Well good morning everyone. So it's my privilege today to share with you again from the Word of God. And I'm gonna be continuing my series on fundamentals of the faith. And I've been going through this series for quite a number of months now.
Today we're gonna talk about an amazing fundamental truth of the Bible. And that is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I've been speaking about the cross and the implications of the cross. And now today we're gonna speak about the tremendous implications of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I wanna say emphatically with confidence, Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. And he is alive. This very day in heaven, Jesus Christ is alive. And because he is alive, there are tremendous implications.
And we're gonna look at not only the history of the resurrection, but the teaching. The teaching from the Bible, why it's important to know that he rose from the dead and what the implications are. So I'm gonna tell you three things at the beginning. Because Jesus Christ is alive and has risen from the dead, you can have the forgiveness of all your sins.
That's number one, that is fundamental. Number two, you can be assured of eternal life. And you never have to doubt it. It is eternal, eternal life.
And thirdly, you can be absolutely certain that you'll be raised from the dead. Sorry about this. Excellent, thank you. I hope that plant is raised from the dead.
Sorry about that. Okay, one day Paul and Barnabas in Acts chapter 13 went into Antioch, Pisidia, and they went into a synagogue, which was a Jewish synagogue. And if you look at Acts chapter 13 and verse 38, something amazing happened. Because Paul and Barnabas asserted that Jesus Christ promised by God is raised from the dead.
And because he is alive, it says in verse 38 that God raised him from the dead. And because he's alive, there's a message for the world. Because I love to go out on the streets with my brother, Warren, and preach this message publicly to the world. That Jesus Christ is alive.
And because he's risen from the dead, it says in verse 38, 39, that through this man is preached unto you, forgiveness of sins. And all who believe in him are justified from all things, from which they could never be justified by the law of Moses. Okay, so the number one implication, both the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is every person that believes in him can have the forgiveness of their sins. In John chapter 11 and verse 25, Jesus said these eternal, profound, amazing words.
He said to Martha, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Do you believe this? That's what he said in John chapter 11 verse 25.
Let me tell you a quick story. Warren, this probably was three weeks ago, I think. Warren and I were outside the old library, and we were just getting ready to kind of go out and give out some tracks. And this guy walks by and his name was Stephen.
And Warren gave a track and it said, are you saved? And he said, I sure hope I am. Well, that doesn't sound really good starting out, does it? He said, I really hope I am.
He said, you know why? He said, I've got terminal cancer. He said, I've got stage four cancer. And he said, I'm only gonna be around for a couple more months.
And then I'm gonna die. And he said, I hope I'm saved. And Warren said, well, how would you know that you're saved? And then he said, well, I'm a pretty good person.
And I never killed anyone. And I try to do good to my neighbor. Warren and I had the incredible privilege of telling that guy the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I said to this guy, he said, you know, when I die, I don't know what's gonna happen.
I said, you need to know, John chapter 11 and verse 25. Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. Do you believe this?
And he took this little John's gospel and he said, I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna read this. He said, I need to get right with God. And he said, what was that verse again?
I am the resurrection and the life. And this guy walked away trying to memorize this verse. I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
That dear man, I don't know if we'll ever see him again. I don't know the end of the story, but I hope that he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. And I hope that we see him in heaven. I really do.
You can pray for him. Fundamental truth concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You know, all the dead are gonna be raised. We're gonna see that when we get through this little message of mine and we go to John chapter five.
All the dead are gonna be raised. You're gonna be raised either to eternal life with Christ in heaven and enjoy the glories of heaven for all eternity. Are you gonna be raised to stand before God at the great white throne judgment and give account for your sin? And then there's the second death.
We're gonna look at the implications of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And I will tell you that I'm gonna be referring to a lot of scriptures today. So I don't really wanna apologize for that, but I do wanna say that they're not all gonna be up here. So I'm hoping that you're gonna be able to follow with me because I'm gonna be reading a number of passages.
I'm gonna start with John chapter 19 and I'm gonna read at verse 41. This is the last part of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. And he has just said it is finished and the soldiers came with the spear and pierced aside and we talked about the blood. And now we're picking up from that.
