WEBVTT 00:00:01.439 --> 00:00:08.960 This podcast is a ministry of Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:14.000 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:16.800 Let's pray together. 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:28.399 Lord, we uh we stand here in the power that is greater than ourselves because despite our best capacity, despite our beauty and our brains and our bucks, nothing wrong with any of that, God. 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:34.320 But we are going to face things in life that we cannot overcome in and of ourselves. 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:36.399 And so we need a power greater than ourselves. 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:39.200 That's the power of God and the reality of the gospel. 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:41.439 We'll demonstrate both of those in our midst. 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:43.200 Speak to our head and to our heart. 00:00:43.439 --> 00:00:45.600 Arrest our attention and our affection today. 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:47.280 We pray in Jesus' name. 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:48.000 Amen. 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:48.960 You can have a seat. 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:53.119 If you got a Bible, I invite you to take it and open it up to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:55.119 If you don't have a Bible, there's one on your row. 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:57.200 I'm on page 961. 00:00:57.280 --> 00:01:00.960 And if you don't have a Bible of your own, you can take that with you as our gift today. 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:02.000 We'll get some more. 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:02.719 Amen. 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:03.439 Amen. 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:06.560 I want to talk to you this morning about what the resurrection reveals. 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:08.079 What the resurrection reveals. 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:17.760 And while you're finding 1 Corinthians, let me tell you what I mean by what reveals, because things are you act differently when the lights are on than you do when the lights are off. 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:19.040 Can you agree with that? 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:20.640 Let me say that again. 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:24.000 You act differently when the lights are on versus when the lights are off. 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:25.280 Can you agree with that? 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:30.000 Now, some of you, because you're sinners, your mind went somewhere right then that did not need to go. 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:31.519 Did you feel that awkwardness? 00:01:31.599 --> 00:01:33.680 Some of you are like, dude, you just jumped right out there. 00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:34.400 It's Easter. 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:36.159 I mean, we got flowers and everything. 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:39.120 That's not where my mind is going at all, sinners, so repent. 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:40.000 Here's what I mean. 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:44.400 Before I became the pastor here at this church, I used to travel around the country and preach all over. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:46.640 And a lot of times I would stay in people's homes. 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:49.680 People would say, hey, you know, hey, we can't afford a hotel. 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:50.640 Our church is not very big. 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:51.760 Would you mind staying at home? 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:57.920 And sometimes I would go back to a place and a family would say, Hey, our kids, they really enjoyed you. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:00.879 Is there any way you would think you would even consider staying in our house? 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:02.400 And I'd be like, sure, I'd love to. 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:06.719 And so I played hockey in the street with a neighborhood full of kids. 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:08.400 I've done all kinds of crazy stuff. 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:14.159 This one family, they said, uh, well, Pastor, we would love the visiting preacher to stay in our home. 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:15.199 Beautiful home. 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:18.319 About 7,200 square feet of beautiful home. 00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:19.680 It was like the mall. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:21.280 I was like, shut up. 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:25.039 They had three kids, beautiful family, kind of formal though. 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:25.919 And I knew something was up. 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:29.039 We came to dinner, and the father was wearing a navy blazer. 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:30.479 And I was like, uh-oh. 00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:32.080 I might want to put on long pants. 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:33.599 So I went back to my room and chains. 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:34.960 But they told me where everything was. 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:36.560 They said, here's our guest quarters down here. 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:38.000 Now, Neil, should you need anything? 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:40.000 Our bedroom right here on the right is the first door on the right. 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:41.520 The second door on the right is the bathroom. 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:42.560 And I said, okay, got it. 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:45.039 And so we stayed up, watched TV, went to bed. 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:48.800 At about 2:30 in the morning, I woke up because I had to go to the bathroom. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:50.159 I don't know if you've ever woken up. 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:53.759 You wake up and you're kind of like, okay, I'm in a house, but it's not my house. 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:55.280 I don't know where everything is. 00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:59.680 And this is what I mean when I say you walk and talk and act differently when the lights are off. 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:12.479 And so I get out of bed, there's no night light in the hall or anything, and I'm just feeling my way along, touching the walls and everything, and I'm kind of like, and at 2.31 in the morning, I could not remember if the bedroom was first or the bathroom was first. 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:15.680 And so I'm feeling my way along, and I there's an opening. 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:20.000 And so I just hung around and I grabbed the doorknob and I and I went to open it and it was locked. 