WEBVTT 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:12.720 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:24.239 Welcome, thank you. 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:27.039 I'm almost there. 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:31.120 My wife and daughter preceded me. 00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:39.280 This morning I'm going to talk a little bit about hearing the voice of those who are in authority. 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:46.560 The Army taught me something about listening to the voice of those who are in positions of authority. 00:00:46.640 --> 00:01:04.239 And on one such occasion, our commanding officer, Captain Della Porte, sternly warned the troops not to take naps while on the job, especially during those grueling hours of midnight to sunrise. 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:12.560 Everyone had to be on their posts, alert, and not succumb to the temptation of dozing off. 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:16.000 That was his clear instructions. 00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:23.519 But one night some of the men thought by midnight that their work is done, and so they decided to get some shut eye. 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:34.079 But their sweet dreams turned into nightmares when the captain arrived unbeknownst to everyone Saturday morning, 5 a.m. 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:45.519 Something no one ever thought in the wildest dreams could happen that the captain would arrive on a Saturday morning at 5 a.m. 00:01:46.879 --> 00:02:00.079 Well, those men who slept on the job woke up at the thundering voice of the captain, only to have now to give an account of their dereliction of duty. 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:05.920 And then, of course, they had to face the consequences of their actions. 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:10.080 And very much something like that is in John's Gospel. 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:28.479 If you open your Bibles to John's Gospel and chapter five, we hear something there about people who love, people who die, and people who live again. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:38.479 Their life will return to them and life will return to their flesh and to their bones. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:46.400 Love, die, live again is the title of my message based on John chapter 5, verses 24 to 29. 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:49.520 I'm going to read from the English Standard Version here for us. 00:02:49.759 --> 00:03:00.000 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:07.840 He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:18.639 Truly, truly I say to you, an hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:23.120 And those who hear will live. 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:38.159 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, and he has given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man. 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:42.719 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming. 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:29.519 Others jokingly mock at this thought of life after death and judgment and the idea of hell seems far-fetched to them. 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:36.879 I've even heard people jokingly say, Well, at least I will meet my friends there and we will continue to have a party. 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:48.160 There are some who sneer at the resurrection and even painting pictures in people's minds about people sitting on clouds playing harps. 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:54.800 The Jews in Jesus' time was often no different. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:06:03.680 The Sadducees, for example, they were sad, you see, for they did not believe in a bodily resurrection. 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:05.279 Mark 12, 18. 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:07.759 There was a dead joke in there, by the way. 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:22.879 In Paul's days, the Greeks and the Gnostics also did uh they did believe in life after death, but somehow they did not believe in the physical bodily resurrection. 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:34.000 In Acts 17, when they heard Paul teach on a physical bodily resurrection of the dead, they began sneering and making remarks about it. 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:47.920 Even recent evangelicals like John Stott, well-known name in England, he does not believe in this concept of a physical, bodily torment of the wicked. 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:57.920 And others like him say that the soul goes into the afterlife and remains a soul without a body for eternity. 00:06:58.160 --> 00:07:16.480 Liberal pastors and theologians, some like Albert Schweitzer, for example, claim that a physical and bodily resurrection from the dead, I quote, is nothing but invertible fabrication of gospel writers. 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:22.319 Invertible fabrications of gospel writers. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:23.839 Even the late Dr. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:34.560 Martin Luther King Jr., featured in last week's World magazine, also did not believe in a physical bodily resurrection. 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:45.839 And so there's a lot of Christians that would say that, well, we believe we're gonna be spirit beings and we've got to be up there, but we will not be part of a physical and bodily resurrection. 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:48.560 Well, that's not the words of Jesus. