WEBVTT 00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:08.039 The Christopher Columbus died in Spain. A monument 00:00:08.039 --> 00:00:13.460 was erected in the city where he died. There's 00:00:13.460 --> 00:00:16.500 a unique monument because it is depiction of 00:00:16.500 --> 00:00:22.320 a lion destroying the motto of Spain at that 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:28.219 time. Spain felt that it was the fullest extension 00:00:28.219 --> 00:00:30.940 of the civilized world, that there was nothing 00:00:30.940 --> 00:00:34.609 beyond that. that the Atlantic Ocean marked the 00:00:34.609 --> 00:00:39.429 end of the world. And so the motto of Spain was, 00:00:39.990 --> 00:00:45.530 no more beyond. The monument erected by Christopher 00:00:45.530 --> 00:00:50.990 Columbus shows a lion destroying the word no 00:00:50.990 --> 00:00:55.070 in the motto. So that the motto began to say 00:00:55.070 --> 00:01:00.229 from that point on, no more beyond. Because Columbus 00:01:00.229 --> 00:01:02.780 had discovered, in fact, there was no world on 00:01:02.780 --> 00:01:07.000 the other side of the Atlantic. Today, as we 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:09.140 think about the resurrection of Jesus Christ 00:01:09.140 --> 00:01:13.640 in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, it is a reminder 00:01:13.640 --> 00:01:19.140 to us that there is more beyond. There is more 00:01:19.140 --> 00:01:23.900 beyond this life, and it is all rooted in the 00:01:23.900 --> 00:01:27.700 historical resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:01:29.819 --> 00:01:32.540 of the resurrection, far from being truthful, 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:36.379 is at the very heart of the gospel message, apart 00:01:36.379 --> 00:01:39.640 from the resurrection, there is no Christian 00:01:39.640 --> 00:01:44.319 gospel. Jesus said himself, for just as the father 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:48.900 has life in himself, even so he gave to the son 00:01:48.900 --> 00:01:54.739 also to have life in himself. And he gave him 00:01:54.739 --> 00:01:57.879 authority to execute judgment because he is the 00:01:57.879 --> 00:02:01.799 son of men. did not rival at this for the hours 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:06.159 coming in which all glory and the tombs shall 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:10.860 hear his voice and shall come forth those who 00:02:10.860 --> 00:02:14.180 led the good deeds to a resurrection of life, 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:18.000 those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:22.560 of judgment. I think the truth of the coming 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:27.020 resurrection is a powerful incentive to right 00:02:27.020 --> 00:02:31.030 living. I hope that you will grab a hold of that 00:02:31.030 --> 00:02:33.289 thought that arises out of our text beginning 00:02:33.289 --> 00:02:38.069 in verse 29 this day. The truth of the resurrection 00:02:38.069 --> 00:02:43.810 is a powerful incentive to right living. As Paul 00:02:43.810 --> 00:02:46.389 writes the words before us, he seems to have 00:02:46.389 --> 00:02:50.990 three groups especially in mind. Those who are 00:02:50.990 --> 00:02:56.590 lost outside of Jesus Christ. Those who are believers, 00:02:56.789 --> 00:03:00.539 those who are saved. and third, those who are 00:03:00.539 --> 00:03:03.680 backslidden, particularly because they have followed 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:07.520 false teaching. And what he wants to do here 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:10.780 is to show how the resurrection is an incentive 00:03:10.780 --> 00:03:14.139 to right living for each of these three groups. 