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:22.639 And I thought, who's in the bathroom at 2.30? 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:25.199 And I just kind of stood there and I was like disoriented. 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:27.280 And I was like, and so I reached to grab it again. 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:30.400 I thought maybe I just didn't twist it because sometimes you just got to bear down. 00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:34.080 When it doesn't work the first time, men use more force. 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:34.719 Amen? 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:41.360 So I just grabbed it like a man, I was like, and about that time the door opened from the other side, the light came on, and the woman was standing there on the nightcounter. 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:42.400 She goes, What are you doing? 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:47.599 And I was like, I don't know why you stoop over in the dark. 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:52.080 Like there's less, it's nice far to fall if I trip. 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:54.639 And so I was like, I'm so sorry. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:55.759 I'm looking for the bathroom. 00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:56.800 Clearly, it's the next door. 00:03:56.879 --> 00:03:58.719 And she goes, Yes, it's the next door on the right. 00:03:58.800 --> 00:03:59.759 And then closed the door. 00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:02.479 I laid in bed for the next hour, just hating myself. 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:03.520 They're gonna call the church. 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:06.719 Can you come get this pervert and try to break into our room? 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:09.919 Awkward to the nth degree, okay? 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:11.360 Now, why don't I tell you that? 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:15.039 Because the resurrection is like flipping the light switch on. 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:22.639 In all history of humanity, things are obvious that weren't clean, but that weren't clear, weren't seen before, weren't agreed upon. 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:26.079 Because the Bible leaves us no room to kind of go, yeah, I don't know about that. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:30.160 I want to just pick up what we read earlier, 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:33.360 I just want to clip five verses, verses 20 to 24. 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:34.879 Let me read them this morning. 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:38.319 Paul says, But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:40.800 The first fruits are those who have fallen asleep. 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:45.279 For as by a man came death, by a man has also come the resurrection of the dead. 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:49.439 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:51.279 But each in his own order. 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:55.120 Christ the first fruits, and then in his coming, those who belong to Christ. 00:04:55.360 --> 00:05:03.360 Then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to the kingdom to God the Father, after destroying every rule and every authority and every power. 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:04.800 Let me just stop right there. 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:15.360 Because earlier we read a long section in 1 Corinthians 15, probably one of the greatest chapters in the Bible, just about who Jesus was, that he really died, that he really rose from the dead. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:17.600 But there were skeptics in this city. 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:22.879 And Paul earlier, he's kind of writing to them and kind of saying, Hey, some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead. 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:25.360 Let me play out the implications of believing that. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:26.560 Because here's the reality. 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:35.040 Every one of you in this room believes something about God, Jesus, Christianity, death, heaven, hell, sin, perfection. 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:37.439 You all have opinions about all of those things. 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:41.360 You have experiences with some of those things, and you brought those with you this morning. 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:49.120 And what I want to do is just kind of point to the resurrection and say, hey, let's switch the light on and let the resurrection reveal some things to us. 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:53.600 And here's the first thing it reveals to us it reveals that the resurrection is a fact. 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:55.759 You're like, well, that's rocket science. 00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:56.639 You went to school for that. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:58.959 The resurrection reveals that the resurrection is a fact. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:05:59.439 Yes. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:03.279 Verse 20, he starts with, but in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:04.480 Why does he say that? 00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:08.639 He says that because in verses 12 to 19, he says, okay, I'll play your game. 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:15.360 If you people say there is no resurrection, let me just share with you the implications of not believing in the resurrection. 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:22.720 And Paul lists seven or eight implications because the Bible takes everything to the nth degree and says, now, do you still want to believe that? 00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:25.439 The Bible doesn't yell and scream and raise its voice. 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:29.600 The Bible just says, hey, let's intellectually tease this out a little bit. 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:36.800 And then when we see how this is going to apply, ask yourself, do I still want to be a part of that? 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:38.240 It's kind of like Bitcoin. 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:40.319 Sounded great in the beginning. 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:41.600 Anybody? 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:42.560 Anybody? 00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:43.600 I lost you there. 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:45.439 Some of you are kind of like, Bitcoin, what is that? 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:46.399 Cryptocurrency? 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:48.240 I've got to stop reading online articles. 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:49.759 Anyway, back to the Bible. 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:55.759 The resurrection is in fact, because he says, hey, you people say there is no resurrection, and then he spools out seven or eight things. 