We're gonna go right into the resurrection. Now in the place, this is John 19 and verse 41. Now in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden. If you travel to Israel today, you will see that garden still exists today, which is amazing.
And in that garden, there is a sepulcher. There is a tomb and you can visit it today and you can walk right in that empty tomb. And this is what it says, there they laid Jesus, therefore because of the Jews' preparation day for the sepulcher was near at hand, chapter 20. The first day of the week come with Mary Magdalene, early when it was yet dark unto the sepulcher and seeeth the stone taken away.
That's significant, we're gonna talk about that. Then she runs and she comes to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved and saith unto them, they've taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth and the other disciple that's John and came to the sepulcher. So they ran both of them together and the other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulcher and he stooping down, looking in, saw the linen clothes lying yet went he not in.
Then come Simon Peter following him and went into the sepulcher and he saw the linen clothes lying there and the cloth that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes but wrapped together in a place by itself. That's also a miracle. Then went in also that other disciple, this is John who came to the sepulcher, catch this and he saw and believed. He saw that the tomb was empty, Jesus was not there and he believed.
For as yet they knew not the scripture that he must rise again from the dead verse 11, but Mary stood outside the sepulcher weeping and as she wept she stooped down and she looked into the sepulcher and she saw two angels in white sitting, the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain. They say unto her, woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them because they've taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had said this, she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus said unto her woman, why weepest thou? Who are you seeking? She's supposing him to be the gardener said unto him, sir, if you have taken him away from here, tell me where thou hast laid him, for I will take him away. Jesus said unto her, Mary, she turned and said unto him, Rabonai, which is to say master, verse 19.
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week when the doors were shut when the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus. And stood in the midst and saith unto them, peace be unto you. And when he had said he showed unto them his hands and his side, then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them, peace be unto you, as my Father has sent me even so send I you.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ and the implications. You know, it's really interesting when it says the stone was rolled away. Until I went to Israel, I didn't get that. So what big deal, there's a stone that was rolled away.
No, this stone is huge. This stone that they had at the opening to close the sepulcher in these tombs in ancient times actually could weigh 800 to 1000 or maybe even 1200 pounds. It was actually on a little channel that had to be shifted in order to roll it. And these women, when they come to the tomb, the stone was rolled away.
One scripture says they said, how are we gonna roll away the stone? Well, when they got to the tomb, the stone was already rolled away. I want to speak today about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and history. And then I want to speak about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and victory.
And then I want to speak about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and destiny. History, victory and destiny all connected to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the teaching of the Word of God. Let me say this, my opinion doesn't matter. I want to assert today confidently from the Word of God, what the scriptures say about Jesus Christ and the resurrection.
It's not about what we think or our ideas. I want to show you the truth of God concerning the resurrection based on the Bible. And so that's why we're going to read a number of scriptures. So let's talk first of all about the evidence of the resurrection.
Well, first of all, there's the stone. We read in John chapter 19 that when they came to the sepulcher, they found that the stone had been taken away. This is tremendous evidence because God himself was opening up the tomb to show the world that the tomb was empty. Jesus Christ is alive.
The stone is rolled away and the tomb is empty. Then there were the angels. Now if you read in Matthew 28, like we did this morning, Luke 24, Mark 16 and John 19, you're going to get, or John 20, you're going to get the whole picture of what happened on the morning of resurrection. There was two angels.
And the angels said to the women that first came to the tomb, why are you looking for the living among the dead ones? He is not here. He is risen, as he said. Come see the place of the Lord, lay.
The angels spoke clearly of the evidence that Jesus Christ was alive. The stone was rolled away, so everyone that came could look into that tomb and see that there was no body. If they had found the body of Jesus Christ, you wouldn't be here today, because there would be no Christianity. Because this is the cornerstone of Christianity, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
If Christ be not risen from the dead, you are yet in your sins. We are of all men most miserable. There's no gospel. This is fake news.
If Jesus Christ has not risen from the dead. But I'm here to tell you on the authority of the word of God, Jesus Christ is alive. He has risen from the dead. And you can build this life and your eternity on this fundamental fact that Jesus Christ is alive.