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:52.079 That's not the word of Paul. 00:07:52.720 --> 00:08:04.399 Paul said, if we deny a physical and bodily resurrection, then there has to be a denial of the physical and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:08.399 And then he says our faith is worthless. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:12.959 And as Christians, we are most pitied of all people. 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:15.680 1 Corinthians 15, 19. 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:27.199 You see, this idea of a physical bodily resurrection is a bit of a bitter pill to swallow because on the one side it's kind of good news, right? 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:45.840 On the other side, if it's connected with judgment and this idea that a physical, bodily punishment of the unsaved for eternity is to be put in line with a merciful and loving God, people just have a hard time with that. 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:52.559 Why would a good God punish people physically, bodily for eternity? 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:54.399 Seems far-fetched. 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:57.759 But truth be truth. 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:04.639 Jesus in this passage is saying that we will live, we will die, and we will live again. 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:08.320 And this is called the resurrection. 00:09:08.879 --> 00:09:17.519 And here is a bit of a good and a bad news is that everybody is resurrected. 00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:23.279 Both believer and unbeliever will be resurrected. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:28.240 And I'm going to give you four truths here about the resurrection based on this passage. 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:40.639 But just to outline a few things about this passage for you so you can see where I'm going, there are there's so many words here about life coming back to life. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:43.200 I've even highlighted them for you there. 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:49.600 But there's also this connection with the voice of Jesus, the voice of the Son of God. 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:54.559 Those who are in the tombs will hear his voice. 00:09:54.720 --> 00:10:00.399 And then what John also puts in here for us is this idea of judgment. 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:20.960 So voice of Jesus, this coming to life again, coming alive again, and this idea of judgment is all in this passage, and I will take us through this, but I want to draw out four realities about the resurrection that need serious contemplation. 00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:26.720 The resurrection is really good news, but it's also particularly bad news for some people. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:43.279 So, number one, the resurrection provides a body for the soul, it prepares one for judgment, it proceeds unto eternity, but it can also be prepared for today. 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:48.000 While the resurrection is future, you can prepare for it today. 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:49.679 Let's look at number one. 00:10:56.320 --> 00:11:00.320 If you look at verse 25, I'm gonna begin there. 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:14.879 Jesus says, Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. 00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:20.320 There, Jesus is talking about spiritual resurrection in one sense. 00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:27.519 But in the other sense, he verse 28, he speaks about a physical resurrection. 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:31.840 And I'm gonna deal with that first and deal with verse 25 last. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:37.919 But number one here is that the resurrection provides a body for the soul. 00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:56.080 An hour is coming, and Jesus says, do not marvel about it, when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life. 00:11:56.159 --> 00:12:03.840 But then he says, those who have done evil, they too are resurrected, but they have a little different resurrection. 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:08.399 So good news is you will be resurrected. 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:15.519 You will also get a new body for the soul. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:22.080 And by the way, I'm gonna use the word soul and spirit interchangeably because that's how the Bible uses it. 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:27.679 Bible drives no hard bifurcation between body, uh between soul and spirit. 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:34.879 But James 2, 26 says that when the spirit departs from the body, that's when you die. 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:47.919 Ecclesiastes 12, 6 says that the body will return to the earth, dust to dust, and as we say at a funeral, dust to dust, ashes to ashes. 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:57.759 At the resurrection, the soul is provided with a physical body. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:08.720 Job, for example, says in Job 19, 25, After my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God. 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:13.279 My skin will be destroyed, it will rot, it will become dust. 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:18.240 But when he sees God, Job says, I will see God in the flesh. 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:19.039 Hmm. 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:35.600 So Job did believe in a physical bodily resurrection, and so does Ezekiel prophesy in Ezekiel 37, 5, where he says, Dead bones will come alive, sinews and skin and bones, everything will come alive. 