Participants: Pr. Louis Torres
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000726
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01:00 Welcome back to Digging Up The Future Prophecies Exposed,
01:05 Bible Prophecy Exposed to be exact. 01:07 And we're gonna be talking about things 01:09 that may be we need to unpack and dig up. 01:13 Tonight's topic is Revelation Reveals the Secret of Death. 01:18 You know, each of us have probably been touched, 01:21 all of us I'm sure have been touched with death. 01:23 Maybe some of us are so young that are watching 01:26 that we maybe haven't thought about it, 01:28 but anybody that has any age at all 01:30 has been touched with death. 01:31 And tonight's topic is going to grip your attention 01:34 and I hope it will also bring you hope and help. 01:36 Let's just bow our heads 01:38 and ask the Lord's presence to be with us this evening. 01:41 Father in heaven we're thankful 01:43 that You've promised to be with us 01:45 and You've promised to reach out to our innermost hearts 01:49 and our innermost beings You relate to us 01:53 as if we're the only person on earth 01:55 and yet You control the vastness of space. 01:59 We ask that Your presence would be with us this evening 02:01 as we again study, we ask Your blessing 02:04 on Pastor Louis Torres as he opens the word to us 02:08 and we come in Christ name, amen. 02:11 Well, again we have a special number 02:13 to prepare our hearts for the message. 02:15 Chris Albrecht will be playing for us "Jesus Paid it All." 02:20 And Anthea, he will be accompanying him on the piano. 05:30 Once again thank you so much. Jesus Paid it All. 05:35 It's wonderful to know that 05:37 Jesus is willing to pay it all for us. 05:41 I like to begin with the word of prayer 05:43 as we consider the word. 05:44 Our Father, once again thank You 05:46 that we're going to study word together. 05:47 We pray Your spirit to guide us in Jesus' name, amen. 05:53 One day there was a young man 05:55 who was walking through the cemetery 05:57 and looking at the epitaphs or the writings on the tombstones. 06:01 I don't know how many of you enjoy watching 06:04 or walking through cemeteries 06:05 and looking at what's written on the tombstones 06:08 but I do, because I like to see what's on there. 06:13 Well, he came across one of those tombstones 06:16 and in he was intrigued by what was written on 06:20 and it said the following, "Stop my friend, as you go by. 06:26 As you are now, so once was I. 06:30 As I am now, you soon shall be. 06:32 So, prepare yourself to follow me." 06:37 As that young man contemplated that message, 06:41 he decided to write a response and so stooping down 06:48 with the crayon he wrote the following, 06:51 "To follow you I am not content, 06:55 until I know just where you went." 07:00 And so, you may think that's a little humorous. 07:05 But think about it. 07:07 A lot of people really do not know what happens at death 07:13 and don't know where they are going. 07:15 And this young man was smart enough to say where you're-- 07:19 or to follow you I'm not content 07:21 until I know just where you went. 07:26 The question is where do people go 07:28 and what happens to people when they die. 07:32 What is death? This subject is some-- 07:35 A subject that has concerned many. 07:39 But whatever death is, 07:42 it's important for us to understand 07:45 that Jesus is the one that has the keys. 07:48 I want you to notice what it says in Revelation 1:18. 07:55 Jesus says, "I am he that liveth, 07:59 and was dead, and, behold, I am alive for evermore." 08:06 Now another syntax part of the text and then it says, 08:10 "Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death." 08:15 So, whatever death may be, we have not studied it yet, 08:20 but it is wonderful to know that the one who has the keys 08:25 is the Lord Jesus Christ. 08:27 If anyone then should know what happens at death, 08:31 it should be Jesus. 