Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
Jeremy approaches Bible teaching with a passion for getting the basic doctrines explained so that the individual can understand them and then apply them to circumstances in their life. These basic and important lessons are nestled in a framework of history and progression of revelation from the Bible so the whole of Scripture can be applied to your physical and spiritual life.
Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
NT Framework - A Moral Fact
Modern people think all morality is relative to the person and the situation, today we learn that there is a fact that underpins all morality because it brings about consequences.
More information about Beyond the Walls, including additional resources can be found at www.beyondthewalls-ministry.com
This series included graphics to illustrate what is being taught, if you would like to watch the teachings you can do so on Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/SpokaneBibleChurch) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtV_KhFVZ_waBcnuywiRKIyEcDkiujRqP).
Jeremy Thomas is the pastor at Spokane Bible Church in Spokane, Washington and a professor at Chafer Theological Seminary. He has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years, always seeking to present its truths in a clear and understandable manner.
Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and our series on the New Testament framework. Today, a smaller, bite-sized piece from the larger lesson. We hope you enjoy it.
SPEAKER_01:Verse 29. Now we have moral arguments for why you have to have the resurrection. These are the moral arguments. We got logical, theological, now moral. Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? Now we don't, this is probably the most controversial saying in the whole 1 Corinthians, 5th, uh, 1 Corinthians, so we won't go into it. Some people think, well, it's people who died as they were believers, they died, and then the new converts would be baptized to fill in their place, you know. I mean, there's a number of different ideas. Uh, I don't want to go through it, but the point is, why would you be baptized for dead people if there's no resurrection from the dead? That'd be stupid. Why do that? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for him? Why aren't we also in danger every hour? Here he's putting his life on the line every day in his missionary journeys, right? Why would you put your life on the line for a resurrected Christ who really wasn't resurrected? I mean, that's a dumb thing. I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. Put his life at risk for the resurrected Christ. He says, if it was just from human motives that I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, probably talking about what happened in the theater there in Acts 19. He says, What does it profit me? I mean, if it was just humanly motivated, why would I put myself at that kind of risk? That's silly. If the dead are not raised, he says, this is the logical, moral end of that. In other words, how should you live your life if there's no resurrection? Paul says, Let's eat and drink for tomorrow we die. In other words, just live it up. Just live just like the world. They're just living it up, right? Doing whatever they want to do with whoever they want, whenever they want, however they want.
SPEAKER_00:What's wrong with that if there's no resurrection from the dead?
SPEAKER_01:I mean, just do it. I mean, because when you die, that's it. You're just dead. You just turn to dust, and that's it. There's nothing left. So just do whatever you want to do, he says, if there's no resurrection from the dead. That was Paul's view. He was willing to say all these things if the resurrection is not true. So obviously, he holds to the fact of the resurrection and that it is the cornerstone of Christianity. And that Christianity is actually built on the resurrection of the res of the Christ, the Messiah.
SPEAKER_00:Let's go to Luke 24, real quick. Luke 24.
SPEAKER_01:This is the stranger on the road to Emmaus. Well, John Cross has got a book. You can get one here. They're free of charge. You just take one. I'll try to find one for you if you want one. Help you find one. Now, this is on the day of the resurrection. It's the same exact day of the resurrection, which I take to be a Sunday, right? But anyway, we'll dispute that another time. Verse 13, and behold, two of them were going that day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. So it's a short walk, right? They were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. What things which had taken place? Well, he just the resurrection. Everything in verse 24, 1 through 12. So talking about the resurrection. Well, not the resurrection. The death, all the events, not the resurrection, they didn't believe in the resurrection. But the death and all that, and what had happened at the tomb, and the women going there and not finding the body and all that kind of stuff. So while they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself approached and began traveling with them. So here's the third guy. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing it. Now I'll ask you a question about the resurrection body based on that verse.