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:19.740 In the first place, becoming resurrection elevates 00:03:19.740 --> 00:03:27.020 the lost to be saved. Look at verse 29. Otherwise, 00:03:28.039 --> 00:03:31.360 What would those who are baptized, what will 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:35.639 those do who are baptized for the dead? I think 00:03:35.639 --> 00:03:38.800 Paul is linking this back to verse 20, where 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:44.060 he says, now Christ is risen from the dead. Otherwise, 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:48.120 what will those do who are baptized for the dead? 00:03:49.099 --> 00:03:52.020 If the dead are not raised at all, why then are 00:03:52.020 --> 00:03:57.930 they baptized for them? Now here's an interesting 00:03:57.930 --> 00:04:01.650 verse. It talks about the baptism for the dead. 00:04:03.009 --> 00:04:08.289 It is a difficult concept to interpret. In fact, 00:04:08.289 --> 00:04:11.770 I've read that there are over 200 different interpretations 00:04:11.770 --> 00:04:19.769 of what the baptism for the dead refers to in 00:04:19.769 --> 00:04:23.470 this verse. There's one that is very commonly 00:04:23.470 --> 00:04:29.029 spoken of in our culture today. It is at the 00:04:29.029 --> 00:04:31.250 heart of the reason for the existence of the 00:04:31.250 --> 00:04:35.149 largest genealogical record -keeping database 00:04:35.149 --> 00:04:39.850 in the world. I'm talking about that database 00:04:39.850 --> 00:04:44.490 that the Mormon Church keeps regarding genealogies. 00:04:44.810 --> 00:04:47.529 Some of you may have done research there, at 00:04:47.529 --> 00:04:51.550 least through the internet. The reason the Mormon 00:04:51.550 --> 00:04:55.269 Church has that genealogical record database 00:04:55.769 --> 00:04:59.250 is because of their interpretation of the baptism 00:04:59.250 --> 00:05:04.050 for the dead. Their doctrine says that a person 00:05:04.050 --> 00:05:07.269 who is living today can be baptized in the Mormon 00:05:07.269 --> 00:05:11.550 church on behalf of a dead ancestor and deliver 00:05:11.550 --> 00:05:17.949 that ancestor from judgment. It is a proxy baptism 00:05:17.949 --> 00:05:22.449 so that by my being a good Mormon and going to 00:05:22.449 --> 00:05:27.120 the temple and being baptized, I can Redeem, 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:30.860 actually redeem, one of my ancestors who lived 00:05:30.860 --> 00:05:35.120 generations ago, if he in the spirit world will 00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:41.420 hear the gospel of Mormonism and believe. And 00:05:41.420 --> 00:05:45.199 they actually teach that in so doing, I become 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:53.240 a savior. My Jesus was a savior. And that is... 00:05:52.910 --> 00:05:56.089 a heretical idea of what the baptism for the 00:05:56.089 --> 00:05:59.550 dead is about. That gives you an idea of how 00:05:59.550 --> 00:06:05.089 this concept has been interpreted by some. What 00:06:05.089 --> 00:06:08.730 is a possible interpretation of this that is 00:06:08.730 --> 00:06:11.730 biblically consistent? What the Mormons teach 00:06:11.730 --> 00:06:14.370 certainly is not consistent with the scriptures. 00:06:15.889 --> 00:06:19.290 But what is a possible interpretation that would 00:06:19.290 --> 00:06:23.220 be consistent with what the Bible teaches? Well, 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:26.500 one possible interpretation is that it's referring 00:06:26.500 --> 00:06:31.199 to the baptism of new converts who took the place 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:35.279 in the ranks of the living of those who had died. 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:38.639 In other words, Paul is saying some of those 00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:41.360 who had died, and in fact, he refers to that 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:44.139 in chapter 11. Some of them have fallen asleep. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:50.939 And he says, or he may be saying here, that as 00:06:50.939 --> 00:06:55.240 they emptied the ranks by their death. Now there 00:06:55.240 --> 00:06:59.259 are new converts who are coming and filling the 00:06:59.259 --> 00:07:02.100 ranks. They're being baptized because of their 00:07:02.100 --> 00:07:04.319 faith in Christ and they're filling the ranks. 