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:57.360 Let me just point to four of them, okay? 00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:01.839 Paul says this, he says, if there is no resurrection, then preaching has no purpose. 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:05.839 And some of you are like, check, I relate to that this morning. 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:11.600 Secondly, Paul says that faith is pointless, it's just pointless, it's just sentimental nonsense. 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:15.279 Thirdly, he says, if there's no resurrection, there's no solution for sin. 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:17.759 Fourthly, he says there's no life after death. 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:19.600 There's no comfort when you lose someone. 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:24.720 By the way, the man that called me yesterday morning at 8 09, he had just gotten word that his wife died. 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:29.839 And I sat in my office with him yesterday morning, and friend, and I just said, Let me tell you something. 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:32.399 The gospel is as true right now as it's ever been. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:36.560 Just because you've experienced tragedy doesn't mean all of a sudden God's not on the throne. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:38.480 He looked at me and he goes, I know that, Pastor. 00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:39.360 Thank you for saying that. 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:41.040 I said, You're gonna see your wife again. 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:46.240 We're gonna grieve and we're gonna mourn, but we're not gonna mourn as those without hope because of the resurrection. 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:48.959 We know that there's gonna be another time and another place. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:50.319 And he said, Absolutely. 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:54.639 Now, when Paul lists out these things, and I just I just picked four of them, I think there's seven or eight. 00:07:54.800 --> 00:07:58.000 Now, I want you to take those in reverse order and think back through them. 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:02.319 Uh first of all, there is life after death, and so how we live matters. 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:03.680 Let me say that again. 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:05.279 There is life after death. 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:06.639 You say, Well, how do you know? 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:08.160 Jesus rose from the dead. 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:13.279 We'll get to it in a minute, but the Bible refers to him as the first fruits of those from among the dead. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:16.000 And the law of first fruits means there's going to be more fruits. 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:17.920 There's going to be other people that are resurrected. 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:24.319 Matter of fact, I'll tell you in about six minutes that everybody in this room and everybody in this world is going to experience resurrection. 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:25.600 But we'll get to that in a minute. 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:28.959 I say there's life after death, so how we live matters. 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:29.439 Okay? 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:33.120 Secondly, uh, because we've all sinned, we need a solution. 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:36.000 Because we've all sinned, we need a solution. 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:38.000 You say, I don't know what you mean. 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:45.440 If you ever get in a spiritual conversation with somebody and you get bogged down because you don't know, they ask a question and you don't know what to say or whatever. 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:52.799 Here's two questions that I ask people, not to win an argument, but to invite them to think about something that we we by nature don't think about. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:56.799 Here's the first question: what is your plan for finding forgiveness? 00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:00.720 What is your plan for finding forgiveness? 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:06.080 And people are always like, oh, well, uh you uh uh because that question implies that we've sinned. 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:07.679 The Bible says we've all sinned. 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:12.879 I've sinned, you've sinned, we've all sinned, but not only that, we've fallen short of the glory of God. 00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:23.440 Because we were created by God to be in a relationship with God that brings God glory, that reveals to the world how smart God is, how right God is, and how much God can be trusted. 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:26.399 But we we've sinned and we've fallen short of that. 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:29.679 So you gotta ask yourself, what's my plan for finding forgiveness? 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:35.440 And second question is this uh how do you do you believe that you have the power to stop sinning? 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:38.320 Do you believe you have the power to stop sinning? 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:43.200 Now, if I was to ask everybody in this room, most of us would say, Well, I believe that power is there. 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:46.639 Then would it stand a reason that we would all stop? 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:53.679 Now, a long time ago, before I became a preacher, I worked in an adolescent psychiatric hospital, one of the best jobs I ever had. 00:09:53.840 --> 00:09:54.879 I mean, I loved it. 00:09:55.200 --> 00:09:57.600 You say you loved, yes, because they were honest. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:06.000 They were broken, roached out, addicted, alcoholic teenagers from 13 to 19 years old, and they had no face to save. 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:07.200 They weren't like church people. 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:09.840 They didn't walk in and kind of go, hey, brother, how are you? 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:13.440 They would walk in and go, Man, you didn't bring any acid with you, did you? 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:16.000 And I was like, this is awesome. 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:18.480 Thank you for being so screwed up. 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:21.840 One of the things I did was I assisted in what's called a 12-step program. 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:26.799 12-step program is for people that are addicted to drugs or alcohol, and it's it's great. 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:28.240 It's step the first step is this. 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:34.720 I remember I said in the first uh meeting there was a director, I was his assistant in this time, and they were working the first step. 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:41.200 The first step in the 12-step program, now, by the way, some of you right now in your mind, you're telling yourself, because you know it. 00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:43.120 Absolutely, it says this. 