The cover up. Oh, there was tremendous cover up. The Pharisees were furious. The Sanhedrin.
They thought, okay, we finally got this guy, it's expedient that one man's going to die for the people. We're going to destroy him, and he's out of our hair, and he's gone. That's what they thought. And women, like women, like women have no authority in that day.
Oh, women, their witnesses of Christ. And they have come and told the authorities that Jesus Christ is alive. Oh my goodness. Okay, so the religious leaders of the day, they got to make this big cover up.
First thing they knew is they said, this is only the words of women. Does it count? Not authoritative. Not recognized.
And then they said, that's probably not good enough. I'll tell you what. We had guards there. You guys say that you fell asleep.
Okay, we fell asleep. We'll pay you money. Tell everybody you fell asleep, and when you were sleeping, they came and stole the body. Well, how would you know that they came and stole the body when you were sleeping?
And they were furious. We got to cover this up. If this gets out, this message is going to turn the world upside down. Guess what?
This message turned the world upside down. This message got out. This message was preached all through the book of the Acts. What did Paul preach?
Jesus Christ and the resurrection. The resurrection. Powerful message. Because Jesus Christ is alive and there are tremendous implications.
Let me tell you some of the evidences of resurrection. Number one, an empty tomb. The body of the Lord Jesus Christ was never found. And if they could have found the body, they could have destroyed Christianity because Jesus Christ wasn't alive.
Nobody was found. There were 14 appearances of the Lord Jesus in post resurrection. 14. He appeared, first of all, to the women.
He appeared to Peter. He appeared to James. He appeared to the 11 disciples on several locations. And then he appeared to 500 brethren.
500. 500 people are not going to make a mistake that they actually saw this man alive. 500 people. There were multiple outside sources of first century historians that recorded beyond the shadow of a doubt that this actually happened, most of which didn't even believe in him.
They were external sources outside of the Bible, non-Christian sources. And there were multiple people. Let me tell you some of them. Josephus, Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Arrhenius, Tactus, Lushion, multiple first century historians that wrote emphatically and documented evidence of Jesus Christ being alive.
Here's another significant evidence his brothers believed on him after resurrection. They saw him grow up in the home of Nazareth, perfect spotless, without sin. They probably envied him. They probably hated him.
They were probably full of animosity. Because of who he is. And they mocked him as we read through the gospels. They said, you're off your head.
You're crazy. Aren't you going to go up to the feast? Show yourself. They were sarcastic.
But after resurrection, in the very beginning of the book of the Acts, you see his brothers believing on him gathered with the disciples in the upper room. That's tremendous evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are multiple eyewitnesses and we read about some of them today. First of all, Mary.
Mary is standing outside the tomb and she's weeping. And Jesus turns to her and says, Mary. Wow. Could you imagine if that was you?
You're standing outside the tomb and Jesus calls you specifically by your name. You're never ever going to forget that. There was Peter. Well, Peter's got a whole world of emotional trauma for himself.
He's just denied the Lord. He's gone fishing. He's saying, you know, this is crazy. I don't know what I was thinking.
This is over. And Jesus Christ appeared to Peter. We get that from 1 Corinthians chapter 15. He appeared to Cephas.
That's Peter. And he said to him, Peter, do you love me? Wow. Wow.
Wow. What an amazing tug of the heart for Peter. Yes, Lord, I love you. You know all things.
You know I love you. What tremendous evidence that Peter would never forget. John. He runs to the Cephalicar.
He goes down and he looks and he sees and he saw and he believed. Eye witnesses of Christ. The 11 disciples are gathered in the upper room for fear of the Jews. Doors being shut.
Jesus walks through the wall right through into the very midst. And he says, peace be unto you. He's alive. He shows them his hands and his side.
Thomas is not there. Eight days later, Thomas says, you know what? I will not believe. Maybe there's people here like that.
People say, unless I see, I will not believe. The Lord Jesus shows up eight days later with the disciples there. And he says to Thomas, look at my hands and my side. Put your finger into the nail prints and be not faithless, but believing.
