THE SECRET IS OUT AND WHAT IS THE SECRET? MILLIONS UPON THIS EARTH WILL ONE DAY GO TO HEAVEN WITHOUT DYING AND THOSE WHO KNOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO SLEEP IN THE GRAVE, WILL BE RAISED UP. NOW THE LIVING SAINTS WILL BE CHANGED
IN A MOMENT AND THE DEAD SAINTS WILL BE RAISED FROM THE GRAVE. THERE IS GOING TO BE A RESURRECTION.YOU SEE, GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH US. WHEN WE DIE WE GO IN THE SPIRIT IMMEDIATELY, AH, TO HEAVEN, BUT THE BODY GOES TO THE GRAVE TO
AWAIT THE RESURRECTION. WHEN ADAM, AH, SINNED AGAINST GOD, HE DIED IMMEDIATELY IN HIS SPIRIT, PROGRESSIVELY IN HIS SOUL, AND ULTIMATELY IN HIS BODY. AH, WHEN OUR LORD REDEEMS US, HE PUTS THAT IN REVERSE. WE’RE JUSTIFIED IMMEDIATELY IN THE SPIRIT, SANCTIFIED PROGRESSIVELY IN THE SOUL,
AND GLORIFIED ULTIMATELY IN THE BODY. GOD IS NOT GOING TO LEAVE THESE BODIES OF OURS IN THE GRAVE. WE ARE COMING OUT OF THAT GRAVE. YOU SAY, “ADRIAN, DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT?” YES, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT. YOU SAY, “ISN’T THAT A LITTLE SUPERNATURAL?” THAT’S IT;
YOU’VE GOT IT. THAT’S IT. THE WHOLE CREATION IS SUPERNATURAL. GOD MADE EVERYTHING OUT OF NOTHING. YOU THINK HE CAN’T RAISE ME OUT OF SOMETHING? PROFOUND TRUTH. SIMPLY STATED. THIS IS LOVE WORTH FINDING WITH PASTOR, TEACHER, AND AUTHOR ADRIAN ROGERS. WOULD YOU TAKE GOD’S WORD AND FIND FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER
15 IF YOU WOULD. IN A MOMENT WE’RE GOING TO BEGIN READING IN VERSE 45. BUT, AH, LET ME JUST SAY THAT, AH, WE ARE TALKING TODAY ABOUT THE VICTORY THAT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS WON OVER DEATH. THE TITLE OF OUR BIBLE STUDY THIS
MORNING; THE DAY DEATH DIED, THE DAY DEATH DIED. NOW DEATH IS A MONSTER TO BE DEALT WITH AND WITH EVERY TICK OF YOUR WATCH, SOMEWHERE ON PLANET EARTH, A SOUL DIES. [SNAP, SNAP, SNAP, SNAP, SNAP] PEOPLE ARE DYING. ALL AROUND PEOPLE ARE DYING, AND YET, HUH, WE, WE DON’T WANT TO THINK ABOUT
DEATH. WE DON’T WANT TO FACE DEATH. YOU MENTION DEATH AND PEOPLE WILL CHANGE THE SUBJECT LIKE THEY’RE SWITCHING CHANNELS ON TELEVISION. PEOPLE DIE AND THEY DIE IN STRANGE WAYS. HAROLD LEE DUNCAN WAS CUTTING HIS GRASS; HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE WATCHING. SUDDENLY HE SEIZED HIS LEFT SIDE, CRUMPLED TO THE GROUND,
AND HE WAS DEAD. A SMALL, HALF INCH PIECE OF WIRE, NO BIGGER IN DIAMETER THAN A PENCIL LEAD, HAD BEEN FLUNG BY THAT POWER MOWER INTO HIS HEAD, ENTERED HIS BRAIN, AND HE DIED INSTANTANEOUSLY. DEATH IS A FACT AND PEOPLE DIE SUDDENLY, INSTANTANEOUSLY,
AND IN STRANGE WAYS. THERE ARE THREE THINGS I WANT US TO SEE IN THE SCRIPTURE, AH, THAT WE ARE GOING TO READ IN JUST A MOMENT, AND I’LL TELL YOU WHAT THEY ARE AHEAD OF TIME. I WANT YOU TO SEE THE SOVEREIGN MAJESTY OF OUR REDEEMER. I WANT
