40:43.780 It's gonna be a new heaven and a new earth. 00:40:43.780 --> 00:40:45.900 It's gonna be physical, it's gonna be tangible. 00:40:45.900 --> 00:40:48.059 You're gonna have a body, you're gonna walk around on it. 00:40:48.059 --> 00:40:49.300 It's gonna be without sin. 00:40:49.300 --> 00:40:50.980 It's gonna be perfectly glorified. 00:40:50.980 --> 00:40:52.179 There's not gonna be any tears. 00:40:52.179 --> 00:40:53.340 There's not gonna be sadness. 00:40:53.340 --> 00:40:56.019 Christ is gonna be with us forever on this new earth. 00:40:56.019 --> 00:40:57.019 It's gonna be tangible. 00:40:57.019 --> 00:40:57.860 It's gonna be real. 00:40:57.860 --> 00:40:59.340 It's gonna be materialistic. 00:40:59.340 --> 00:41:00.599 It's gonna be glorious. 00:41:00.599 --> 00:41:02.860 That's what we're living for. 00:41:02.860 --> 00:41:06.000 That's what we're aiming for. 00:41:06.000 --> 00:41:14.940 But if we're denying the resurrection and the material blessings to come, it's gonna lead to simple behavior today. 00:41:14.940 --> 00:41:28.019 And this is why Peter in 2 Peter chapter three says, in light of his approaching coming where he destroys this world and all the world's gonna be dissolved with fire, this should help shape how we behave. 00:41:28.019 --> 00:41:31.500 Knowing that the world's coming to an end, live like that. 00:41:31.500 --> 00:41:33.739 Live like that. 00:41:33.739 --> 00:41:35.539 Live like your house is gonna be destroyed. 00:41:35.539 --> 00:41:37.820 Live like your cars are not gonna be eternal. 00:41:37.820 --> 00:41:40.780 Live like your money is gonna have to be taken from you one day. 00:41:40.780 --> 00:41:41.860 You brought nothing with you. 00:41:41.860 --> 00:41:43.539 You're not gonna take it away with you. 00:41:43.539 --> 00:41:46.579 And therefore, do with it wisely. 00:41:46.579 --> 00:41:52.300 Take filthy manna, Jesus says, and turn it into eternal blessings. 00:41:52.300 --> 00:42:02.539 Best thing we can do is take our life, our substance, our material blessings, everything we have, and give it to the altar and put it into investments that will pay eternal dividends for us. 00:42:02.539 --> 00:42:08.539 This world is not our home. 00:42:08.539 --> 00:42:15.320 And we best just keep looking and put our eyes on the age to come. 00:42:15.320 --> 00:42:18.179 We should live for eternity. 00:42:19.179 --> 00:42:22.699 Obey Christ in all things, we should follow the advice of Jim Elliot. 00:42:22.699 --> 00:42:26.539 He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. 00:42:26.539 --> 00:42:32.579 Some of you may be called to a mission field and you're gonna have to give up a lot of things. 00:42:32.579 --> 00:42:34.619 You're gonna have to sacrifice your jobs, your careers. 00:42:34.619 --> 00:42:39.500 You're gonna have to look like you're silly to some of your friends and your family. 00:42:39.500 --> 00:42:41.019 That's foolish. 00:42:41.019 --> 00:42:45.780 And sometimes we don't do stuff because we're afraid of the perception of seeming foolish. 00:42:46.940 --> 00:42:48.179 We don't wanna attempt the Lord. 00:42:48.179 --> 00:42:49.019 We use that one. 00:42:49.019 --> 00:42:59.420 I don't wanna attempt the Lord as an excuse to not be sacrificially servants of the Lord in all areas of our life. 00:42:59.420 --> 00:43:02.340 We want Christ and the American dream. 00:43:02.340 --> 00:43:09.820 And I'm not saying if God gives you the American dream and God blesses you and the Lord's definitely given me a lot of blessings that I enjoy. 00:43:09.820 --> 00:43:19.219 But maybe you're not called to the mission field as I've already said, maybe you're called to a difficult marriage. 00:43:19.219 --> 00:43:21.980 What would God have you do? 00:43:21.980 --> 00:43:22.820 Run from it? 00:43:22.820 --> 00:43:23.639 No. 00:43:23.639 --> 00:43:30.460 To honor him by dying to yourself in it. 00:43:30.460 --> 00:43:36.579 Maybe you have difficult relations and family members. 00:43:36.579 --> 00:43:40.380 What are you to do? 00:43:40.380 --> 00:43:42.300 Seek what's best for you? 00:43:42.300 --> 00:43:43.659 No, you die to yourself. 00:43:44.940 --> 00:43:52.460 All this suffering came for Paul was doing this for the sake of the Corinthians and the Colossians and the ones he's ministered to. 00:43:52.460 --> 00:43:58.219 You see, the ministry and serving Christ through serving his peoples can be difficult. 