Thomas drops to his knees. My Lord and my God. Never forgot that moment. Tremendous evidences and eye witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
There was an earthquake. I don't know if you got that or not. There was a major earthquake. You may read it this morning.
Matthew 27 and verse 51 and Matthew 28. And I think it's about verse six. It says that there was an earthquake. The veil of the temple was torn into at the very moment that Jesus said it is finished.
60 feet tall between four and six inches in thickness. And it was ripped from the top to the bottom. Signifying the way into the very presence of God is open. Because Jesus made a way.
He's alive. The earthquake. There was a physical earthquake. And it says the graves were opened.
And saints that were buried maybe even years and I don't know how long ago. Got up out of their grave, walked into the city. You imagine if you're in town and you see these guys, who are these guys? Alive, walking out of the grave into the city to show proof of this amazing miracle of what God has done.
Yeah, there was a physical earthquake. But so much more than that, guys, there was a spiritual earthquake. A spiritual earthquake that rippled through the generations of time until 2017. Jesus Christ is alive and everything has changed.
Everything has changed because he is alive. Tremendous implications concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I want to talk about victory because not only is this a historical fact, undisputed, irrefutable, more than 5,000 manuscripts backing up the certainty of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Historically accurate, but not only that, because he's alive and because he rose from the dead, there are huge massive implications for you, for me, and every single person in this earth because of the resurrection.
Let me share with you some of those. First of all, turn to Romans, chapter 4. Romans, chapter 4, and let's just read at verse 24. Romans 4 and 24.
It says, but for us also to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him, that raised up Jesus, our Lord, from the dead. He was delivered for our offenses, and he was raised again for our justification. I can never overemphasize the tremendous implications of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Do you know what it means to be justified?
It means to be legally declared righteous before Almighty God. Yes. Yes. You.
Me. All of us filthy, wretched, wicked sinners can be declared righteous legally in the sight of God Almighty because of the resurrection. Do you know why? Because when Jesus died upon the cross, he took your sins and he took my sins and he paid the debt that we owed to God that none of us could ever pay.
There is no work that you could do to take away one of your sins. And Jesus Christ dying on the cross, being buried and rising again, has taken away our sins. He was delivered for our offenses and he was raised again for our justification. I am so glad that he was raised from the dead.
Because if he wasn't raised from the dead, none of us are justified. But because he's been risen from the dead, every person who believes on him is declared righteous in the sight of God because he's paid the debt of our sin. That is amazing mind-blowing truth. Do you guys got this?
This is crazy. This is amazing truth. He was raised from the dead so that John Wells can be justified in the sight of God. And you can all take that for yourself personally by believing on him.
He has given us power over death and over sin. And I need to read to you, 1 Corinthians 15. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 15. Okay.
Really try to pay attention to this if you can. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 3. The third day, according to the scriptures. And he was seen of Cephas.
That's Peter. Then at the 12, after that he was seen of 500 brethren. At once we spoke about that. After that he was seen of James and all the apostles.
And last of all, he was seen of me, Paul, as one born out of due time. Drop down to verse 14. Okay, catch this truth. This is fundamental implications of the resurrection of Christ.
And if Christ be not risen, then our preaching is vain. It's empty. Your faith is vain. Yeah, you're found false witnesses of God.
Because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ. Whom if he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain and you are yet in your sins.
Then they also, which have died or fallen asleep in Christ, have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. Catch verse 20. But, but, but Christ is risen from the dead.
This is solid fundamental truth. Christ is risen from the dead. And has become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead.
For in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Verse 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Verse 51.
Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment. In the twinkling of an eye, this is at the rapture. The last trump for the trump shall sound and the dead in Christ shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. Oh, death where is I sting? Oh, grave where is I victory?
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ, our Lord. I want to tell you today about the victory that we have in the person of Jesus Christ. Our last enemy is death.
Okay, let's get real and let's talk about facts. Every single one of us are going to die. When I leave here today, we're going to a funeral. Genesis, uncle has just passed away.