00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:07.519 That will be consistent with what Scripture says. 00:07:07.980 --> 00:07:10.500 I don't think it's the best interpretation, but 00:07:10.500 --> 00:07:14.300 it is a possible interpretation. The one that 00:07:14.300 --> 00:07:18.060 I prefer is that he's talking about those who 00:07:18.060 --> 00:07:21.250 have been saved. who have come to faith in Christ 00:07:21.250 --> 00:07:24.470 and therefore have been baptized because of the 00:07:24.470 --> 00:07:29.689 testimony of those that died. I have personally 00:07:29.689 --> 00:07:32.329 known situations where people have come to faith 00:07:32.329 --> 00:07:37.329 in Christ because of the faithful death of a 00:07:37.329 --> 00:07:41.970 believer. The testimony of that one who had gone 00:07:41.970 --> 00:07:45.509 to be with Christ so impacted their lives that 00:07:45.509 --> 00:07:48.970 later sometimes right at the funeral they had 00:07:48.889 --> 00:07:52.490 prayed to receive the Lord Jesus Christ, and 00:07:52.490 --> 00:07:54.649 then gone on to be baptized to be a faithful 00:07:54.649 --> 00:07:59.350 disciple of Christ. Personally, I lean toward 00:07:59.350 --> 00:08:02.230 that interpretation of what Paul is saying here. 00:08:02.769 --> 00:08:05.170 He's talking about those who have become the 00:08:05.170 --> 00:08:08.209 faith in Christ who have been baptized because 00:08:08.209 --> 00:08:13.930 of the testimony of someone who has died. And 00:08:13.930 --> 00:08:17.500 therefore I see this as a a verse that talks 00:08:17.500 --> 00:08:20.860 about the powerful incentive of the resurrection 00:08:20.860 --> 00:08:24.540 for the lost. Because you see, the people that 00:08:24.540 --> 00:08:30.100 have died have no hope. If they have perished 00:08:30.100 --> 00:08:34.740 because there is no resurrection, then why believe 00:08:34.740 --> 00:08:37.700 in Christ and be baptized and fill the ranks? 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:45.600 Why go through all of that if there is no resurrection? 00:08:45.840 --> 00:08:50.759 and there's nothing beyond. And Paul is saying 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:54.500 here Christ has been raised from the dead. And 00:08:54.500 --> 00:08:57.820 that's why there are those who are baptized because 00:08:57.820 --> 00:09:02.259 of the testimony of those who have died. Because 00:09:02.259 --> 00:09:07.220 there is hope. Because there is a future. Because 00:09:07.220 --> 00:09:10.240 there is a heaven to be gained and a hell to 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:13.799 be shunned. Therefore there is a motivation in 00:09:13.799 --> 00:09:17.799 the resurrection. for the lost to come to faith 00:09:17.799 --> 00:09:24.259 in the Lord Jesus Christ. There's a second group 00:09:24.259 --> 00:09:27.259 that Paul speaks to here besides the lost in 00:09:27.259 --> 00:09:32.460 verse 29 and verses 30 to 32. He talks about 00:09:32.460 --> 00:09:36.220 the resurrection being a power for 74 believers 00:09:36.220 --> 00:09:38.460 when he says that the coming resurrection motivates 00:09:38.460 --> 00:09:42.159 believers to be faithful. Notice what he says. 00:09:43.080 --> 00:09:50.360 Why are we also in danger every hour? I protest, 00:09:50.659 --> 00:09:54.120 brethren, by the boasting in you, which I have 00:09:54.120 --> 00:10:00.039 in Christ Jesus our Lord. I die daily. If for 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:04.000 human motives I fought with wild beasts of Ephesus, 00:10:04.100 --> 00:10:08.460 or disapprofitedly, if the dead are not raised, 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:16.679 let us eat and drink. for tomorrow we die. Paul 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:19.740 is here in these words telling us that the resurrection 00:10:19.740 --> 00:10:23.320 should motivate us who believe in Jesus Christ 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:27.759 to live faithfully for Him. Paul had himself 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:32.259 suffered intense persecution for the sake of 00:10:32.259 --> 00:10:37.100 