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:46.240 And you will know that I am the Lord, he says, because I will cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive. 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:54.320 So the resurrection, first truth about this is that the soul will receive a body. 00:13:54.399 --> 00:14:01.200 But here's the good news: the body will have no aches, no pains, the body will not age. 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:02.399 That's good news. 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:08.879 It will not decay, and this new body will endure for eternity. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:15.679 I don't know if it's gonna be a body that looks like you were 15 or 35. 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:16.879 I've got no clue. 00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:21.919 But all we know is that this is an imperishable body. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:25.840 That's what 1 Corinthians 15, 42 tells us. 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:28.720 So also is the resurrection of the dead. 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:35.919 It is sown a perishable body, and it is raised an imperishable body. 00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:41.440 So in the resurrection, you will get something that will last you for an eternity. 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:42.879 That is good news. 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:49.360 Everyone dies, but everyone will live again, and everyone gets an imperishable body. 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:51.279 That's good news, my friends. 00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:59.919 You know, this uh week I realized that I rolled my ankle somewhere trying to pull out a fish out of water. 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:04.399 You know, so even, I mean, fishing is a dangerous pastime. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:08.559 I got hooks in my fingers, and this time I twisted my ankle. 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:12.559 So if you see me lumping, it's because I pulled out a big fish. 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:17.279 No, it wasn't that big, but Matthew Henry says something. 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:19.919 He says, many shall arise. 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:25.120 Christ here tells us that those many shall be all. 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:34.240 Everyone must be resurrected, because everyone must appear before the judge. 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:37.759 And therefore all must be raised, every person. 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:45.440 And the whole of every person, every soul shall return to its body and every bone to its bone. 00:15:46.720 --> 00:16:01.519 And so here's the next aspect of the resurrection is not only will it be a physical, bodily resurrection, it will be a resurrection that has us proceed to judgment. 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:06.559 The resurrection, in fact, prepares us for a judgment. 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:08.320 Verse 27. 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:15.919 And he gave him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man. 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:19.600 And then Jesus says, do not marvel, don't be puzzled. 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:30.879 An hour's coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice, and all will come forth. 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:39.759 Those who did good deeds to a resurrection of life, and those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:44.879 And there's the word judgment twice in these three verses. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:52.000 And so another thing we can learn about the resurrection is that it prepares us for judgment. 00:16:52.159 --> 00:17:02.799 Both Old and New Testament firmly teaches this concept of a physical resurrection just moments prior to appearing before a judge. 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:07.519 And this time it is the judge who is also called the Son of Man. 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:11.039 And that is what Daniel 12, 2 speaks about. 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:28.400 He says, Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:42.319 And so even Daniel believes in this fact that everybody will be resurrected, everybody will get physical bodies, and everybody will have to face the music some way or another. 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:58.880 In Matthew 26, excuse me, Matthew 16, 27, it says, for the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his father with these angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds. 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:04.640 And I want you to lock into this idea of the repayment of deeds. 00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:11.599 The judgment essentially has already taken place on earth. 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:24.720 What happens at this great judgment of every believer resurrected and every unbeliever resurrected is that they will now be repaid for what they have done. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:32.559 Matthew 16, 27 is very clear about the payment according to one's deeds. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:36.000 And Jesus likewise forwarns. 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:48.799 In verse 29, he says, and they will come forth, those who did good deeds, and those who committed evil deeds. 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:56.720 There are only in the end two groups of people: good deed people and evil deed people. 00:18:56.880 --> 00:19:00.319 That's the only two groupings that you can invite. 