YOU TO SEE THE SACRED, UH, MYSTERY OF OUR RAPTURE. AND THEN I WANT YOU TO SEE THE STEADFAST MINISTRY OF THE SAINTS, NOW OF THE REDEEMED. NOW LOOK IF YOU WILL AS WE READ THIS SCRIPTURE AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIND THOSE THINGS. FIRST CORINTHIANS AND READ WITH ME NOW BEGINNING IN VERSE,
CHAPTER 15 BEGINNING IN VERSE 45, “AND SO IT IS WRITTEN, ‘THE FIRST MAN, ADAM, WAS MADE A LIVING SOUL; THE LAST ADAM WAS MADE A QUICKENING,” THAT IS, A LIFE-GIVING, “SPIRIT.’ HOWBEIT, THAT WAS NOT FIRST WHICH IS SPIRITUAL, BUT THAT WHICH IS NATURAL.” THAT IS,
THE FIRST ADAM CAME BEFORE JESUS. “AND AFTERWARD THAT WHICH IS SPIRITUAL. THE FIRST MAN IS OF THE EARTH, EARTHY; THE SECOND MAN,” THE SECOND ADAM, “IS THE LORD FROM HEAVEN. AND AS IS THE EARTHY, SUCH ARE THEY ALSO THAT ARE EARTHY; AND AS IS THE HEAVENLY,
SUCH ARE THEY ALSO THAT ARE HEAVENLY. AND AS WE HAVE BORNE THE IMAGE OF THE EARTHY, WE SHALL ALSO BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE HEAVENLY. NOW THIS I SAY, BRETHREN, THAT FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD; NEITHER DOTH CORRUPTION INHERIT INCORRUPTION. 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, AT THE LAST TRUMP, FOR THE TRUMPET SHALL SOUND, AND THE DEAD SHALL BE RAISED INCORRUPTIBLE, AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED. FOR THIS CORRUPTIBLE
MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY. SO, WHEN THIS CORRUPTIBLE SHALL HAVE PUT ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL SHALL HAVE PUT ON IMMORTALITY, THEN SHALL BE BROUGHT TO PASS THE SAYING THAT IS WRITTEN, ‘DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. O DEATH,
WHERE IS THY STING? O GRAVE, WHERE IS THY VICTORY?’ THE STING OF DEATH IS SIN, AND THE STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW. BUT THANKS BE TO GOD, WHICH GIVETH US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE, MY BELOVED BRETHREN, BE YE STEADFAST, UNMOVABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF
THE LORD, FORASMUCH AS YE KNOW THAT YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD.” NOW THINK FOR JUST A MOMENT ABOUT THE SOVEREIGN MAJESTY OF OUR REDEEMER. WHY IS HE KING? WHY IS HE LORD? HE HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD AND HE IS LORD. JESUS
CAME OUT OF THAT GRAVE AND JESUS BECAME THE DEATH OF DEATH. NOW LISTEN TO ME. WHEN JESUS WALKED OUT OF THAT GRAVE HE DID MORE THAN SURVIVE DEATH, ARE YOU LISTENING? HE DECIMATED DEATH. HE DIDN’T SURVIVE DEATH; HE DESTROYED DEATH. HE IS CALLED, “THE FIRST FRUITS,” AND HE IS CALLED,
“THE LAST ADAM.” LOOK IF YOU WILL, AH, IN THE SCRIPTURE AGAIN HERE IN VERSE 47. LOOK AT IT, “THE FIRST MAN IS OF THE LA, IS OF THE EARTH, EARTHLY; THE SECOND MAN IS THE LORD FROM HEAVEN.” HE IS CALLED, AH,