Christ. In verse 30 he says he was in danger 00:10:37.100 --> 00:10:42.980 every hour. He speaks about the wild beasts of 00:10:42.980 --> 00:10:47.779 Ephesus, which may refer to an actual event when 00:10:47.779 --> 00:10:51.639 he was facing wild beasts, or he could be using 00:10:51.639 --> 00:10:55.379 wild beasts as a metaphor of the fierce opposition 00:10:55.379 --> 00:11:00.259 that he faced in Ephesus. But whichever, it was 00:11:00.259 --> 00:11:03.960 an intense situation. And he concludes by saying, 00:11:04.139 --> 00:11:09.669 I die daily. But Paul is saying here that in 00:11:09.669 --> 00:11:13.350 some spiritual sense, he died to self -meaning. 00:11:14.269 --> 00:11:16.789 But Paul is saying here that every day of his 00:11:16.789 --> 00:11:23.450 life, he faced the real prospect of dying. For 00:11:23.450 --> 00:11:25.950 a long period of time, there was a contract out 00:11:25.950 --> 00:11:29.970 on Paul's life. There were even those who took 00:11:29.970 --> 00:11:33.870 a vow never to eat until they had killed Paul. 00:11:37.899 --> 00:11:41.500 And so Paul faced every day the real prospect 00:11:41.500 --> 00:11:48.179 of his own death. Why? Well, it's because he 00:11:48.179 --> 00:11:52.500 dared to face the false teaching, the false ideology 00:11:52.500 --> 00:11:57.679 of the world of his time. In 2nd Corinthians 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:01.740 4, he speaks about his danger in these words. 00:12:02.539 --> 00:12:05.539 We who live are constantly being delivered over 00:12:05.539 --> 00:12:12.529 to death. for Jesus' sake. He says in his own 00:12:12.529 --> 00:12:15.250 experience in chapter 11 of 2nd Corinthians, 00:12:16.110 --> 00:12:19.289 Are they the false teachers, the servants of 00:12:19.289 --> 00:12:26.350 Christ? I speak as if I am sane. He says, I am 00:12:26.350 --> 00:12:32.049 more so, that far more labors and far more imprisonments 00:12:32.049 --> 00:12:35.590 meet in times without number, often in danger 00:12:35.590 --> 00:12:42.539 of death. to think you've had a tough week. As 00:12:42.539 --> 00:12:45.320 Paul looked backward every week of his life as 00:12:45.320 --> 00:12:50.840 a Christian, he faced death head on. And his 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:54.080 point is here, if there is no resurrection, as 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:57.159 some of the Corinthians were believing, then 00:12:57.159 --> 00:13:00.419 suffering for Christ makes absolutely no sense. 00:13:02.259 --> 00:13:06.000 But what does make sense is the Epicurean philosophy, 00:13:06.259 --> 00:13:11.490 the hedonistic idea Eat and drink. Tomorrow we 00:13:11.490 --> 00:13:16.590 die. This world's philosophy of materialism is 00:13:16.590 --> 00:13:22.110 legitimate. If there is no resurrection, without 00:13:22.110 --> 00:13:26.149 an eternal hope in Jesus Christ, then people 00:13:26.149 --> 00:13:29.269 have nothing to turn to but the gratification 00:13:29.269 --> 00:13:33.009 of their own physical appetites. But the truth 00:13:33.009 --> 00:13:35.549 of the resurrection allows us to live death in 00:13:35.549 --> 00:13:42.159 the face. and to be free, to be free to lay down 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:45.179 our lives for Jesus Christ and to live faithfully 00:13:45.179 --> 00:13:50.659 for Him, whatever the cost may be. The resurrection 00:13:50.659 --> 00:13:54.919 is the hope of the martyr. It is the courage 00:13:54.919 --> 00:13:58.519 for the dying and its strength for the persecuted. 00:13:59.879 --> 00:14:02.799 The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives incentive, 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:06.450 motivates, those of us who are believers to Jesus 00:14:06.450 --> 00:14:12.129 Christ, to lay it all down, to give ourselves 00:14:12.129 --> 00:14:15.509 up entirely to Jesus, whatever the cost may be 00:14:15.509 --> 00:14:18.629 to ourselves, because we know in the end the 00:14:18.629 --> 00:14:21.649 Lord is going to raise us and there will be a 00:14:21.649 --> 00:14:28.309 reward. Now if we don't really believe that, 00:14:29.750 --> 00:14:34.100 then we ought to live as is suggested here. hedonistically, 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:39.600 and be honest about it. But we don't believe 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:42.320 it. We do believe that Jesus rose from the dead. 