Sermon – “Rejoice in the Resurrection – (RE: Part 3)”

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding[c] being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for 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, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

This morning I continue with my third part of my RE messages and this will be the last we want something else but I did give this one a different and better named not just report three it is read Joyce in the resurrection rejoice can we rejoin do you read Joyce in the resurrection. Do you rejoice in the fact that you know if you know Jesus Christ that you will be resurrected to eternal life. If that doesn’t cause you to read Joyce I don’t know what will to know that you can have a bun that life life eternal does that give your heart a joy. Amen No OK are right on their way got here this morning for Libyans chapter three verses one through fourteen hear the word of the Lord. Finally my brother and rejoice in the Lord for me to write the same thing to you is not tedious but for you. It is safe be were of dogs be aware of evil workers be aware of the mutilation for we are the circumcision who worship God in spirit in the spirit. Rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh. I more so circumcising a day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin a Hebrew of Hebrews concerning the Law of Fairest see concerning zeal persecuting the church concerning the righteousness which is in the law blameless. But what things were again to me these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed. I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I’m a gay. In Christ and be found in him not having my own righteousness which is from the law all but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness which is from God by faith that I may know him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings being conform to his death. If by any means. I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained or am already perfected. But I press or one that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of May brother I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind me and reaching forward to those sayings which are ahead. I press towards the goal for the prize. Of the upward call of God in Jesus in Christ Jesus. They got at his blessing so the hearing and the reading of His Holy Word. Let us pray Heavenly Father we do thank you and praise you. We thank you for Christ Jesus. We thank you for the hope that we have in Jesus by that we thank you for that which you have prepared for us we thank you for the resurrection. While the May your spirit be upon its maker speared be present today to touch our hearts help us to receive what you have forced Lord. It may we go forward or proclaiming that good news for your glory and honor in Jesus’ name amen. Paul says in versus two and three be where of dogs be aware of those evil workers be aware of the mutilation for we are the circumcision who worship God in the spared rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh be where you know dogs in the east in that time they were mostly without masters you know we think of our dogs that we have here in America they are. Oriel they have it may I mean I know that our dog she can go to the dish and eat anytime she wants she delays around the couch most of the day just relaxing while we’re working hard to provide for her. But the dogs in the east did not have that love. They are they do not have the luxuries that our dogs have here they wandered the streets in the fields. They would feed upon dead animals or the waste whatever’s left over from butchering or whatever they could scab each they would eat. Because they didn’t have a master to care for them. Take care of them. They were held as unclaimed So in that day and east to call one a dog is a much stronger expression them what we may think it to be here in America because they understood to call someone a dog was a call that person unclean call them unclean today you know we might I know we joke around at work we joke around at work a lot you know you might call someone a dog. But it’s just and joking and jesting and they’re probably not going to get greatly insulted about it you know they might do something and you say why you dog that we did we say it jokingly but in the east. You call someone a dog that is a great insult the Jews call the pagans dogs the Muslims call Jews and Christians dogs. The term dog is used to describe a person that is shameless impudent malignant snarling contentious. So it is often an insult. Paul says to be where the where of the dog’s strong language to rise arouse the possible danger to arouse them to the possible danger of the influence of these false teachers might have in their lives. You know whenever a person says if your goal. Down the road are going to say now I want you to be where there’s construction down there. Well they’re going to heighten your awareness to make you look for that or be aware of the dangers that you might encounter down this way down the street you know you take somebody is not used to the cities and they might wander somewhere where they shouldn’t go where someone might tell and I want you to be aware of going into that area. So you’d be on a heightened level to watch for danger. So that’s what Paul is saying here be where caution be aware of those that come in with these false teachings. I want you to examine listen to everything they say in make sure it is of God Make sure it is true. Be aware Don’t believe everything that every person who comes into your doors share with you. These false teachers appalls talking about. They could not accept the spiritual power of Christ sacrifice they could not accept the power that we are saved by grace. They said oh yes you have to have faith but you also have to do this you have to do that you have to be circumcised. You have to follow this law and that law they were laying their hopes not just upon Christ and His sacrifice but upon the works of the flesh. That’s why Paul says put no confidence in the flesh. The reason apostle Paul shares his credentials with us. Philip in church because he too was once just like those trying to persuade the church to go back to following the fleshly requirements of the law. All he too was one of them you could say I’ve walked in those self-righteous shoes. I’ve done that. Also Paul was a pure Jew he was circumcised on the eighth day and that was strictly according to the custom now there were. Those that you could call proselytize that they would be want to become a Jew and they’d be circumcised later in life he said I was a Hebrew of the Hebrews meaning that he was a Hebrew speaking Jews. Unlike the Hellenists who were Greek speaking Jews concerning strictness to hold into the legality of the law. He was of the most strict sect of Jews his zealousness was second to none. You would not find a Jew that was more zealous of then