“THE SECOND MAN,” OR AGAIN LOOK OVER IN VERSE 22 IF YOU WILL. HE IS CALLED, “THE LAST ADAM.” “FOR AS IN ADAM ALL DIE, EVEN SO IN CHRIST SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE.” HE IS, “THE LAST ADAM.” THE FIRST ADAM WAS THE ADAM THAT MARRIED EVE,
AND THE LAST ADAM IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. NOW, IN THE FIRST MAN WE ALL FELL. IN THE SECOND MAN WE’RE ALL REDEEMED. I READ SOMEWHERE OF SOME MEN WHO WERE CLIMBING THE MATTERHORN, THAT MAJESTIC, MAJESTIC, UH, MOUNTAIN IN SWITZERLAND AND THERE WERE FOUR OF THEM
TOGETHER. THERE WERE TWO GUIDES AND TWO TOURISTS. FIRST OF ALL, THERE WAS A GUIDE, THEN THERE WAS A TOURIST, THEN THERE WAS A GUIDE, AND THEN THERE WAS A TOURIST. AND THEY WERE GOING UP THAT STEEP, AH, ICY SLOPE AND THEY WERE ALL TIED TOGETHER. NOW THE,
THE LAST MAN, AH, THE, UH, OR THE FIRST, THE LAST MAN TIED TO THE ROPE WAS A TOURIST AND HE PUT HIS FOOT DOWN ON THE ICE AND HE SLIPPED AND HE SWUNG OVER THE SIDE. WHEN HE DID HE WAS TIED TO THE SECOND MAN WHO WAS A, A,
THE NEXT GUIDE WHO WAS A, A, A SKILLED ALPINE CLIMBER, BUT HE WAS DRAGGED OVER. WHEN HE WENT OVER HE, UH, HE PULLED THE NEXT MAN OVER. NOW THE LEAD GUIDE FELT THE TUG ON THE ROPE, HE KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING,
AND HE DUG HIS CLEATS IN AND PUT HIS PICKAX INTO THE ICE AND BULGED HIS MUSCLES AND HELD FOR ALL HE COULD HOLD, AND THESE OTHER THREE MEN WERE DANGLING, BUT THEY FINALLY GOT THEIR FEET BACK ON AND ALL FOUR OF THEM WENT UP, AH, THE MOUNTAIN TOGETHER. NOW FOLKS,
I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT FIRST MAN WHO SLIPPED WAS ADAM, BUT THAT LAST MAN WHO HELD WAS JESUS. HA, HA, WE’RE ALL TIED, WE’RE ALL TIED TOGETHER, BUT THANK GOD, THANK GOD FOR, AH, THAT, UH, THAT LAST MAN, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,
WHO HAS SURVIVED FOR US. NOW, NOT ONLY IS JESUS IN THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE CALLED, “THE SECOND ADAM,” OR THE, “THE SECOND MAN FROM HEAVEN,” BUT HE IS ALSO CALLED, “THE FIRST FRUITS OF THEM THAT SLEPT.” IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WHEN THEY WERE HAVING A HARVEST THE
PRIEST WOULD GO OUT IN THE FIELD AND THEY WOULD FIND A SHEAF OF, OF FIRST RIPENED GRAIN. THEY WOULD TAKE THAT INTO THE TEMPLE AND, AH, THEY WOULD HAVE A, A REAL CEREMONY CALLED, THE FEAST OF THE FIRST FRUITS, AND, AH, THEY WOULD TAKE THAT, AH, SHEAF OF GRAIN AND THEY WOULD
WAVE IT BEFORE THE LORD AND THEN PUT IT ON THE ALTAR. WHAT IT WAS WAS THANKSGIVING TO GOD AND AN ACT OF FAITH SAYING, “LORD, THIS TYPIFIES THE HARVEST THAT YOU’RE GOING TO GIVE US.” NOW JESUS IS THE FIRST FRUITS OF THE RESURRECTION. AH, HE, MY FRIEND,
HAS APPEARED IN HEAVEN FOR US, AND LIKE HIS RESURRECTION, WILL BE OUR RESURRECTION. AH, WHEN HE COMES AGAIN WE’RE GOING TO HAVE THE HARVEST, OF WHICH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THE FIRST FRUITS. NOW HERE’S THE SECOND THING I WANT YOU TO SEE. NOT ONLY THE, THE SOVEREIGN MAJESTY OF THE REDEEMER,