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:45.759 We reject the idea that this world is all there 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:52.259 is. We believe there is more beyond. And because 00:14:52.259 --> 00:14:56.679 of that, we're willing to sacrifice. We're willing 00:14:56.679 --> 00:14:59.659 to do what we need to do for the sake of Christ, 00:15:00.259 --> 00:15:03.440 and count it a joy, and count it a privilege 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:08.659 to suffer for the sake of needy. Affairably, 00:15:08.740 --> 00:15:12.059 Paul speaks to those believers who are backslidden. 00:15:13.299 --> 00:15:15.600 And he says that the coming resurrection motivates 00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:21.820 the backslidden to be restored. Verse 33. Do 00:15:21.820 --> 00:15:25.659 not be deceived, he says. Bad company corrupts 00:15:25.659 --> 00:15:29.940 good morals. Become sober minded as you are and 00:15:29.940 --> 00:15:33.750 stop sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. 00:15:34.149 --> 00:15:38.850 I speak this to your shame. Paul exhorts here 00:15:38.850 --> 00:15:42.850 the courtal Corinthian believers to awaken from 00:15:42.850 --> 00:15:48.990 their backslidden stupor. He pictures them as 00:15:48.990 --> 00:15:54.190 drunken on their worldliness. They are inebriated 00:15:54.190 --> 00:16:00.169 by the liquor of worldly living. And so he gives 00:16:00.169 --> 00:16:04.990 three curse commands to these believers who are 00:16:04.990 --> 00:16:08.970 backslidden in courts. He says in the first place, 00:16:09.110 --> 00:16:13.850 do not be deceived. Now the way that he puts 00:16:13.850 --> 00:16:16.309 this, it means to stop something that was in 00:16:16.309 --> 00:16:21.750 progress. Paul sees them as being deceived. And 00:16:21.750 --> 00:16:28.490 so he says, stop being deceived. Do you know 00:16:28.490 --> 00:16:34.970 that we Christians the seat. We can be beguiled 00:16:34.970 --> 00:16:40.309 by false ideas like anyone else. The seat is 00:16:40.309 --> 00:16:44.590 the devil's blueprint. He specializes in spinning 00:16:44.590 --> 00:16:51.750 lies. By these lies he takes us out of orbit 00:16:51.750 --> 00:16:56.710 so that we wander away from Christ and our backslide. 00:16:58.769 --> 00:17:02.149 Paul reinforces the command in upbeat a scene 00:17:02.149 --> 00:17:06.490 by referring to a familiar Greek proverb of the 00:17:06.490 --> 00:17:11.210 day from the poet Menander. Menander lived about 00:17:11.210 --> 00:17:18.390 400, 500 years before Paul and was a comedian, 00:17:18.609 --> 00:17:23.130 actually. He wrote comedies. And one of the statements 00:17:23.130 --> 00:17:26.029 that is still recorded that he wrote is this 00:17:26.029 --> 00:17:31.529 one that Paul refers to here. Paul's point is 00:17:31.529 --> 00:17:34.930 that associating with false teachers will lead 00:17:34.930 --> 00:17:39.670 to problems, including moral problems. He is 00:17:39.670 --> 00:17:45.609 saying here the wrong doctrine, wrong ideation, 00:17:45.869 --> 00:17:50.569 thinking wrongly, will produce wrong living. 00:17:53.210 --> 00:17:56.970 I want to say to all of us that it is very important 00:17:56.970 --> 00:18:05.900 whose advice we seek. Bad company corrupts good 00:18:05.900 --> 00:18:12.680 morals. May some people seek their advice from 00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:15.400 secular psychologists who have no thought of 00:18:15.400 --> 00:18:19.779 God, who believe in no supernatural, who think 00:18:19.779 --> 00:18:23.380 that man is an animal. What kind of advice do 00:18:23.380 --> 00:18:25.839 you think a secular psychologist is going to 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:31.279 give? It certainly won't be godly advice. There 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:34.240 are those who