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:10.160 There will be no groups of oppressed or victims or the oppressor or the one who oppresses. 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:12.000 No, it will be simple. 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:15.519 It will be good deed people and evil deed people. 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:21.519 And you and I will be categorized in either one of them. 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:40.720 However, as a believer, we are confident that verse 29 speaks to us as believers, those who did good deeds to a resurrection of life. 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:54.480 Now, that does not mean that the Christian will not be appearing before the judge, because the Bible is very clear that each one of us will give an account himself to God. 00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:56.480 Romans 14, 12. 00:19:56.559 --> 00:20:00.000 But I want to take you to 1 Corinthians 3. 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:05.200 1 Corinthians chapter 3, I want to show you something there. 00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:21.519 If you read with me there in 1 Corinthians 3, 14 and 15, it says there, if any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:32.160 If any man's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as though through fire. 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:37.680 This is the believer's judgment. 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:45.599 It is not a judgment that involves loss of salvation, but it involves a loss of rewards. 00:20:46.160 --> 00:21:17.519 Every believer will have to appear before Jesus Christ, who is also known as the Son of Man, to give an account to explain to Jesus what they engaged in, and how they engaged in gospel ministry and how faithful they were in personal evangelism, and how faithfully they were serving in church, and how they used and applied their gifts and talents. 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:20.880 This is the believer's judgment. 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:31.680 The judgment is based on good deeds, and those good deeds are obviously performed in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:41.920 If you go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, I want to show you something else here about the believer's judgment. 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:54.720 The believer is not judged in terms of salvation versus condemnation, but rather a judgment of one's stewardship. 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:59.599 The idea here is about being rewarded for good deeds. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:03.599 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 10. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:12.240 And he says, therefore, we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:27.359 We, is obviously speaking of Christians, must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body according to what he has done. 00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:30.240 And people would say, well, deeds don't matter. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:31.519 Deeds do matter. 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.880 Deeds matter. 00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:34.720 Deeds do matter. 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:43.680 And I will show you that deeds do not save us, but deeds matter. 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:58.799 Each one must appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds. 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:07.200 This once again is an evaluation. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:20.000 It's a tribunal of some sort, in which one will give account not of one's greatness in service and ministry, but rather one's faithfulness. 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:24.799 It's not about how big your ministry was or how many people you evangelized. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:27.279 It is how faithful you were. 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:34.960 And of course, what it will be accounted here for is how we served in the body of Christ in the believers. 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:48.319 How we supported the work of the ministry and the advancement of the gospel and how good stewards we were of the gifts, the talents, the resources, and the treasures God entrusted to us. 00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:53.119 These are all things that we will have to give an account for. 00:23:53.680 --> 00:24:02.559 You see, Christians often forget that salvation involves an overall stewardship of what Christ gave them. 00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:16.079 And they will have to give an account whether they misused these things, whether they neglected it, or they were just plain lax in actually using these gifts. 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:18.319 1 Peter speaks about this. 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:23.519 1 Peter 4.10 says, as each has received a gift. 00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:33.200 He says, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. 00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:36.960 You see, Jesus talks a lot about stewardship. 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:43.680 The steward is someone entrusted with something that it does not belong to him. 00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:53.680 But as a good steward, they will, of course, receive praise and reward for their stewardship. 00:24:53.920 --> 00:25:11.279 And Jesus makes it very clear in Luke 14, 14, where he says, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:22.079 The resurrection of the righteous, of course, speaking of Christians, where Christians will be repaid for all their service and sacrifice. 