BUT IT FOLLOWS AS NIGHT FOLLOWS DAY YOU’RE GOING TO SEE THE SACRED MYSTERY OF THE RAPTURE. WHAT DOES HIS RESURRECTION HAVE TO DO WITH OUR RESURRECTION? WELL, OUR RESURRECTION, WE ARE, WE ARE THE HARVEST, HE IS THE FIRST FRUITS, SO PAUL FOLLOWS THIS UP A LITTLE BIT, AH, IF,
IF YOU WILL, AH, LOOK IN, IN, AH, VERSE 51. HE SAYS, “BEHOLD, I SHOW YOU A MYSTERY; WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP,” THAT IS, NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO DIE, “WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP, BUT WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED.” SOUNDS LIKE A MOTTO WE COULD
HAVE IN THE CHURCH NURSERY. “WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP BUT WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED.” [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] HUH, HUH. “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, AT THE LAST TRUMP;
FOR THE TRUMPET SHALL SOUND, AND THE DEAD SHALL BE RAISED INCORRUPTIBLE, AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED. FOR THIS CORRUPTIBLE MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY.” NOW, NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS, “BEHOLD, I SHOW YOU A MYSTERY.” NOW HOW DOES THAT SENTENCE BEGIN?
“BEHOLD.” IT MEANS PAY ATTENTION. ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION? THE APOSTLE PAUL IS TELLING YOU TO PAY ATTENTION. “BEHOLD, I SHOW YOU A MYSTERY.” NOW WHY DOES HE CALL IT A MYSTERY? WELL, IT’S A SACRED SECRET. A MYSTERY IN THE BIBLE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD NOT FIGURE OUT YOURSELF. HUMAN WIT,
WISDOM, AND INGENUITY, SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION WOULD NEVER SHOW IT TO YOU. IT IS A TRUTH REVEALED, AH, BY DIVINE REVELATION. AND THIS IS A MYSTERY, IT IS A SACRED SECRET THAT HAD BEEN A SECRET FOR MANY YEARS. IT WAS NOT REVEALED TO THE ANGELS. IT WAS NOT REVEALED TO
THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS. IT WAS A MYSTERY. AH, NOT REVEALED TO ISAIAH, TO JEREMIAH, EZEKIEL, DANIEL, THEY DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THIS MYSTERY UNTIL IN THE LAST DAYS GOD REVEALED THIS MYSTERY. THE SECRET IS OUT AND WHAT IS THE SECRET? MILLIONS UPON THIS EARTH WILL ONE DAY GO TO HEAVEN
WITHOUT DYING AND THOSE WHO KNOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO SLEEP IN THE GRAVE, WILL BE RAISED UP. WE CALL THIS THE SACRED MYSTERY OF THE RAPTURE. YOU SEE, GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH US. WHEN WE DIE WE GO IN THE SPIRIT
IMMEDIATELY, AH, TO HEAVEN, BUT THE BODY GOES TO THE GRAVE TO AWAIT THE RESURRECTION. WHEN ADAM, AH, SINNED AGAINST GOD, HE DIED IMMEDIATELY IN HIS SPIRIT, PROGRESSIVELY IN HIS SOUL, AND ULTIMATELY IN HIS BODY. AH, WHEN OUR LORD REDEEMS US, HE PUTS THAT IN REVERSE. WE’RE JUSTIFIED IMMEDIATELY IN THE SPIRIT,