seek their advice from colonists, 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:41.559 given this paper, or from astrologers. And probably 00:18:41.559 --> 00:18:44.980 most common of all are the, quote, best friends 00:18:44.980 --> 00:18:53.039 at work. And sometimes best friends tell us, 00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:58.180 in lights that is ungodly, is the opposite of 00:18:58.180 --> 00:19:01.160 what God would say to us, but we buy into that 00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:08.440 because we sense they care about us. And yet 00:19:08.440 --> 00:19:11.279 there are people who have chosen the wrong path, 00:19:13.400 --> 00:19:15.940 who have made disasters of their lives in their 00:19:15.940 --> 00:19:20.460 homes because they listen to people at work. 00:19:21.660 --> 00:19:24.359 Bad company corrupts good morals, and they're 00:19:24.359 --> 00:19:27.359 so deceived by it. that they think they're going 00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:30.779 in the right direction. They think they're doing 00:19:30.779 --> 00:19:33.440 the right thing. I've even heard people say, 00:19:33.640 --> 00:19:36.960 I am closer to God now that I'm doing this than 00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:39.799 I was before. What they're doing is the exact 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:45.779 opposite of what Scripture says. And yet they 00:19:45.779 --> 00:19:48.500 are so deceived. They think they're doing what 00:19:48.500 --> 00:19:51.059 is pleasing to God, and they're closer to God 00:19:51.059 --> 00:19:56.109 than ever before. That can't be. What it says 00:19:56.109 --> 00:19:58.410 here is very important for all of us to grasp, 00:19:59.470 --> 00:20:02.349 that we can be deceived and we must be careful 00:20:02.349 --> 00:20:10.049 to whom we listen. We want to recover from being 00:20:10.049 --> 00:20:12.569 backslid. That's the first step. The second step 00:20:12.569 --> 00:20:17.230 is to become sober -minded. The NIV puts it, 00:20:17.309 --> 00:20:20.329 come back to your senses as you are. This word 00:20:20.329 --> 00:20:23.329 is found only here in the Greek New Testament. 00:20:25.150 --> 00:20:28.069 Literally Paul is saying to them, awaken from 00:20:28.069 --> 00:20:34.529 your hangover. It is a powerful word that pictures 00:20:34.529 --> 00:20:38.670 the mental numbness that results from listening 00:20:38.670 --> 00:20:43.809 to the voice of the devil. And it's false counsel. 00:20:45.509 --> 00:20:47.750 Whatever the counsel comes from, you must speak. 00:20:49.029 --> 00:20:54.150 It is the mental inebriation. The mental loss 00:20:54.150 --> 00:20:59.349 of sense that comes from listening to bad teaching, 00:20:59.750 --> 00:21:07.269 bad counsel. It is the devil's wine. And the 00:21:07.269 --> 00:21:11.250 devil's wine in our culture today is the love 00:21:11.250 --> 00:21:20.630 of self. The exaltation of self above God. The 00:21:20.630 --> 00:21:23.710 exaltation of self above personal responsibility. 00:21:24.910 --> 00:21:30.789 The exaltation of self above others. How many 00:21:30.789 --> 00:21:34.250 lives and homes are destroyed today by this liquor? 00:21:36.769 --> 00:21:39.029 And there are Christians who are as inebriated 00:21:39.029 --> 00:21:42.529 on it as the world is. And the result is the 00:21:42.529 --> 00:21:50.670 backslip. And maybe you, or me. That's what Paul 00:21:50.670 --> 00:21:53.190 says here. We are to become sober minded. We're 00:21:53.190 --> 00:21:56.529 to drink some good strong coffee of the Word 00:21:56.529 --> 00:22:03.170 of God and come out of our stupor because of 00:22:03.170 --> 00:22:06.349 the bad teaching, the bad counsel, the bad advice. 00:22:07.710 --> 00:22:10.130 The third command for the backslidden is this, 00:22:10.210 --> 00:22:13.410 stop sinning. Again, it's an action that's in 00:22:13.410 --> 00:22:17.049 process. Hear that Paul sees here they are sinning 00:22:17.049 --> 00:22:21.910 and he says, stop it. their sinful lifestyle, 00:22:22.869 --> 00:22:25.329 the choices they had made. I've led them away 00:22:25.329 --> 00:22:27.390 from the knowledge of God. And what Paul says 00:22:27.390 --> 00:22:30.569 here, some have no knowledge of God. He's not 00:22:30.569 --> 00:22:34.069 talking about the unsaved. I've heard this used 00:22:34.069 --> 00:22:38.329 as an evangelistic thrust, or a missionary thrust. 