08:32 What do you say? Amen. 08:34 And so, Jesus the one who revealed-- 08:39 By the way, the word revelation means to unfold or to reveal, 08:43 tells us that He is the one 08:46 that has the keys of death and of hell. 08:50 Perhaps it's important for us to consider this. 08:53 The Bible in the first two chapters 08:56 and the last two chapters of the Bible, 08:58 Genesis 1 and 2 and Revelation 21 and 22 09:02 both of those and last two chapters 09:06 and there is the Genesis 1 and 2 09:08 and Revelation 21 and 22 are almost mirror image. 09:12 In other words, 09:14 what was at the beginning is at the new beginning. 09:20 And so, if you were to look at the entire Bible then, 09:23 you will see then that in the beginning 09:26 there was eternal life. 09:27 In other words, 09:28 if man had not sinned how long would they have lived for? 09:33 Well, the obvious answer is forever 09:35 because it's the sin that brings death. 09:38 The wages of sin is death as it says in Romans. 09:41 And so if man had never died, pardon me, 09:45 never sinned he would have lived for ever 09:47 and never would have to die. 09:50 In the new beginning in Revelation 21 and 22 09:53 we find again is life restored to man. 09:57 Man living forever with God 09:59 as he was in the first beginning. 10:02 And so, what is the Bible? 10:04 The Bible is simply a book to help us to understand 10:08 how to get from our first beginning to our new beginning. 10:11 What do you say? 10:13 And so, no wonder some people have said 10:15 that the Bible represents B-Basic, I-Instructions, 10:21 B-Before, L-Leaving and of course E-Earth. 10:26 So Basic Instruction Before Leaving the Earth. 10:29 God then has revealed to us 10:31 how to get from the first beginning 10:33 to the new beginning. 10:34 And I'm sure all of you want to know how to do that. 10:38 So, God then has the plan of restoration, man lost life. 10:45 Through Christ man will gain life again, eternal life. 10:49 Another question I should ask is this. 10:51 How long would man lived for 10:54 if he had not sinned and in what form? 10:57 Now we say, well, he would live forever. 10:59 And then in what form? In spirit or in flesh? 11:03 Well, we've to conclude that he'd live forever in flesh 11:06 because you're alive descent from Adam. 11:08 And since we've descent from Adam, 11:10 we are flesh and bones. 11:13 So, God intended that mankind. 11:17 Who? Mankind live forever. 11:20 But it's sin that has brought an end to what God had planned, 11:25 but praise God that the Lord Jesus Christ came 11:30 so that through Him you and I 11:32 could be restored again to have life. 11:37 So we seen then the beginning, eternal life. 11:43 We see that in the beginning man had a face to face 11:45 communion with God. 11:47 It was a perfect world. Animal kingdom at peace. 11:50 There was a perfect home, 11:52 and harmonious human relationship, 11:54 and man could live forever. 11:56 In the New Beginning, of course, 11:59 man again has the privilege of being face to face with God. 12:04 There will be a perfect world. 12:05 The animal kingdom will be at peace. 12:07 There will be a perfect home. 12:08 There will be harmonious human relationships 12:10 and once again eternal life. 12:13 So you can see then that from cupboard to the other cupboard, 12:17 God has purpose that you and I live forever. 12:23 If that's the case then, then where are we? 12:28 And why is it that we experience 12:30 this thing called death? 12:31 And what is death then? 12:34 In order to understand death, 12:36 perhaps we should go to something 12:37 that we do know and that's called life. 12:39 And so, let's look at life for example. 12:42 In Genesis 2:7 the Bible says, 12:46 "That the Lord took dust and formed it, 12:51 made the body and then that after He made the body, 12:55 He breath into the nostrils the breath of life, 12:57 and man became a living soul." 12:59 Well, another word for that is living being. 13:03 So, let's look at that then. 13:05 God took and made a body then to the body 13:09 He added breath and then to the breath 13:13 when they were combined, the breath and the body 13:15 finally we have what is called a living soul or living being. 13:19 Now that's a simple illustration 13:23 and God has written in such a way 13:25 that even children could understand. 13:27 Aren't you glad that God makes it that simple? 