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:49.039 I came to the point in my life where I was powerless over drugs and alcohol, and I need a power greater than myself to help me regain control. 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:52.879 And they were working that first step, and they had to come up with what their higher power was. 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:54.240 That's where we were in the process. 00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:55.919 And I thought, this is gonna be awesome. 00:10:56.080 --> 00:10:58.720 I'm gonna go tell my girlfriend Marcy, I'm 25 years old. 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:02.080 I'm gonna tell my girlfriend Marcy, this is incredible. 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:03.440 You wouldn't believe what happened. 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:07.519 I mean, these people all came to faith because I mean, I need a power greater than myself. 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:08.879 That's God, right? 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:14.559 That sounds great in theory, but these people get to select who their higher power is. 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:15.919 Teenagers. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:19.840 This guy right here, the first guy that went, said, My higher power is Michael Jackson. 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:22.080 And I thought, oh, he's being funny. 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:25.600 And he was like, then he got up and did the hee hee and sat back down. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:28.399 I was like, that just happened right there. 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:30.639 I am so glad I'm here. 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:34.879 When a couple people around, the guy over there said, Well, my higher power is myself. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:38.720 And the director said, Well, if you'll see it, very gracious. 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:40.000 I am freaking out. 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:41.759 He's like, very gracious and pastoral. 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:45.679 He said, Well, if you'll notice, it says that you need a power greater than yourself. 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:48.240 He said, Well, I don't mean me as you see me here in this city. 00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:52.399 I mean when I'm clean and sober, I am the galactic commander of the universe. 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:54.480 Shut up. 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:56.000 Of course you are. 00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:58.000 I'm so glad I came to this. 00:11:58.240 --> 00:11:59.360 About three more people in there. 00:11:59.440 --> 00:11:59.840 I don't know. 00:11:59.919 --> 00:12:00.320 I don't know. 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:01.440 I don't believe there's anything. 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:03.440 So just a cosmic force or whatever. 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:07.120 Finally, one guy said, My higher power is my dead grandmother. 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:11.360 And I was like, uh, can I ask you a question? 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:12.159 And I don't know the rules. 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:12.879 And I was like, sure. 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:15.200 And I said, How do you get in touch with your higher power? 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:17.120 He said, I pray to her every night. 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:18.559 And I said, Does she answer? 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:21.759 And he said, Well, not yet, but I I know she hears me. 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:28.559 And I said, How how empowered do you feel by having a higher power that can't seem to answer back? 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:30.879 And he said, Man, don't talk about my grandmother that way. 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:33.200 I said, I'm not talking about your grandmother, I'm talking about you. 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:35.440 I just, and I'm not making light of it. 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:37.519 I just think, but here's here's what I'm trying to get at. 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:39.039 I'm not making light of any of these people. 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:41.600 Because the longer I worked there, they came to love me. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:46.720 We we went from, don't bring that Bible out to, hey man, are you gonna read the Bible tonight and make it make it come? 00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:50.080 One guy said to me, he was just a raging addict. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:53.840 He said, Man, when you read the Bible, it's like pop rocks in my brain. 00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:58.240 Hey, uh, I hugged him. 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:00.879 I said, Man, you couldn't give me a bigger compliment. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:03.279 Deeply addicted to heroin. 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:15.200 Heard the story of John in John chapter 3 of a guy named Nicodemus who came to Jesus at night, and I said to them, Some of you in the dark night of your life, you're you're in rehab for the second, third, fifth time, but God hadn't given up on you. 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:19.840 Regardless of how dark it is, there's a God in this world, and he describes himself as light. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:24.399 And that God's like, freaking A! And I was like, What? 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:27.600 And he goes, Well, we can't use profanity, that's as close as I can come. 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:30.159 But if I could use profanity, I would. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:33.120 And I was like, you need to cleanse. 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:36.080 Why do I make a big deal out of this? 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:36.879 Here's why. 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:40.639 Because when you get down to this thing, because we've all sinned, you need a solution. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:44.639 Mankind cannot come up with a solution to the problem of sin. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:47.679 Just look around, watch the news tomorrow night. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:52.480 You'll see that every story is just one this and this happened and that happened and that happened. 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:53.600 It's kind of like, oh. 00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:56.799 Think back through these things. 00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:05.360 To be a Christian, thirdly, a person of faith, to be a Christian, not just say you believe in a higher power, but to be a Christian that lives an integrated life matters supremely. 