Godly man, he was I think 90 and lived his life for God, which is awesome. But every single one of us are going to die. There's nobody exempt unless the Lord comes in our lifetime. Every one of us are going to die.
We have an enemy. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. Why is there death? Because of sin.
It is sin that brought death. You show me a person that's not going to die, and I will show you a person that's never sinned. Romans 5 and 12 says, wherefore as by one man, sin entered into the world and death came by sin. And so death passed upon all men for all have sinned.
The consequence of our sin is death. The wages of sin is death. But the free gift of God is eternal. I through Jesus Christ our Lord.
There is an awesome verse in 2 Timothy 1, 9 and 10 that I want to read to you. Here's what it says. According to the power of God, whose power? God's power.
According to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, not anything that we have done, but by the power of God, according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began. What is now manifest by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, catch these words, who hath abolished death, who has destroyed death, and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Do you see why I love preaching the gospel? This message has life.
We're preaching to a whole bunch of dead people. And you know what our message is? Hey, you can live. You can be alive.
You can be alive eternally because Jesus Christ died on the cross and abolished death and has brought life and immortality. Do you know what immortality is? We're going to live forever. He's brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Gospel is the best message. I think everybody should share it. It's awesome. He's brought life and light through the gospel.
The victory that we have in Jesus Christ is he died for our sins. He was buried and he rose again. Okay. What's the victory in corruption?
Right now, we are living in a body that I think I've told you before, has got an expiry date on it. There's a date on God's calendar. It's appointed unto man once to die. We're all going to die, apart from the Lord's coming.
And this body that I'm in right now, it's not me, but it's my body that I'm standing up here. One day I'm going to die and my body will lay in a coffin and it will go into the ground and it will see dust. It will become dust, but I assure you on that very day I'm very much alive. I will be with Christ.
I will be alive in the glory. And one day God will raise that body and he will take that dust that has been corruptible and he will make it incorruptible. That is amazing. That is amazing.
This mortal, a mortal, and so are you, but if you believe in Jesus, you're going to put on immortality. When the Lord himself descends from heaven with the shout, the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, the dead will be raised. And those who are alive and remain will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, 1 Thessalonians 4 and verse 13. And at that very moment, corruptible, perishable, mortal beings will put on immortality.
We will be alive with the life of God forever. Guys, that is the best message this world could ever hear. You can have eternal life. You can have the forgiveness of your sins.
You can have the assurance that you're going to be changed. You're going to walk out of here, changed. You will leave this world, changed, because the last enemy will be destroyed and it is death. I love John chapter 11 verse 25 and I have to read it to you again.
John chapter 11 verse 25. In verse 23, Jesus said unto her, Martha, your brother will rise again. She says, yeah, I know. At the last day he'll rise again.
Jesus said unto her, Martha, listen to me. I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. Do you believe this?
If you have forgotten everything that I've said today, when you walk out of here, do you believe this? Everyone who believes in Jesus, when they die, they will live again. Do you want to have eternal life? Of course you do.
Everybody wants to have eternal life. If you believe in Jesus, you have life that is eternal, that will never die. It is guaranteed on the authority of the word of God, victory in Jesus Christ. I want to share with you the implications of the resurrection of Christ and destiny.
Let me just say this. This may be news to you. The patriarchs and the prophets believed in resurrection. Did you know that?
Let me prove it to you. One day God called Abraham and he said, Abraham, take now your son, your only son Isaac whom you love and get up into the Mount of Mount Moriah and sacrifice him there. Abraham was like, what? This is my only son.
This is the promised one. This is what, how can God do this? This is just not going to work. Do you really want to know what Abraham thought?
I'll tell you what Abraham thought. Now, wasn't there and I didn't talk to Abraham. But I'll tell you what Abraham thought. Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 19 says exactly what Abraham thought.
Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 19 says something like this. He believed that God was able to raise him from the dead. What? Abraham.
Abraham believed in resurrection. He said, if God wants me to kill this boy, I know that I can trust God. He said, I'll slay him because God will raise him from the dead. Abraham believed God and it says it was accounted for righteousness.