00:22:38.589 --> 00:22:41.089 Some have not the knowledge of God. That's not 00:22:41.089 --> 00:22:44.150 what he's talking about. He's talking here about 00:22:44.150 --> 00:22:47.319 believers who are backslidden in the cause. Their 00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:49.720 lives are so messed up, they have lost touch 00:22:49.720 --> 00:22:54.900 with God. And it's shameful. He says, I speak 00:22:54.900 --> 00:22:57.039 this to your shame that you have allowed this 00:22:57.039 --> 00:23:01.119 to happen. And what is the recovery? He says, 00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:06.160 stop sinning. Stop sinning. Stop doing what is 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:10.079 wrong in the eyes of God. The powerful point 00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:13.880 here in these verses is that the reality of the 00:23:13.880 --> 00:23:16.910 resurrection and life after death should be a 00:23:16.910 --> 00:23:19.390 forceful motive for all of us to be restored 00:23:19.390 --> 00:23:25.250 when we're backslidden. We should stop and take 00:23:25.250 --> 00:23:28.509 account of our lives as of what we're really 00:23:28.509 --> 00:23:35.109 believing, and who we're listening to, and the 00:23:35.109 --> 00:23:38.869 choices that we're making, and how we're living, 00:23:41.990 --> 00:23:43.849 in light of the fact that one day we're going 00:23:43.849 --> 00:23:49.680 to and to stand before Jesus Christ. And that 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:51.579 thought that we will stand before him should 00:23:51.579 --> 00:23:56.559 motivate us to recover, be recovered from backsliddenness. 00:23:58.220 --> 00:24:00.440 Come back to the place of obedience and faith 00:24:00.440 --> 00:24:05.140 for us. The one who is going in which of the 00:24:05.140 --> 00:24:10.460 groups you might belong to. The lost. If so, 00:24:10.539 --> 00:24:13.440 then today the resurrection says to you, repent 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:17.859 of your sin and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ 00:24:17.859 --> 00:24:22.140 for your salvation. There is more beyond this 00:24:22.140 --> 00:24:28.339 life, but it's only in Him. Believe in Him. If 00:24:28.339 --> 00:24:31.799 you're a believer who is seeking to be faithful 00:24:31.799 --> 00:24:35.640 to Jesus Christ, carry on. Be confident that 00:24:35.640 --> 00:24:38.779 your service, your suffering in this world will 00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:43.599 be rewarded in that which is to come because 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:47.380 of the resurrection. And if you're a believer 00:24:47.380 --> 00:24:51.640 who is excellent, then today the resurrection 00:24:51.640 --> 00:24:55.259 says to you that it is now time to repent and 00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:59.559 to be restored, and not to waste any more of 00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:03.859 life's opportunity and to lose your eternal reward. 00:25:05.940 --> 00:25:08.420 My friend, there is one thing for certain. There's 00:25:08.420 --> 00:25:10.400 a lot of things that are not certain in this 00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:12.660 world, but there's one thing that is for certain, 00:25:13.420 --> 00:25:17.339 and this chapter points to it. We will all be 00:25:17.339 --> 00:25:21.259 resurrected to stand one day before the living 00:25:21.259 --> 00:25:25.519 Lord Jesus Christ. That's absolutely certain. 00:25:26.220 --> 00:25:29.180 There's not one of us who will miss the resurrection. 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:34.480 His resurrection guarantees ours, whether we're 00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:37.920 Christians or not Christians. We will stand before 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:42.140 Him to give an account for the works of our lives. 