13:30 And so, you can see then, body plus breath equals 13:34 a living being or a living soul. 13:39 I suppose one way to illustrate that is this. 13:42 If we were to take a flashlight and we were to light it, 13:46 there would be light but the light 13:49 is really just a combination of the light bulb 13:53 as connected to the batteries. 13:55 If you turned the switch on the off position, 13:59 then the light goes out. 14:01 Now if we were to turn the switch on this auditorium 14:05 and the lights would go out. 14:06 I would have to ask you the question. 14:08 Where does the light go? 14:11 I've had some people say it 14:12 goes back to the electric company. 14:14 Well, that's not really correct. 14:16 The light just ceases to exist 14:20 because the light really is the combination of the electricity 14:23 plus the light bulb and when they're put together 14:26 the light heats up and there is light. 14:29 When the electricity is connected 14:31 then the light just ceases to be. 14:34 And so, God then tells us that the body 14:39 which could be representing the particular flashlight, 14:44 God then connects electricity to that body 14:47 and that's just illustration and the body comes to life. 14:51 And so, that is what the breath of life is. 14:55 God is the one that's the life giver. 14:57 So, we then see what life is. Now the question is this. 15:05 Death then must be or is it the opposite of life? 15:10 And the answer of course is yes. 15:12 Death is lifelessness. 15:15 When a person dies then he doesn't, 15:19 no longer has life. 15:21 Now if you consider that let's look at 15:25 what the scripture actually says concerning 15:28 the individual and what happens to him. 15:31 Looking at Genesis 2:17 when there was that debate, 15:37 a dialog that Satan had with Eve. 15:40 Satan simply said to Eve 15:44 that if she ate of it, she would not die. 15:48 Eve had already understood 15:50 and Eve responded to the serpent and said, 15:54 "That God is thou shalt not eat of it: 15:56 for in the day that thou eat of it thou shalt surely die." 15:59 So, Eve said, that God said 16:02 that if she sinned she would die. 16:05 Satan said if you sin you won't die. 16:07 The question is this, who was right? 16:10 Well, the answer is obvious, God was right. 16:13 The devil said you would not surely die, 16:15 God said, you will surely die. 16:17 And unfortunately Eve experienced what God had said. 16:24 Sad to say many of us or all of us 16:27 sooner or later unless the Lord returns 16:29 will have to experience the same thing. 16:34 The question is this then. 16:35 When a person dies then what does God say 16:38 happens to the person? 16:40 I want you to notice in the same chapter, 16:41 chapter 3 in verse 19, 16:44 how does the Lord says the following. 16:46 "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, 16:49 till thou return unto the ground." 16:52 Till thou what? 16:53 "Return to the ground for out of it wast thou taken: 16:59 for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." 17:03 Genesis 3:19. So notice this then. 17:06 The Lord is the Creator, Jesus Christ being the Creator 17:10 according to the scriptures forms man, 17:12 gives him the breath of life and tells him not to sin. 17:16 Man sins and then the Lord Himself tells Adam, 17:19 you were taken out of the dust 17:20 and unto the dust shalt thou return. 17:24 Now let me ask a question here tonight. 17:26 How many of you have ever been to a funeral? 17:29 Any of you? 17:31 Obviously many of you have been to funerals. 17:33 Here's the question then. 17:35 At a funeral how many of you 17:37 have ever heard the minister say, 17:39 "Poor soul, he's gone to hell." 17:42 Any of you? 17:44 Well, every time I ask the question, 17:47 I have never heard of minister saying 17:50 poor soul, he is in hell. 17:52 Most of the time what I hear is 17:54 he is in heaven or I hear for example, 17:57 like Billy Graham one time when the twin towers 18:00 was attacked and the sermon he had, 18:03 I remember his remarks were, 18:05 we do not have to worry about them now, 18:07 they're in heaven. 18:09 We just have to worry about the living. 18:12 Well, think of it then. Think of that. 18:18 The scripture says that when people die 18:21 they go to the ground. 