Paul in upholding the law all the key purpose for the entire teaching of Paulus found in verse three for we all are the circumcision who worship God in spirit rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. No confidence in the flesh. You know for all the ages. There’s been that great question. What must I do to be say what must I do to enjoy turn a life. What must I do to be justified to be made right since Paul says here have no confidence in the flesh. Does this mean that we just give up and don’t try to do good that we don’t try to live a life a righteous life is it of no value at all. Should we not even bother when he says don’t put any confidence in the flesh. But when it comes to our justification or legal standing before God our own good works or what you call what might call our rights as deeds or in no way the grounds for God’s declaration that we are righteous the gospel is good news because we are saved. Not by what we have done. But what. Jesus Christ has done on our behalf. We are accepted by God not because of our works but in spite of them. We are saved because of the works of Christ. So where does that leave our good works. What does God actually think of our good works. Once we are saved this kind of just carrying right on with a lot of our discussion when Sabbath school. You know we’ve all heard the passage that describes. Our our righteousness. It’s in Isaiah the says that our righteousness is as filthy rags. So the question is does God view that all of this is does God view all of our spirit wrought works as filthy rags now to some one shaking your head. No he does not is God please only with Christ work and displease with all of our works. No he is not not at all. Time and time again is scripture show that God is pleased with the righteous deeds of the saints the the righteous deeds of his children. God was pleased with no said no was was no was a righteous man blameless in his generation. No walk with God You can read about that in Genesis Chapter six. God was plagued with Zachariah and Elizabeth they were both righteous before God walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. Loop chapter one. God was pleased with their lives and blessed them with a child that they would call John he would be John the Baptist’s. Christ was plays very please with Mary’s gift of perfume which she had knowing that his feet said that what she has done will be remembered for the generations. Christ was pleased with the widow’s offering she put in just a small coin but he said she gave more than all the others. He was pleased with that you could say that the entire. Our Hollow Faith found in Hebrews is a catalogue of the great deeds of the saints think of all that was done by Abraham by as you can jacob and Joseph in Moses and right having Gideon Samson and David and Samuel and many many others I could go on all day. But all their deeds are they all filthy rags in God’s sight of course not. God is pleased with the good works of his people. If Asians to ten says for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works. Let that sink in a minute you are created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Brothers and sisters we were not created for evil but man chose to do evil God did not create man that he would do evil things. God created man that he would walk righteously then he would walk with him walk in His ways you were created to do good things you were created to love not to hate you were created to be kind not wicked you were created to do good things good works that God prepared for us. You know we know that our deeds are good works. They’re not perfect. They’re always tain of the little bit with sand and we must never think that they are good works whatever merit us salvation. They absolutely do not but they are the works of God’s own sons and daughters. He does the delight in them. He did lights in our good works. He delights in our faithfulness. The only thing that can justify us and declare us right as is the shed blood of Christ when we stand before him. The only thing that will enable us to enter into His eternal Kingdom is the work of Jesus Christ Romans five nine through eleven says. Much more then having now been justified by his blood. We shall be saved from wrath through him for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his son much more having been reconciled we shall be saved by His life and not only that but we also rejoice in God too or Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have now received the reconciliation. The power of the resurrection. When Christ Jesus returns. There will be a trumpet blast. There will be a shout and the dead in Christ will be raised our bodies will be reunited with our spears to live with him forever more. That is going to be the most amazing event in all of history. The resurrection. I know that the birth of Christ is an amazing event we couldn’t have the resurrection were not for that I know that his resurrection from the grave is an amazing event but the resurrection when Christ returns when the dead in Christ will rise out of those grays is going to be then the most amazing event in all of history. We can trust in his awesome power we can trust in His resurrection power. If Asians one vs did. Team three twenty three says ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere. I have not stop it stop thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly asking God the glorious Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ to give you spiritual wisdom and insight. So that you might grow in your knowledge of God I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. This is the key verse. I also pray that you will understand the end incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe in him. This is the same mighty power that raise Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly work heavenly round. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else. Not only in this world but also in that world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and made him head over all things for the benefit of the church and the church is his body. It is made for incomplete by Christ who fills all things everywhere in himself. God has given Christ authority over all things and it is for our benefit is to benefit the church the church is his sons and daughters. He did not give him authority that he might trample upon us or cause us gree he give him gave him authority that it would benefit us. That it will he allows his spirit to fill us to benefit as church. But here’s a question Do you understand the incredible greatness of God’s power. Do you understand yet do you fully comprehend that the same incredible power that raised Jesus Christ up out of that grave is the same power that will raise every person who believes in Jesus Christ. But let me pause a second. Everybody will be raised from the dead. Even the UN writes but bless it is he who has a part in the first resurrection the