00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:30.960 You may not be repaid in this life for what you've done, for the price you paid, but you will at the resurrection be rewarded. 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:42.480 So, in summary, appearing at the judgment seat of Christ, it is a judgment not of salvation, but rather of faithfulness. 00:25:42.640 --> 00:25:49.920 It's about faithfulness, stewardship, and fruitfulness through the gifts and the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:25:51.279 --> 00:26:05.839 In the end, believers, after they are judged and evaluated, they will hear these words, Matthew 25, 23, and his master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:10.880 Good and faithful servant, or rather, good and faithful steward. 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:14.160 You have been faithful over a little. 00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:16.559 I will set you over much. 00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:21.039 Enter into the joy of the master. 00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:29.440 Now I know some of you, your minds are working in overtime here, and you're like, okay, this does not make sense. 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:31.680 Deeds don't matter. 00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:35.519 We are not saved based upon our deeds. 00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:44.000 And I would absolutely agree we are saved based on the deeds of Christ, not our deeds. 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:52.960 But you see, so many people profess Christianity, but they are not only fruitless in their lives, they are plain reckless. 00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:57.039 They would say, I am saved regardless of my deeds. 00:26:57.200 --> 00:27:05.039 I can live the way I want to live, call myself a Christian, and it will work out good for me in the resurrection. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:10.319 And let's just settle this once for all. 00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:14.480 Jesus says, those who have done good deeds in the ESV. 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:25.440 NASP says, or the ESV says, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and the NASB says those who have done good deeds. 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:35.039 Either way, deeds can't earn your salvation, but it does affirm your salvation. 00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:41.119 Good deeds can't earn salvation, but it does affirm one's salvation. 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:50.480 Good deeds don't replace one's faith, but it does provide evidence of genuine faith. 00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:56.960 Good deeds don't replace faith, but it does provide evidence of genuine saving faith. 00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:01.759 You see, Christ earned our salvation. 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:03.680 We don't earn our salvation. 00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:05.920 It's his good deeds that matter. 00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:15.440 He lived a perfect life, he died a perfect death on the cross, and he rose on the third day. 00:28:17.359 --> 00:28:20.559 We just embrace that in faith. 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:33.680 But it's such a powerful thing that James says if you have true faith, there will be deeds, and if there's no deeds, that faith is dead. 00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:38.240 And so I hear often people say, well, Mr. 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:48.000 So-and-so is definitely a believer, and even though they are not walking with the Lord, I know they love Jesus. 00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:56.240 Even though there's no evidence of any deeds of righteousness to prove that they are saved without a doubt. 00:28:56.480 --> 00:29:03.440 And so we are then quick to say, well, who are we to doubt somebody else's salvation? 00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:10.880 And then I would also say, who are we to give wholesale assurance of somebody's salvation? 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:14.880 Jesus says, you will know them by their fruit. 00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:19.359 And here's something that I learned this week that is absolutely amazing. 00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:28.480 Ephesians 3, 19 speaks about the power in Christ's resurrection, the power that resurrected Jesus from the dead. 00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:33.039 Is that same power at work in you as a believer, my friend? 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:41.279 And so do you want to tell me that Jesus is the power that is at work in his resurrection? 00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:47.200 That same power can't sanctify you and make you more like Jesus? 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:53.599 I mean, the resurrection is such a pivotal and powerful thing. 00:29:54.960 --> 00:30:01.920 And so we think that is able to work in our salvation, but not in our sanctification. 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:06.720 We need to go look at Ephesians 3, 19 and 20 again. 00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:15.680 But Thomas Watson would say it is absurd to imagine that God should justify a people and yet not sanctify them. 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:26.160 And so the good deeds here are not meritous good deeds that earn salvation, but good deeds that prove one's salvation. 00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:46.880 It is the obedience, the fruitfulness, and faithfulness that flows out of salvation through the power of the gospel at work, that the resurrection power that worked in Jesus' resurrection is at work in those who have a living faith. 