SANCTIFIED PROGRESSIVELY IN THE SOUL, AND GLORIFIED ULTIMATELY IN THE BODY. GOD IS NOT GOING TO LEAVE THESE BODIES OF OURS IN THE GRAVE. WE ARE COMING OUT OF THAT GRAVE. YOU SAY, “ADRIAN, DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT?” YES, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT. YOU SAY, “ISN’T THAT A LITTLE SUPERNATURAL?” THAT’S IT;
YOU’VE GOT IT. THAT’S IT. THE WHOLE CREATION IS SUPERNATURAL. GOD MADE EVERYTHING OUT OF NOTHING. YOU THINK HE CAN’T RAISE ME OUT OF SOMETHING? OF COURSE HE CAN, OF COURSE HE WILL. AH, THAT’S THE REASON THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID TO AN INCREDULOUS KING WHOSE NAME WAS AGRIPPA IN ACTS
CHAPTER 26 AND VERSE EIGHT, “WHY SHOULD IT BE THOUGHT A THING INCREDIBLE WITH YOU, THAT GOD SHOULD RAISE THE DEAD?” IN THIS CHAPTER PAUL GIVES AN ILLUSTRATION OF IT. AH, LOOK IF YOU WILL IN, IN CHAPTER 15, UH, VERSE 35, “BUT SOME MAN WILL SAY ‘HOW ARE THE DEAD RAISED UP?’” I MEAN,
GOOD NIGHT, HOW’S, HOW’S THIS GOING TO HAPPEN? “‘AND WITH WHAT BODY DO THEY COME?’ THOU FOOL, THAT WHICH THOU SOWEST IS NOT QUICKENED, EXCEPT IT DIE.” WHEN YOU PUT A SEED IN THE GROUND THAT SEED HAS TO DIE BEFORE IT COMES BACK TO LIFE. “AND THAT WHICH THOU
SOWEST, THOU SOWEST NOT THAT BODY THAT SHALL BE, BUT A BARE GRAIN, IT MAY CHANCE OF WHEAT, OR OF SOME OTHER GRAIN. BUT GOD GIVETH IT A BODY AS IT HATH PLEASED HIM, AND TO EVERY SEED HIS OWN BODY.” NOW THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS, “WHY SHOULD YOU MARVEL AT THE RESURRECTION?
EVERY TIME YOU PUT A SEED IN THE GROUND YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF THE RESURRECTION.” A SEED GOES INTO THE GROUND, IT DIES, AH, IT, IT, IT IS BURIED, IT DIES, IT ROTS, BUT OUT OF THAT SEED COMES NEW, GLORIOUS LIFE, MORE GLORIOUS THAN THE SEED THAT WENT IN THE GROUND. BUT,
NOW HERE’S THE POINT. FROM THE TIME THAT JESUS WENT AWAY TO THE TIME THAT HE IS COME AGAIN, HE COULD HAVE COME AT ANY MOMENT. UH, WE ARE NOT WAITING FOR SOME SIGN TO BE FULFILLED. THOSE THINGS MAY ENCOURAGE OUR FAITH IN A WAY,
BUT THEY DON’T PROVE THAT JESUS IS NEAR. HE COULD HAVE COME AT ANY TIME. YOU SAY, “WELL PASTOR, AREN’T WE LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS?” WELL THE LAST DAYS BEGAN AT PENTECOST. FIRST JOHN TWO VERSE 18, “LITTLE CHILDREN, IT IS THE LAST TIME, IT IS THE LAST TIME.” JOHN SAID THAT 2000
YEARS AGO. AH, THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS IS ALWAYS IMMINENT. AH, THE EARLY CHRISTIANS LOOKED FOR JESUS TO COME. PHILIPPIANS THREE VERSE 20 PAUL SAID, “FOR OUR CONVERSATION IS IN HEAVEN, FROM WHENCE ALSO WE LOOK FOR THE SAVIOR, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.” HE TOLD THOSE IN THESSALONICA IN FIRST