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:08.639 So much so Jesus said, You're the salt of the earth and you're the light of the world. 00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:10.799 That doesn't mean you're the only person that's right. 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:16.080 It means that the way you live, a truth-based life, has a preserving effect on the culture. 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:22.639 Lastly, our faith is enhanced, matured, and strengthened through the hearing of the truth of the Bible preached in a way that we can understand. 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:23.840 Get our head around. 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:28.240 That's why the Bible says it like this: that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:43.360 You should find a church that opens the Bible, doesn't read two sentences, and then give you a TED talk or a little self-help motivational speech, but opens the Bible, reads the Bible, and tells you what the Bible says and says, now let's look let's bring this to bear on our life. 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:50.960 What you will see that happens is that your faith gets bigger, your ideas get thicker, and your life gets more connected to your creator. 00:14:51.200 --> 00:14:53.039 That's what the Bible says we're creating for. 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:57.519 So when I say the resurrection is a fact, these are just some of the reasons that I point to. 00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:02.240 The second thing that the resurrection reveals is simply this there is life after death. 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:03.600 There is life after death. 00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:04.559 Look at verse 20. 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:08.240 The second half of verse 20, he says, but in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:09.600 And then he says this about him. 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:11.120 This is a descriptive statement. 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:14.320 The first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:17.440 The first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:25.600 We don't use the phrase firstfruits. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:29.679 We do it at my house because my wife and I raise our kids to understand it. 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:35.840 The law of firstfruits basically means this: that the first part of everything you get belongs to God, and so they give it to God. 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:39.919 And you give that first fruits to God because you believe there's going to be more fruits. 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:45.600 It's the way you demonstrate that your faith is in God and not in yourself or in your bank account or anything else. 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:53.120 And so for these agrarian farming people, they would, their first crop that got ripe, they would take it and bring it to the temple and they'd present it to the priests. 00:15:53.279 --> 00:16:00.399 And then they would go back because they would say, Hey, we're going to give away the first fruits because we trust God for more fruits that are going to come. 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:03.200 So Paul writes to these people, think just for a minute. 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:09.840 Paul writes to them, he says, I want them to understand that the resurrection is not just something that happened to Jesus because he was the Son of God. 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:13.679 Matter of fact, I want them to understand that they're going to be resurrected too. 00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:23.519 And so he says, Christ, very suddenly, he says, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:26.720 Now, what's the big deal about that? 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:31.519 If there is no life after death, then how you live in this life doesn't matter. 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:36.799 But if there is life after death, like the Bible says there is, not just for Jesus, but for everyone. 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:40.320 Matter of fact, everyone in this room is going to experience resurrection. 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:41.120 They are. 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:43.440 I was talking to a guy in a bar in Atlanta. 00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:44.960 You want to hear the rest of it now? 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:46.399 You're like, what? 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:48.080 I was in the airport. 00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:50.559 I was traveling, and the bar is where the TVs are. 00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:56.639 And so I'm standing in there, half foot in the bar, half foot out, in case a church person walks by and can go, I'm not in here with sinners. 00:16:57.440 --> 00:16:57.759 No. 00:16:58.080 --> 00:16:58.799 I'm all in. 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:00.480 I'm like, the guy's like, you got to buy something. 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:02.080 Like, give me a diet coke, okay? 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:06.640 And so I'm standing there watching football, and a guy starts chatting me up and he says, Hey, uh, are you traveling? 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:07.440 Are you from Atlanta? 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:09.200 I'm like, no, I'm traveling, watching the game. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:10.880 And he goes, So what do you do for a living? 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:12.160 And I'm kind of like, Really? 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:13.839 Dude, I just want to watch football. 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:17.599 And then clear as a bell, God says, Hey, fat head, talk to this guy. 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:18.880 What do I do for a living? 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:21.839 I said, Oh, he said, your business, you travel on business or pleasure? 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:24.000 I said, Well, I thought this would make him leave me alone. 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:26.240 I said, Well, my business is my pleasure. 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:30.319 And he goes, Well, I've never thought that about my job. 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:31.440 What do you do? 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:33.680 And I said, I'm a preacher. 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:36.640 And he was like, blankety blank. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:38.319 And I was like, okay, here we go. 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:39.440 No more football. 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:40.480 And so we start talking. 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:51.200 And basically, over the next seven minutes, the guy tells me that, hey, I kind of believe in a reincarnation cycle where whenever bad people die, they don't get to come back, and only good people get to come back. 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:54.880 And I'm just kind of like, what a friend we have in Jesus. 