00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:53.599 Faith is not a moment, faith is a lifestyle. 00:30:53.839 --> 00:31:08.400 Now let's look at the other group of people, your group B, and that's at the latter part of verse 29 there, and those who have done evil or those who committed evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. 00:31:08.640 --> 00:31:13.519 And this judgment, once again, is not whether they are condemned or not condemned. 00:31:13.759 --> 00:31:17.680 They have already been condemned because of the unbelief. 00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:25.839 What this judgment is, it's about the the punishment for what they have done. 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:28.720 It's a punishment based on their deeds. 00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:31.200 Turn to Revelation 20. 00:31:32.880 --> 00:31:35.519 Revelation chapter 20. 00:31:44.640 --> 00:31:47.359 Now let's go look at verse 12 there. 00:31:50.880 --> 00:32:03.839 And he says there, and I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and the books were open, and another book was open, which is the book of life. 00:32:04.880 --> 00:32:16.720 And the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:22.559 So somewhere, someone is recording everything. 00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:33.599 Everything that the believer does, the unbeliever does, is written in these books. 00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:45.119 And they will be judged at this throne of Christ according to their deeds. 00:32:45.279 --> 00:33:05.519 Now, from what I can tell in Revelation 20, 12 and John 5, 29, just correlating the concepts here, I truly believe that the only the evil deeds of the unrighteous, the unsaved, will count against them. 00:33:06.240 --> 00:33:09.359 But their good deeds will count for nothing. 00:33:10.319 --> 00:33:15.680 So it's not like, well, I did this, Jesus, that was bad. 00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:17.039 I'll acknowledge that. 00:33:17.200 --> 00:33:19.839 But Jesus, I also did good deeds. 00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:25.680 These books, I believe, do not record the good deeds of the unbeliever. 00:33:25.920 --> 00:33:28.799 It only records the evil deeds. 00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:36.079 And so we live, we die, and we live again, but what is next? 00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:39.680 What is next, my friend, is eternity. 00:33:40.079 --> 00:33:41.680 So we dead. 00:33:42.400 --> 00:33:48.319 So no, we live, we die, we live again, we're judged. 00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:49.680 What's next? 00:33:49.839 --> 00:33:52.319 Well, eternity is what awaits. 00:33:52.480 --> 00:34:02.240 Everyone will be resurrected from the dead, everyone will be judged, everyone will enter eternity physically and in a physical body. 00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:10.880 Some to enjoy the rewards for the good deeds, and others will now be tormented for their evil deeds. 00:34:12.079 --> 00:34:17.039 The righteous in Christ will hear, well done. 00:34:17.440 --> 00:34:18.639 Well done. 00:34:19.760 --> 00:34:27.280 You can only do well if you've done well, if that makes sense. 00:34:27.599 --> 00:34:30.079 Well done, good and faithful servant. 00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:33.679 You have been faithful over a little. 00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:35.360 I will sit over you much. 00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:38.559 Enter the joy of your master. 00:34:38.719 --> 00:34:49.679 The eternal joy of the believer proceeds into eternity, the joy of the master, of which Revelation 21:4 speaks about. 00:34:49.840 --> 00:34:59.679 And it says there, this is the joy of the master, and he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will no longer be any death. 00:35:00.079 --> 00:35:01.360 No one will die. 00:35:01.760 --> 00:35:05.280 There will no longer be any mourning or crying or pain. 00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:09.519 The first things have passed away. 00:35:10.400 --> 00:35:11.679 It will be good. 00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:14.000 It will be joy. 00:35:15.440 --> 00:35:18.639 It will be joy for eternity. 00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:34.159 However, for the unrighteous, the unsaved, they will now begin to serve not a life sentence, but an eternal sentence in the lake of fire. 00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:38.400 Look at Revelation 21, verse 8. 00:35:40.320 --> 00:36:05.599 He says there, but for the cowardly and the unbelieving, the cowardly and unbelieving, and I'll circle back to that later on, and the abominable and the murderers and the immoral persons and the sorcerers and the idolaters and the all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. 00:36:08.800 --> 00:36:13.519 What is this lake of fire concept? 00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:20.159 Here are three thoughts about the lake of fire. 00:36:20.320 --> 00:36:26.639 Number one, the lake of fire is the eternal destination for the unbeliever. 00:36:26.719 --> 00:36:28.320 It's an eternal destination. 00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:33.280 The lake of fire will be there always, for eternity. 00:36:33.599 --> 00:36:37.920 Hell, on the other hand, hell has only been a temporal place. 00:36:39.119 --> 00:36:47.440 Hell is the place where if the unbeliever dies, goes there for a period of time, not to be confused with purgatory. 00:36:47.920 --> 00:36:51.440 He who enters hell must abandon all hope. 00:36:53.920 --> 00:36:58.880 Hell serves as a bit of a temporal place of torment. 00:36:58.960 --> 00:37:05.840 It's very much like a courthouse, jail, where the criminal awaits trial before judge and jury. 00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:07.679 It's a temporal place. 