THESSALONIANS ONE VERSES NINE AND 10. AH, HE SAID, “FOR THEY THEMSELVES SHOW OF US WHAT MANNER OF ENTERING IN WE HAD UNTO YOU, AND HOW YE TURNED TO GOD FROM IDOLS, TO SERVE THE LIVING AND TRUE GOD. AND TO WAIT FOR HIS SON FROM HEAVEN.” THOSE EARLY CHRISTIANS 2000 YEARS AGO WERE
WAITING FOR JESUS. THE APOSTLE JAMES SAID IN JAMES CHAPTER FIVE AND VERSE EIGHT. “STABLISH YOUR HEARTS; THE COMING OF THE LORD DRAWETH NIGH.” PAUL TOLD TITUS IN TITUS TWO VERSE 13 WE ARE TO BE, “LOOKING FOR THAT BLESSED HOPE, AND THE GLORIOUS APPEARING OF THE GREAT GOD AND OUR SAVIOR,
JESUS CHRIST.” FOLKS, WHAT AM I SAYING? I AM SAYING THAT JESUS MAY COME BEFORE I FINISH THIS MESSAGE. NOW WE HAVE AN IDEA WE’RE LIVING IN THE LAST PART OF THE LAST DAYS, SURELY, AND WE’RE 2000 YEARS CLOSER TO THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS THAN
THEY WERE IN PAUL’S DAY, BUT I’M TELLING YOU, FROM THE TIME THAT HE WENT UP PEOPLE WERE REMEMBERING THE MESSAGE OF THOSE ANGELS WHICH SAID, “YE MEN OF GALILEE, WHY STAND YE GAZING THUS INTO HEAVEN. THIS SAME JESUS WHICH IS TAKEN UP FROM YOU SHALL SO COME IN LIKE MANNER AS YE HAVE
SEEN HIM GO INTO HEAVEN.” SO WE’RE WATCHING AND WAITING FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TO COME, AND HE MAY COME AT ANY MOMENT. SO, WHAT HAVE WE TALKED ABOUT? WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THE SOVEREIGN MAJESTY OF OUR LORD. HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND BECAME THE DEATH OF DEATH. AND THEN WE’VE TALKED,
NOT ONLY ABOUT THE, THE, THE SOVEREIGN MAJESTY OF THE REDEEMER, BUT THE, THE SACRED MYSTERY OF THE RAPTURE. AND NOW LET’S MOVE TO THE THIRD AND FINAL THING. AND THE THIRD AND FINAL THING, FOLKS, IS THE STEADFAST MINISTRY OF THE REDEEMED. WHAT DOES ALL OF THAT MEAN TO US? WELL,
NOTICE IN VERSE 54. HE BEGINS IT WITH THE WORD SO, HA, HA, SO, NOW HE’S, HE’S, HE’S BUILDING TO A POINT. HE IS NOT TRYING TO MAKE BETTER THEOLOGIANS OUT OF US, HE TRYING TO MAKE BETTER CHRISTIANS OUT OF US. SO, LISTEN TO IT NOW, “SO, WHEN THIS CORRUPTIBLE SHALL HAVE PUT
ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL SHALL HAVE PUT ON IMMORTALITY, THEN SHALL BE BROUGHT TO PASS THE SAYING THAT IS WRITTEN, ‘DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING? O GRAVE, WHERE IS THY VICTORY?’ THE STRING OF DEATH IS SIN, AND THE STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW. BUT
THANKS BE TO GOD, WHICH GIVETH US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE,” UNDERSCORE THAT, “THEREFORE, MY BELOVED BRETHREN, BE YE STEADFAST, UNMOVABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD, FORASMUCH AS YE KNOW THAT YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE
LORD.” NOW, WHAT’S HE TALKING ABOUT? HE’S TALKING ABOUT THE VICTORY AND YOU AND I ARE TO BE LIVING EVERY DAY, EVERY MOMENT, SERVING CHRIST IN THE LIGHT OF THAT VICTORY. WHAT HE IS SAYING IS THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS CONQUERED DEATH. JESUS HAS BEEN