Job 19 and verse 25. This guy, he didn't have a whole lot of understanding. He was way, way, way back in the early time. But you know what he said in Job 19 and verse 25?
I love these words. He said this, I know, I know that my Redeemer liveth. And in the last day, he shall stand upon the earth. And then he said, the worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh, I will see God.
You think of that man's faith. Could you say that today? The worms destroy this body. I know that I will see God.
I want everybody to walk out of here today with that kind of confidence, not in me, not in this church, not in the word of God, that you can say, the worms destroy this body. I know in my flesh, I will see God because God will raise this body from the dead. Guaranteed. Patriarchs, the prophets, they all believed in resurrection.
You say the prophets? Yeah. Isaiah 26 and verse 19. Isaiah says that dead men shall live when the Lord comes.
You can read this verse for yourself. Isaiah 26 and verse 19. He says, in the day that the Lord comes, dead men shall live. Rejoice, oh, gust.
Because you're going to be raised from the dead. That's what God showed Isaiah. One day God took Ezekiel to the valley of the dry bones. And he said, prophesy unto these dry bones.
Live. What? That's what God said. Because he was showing Ezekiel that everybody that dies and their body rots and their bones turn to dust, God has power, power to raise these bones and put flesh and sinew on them because God is able to raise people from the dead, all because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Turn with me, please, to John chapter 5. Guys, this is a real solemn passage. John chapter 5, I want to read you three or four verses here. If you look at John chapter 5 and let's read a verse 25.
Truly, truly I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that here shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself, he has given unto the Son to have life in himself and have given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all, that's everyone. When you see the word all, it means everyone.
When he became a ransom price for all. When he died for us all, it means everyone. Here it says, all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and they shall come forth. They that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of judgment or condemnation.
There are two resurrections for every person that's ever lived is either going to take part in the first resurrection or in the last resurrection. And I want to show you where this is fulfilled. If you go to Revelation chapter 20, it actually says how this comes together. Revelation chapter 20 verse 4, and I saw thrones and they that sat upon them and judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God.
These are believers that went through the tribulation who had not worshipped the beast, neither his image nor had received his mark on their foreheads or in their hands. And they lived these people who were dead, they lived and they rained with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years were passed. This is the difference between the first resurrection and the last resurrection.
Okay. It says right here in the end of verse five, the rest of the dead lived not again until a thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that have part in the first resurrection.
On such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. The first resurrection is for every person who has believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and has trusted him as their personal Savior. They're going to be raised and they're going to reign with Christ for a thousand years. And they're going to enjoy all the blessings of heaven.
And they're going to be ecstatic, and joyous, and worshiping God and serving God. And it's going to be awesome. But what about those who died in their sins? Awful.
What about those who do not believe in Jesus Christ? I hope that there's nobody here today that has not put personal faith and confidence in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Because everyone that doesn't believe in Jesus Christ is going to be found in verse 11. And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the heaven and the earth fled away and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which are written in the books according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in them.
And death and hell delivered up the dead that were in them. And they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whose forever was not found written in a book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Those are very solemn, serious, searching words. But I want to leave you with an amazing hope. Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life.
Jesus said, he that believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. You can be absolutely sure 100% that your sins are forgiven. You've been justified. You have eternal life and you can have your confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are tremendous implications in the Bible because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I implore you today. I counsel you. I beseech you.
Walk out of here today believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. And you will know, you will know beyond the shadow of any doubt that you have eternal life. And you'll be raised the last day to be with Christ forever. Isn't that joyous?
Let's pray. Father, we thank you for this time that we can look into your word. And we thank you Lord for the power of the resurrection. Remember that Paul said that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings be made conformable unto his death.
I just pray Lord that each one of us today would have that personal faith and personal confidence. Believing in the Lord Jesus and having the joy of knowing that we are the children of God and we've been saved and that we have eternal life and that when we die or when the Lord comes we'll be with Christ forever. What a joy it is to have this confidence. We pray your blessing upon the assembly here and each person that is gathered and even those that said they were going to gather and haven't showed up today.
We pray your blessing upon everyone and ask your blessing upon us as we part. And give thanks for all these things in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.