resurrection of the righteous it will not be a pleasant day for those that are unrighteous when they are raised. They will be raised to face judgment and condemnation pastor Alan who presided over grammar pegs funeral last Sunday Monday. Shared that the power of God is so great that whenever Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary and they were dear friends of Jesus and the story goes that Jesus was in another town and Lazarus became ill and they called her Jesus. Martha Mary sent Bridgie says and the messengers came to Jesus and said you need to come. Lazarus your friend is sick but Jesus tarried he tarried in that town for a couple more days before he began to journey. So whenever he came. Lazarus had already passed he’d already been dead for four days but he knew what he was going to do the sisters come out and said Master if you’d only been here. If you’d only been here. Our brother would have lived. Jesus said He shall live and he said yes we know the resurrection. But then we know that Jesus said remove the stone. They said always thinks by now it’s been four days. Remove the stone and he called Lazarus come forth. Pastor Alan said you know he had the specified Lazarus come forth. Because if he did just said Come forth all the greys would have opened. All the Greys would have opened That is incredible. In this of his power. That’s incredible is of that power when he comes back with that shout and says come forth. All the dead in Christ imagine that all these graves open up in nice right to saints coming out of the grace to be reunited with the spirit and with the Lord Amen. What a blurry state that’s going to be. I found a little story it tells of a cemetery in Hanover Germany there is a grave on which were placed huge slabs of granite and marble that were cemented together and fastened with heavy steel clasp it belonged to a woman who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Yet strangely she directed in her will that her great be made so secure that if there were a resurrection it could not reach or when the marker were inscribed these words this burble place must never be open. So to her wishes that’s where it was but in time. The tiny little seed covered over by the Stones began to grow slowly it pushed its way through the soil out from beneath them. And as a trunk in a large the great slabs were gradually shifted so that the steel clasp were broken. From their sockets a tiny seed had become a tree that pushed aside the stones the dynamic life force contained in one little sea is a faint reflection of the tremendous power of God is it not. Think of that one tiny little C. Well that tiny little sea. That was planted in Mary became the power of the resurrection that we will someday experience Amen. Nothing nothing can prevent the resurrection. Whenever Christ returns every single person that may have drowned in the sea will be resurrected every person that’s cremated grandma was cremated pastor alluded to. Yes it’s just us but that’s the power of God He can form that back into that new body every person and might have been destroyed in some horrific way and I think of the space shuttle disasters. They just try. Exploded in mid-air. Every believer on that thing will be resurrected. Yes they might not have been able to find a speck of that person but God can resurrect them. God can and will resurrect them. There is no problem with the creator of the entire universe bringing those things to pass. He can make it happen. Unbelief cannot deter the resurrection. But faith in the risen Christ who opens its doors guarantees the resurrection of the dead to a new spiritual body and a new home in heaven new bodies that will be reunited new bodies that will never suffer in agony. John five twenty four through twenty nine says Most assuredly I say to you. He who hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment but has passed from death to life most assuredly I say to you. The IRA’s coming and now is. When the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live for as the father has life in himself so he has granted the son to have life in himself and has given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of Man do not marvel at this for the ARA’s coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth. Those two who have done good to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation in our passage and for Libyan’s Paul says if by any means. I may attain unto the resurrection of the dead. How does it mean that Paul had doubts he didn’t have doubts about the resurrection. He didn’t have doubts that he was going to be resurrected. But he said if by any means. I may attain to it. He was implying that it is the most important object that he was striving for the resurrection that I might attain to it that I might come to it that I might secure the resurrection. Paul believe that all the dead would be raised and Acts twenty four fifteen. He said I have hope in God which they themselves also accept that there will be a resurrection of the dead both of those just in the unjust. You know when we think of the resurrection you think if you had no hope of the resurrection if you thought this if this life was all there is if we lived their lives here we died and that was it there would be no more then we might as well. Eat drink and be merry and have a good old time right. If there was nothing else beyond this. But there is a resurrection. There is a resurrection of the dead. We have this confidence we have this hope we can rejoice in that region. That I rejoice at this lipid in all there is because and I rejoice that we be resurrected in a New England body because I don’t know about you but if we had to be resurrected in stay in the same old bodies for eternity. Who wants to go there. And nobody’s hands are going up right. We don’t want to go there. We want the new the glorified bodies the new hope that we have in the resurrection. We should rejoice in the resurrection every day you know I think that is probably the question that brings most people to searching. Jesus Christ is that question what will happen after I die. What will happen if I die today. Am I ready Am I ready and that causes most to start big start searching and begin digging into the scriptures and seeing what he does have for us. He wants us to come to him. It’s his desire skies desire that all men would come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ that all men would enjoy the resurrected life abundant life. That’s what he created us for to live for eternity but he gave me a choice and he chose to sin but God made a way that we can return to do well in with him and enjoy the resurrection and abundant life and it’s through Jesus Christ rejoice in the resurrection this week. Rejoice in it. What we’re going to preach about Easter now I’m up on some else. I think a breach of his resurrection Christ’s resurrection which makes it possible that we too can have life and have it abundant a man.