THE DEATH OF DEATH SO HE TAKES THE PAIN OUT OF PARTING, THE GLOOM OUT OF THE GRAVE. HE TAKES THE STRENGTH OUT OF SIN AND THE STING OUT OF DEATH, AND HE GIVES US A HOPE THAT IS STEADFAST AND SURE SO THAT WE CAN LITERALLY MOCK DEATH. WE
CAN RIDICULE DEATH. WE CAN LAUGH AT DEATH. NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS. “O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING?” WELL, HE SAYS, AH, THE STRENGTH, AH, “THE STING OF DEATH IS SIN, AND THE STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW.” THE LAWS MAKE SIN SIN AND SO THEREFORE, SIN BECOMES A STING TO US,
BUT JESUS CHRIST PULLED THE STING FROM DEATH. JESUS TOOK THAT STING IN HIS OWN BODY AND REMOVED IT FROM, AH, DEATH. HE FULFILLED THE LAW FOR US AND THEREFORE DEATH HOLDS NO TERRORS FOR US. IF I CAN ILLUSTRATE THIS WAY; AH, AH,
AH, AH, A WOMAN HAD HER TWO CHILDREN IN A GARDEN AND THEY WERE ENJOYING A BEAUTIFUL DAY LIKE WE HAVE TODAY, AND A BIG BEE LIT ON THE LITTLE BOY AND STUNG HIM AND THE LITTLE BOY BEGAN TO CRY AND THERE CAME, A,
THAT SWOLLEN PLACE WHERE THAT BEE HAD STUNG THE LITTLE BOY. AND THEN THE BEE BEGAN TO BUZZ AROUND THE LITTLE GIRL. HA, HA, THE LITTLE GIRL WAS FRIGHTENED TO DEATH AND SHE WAS TERRIFIED. BY THIS TIME THE LITTLE BOY HAD QUIETENED DOWN, AND THE MOTHER SAID, “DARLING,” TO THE LITTLE GIRL,
“DON’T BE AFRAID. COME OVER HERE AND LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING. LOOK REAL CLOSELY AT BROTHER’S ARM. DO YOU SEE THE STINGER THAT’S THERE? WHEN THAT BEE STUNG LITTLE BROTHER HE LEFT HIS STINGER.” DID YOU KNOW THAT A BEE DOES THAT? HE CAN’T STING BUT ONE TIME. DO YOU KNOW THAT? HA,
HA. “AND THE BEE LEFT HIS STINGER IN LITTLE BROTHER. DO YOU SEE IT THERE?” SHE SAID, “NOW SWEETHEART, THAT BEE CAN’T HURT YOU CAUSE HE LEFT HIS STINGER IN LITTLE BROTHER. HE MAY BUZZ, HE MAY FRIGHTEN YOU, BUT HE CANNOT HURT YOU.” NOW FRIEND,
I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. THE STING OF DEATH WAS TAKEN BY JESUS AND DEATH CANNOT HURT YOU. AH, DEATH MAY FRIGHTEN YOU, BUT, BUT I WANT TO SAY THAT JESUS HAS TAKEN THE STING OUT OF DEATH, AND JESUS HAS TAKEN THE GLOOM OUT OF THE GRAVE AND YOU HAVE,
REMEMBER WE SAID THE RAPTURE WAS WHAT? AH, THE, THE LIVING SAINTS WILL BE TRANSLATED AND THE DEAD SAINTS WILL BE RAISED. NOW NOTICE THE TWO-FOLD ANTHEM OF THE REDEEMED WHERE THE APOSTLE PAUL HERE IS ILLUSTRATING IT. WHEN, WHEN JESUS COMES AT THE RAPTURE YOU AND I ARE GOING TO LOOK
BACK AT THE GRAVE AND AT DEATH AND WE’RE GOING TO MOCK THEM, AND THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN, AH, WHO HAVE BEEN RAPTURED, AH, AH, AND WE NEVER DIE, WE’RE GOING TO SAY. “O DEATH,” HA, “WHERE IS YOUR STING,” AND THOSE WHO HAVE COME OUT OF THE
