Resound Church Leah Ramirez

Resurrection From the Dead May 31, 2009

If we really want to get back to real Apostolic Christianity then we have to go back to the Apostles central message and the hope of the early church. We must ask the question, “What Gospel did they preach?” What was their message? What were they hoping for as they lost their property and even their very lives? What did the early church believe about the after life? What did Jesus Himself teach about the after life? This must be our message and our hope.

Hebrews 6

6:1Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2and of instruction about washings,[1] the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And this we will do if God permits.

THE CONTEXT

I. THE TRIBULATION

Matthew 24

3As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” 4And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

9“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 10And then many will fall away[1] and betray one another and hate one another. 11And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

21For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25See, I have told you beforehand. 26So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

29“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

  1. The context before Jesus returns is troubling. There is great tribulation and distress on the earth. It’s going to matter that we really know and trust Jesus. This will be a shaking like never before on the earth. And it’s going to matter that we persevere and endure. This will be a time of great testing. We have to make it through.

Daniel 11

32He (the anti-christ) shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. 33And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.

  1. It’s within tribulation that those with understanding are discipling and instructing. This is the context of the end-time church. The church is wise, steady and moving! They have great understanding concerning the season. They make sense of the shaking on the earth. They are teaching the people so that they are saved instead of being offended at God in the shaking.
  1. the great falling away

2 Thessalonians 2

2:1Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,[1] 2not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness[2] is revealed, the son of destruction,[3] 4who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?

  1. Before the return of the Lord, there will be a great falling away from the faith. Those who profess to be God’s will reject His leadership over their lives. This will be massive. Churches will preach a false message and many will reject Jesus even while they profess Him.

2 Peter 2

2:1But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

17These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. 18For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. 19They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves[6] of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. 20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

  1. There is false teaching that will come into flood the church. Their false message will entice the sensual passions of the flesh. It will be filled with corruption. It will be self-centered and not Christ centered. The hope will be for this life and not the next.
  1. The issue at the end of the age will be about whether we know Jesus. The prayer movement is the means we have to combat false teaching. The call back to the First Commandment to love the Lord is our place of safety.

Matthew 7

21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

  1. Prophecy and power alone will not protect us from the false teaching that is coming and even already here. We must give ourselves to knowing and obeying Jesus.
  1. Jesus did exactly what He was told to do… Is it possible to prophesy and move in power in a way that is dishonoring to the Lord? See Jeremiah 23. Presumption will be one of the key errors in the last days.
  1. THE Rapture and the Resurrection
  1. A day is appointed for every human that has ever existed and has died to be raised with a body again. We know from 1 Cor. 15:51-52 that we who are still alive when the Lord returns will be changed (given glorified bodies) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.

John 5:28-29

the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth -- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (Note: two resurrections)

Rev 20:5-6

the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death (lake of fire) has no power

Rev 20:12-15

And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God (2nd resurrection), and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works... 13 ...they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Luke 14:14

And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just (1st Resurrection).

Acts 4:2

being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. (the apostles consistently preached on the resurrection)

Job 19:25-26

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; 26And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God

  1. The resurrection of jesus

Rom 6:5-6

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection

  1. Let’s consider Jesus after His resurrection and know that we will be in the likeness of His resurrection. These verses give us great detail and hints into what it will be like in the resurrection of our bodies.

Luke 24:36-43

Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them (suddenly appeared)...But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit (He seemed to be spiritual yet physical at the same time). 38 And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? 39 Behold My hands and My feet (touch, grasp), that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." 41 ... He said to them, "Have you any food here?" 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate in their presence. (in His resurrected body He could eat)

Luke 24:30-31

Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him and He vanished from their sight. (He handled the food, spoke with them, and then vanished)

John 20:25-27

So he (Thomas) said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." 26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in their midst (suddenly appeared), and said, "Peace to you!" 27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side..."(the natural body, Thomas, and the supernatural body, Jesus, interacted and touched)

John 21:9-14 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread... 12 Jesus said to them "Come and eat breakfast... 13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. 14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. (He made a fire and breakfast in His resurrected body)

  1. We can plainly see that Jesus, being the first fruits of the resurrection (1 Cor. 15), has flesh and bones. He has skin, eyes, hair, feet and hands. He can touch, handle and eat! He’s still a physical man.
  1. They knew Him. In other words He was physically recognizable.
  1. the resurrection for believers

Rom 6:5-6

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall bein the likeness of His resurrection

Philippians 3:21

He will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed (be similar in function and ability) to His glorious body

Luke 20:34-36

Jesus answered, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age...the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

1Cor 15:42-49

The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust (Adam), we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man (Jesus).

1Cor 15:41-42

There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead

Dan 12:2-3

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life (1st resurrection), Some to shame and everlasting contempt (2nd resurrection). 3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.

  1. Reigning with Christ

Phil 3

7But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and 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— 10that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

  1. What are we being resurrected for? What is the second-coming of Christ about? To reign on the earth with Christ for 1,000 years. To make the earth once again a suitable habitation for God the Father.
  1. God wants partnership with man on the earth. Jesus will not come back and with a blink of an eye all of the nations are automatically in line with His leadership….there will be coorperation wit h human process. It is the original job of man to have dominion over the earth. To subdue it.
  1. We will work with Jesus to bring every aspect of life (political, agricultural, socio-economic) under His leadership.

Ephesians 1

9making known[3] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

John 1

51And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,[10] you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

  1. Jesus Himself in His very person unites 2 realms. He is the ladder. He links what was separated at the fall of man. Through His complete and utter obedience He is able to connect heaven and earth.

Matthew 10