00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:58.000 Just tee it up and just whoop owl. 00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:59.759 And he said, You know what I mean? 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:04.480 And I said, because by the way, that's not a question, that's an invitation to agree with you. 00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:05.359 Don't take that. 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:09.119 He spools this out and says, you know, I think bad people die and karma. 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:10.400 They just don't get to come back. 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:12.079 And if you're good, you get to come back. 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:13.440 Because that's karma, Jack. 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:15.039 Don't mess with karma. 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:17.599 And I said, So bad people die off, don't get to come back. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:18.799 Only good people get to come back. 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:20.960 Why is the world not a happier place? 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:26.400 Two cats get off their barstool and come over with their jack and coat. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:28.240 Hey, hey, I want to get in on this. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:31.519 It was like a Michael Jackson thriller video. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:33.279 It's like a knife fight all of a sudden. 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:34.799 And I said, No, I'm just asking. 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:36.799 I'm just, I'm spooling out what you said. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:44.079 You said bad people, when they die, they don't get to come back because thinks for them, but only good people get if that is true, and it's not. 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:47.279 And one guy said, hey man, I think he's got you on this one. 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:49.279 You think? 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:52.240 And by the way, it's not me versus them. 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:54.160 It's right versus wrong. 00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:58.000 You can be, and we're taught to be neutral in our colleges and universities. 00:18:58.160 --> 00:19:01.759 To not have, we are a generation of rights, not responsibilities. 00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:04.400 My greatest responsibility is to the truth. 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:08.720 Whether I'm in this church or I'm standing in a bar in the Atlanta, Hartsfield airport. 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:10.640 And the guy said, Well, you know what? 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:11.920 That that does kind of make sense. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:13.519 I said, I'm not making fun of you. 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:18.160 I'm not, I'm, I'm just saying that that is a non-sustainable belief. 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:21.279 Because that that is proven to not be true. 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:23.440 He goes, Yeah. 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:24.559 And I said, you know what? 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:25.839 I said, here's another thing to think about. 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:27.920 I gotta get going on my plane. 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:30.160 But everyone's gonna be resurrected. 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:32.960 Not just good people, but bad people. 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:34.720 Now, by the way, we get resurrected. 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:38.720 The Bible says that for Christians, not being good or bad, because Christians aren't perfect. 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:41.359 It's just what makes me a Christian is my faith is in Christ. 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:43.200 There was a point, I said, You ever been married? 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:45.759 He said, Well, I live with a woman, not the same. 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:47.920 Not the same. 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:48.720 Now relax. 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:50.640 This is not a sermon on shacking up. 00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:54.640 Some of you, some of you are looking at your girlfriend right now, like, I told you we shouldn't have come. 00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:56.960 Relax. 00:19:57.119 --> 00:19:58.400 I said, You ever lived with a woman? 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:00.240 I mean, if you've been married, you go, Well, live with some women. 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:01.039 I said, Not the same. 00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:01.920 He goes, Yeah, it is. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:02.799 I said, No, it's not. 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:15.599 Because when you get married, you stand in front of a church with a JP or somebody, but if you get married in church, they ask you that you say things like, Hey, I take you to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and hold in sickness and health, for richer or for poor, for better or worse, till death do us part. 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:17.200 You oath yourself to that person. 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:22.079 And I said, the resurrection unto life, the heaven is for people who've been married to Jesus. 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:25.759 They didn't just shack up with Jesus for a little bit and then break up when it got hard. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:29.759 The dude off the bar still turned around and said, Yeah, I've shacked up with him before. 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:31.039 I was like, Thank you. 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:32.799 Hey, bartender, cut that guy off. 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:33.759 I think he's had enough. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:37.920 And the guy's like, So you mean like committed relationship? 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:40.559 And I said, better than that, covenant. 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:46.400 You ever try to explain covenant in a bar over the sound of a football game? 00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:52.799 And I and I said, basically, it's God just oathing himself to you, saying, I'm not, I'm never gonna change my mind about you. 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:54.319 I'm here. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:57.039 And he said, Well, what's the big deal? 00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:00.720 If there's no life after death, then how you live in this life doesn't matter. 00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:06.160 Which begs the question you ever look around the world and wonder why is there so much wrong? 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:09.759 There's life after death, not just for not just for Christians. 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:10.880