18:24 And in no funeral I've ever heard 18:26 people say they are in hell. 18:28 In fact, here's what I've found out 18:30 since I like to walk through cemeteries. 18:33 I've been to Romania, to Hungary, 18:35 to Germany, to Austria, to Switzerland. 18:37 And what's interesting is that all the tombstones say 18:40 rest in peace or in glory land. 18:45 Rest in peace or they're in heaven. 18:49 Why am I saying that? 18:51 Well, I am saying that because of this. 18:53 According to the scriptures God says 18:55 that a person dies and returns to the dust. 18:59 That's what Jesus said 19:00 and He's the one speaking to Adam and Eve. 19:03 Now here's the question then. 19:07 And what the Bible underscores is the following. 19:12 If it's true then that man goes to the dust, 19:15 does the Bible have a sufficient support 19:18 to underscore what I've just said. 19:21 Notice what it says in the Book of Job 34:15, 19:26 "All return to the dust!" 19:29 Notice Job 34:15 it says, "All flesh." 19:32 How many? 19:34 "All flesh perish together, 19:36 and man shall turn again unto dust." 19:42 Man shall turn again unto dust. 19:46 There are some interesting things 19:47 that I've read recently concerning this. 19:49 In England for example, 19:51 we are running out of space to bury people 19:55 and so one of the things that they had to do 19:58 was that they would have to, 20:01 actually they built what is called a bone house 20:03 and when they needed a casket or a place to bury people 20:08 and this place was already filled with bones, 20:10 they would exhume the bones, 20:11 take out the bones and put them in the bones house. 20:13 And then they would put a new casket 20:15 in the same place where they had taken the bones from. 20:20 However, it's interesting that they discovered 20:22 that one out of every 25 caskets 20:28 they found scratch marks inside 20:31 and discovered that they were actually burying people alive. 20:36 The reason for that is in those days a lead had been-- 20:39 they were making lead cups and people who drink alcohol 20:42 would put alcohol in the lead cups 20:44 and sometimes those people would go into comatose 20:49 and in those days they didn't understand that 20:51 and so they would then think this fellow was dead, 20:52 they would bury him and unfortunately they discovered 20:57 too late that the person actually was buried alive. 20:59 So you probably have heard things like this 21:02 saved by the bell, you know where that comes from, 21:04 they comes from the realty 21:06 that when they discovered what was happening, 21:08 they actually then, when they buried somebody 21:10 they would put a string around the person's wrists. 21:13 And then they would tie that string up to the ground, 21:16 they would tie it to a bell. 21:18 And so then somebody have to stay in the grave 21:21 in the cemetery through the night 21:23 to listen to that bell ring. 21:25 And so, if the person was still alive 21:28 he will of course begin to move his arms, 21:31 the rope then would sound up the bell 21:33 and they would take him out. 21:35 However, if that did not happen 21:38 then they'd say he was dead ringer 21:41 and that's what that term comes from dead ringer. 21:44 If he happened to be alive then and he rung the bell, 21:48 it was called saved by the bell. 21:50 Now you know where that comes from? 21:52 And if you want to know where grave shift comes from, 21:55 that's where it came from also. 21:57 People would spend their night at the graveside, 21:59 waiting to see if the bell would ring. 22:02 So, even then people recognize 22:04 that people actually went down to the grave and became dust. 22:09 Well, let's continue on 'cause there's lot 22:10 that we can cover here on this subject. 22:14 According to the scriptures then 22:16 in Ecclesiastes 12:7 it says, 22:20 "Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, 22:22 and the spirit will return to God who gave it." 22:25 Now some people think that the words spirit is something 22:27 apart from the actual human begin 22:30 but it's a same word 'ruach', 22:32 it's a Hebrew word which means 22:34 breath or we're in a spirit, it translate that way 22:37 and it's the same language of Genesis 2:7. 