SPEAKER_00:100%. 100%.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, did the guy that was walking with them look like Jesus? Yes. But something happened supernatural to prevent their eyes from recognizing him during this walk and discussion. So yeah, the resurrection body, you are going to be you. You are not going to be someone else. Sorry. If you want to be someone else, you don't get to. You got to be you forever. You're stuck with yourself, so live with it. Verse 17, he said to them, What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking? You know, what are you talking about? And they stood still looking sad. One of them, named Cleopus, answered and said to him, Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days? I mean, are you kidding? You know, I mean, this in other words, was all this very public and very well known about the crucifixion, the triumphal entry, all the events of that week? Were they well known? Did everybody in the region know about it? Yeah, in Acts it says this thing wasn't done in a corner. Everybody knew. It was front page news. And he said to them, Huh? What thing? This is what I was telling my wife last night, Jesus was playing dumb. And sometimes we do that in a conversation, right? To draw something out of someone. Okay? And they said to him, Well, the things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet, mighty indeed and word in the sight of God and all the people, how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to the sentence of death and they crucified him. But we were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem Israel. But obviously they're sad, and so they're thinking he's not the one, right? Indeed, they said, besides all this, it's the third day since these things happened. You know, there's no hope. You know, he's dead. But also, some what he they say, well, some there were some women among us, they amazed us. They went to the tomb early in the morning, they didn't find his body, they came, they said that they had also seen a vision of angels. They said he was that said he was alive. And some of those who were with us went to the tomb. We found it just like the women said. Wow, women could be right sometimes. But him they did not see. Oh, well, that may be a good sign. And he said to them, Oh, foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken. See, what are we supposed to always be believing? Always be believing the Bible.
SPEAKER_00:Right?
SPEAKER_01:The Bible's true. And they were slow to believe it. They're thinking, oh, he died, it's over, the one we thought was going to redeem Israel, he's done. It's the third day. Don't you believe? You know, don't you believe what the prophets wrote? Did they write about the resurrection? Yes, they wrote about the death and the resurrection. They prophesied it. Verse 26, yes, was it not necessary for Christ to suffer these things and enter into his glory? See, the Old Testament prophesies the sufferings and the glories, right? He says, Hey, hey, do you not, is this not required? I mean, in other words, is everything not happening just like it's supposed to happen? See? Then, beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, he explained to them the things concerning himself and all the scripture. He's sitting there going through the messianic prophecy after messianic prophecy after messianic prophecy from Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Chronicles, King. All he's going through it all, right? The Psalms. Well, I had one read today, right? Psalm 118, that talked about the stone, the stone that stumbled they stumbled over. The messianic prophecy. Jesus probably went through that on the road to Emmaus. And they approached the village where they were going, and he acted as though he were going to go on farther, but they urged him, saying, Stay with us, for it's getting toward evening and the day is now nearly over. So he went in to stay with them. When he had reclined at the table with them, he took the bread and he blessed it, and breaking it, he began giving it to them. I mean, do you think he ate some too? Yeah, he probably ate some too. We know he ate in the resurrection body later. So can you eat in the resurrection body? Can you eat in the resurrection body?
SPEAKER_00:Some people say, Yeah, but we don't have to. And I'm all like, okay, great, more for me.
SPEAKER_01:Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him. See? Then their eyes were no longer prevented, right? They could see exactly who he was, and at that point he vanished from their sight. Now this is a resurrection body, right?
SPEAKER_00:Can it do different things than our current bodies? Somehow this body was able to vanish. That's kind of cool. I don't know. You want one? Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall get one.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, this is a simple thing, right? I want one of those. I'm tired of this one. Are you tired of this one? Some of you are younger saying, ah, I'm good. Okay, wait 20 years. It's okay. We're all gonna want one if we get to that age. If we struggle, we have any kind of ailments, we're gonna want this body. This is a great one. It vanishes too. It's even so cool. Better than Superman. And imagine. They said to one another, we're not our hearts burning within us while he was speaking to us on the road, while he was explaining the scriptures to us. I hope you're your your your your heart burns within you as you hear the scriptures and you you're excited, you know, and the Holy Spirit is illuminating it and making it known to you, making it real to you. That's what was happening to them.
SPEAKER_02:Thank you for joining us on Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas. If you would like to see the visuals that went along with today's sermon, you can find those on Rumble and on YouTube under Spoke and Bible Church. That is where Jeremy is the pastor and teacher. We hope you found today's lesson productive and useful in growing closer to God and walking more obediently with Him. If you found this podcast to be useful and helpful, then please consider rating us in your favorite podcast app. And until next time, we hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.