00:43:58.219 --> 00:44:07.980 It includes rejection and people gossiping about you or misquoting you and saying things that's not all altogether accurate. 00:44:07.980 --> 00:44:09.139 Then you hear about it. 00:44:09.139 --> 00:44:11.739 It hurts. 00:44:11.739 --> 00:44:12.659 I can testify. 00:44:12.659 --> 00:44:13.659 It hurts. 00:44:14.659 --> 00:44:17.940 When your motives are twisted. 00:44:17.940 --> 00:44:28.900 Some of you feel deep loneliness and I'm almost done. 00:44:28.900 --> 00:44:33.659 Some of you may be experiencing some major loss. 00:44:33.659 --> 00:44:40.900 But let me ask you, if you're a pastor and you're in my position, what do you tell the old men and old women? 00:44:43.139 --> 00:44:45.539 How do you comfort the old people in your church? 00:44:45.539 --> 00:44:54.059 Who's got cancer? 00:44:54.059 --> 00:45:01.659 And even if they can survive a little longer, you know, they're 95. 00:45:01.659 --> 00:45:02.500 What do you expect? 00:45:02.500 --> 00:45:04.699 You think they're gonna live another 20 years? 00:45:04.699 --> 00:45:05.940 What word of comfort do you have? 00:45:05.940 --> 00:45:06.980 Real comfort. 00:45:06.980 --> 00:45:11.980 I mean, a real word of comfort to someone who's losing everything. 00:45:11.980 --> 00:45:16.980 I mean, you have some superficial, keep your chin up. 00:45:16.980 --> 00:45:23.099 You excited about the football game? 00:45:23.099 --> 00:45:27.019 Ready for your next vacation? 00:45:27.019 --> 00:45:29.219 Well, how do you comfort those who are dying? 00:45:29.219 --> 00:45:39.099 And if we stop and let the clutter go, dissipate a little bit and the distractions go away, you're all dying. 00:45:40.420 --> 00:45:45.420 It doesn't matter if you're 95 or you're 25, it's just a vapor. 00:45:45.420 --> 00:45:50.059 This world is coming to an end and your life is coming to an end. 00:45:50.059 --> 00:45:51.179 But is this hopeless? 00:45:51.179 --> 00:45:52.019 Is this gloomy? 00:45:52.019 --> 00:45:55.780 No, no, you need to die so you can be resurrected. 00:45:55.780 --> 00:45:57.420 The aim is not this life. 00:45:57.420 --> 00:45:59.179 The aim is in the life to come. 00:45:59.179 --> 00:46:01.300 The aim is for Christ to return. 00:46:01.300 --> 00:46:09.900 And this is why John said at the end of Revelation, oh Lord, oh Lamb of God, come, oh Lord, come indeed, come quickly. 00:46:10.539 --> 00:46:13.059 Come, rescue us from this evil age. 00:46:13.059 --> 00:46:15.260 Rescue me from my aches and pains. 00:46:15.260 --> 00:46:17.699 Rescue me from the indwelling sin in my life. 00:46:17.699 --> 00:46:19.500 Rescue me from this world. 00:46:19.500 --> 00:46:21.380 You can have it, you can have everything in it. 00:46:21.380 --> 00:46:22.500 All of it's rubbish. 00:46:22.500 --> 00:46:24.380 I give it all, I don't want it. 00:46:24.380 --> 00:46:25.539 I'm losing it. 00:46:25.539 --> 00:46:27.099 Take it, take it, take it. 00:46:27.099 --> 00:46:32.420 I'll take Jesus because in Jesus, listen brothers and sisters, in Christ there's everything. 00:46:32.420 --> 00:46:34.099 Outside of Christ there's nothing. 00:46:34.099 --> 00:46:36.699 And God has given you riches untold. 00:46:36.699 --> 00:46:39.780 He's given you all the spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. 00:46:39.780 --> 00:46:41.699 You are rich, you have eternal life. 00:46:41.699 --> 00:46:46.260 You're never gonna, you're not gonna lose. 00:46:46.260 --> 00:47:21.980 I promise you on the authority of God's word, you're either gonna see Christ come back and your body's gonna be transformed and twinkling of an eye, or you're gonna go to the grave and your soul will be present with the Lord, but when he returns, you will return with the Lord to receive your resurrected body and be brought into the eternal joy of the Lord with his whole earth. 00:47:21.980 --> 00:47:29.420 Whatever this earth's gonna look like is given to you. 00:47:29.420 --> 00:47:30.260 Let's pray. 00:47:30.260 --> 00:47:35.219 Lord is based on his resurrection that we live the Christian life. 00:47:35.219 --> 00:47:39.179 We are baptized because we have hope of the resurrection. 00:47:39.179 --> 00:47:49.300 We suffer because we have hope of the resurrection and we obey you and don't live for this world because of your promise of the resurrection, amen. 00:47:49.300 --> 00:47:59.300 [BLANK_AUDIO]