00:37:08.480 --> 00:37:12.559 Revelation 20, verse 14 speaks about this. 00:37:13.760 --> 00:37:23.519 Revelation 20, verse 14, it says there, then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. 00:37:23.760 --> 00:37:25.199 That's interesting. 00:37:25.519 --> 00:37:32.960 So death and hell were thrown into the lake of fire. 00:37:33.119 --> 00:37:36.559 This is the second death, the lake of fire. 00:37:36.719 --> 00:37:47.840 And so, in one sense, uh now you go from maybe the county courthouse for what you've done wrong to a federal penitentiary. 00:37:48.559 --> 00:38:02.000 There you will not serve a life sentence, but an eternal sentence in a penitentiary also known as the lake of fire, where the punishment will be in an accordance to one's deeds. 00:38:02.480 --> 00:38:07.440 Whatever one did will be repaid for eternity. 00:38:09.679 --> 00:38:20.719 So, in one sense, my friend, at the resurrection for the unrighteous, they will literally go be going from the pan into the fire, right? 00:38:25.519 --> 00:38:29.039 Hell will seem like the Hilton. 00:38:30.239 --> 00:38:35.920 Hell will be like the courthouse jail until the judge sentence. 00:38:38.800 --> 00:38:49.599 Sentence will be a fiery penitentiary, an eternal penitentiary, a place of physical and bodily torment night and day. 00:38:49.920 --> 00:39:00.480 Revelation 14, 11 says, where the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever they have no rest day and night. 00:39:00.639 --> 00:39:08.079 A few years ago a young man came to me, needed help, and I tried to share the gospel with him, and he was just kind of cocky about it. 00:39:08.159 --> 00:39:17.199 And I said, Well, hell awaits for you, and you know, if you don't believe, and he's just like, Yeah, yeah, I'll have my friends there, we'll have a party. 00:39:17.440 --> 00:39:19.920 And then I go on for about 30 minutes. 00:39:20.000 --> 00:39:27.199 I gave him everything about hell, and then at some point he says, Can you at least sleep in hell? 00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:35.119 I'm like, No! It says there, there's no rest day and night, and he's like, he became pale. 00:39:35.679 --> 00:39:36.559 He's like, What? 00:39:36.719 --> 00:39:38.079 You mean I can't sleep? 00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:40.480 No, dude, you can't sleep. 00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:48.800 I like my rest, and there will be no rest day and night, but the torment goes up forever. 00:39:49.039 --> 00:39:51.360 What an awful and frightful thought, my friend. 00:39:51.519 --> 00:40:01.360 He who enters the gates of the lake of fire must look up at the inscription, the welcoming sign from Dante's famous poem, Inferno. 00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:05.360 All hope abandon ye who enters here. 00:40:06.079 --> 00:40:07.039 Give up hope. 00:40:07.199 --> 00:40:09.519 It's all done once you enter here. 00:40:09.760 --> 00:40:13.039 Eternity is a long time to be in the wrong place. 00:40:16.159 --> 00:40:22.239 But Jesus reminds us that our eternity can be prepared for today and now. 00:40:22.800 --> 00:40:25.599 Like we plan for retirement right now. 00:40:25.760 --> 00:40:29.119 We got a plan for our eternal destinies. 00:40:30.480 --> 00:40:36.159 Today's decisions determines tomorrow's destination. 00:40:36.800 --> 00:40:42.239 Today's deeds determines tomorrow's destination. 00:40:42.400 --> 00:40:54.159 Let's circle back to John 5, where I'm gonna finish us out with this idea that the resurrection can be planned for today. 00:40:54.320 --> 00:41:05.599 You can be prepared to be resurrected, to be given a physical body, and stand before the judge and confidently say, I will enter my master's joy. 00:41:07.760 --> 00:41:12.480 The resurrection is something that we can prepare for today. 00:41:12.639 --> 00:41:16.079 Jesus says it there in verse 25. 00:41:18.880 --> 00:41:19.920 Verse 25. 00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:22.880 He says, An hour is coming and now is. 00:41:23.360 --> 00:41:24.159 Now is. 00:43:50.320 --> 00:43:59.519 When the spirit regenerates the heart, it opens the ears and the eyes, it makes the spirit alive, and the dead rises from. 00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:02.880 From their transgressions and sins. 00:44:04.960 --> 00:44:16.000 The uncircumcision of their flesh and their hearts are made alive together in Christ, says Colossians 2.13. 00:44:16.719 --> 00:44:24.400 Spiritually dead peoples, their hearts are calloused, and their hearts are uncircumcised. 00:44:24.480 --> 00:44:30.559 And what the Holy Spirit does is take that calloused heart. 00:44:30.719 --> 00:44:31.760 It takes that out. 00:44:31.840 --> 00:44:40.880 It circumcises the heart and makes them alive when they hear the voice of Jesus preached through the gospel and through the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:44:41.119 --> 00:44:55.760 Their eyes and ears and hearts are opened as Titus 3.5 says, you were saved, not by your own works or your merits or your deeds, but through the washing of the word through the Spirit of God. 00:44:56.480 --> 00:45:07.920 Tell me, brothers and sisters, does Romans 10, 17 not say faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ? 00:45:09.440 --> 00:45:17.599 People don't get saved by our anecdotes or our life stories or even our examples. 00:45:17.760 --> 00:45:19.920 Those merely affirm who we are. 00:45:20.159 --> 00:45:26.400 People get saved when they hear the voice of Jesus Christ preached to them. 00:45:26.639 --> 00:45:37.119 So my encouragement to you is if you want to see dead people come alive, open this up to them and give it to them in a loving and gracious way. 00:45:37.280 --> 00:45:42.079 That is what the Spirit of God uses to make people alive. 00:45:42.320 --> 00:45:44.480 They will hear the voice of Jesus. 00:45:44.639 --> 00:45:45.920 They will believe it. 00:45:46.800 --> 00:45:50.559 They will surrender to it and do whatever it takes. 00:45:50.800 --> 00:45:59.039 Hearing the voice of Jesus, my friend, is a matter of life and death and judgment and eternity. 