GRAVE ARE GOING TO SAY, “O GRAVE, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY.” AND THEN TOGETHER WE’RE GOING TO SAY, “THANKS BE UNTO GOD THAT GIVETH US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.” AMEN? NOW, NOW LISTEN, COME TO THE BOTTOM, BOTTOM LINE OF ALL OF THIS. THERE IS THE,
THERE IS THE SOVEREIGN MAJESTY OF THE REDEEMER, THERE IS THE SACRED MYSTERY OF THE RAPTURE, AND THEN THERE’S THE STEADFAST MINISTRY OF THE SAINTS. NOW I’M SAYING IT ALL TO BRING YOU TO THIS POINT. LOOK AGAIN WHERE HE SAYS IN VERSE 58, I BELIEVE, THEREFORE, LOOK AT IT,
LOOK AT IT, “THEREFORE, THEREFORE, MY BELOVED BRETHREN, BE YE STEADFAST, UNMOVABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD, FORASMUCH AS YE KNOW THAT YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD.” YOU ARE TO HAVE STABILITY; BE STEADFAST. DON’T GET BLOWN AROUND;
STAY IN THERE. WE’RE LIVING IN A DAY WHERE EVERYTHING THAT’S NOT NAILED DOWN IS COMING LOOSE. “THEREFORE, MY BELOVED BRETHREN, BE YE STEADFAST.” HAVE STABILITY, BE UNMOVABLE. AND THEN HAVE FERVENCY, “ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD.” NOW, IF YOU BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS COMING AGAIN,
AND YOU DO, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? GO TO WORK FOR JESUS. OCCUPY TILL HE COMES. GET YOUR HEADS OUT OF THE CLOUDS OF PROPHECY AND GET YOUR FEET ON THE SO, ON THE PAVEMENT OF SOUL WINNING. AND YOU KNOW THE, THE GREAT PROOF THAT YOU BELIEVE THESE
THINGS TO BE TRUE IS WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO WARN MEN AND WOMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS, TO FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME? THERE NEEDS TO BE ST, STABILITY. THERE NEEDS TO BE FERVENCY. AH, “ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD.” AND THEN THERE
NEEDS TO BE EXPECTANCY. “FOR YOU KNOW THAT YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD.” IT PAYS TO SERVE JESUS, IT PAYS EVERY DAY. NOW WE KNOW THAT JESUS LIVES. HERE’S THE QUESTION; DO YOU LIVE? HA, I DIDN’T SAY DO YOU EXIST;
DO YOU LIVE? ARE YOU SAVED? DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU’RE SAVED? WELL, YOU CAN BE SAVED RIGHT NOW. GOD WILL SAVE YOU IF YOU’LL TRUST HIM. AND I WANT YOU TO PRAY THIS PRAYER AFTER ME OUT OF YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW, “DEAR GOD,
I KNOW THAT YOU LOVE ME AND I KNOW LORD JESUS THAT YOU WANT TO SAVE ME. YOU DIED TO SAVE ME. LORD JESUS, I NEED TO BE SAVED. I WANT TO BE SAVED. I WANT MY SINS FORGIVEN. I WANT TO BE READY WHEN I DIE, OR WHEN YOU COME,
TO MEET YOU. FORGIVE MY SIN. CLEANSE MY LIFE. TAKE CONTROL OF MY LIFE. BEGIN NOW TO MAKE ME THE PERSON YOU WANT ME TO BE. AND LORD JESUS, HELP ME NEVER TO BE ASHAMED OF YOU BECAUSE YOU DIED FOR ME. IN YOUR NAME I PRAY, AMEN.
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