00:25:44.119 --> 00:25:46.740 To give an account for the works of our lives. 00:25:47.859 --> 00:25:51.339 And why don't we stop to think about that? When 00:25:51.339 --> 00:25:54.180 we begin to grasp what the resurrection really 00:25:54.180 --> 00:25:59.160 means, it will change the way that we live. So 00:25:59.160 --> 00:26:01.400 that as we come to the Lord's table today, it 00:26:01.400 --> 00:26:04.019 is time for us to examine our hearts and say, 00:26:04.539 --> 00:26:11.549 Lord, I know which group I fall into. And today, 00:26:12.869 --> 00:26:16.990 here's my heart and my event. I invite you to 00:26:16.990 --> 00:26:23.170 pray with me. Lord Jesus, as we come to your 00:26:23.170 --> 00:26:26.049 table today, may it be a time of decision for 00:26:26.049 --> 00:26:31.069 us. A time when we reflect upon the direction 00:26:31.069 --> 00:26:36.910 of our lives. A time when the Holy Spirit will 00:26:36.910 --> 00:26:49.420 show us the And if today we are not saved, if 00:26:49.420 --> 00:26:51.900 there be one here without Christ, I pray that 00:26:51.900 --> 00:26:55.220 even at this moment, that one would open his 00:26:55.220 --> 00:26:58.880 heart on her heart, and trust in the Savior. 00:27:01.920 --> 00:27:04.420 And for those of us who have been deceived, we 00:27:04.420 --> 00:27:09.089 backslid. are drunk on the philosophy of our 00:27:09.089 --> 00:27:13.430 times, living worldly, somehow thinking it's 00:27:13.430 --> 00:27:19.309 okay. Coming to this table may be a time when 00:27:19.309 --> 00:27:23.609 we repent. And for those of us who are seeking 00:27:23.609 --> 00:27:27.670 to be faithful, but who perhaps are discouraged, 00:27:27.990 --> 00:27:30.809 I pray that you will encourage us as we come 00:27:30.809 --> 00:27:34.569 to this table and remember the price that Jesus 00:27:37.630 --> 00:37:22.489 or take the risk. Let us also rejoice that he 00:37:22.489 --> 00:37:27.610 is alive and that we celebrate his resurrection 00:37:27.610 --> 00:37:32.590 by these elements as well as his death. And that 00:37:32.590 --> 00:37:34.530 there will come a day when we will sit down in 00:37:34.530 --> 00:37:40.230 his kingdom and enjoy the lamb's supper, the 00:37:40.230 --> 00:37:45.630 buried supper of the lamb with him. We anticipate 00:37:45.630 --> 00:37:59.400 that day. May we be faithful. But it's remembering 00:37:59.400 --> 00:38:02.300 his body of the church as well, and if today 00:38:02.300 --> 00:38:06.360 there are those that wish to give to the elders 00:38:06.360 --> 00:38:09.280 fund for those in need, then they may still have 00:38:09.280 --> 00:38:12.820 place in your designated gift to that fund in 00:38:12.820 --> 00:38:15.760 the box at the back. We would also like today 00:38:15.760 --> 00:38:17.679 to give the right hand of fellowship to a number 00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:20.579 of people, and those that are in this service, 00:38:20.739 --> 00:38:22.559 as soon as I call your name, if you would come 00:38:22.559 --> 00:38:24.639 out and stand right over here by the morgue, 00:38:24.719 --> 00:38:49.059 then we would appreciate that very much. For 00:38:49.059 --> 00:38:51.920 those of you who are present, we welcome you 00:38:51.920 --> 00:38:53.900 in the name of the Lord. Let's stand together, 00:38:54.019 --> 00:38:57.949 please. Be sure to go by and welcome him into 00:38:57.949 --> 00:39:01.070 the body of Christ that we call Grace Church, 00:39:01.110 --> 00:39:06.050 Roosevelt. Let's pray together. And now Lord 00:39:06.050 --> 00:39:09.130 and Miss, Missus, I pray with the resurrection, 00:39:09.590 --> 00:39:12.170 the bigger reality in our lives that will motivate 00:39:12.170 --> 00:39:16.469 us to godly living, to faithful living in our 00:39:16.469 --> 00:39:19.869 world, until that day that you come and take 00:39:19.869 --> 00:39:23.469 us home, that place where there is no more night, 00:39:24.570 --> 00:39:28.710 that place where For tens of thousands of years 00:39:28.710 --> 00:39:32.610 to come, we will sing of your amazing grace.