00:45:59.360 --> 00:46:04.079 Because John 5.25 says, and those who hear will live. 00:46:04.400 --> 00:46:06.159 Those who hear will live. 00:46:06.320 --> 00:46:10.239 Hearing the Bible preach is truly a matter of life and death. 00:46:10.480 --> 00:46:16.800 Life for those who believe and respond to the words of Jesus and condemnation for those who scoff. 00:46:18.559 --> 00:46:27.760 But dear brothers and sisters, not hearing the voice of Jesus has nothing to do with your ears, but everything to do with your heart. 00:46:28.079 --> 00:46:42.960 Because Hebrews 3 says, Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, today, today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. 00:46:44.800 --> 00:46:55.039 Today may be your very last opportunity to repent and believe the gospel. 00:46:55.920 --> 00:46:58.000 Today may be your very last time. 00:47:06.000 --> 00:47:20.719 If today you hear his voice and you harden your heart, remember the same son that softens the wax also hardens the clay. 00:47:21.199 --> 00:47:26.960 There are many things that drown out the voice of Jesus Christ. 00:47:27.519 --> 00:47:40.000 And thinking back of that passage in Revelation 21 about what characterized people's hearts. 00:47:43.840 --> 00:47:46.639 Revelation 21, verse 8. 00:47:46.960 --> 00:47:49.760 It says there, but for the cowardly. 00:47:50.079 --> 00:47:51.360 Who are the cowardly? 00:47:51.440 --> 00:47:53.760 They are the people who fear persecution. 00:47:54.000 --> 00:47:56.960 These are the people who fear men rather than God. 00:47:58.480 --> 00:48:03.519 The unbelieving, those are people who say, Ah, I'll take my chances. 00:48:04.400 --> 00:48:10.239 And the abominable and the murderers and the immoral persons and the sorcerers. 00:48:10.639 --> 00:48:20.480 Those are people who uh give them over to themselves over to drug and substance abuse and idolaters and liars. 00:48:21.119 --> 00:48:24.159 Their part will be in the lake of fire. 00:48:24.960 --> 00:48:26.239 The lake of fire. 00:48:26.400 --> 00:48:33.679 And so, my dear friends, what what what what will make us deaf to the voice of Jesus Christ? 00:48:35.599 --> 00:48:48.239 Your love for sin, your fear of persecution and the cost of following Jesus, your rebelling against authority, and of course the pride in your heart. 00:48:48.400 --> 00:48:56.880 Those are all the things that will culminate to make you deaf to the voice of Jesus. 00:48:57.679 --> 00:49:05.280 As one preacher said, in this life, many will live life deafened to the voice of Jesus. 00:49:05.440 --> 00:49:24.559 Yes, they will deafen their ears to his words and his commandments, but lo, everyone, yes, everyone will hear his voice, even those cremated or embalmed, even those at the bottom of the oceans, yes, everyone will obey his voice and at his command exit their graves. 00:49:25.519 --> 00:49:32.079 No matter how you die or where you are buried, you will hear the voice of Jesus. 00:49:32.239 --> 00:49:38.480 And the question we must ask ourselves today is, what's next for me? 00:49:39.039 --> 00:49:44.639 Is it gonna be, enter my joy, good and faithful servant? 00:49:44.960 --> 00:49:48.400 Or will it be, go away, I never knew you. 00:49:49.280 --> 00:49:51.599 You will exit your grave, my friend. 00:49:51.840 --> 00:49:58.320 The question you must answer for yourself today is what's next? 00:50:03.119 --> 00:50:06.400 I derive a lot of comfort from the resurrection. 00:50:08.159 --> 00:50:21.440 A physical body in an eternal world must mean that it's a physical world and not this kind of I mean, heaven scared me at some point as a child. 00:50:21.599 --> 00:50:25.679 I mean, it's like how many tunes can you play on a four-strung harp? 00:50:25.760 --> 00:50:31.039 I mean, and you know, clouds and angels and things like that. 00:50:32.239 --> 00:50:33.679 Just think of it. 00:50:34.880 --> 00:50:47.039 The body that Jesus had that you could touch, you could hug, you could see the scars in his hands that will remind us of the price he paid on the cross. 00:50:48.239 --> 00:50:51.199 But man, yeah, you you can't hug a ghost. 00:50:55.199 --> 00:50:59.039 I don't know how that body's gonna look, but it's gonna be good. 00:50:59.760 --> 00:51:04.880 You'll fish and you will get hooks stuck in your fingers, at least. 00:51:07.519 --> 00:51:09.360 My dear friend, take comfort. 00:51:09.440 --> 00:51:20.079 If you're in a place in life where you have a genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, excitement awaits you. 00:51:20.239 --> 00:51:26.480 You will be reunited with a body, your own body, but it will be like a super body. 00:51:27.599 --> 00:51:32.480 And that will prepare you for judgment, and that judgment, the outcome is already decided. 00:51:32.559 --> 00:51:40.239 You believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and as it says in verse 24, he who hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life. 00:51:40.400 --> 00:51:41.840 He does not come into judgment. 00:51:41.920 --> 00:51:43.199 He will not be condemned. 00:51:43.599 --> 00:51:45.519 The price has been paid. 00:51:46.880 --> 00:51:55.039 You will receive your immortal body, your imperishable body, and you will enter the joy of your master. 00:51:56.719 --> 00:52:01.599 Let us pray that God will properly prepare us for eternity today. 00:52:01.920 --> 00:52:11.920 Heavenly Father, I thank you for your grace and your goodness and all the wonderful things that you gave us in your word. 00:52:12.159 --> 00:52:14.239 Help us to be tuned into your word. 00:52:14.639 --> 00:52:18.960 Help us to be doers of your word and not just hearers of the word. 00:52:20.159 --> 00:52:22.880 You paid the price for our sins. 00:52:23.039 --> 00:52:28.639 You have renewed our hearts, you revived us, you made the dead alive. 00:52:30.400 --> 00:52:42.320 I pray, God, that your spirit will work in us powerfully, let us prepare ourselves for the resurrection through the work that you have done already on the cross. 00:52:43.199 --> 00:52:48.079 I pray, God, for those who are unsaved amongst us, Lord. 00:52:48.239 --> 00:52:59.039 No, no, no, terror, no fear, no prospects of a fiery eternity can convince them. 00:53:02.719 --> 00:53:08.079