22:41 God breathes into the nostrils, 22:42 the breath of life and man became a living soul. 22:45 So, when man dies, 22:46 its body returns back to the earth 22:48 and that giving power, that life giving power 22:51 returns back to God who gave it. 22:53 Now there are people who say no, 22:54 it says the spirit goes to God. 22:56 Well, here's the problem with that. 22:57 It doesn't say the spirit of good people, 23:00 it just says the spirit goes back to God. 23:01 So if you believe that this means that the spirit goes 23:04 back to God is something that's a life and all that, 23:08 then you have to accept the reality 23:10 that since it said the spirit, it means the spirit of everyone 23:13 and therefore there's Hitler up there in heaven 23:15 and all sort of people up there in heaven 23:17 and I don't think that anyone would agree with that. 23:20 The word spirit simply it means breath, 23:22 the life-giving power that God gave to man. 23:26 Now having said that let me share with you 23:28 some other things that are interesting 23:30 concerning this text. 23:31 In the Book of Psalms for example, 23:35 in the Book of Psalms we are told 23:37 what actually transpires in death. 23:40 Notice then what actually does transpire in death. 23:43 Psalms 6:5 the Bible says, Psalms 6:5, 23:48 "For in death there is no remembrance of thee: 23:51 in the grave who shall give thee thanks? 23:53 You will expect then that if somebody really 23:56 was alive in after death that they would thank God 24:00 and they would remember God but the scripture says it contrary. 24:03 It says that in death there is no remembrance 24:07 of thee in the grave who shall give you thanks. 24:10 And then in Ecclesiastes 9:5, Ecclesiastes 9:5 it says, 24:17 "For the living know that they shall die: 24:21 but the death know how much? 24:23 Not any thing, neither have they any more a reward, 24:26 for the memory of them is forgotten." 24:28 So the living know, 24:30 you and I know that unless the Lord returns 24:34 you and I are going to die. 24:36 But it says then that the death know not anything. Why? 24:41 Because their memory is forgotten. 24:43 And it even says, "Their love, their hatred, 24:45 their envy, all their emotions all of that, 24:48 that makes the person comes to an end when the person dies, 24:52 neither have they any more a portion 24:54 for ever in any thing that is done under the sun." 24:59 The Bible even says in Psalms 25:01 that when a person dies his thoughts perish. 25:03 Now, if you have a Bible on New Translation 25:06 or even a New King James version, 25:08 it says that the plans perish 25:12 but the actual Hebrew word is thoughts. 25:15 I did a study on that because I notice 25:18 that some translation say his breath go forth, 25:21 he returns to the earth, 25:23 in the very day his thoughts perish, 25:25 but in some translation it says his plans perish. 25:28 Obviously if his thoughts perish he can't plan anymore. 25:31 And so, that's why some translations have that, 25:33 but the actual Hebrew is his thoughts perish. 25:36 This goes right along of course with Ecclesiastes 9, 25:40 it says that the death know not any thing, why? 25:43 Because they have no more a thought process 25:46 when they are dead. 25:49 You would think if somebody died 25:51 and went to heaven that they also would be praising God, 25:55 but the scripture says the contrary. 25:57 Psalms 115:17 that, 25:59 "The dead praise not the Lord, nor any who go down into what? 26:05 Into silence." 26:06 And so, you can see then from the scriptures 26:08 that the dead obviously do not know any thing, 26:12 they do not function. 26:14 David himself after he committed that great sin 26:18 with Bathsheba recognized this, 26:22 as he was praying for his son and asking God mercy 26:26 that somehow God would spare that boy, 26:29 the boy finally died and David had been fasting 26:33 and praying and as soon as they-- 26:35 he got the word that the boy was dead, 26:38 David got up and began to eat. 26:40 Well, those people around were shocked, 26:42 they said now wait a minute, 26:43 you're fasting and you're praying 26:46 while your boy is still alive and in the valley of death 26:51 and now that he is dead you're not fasting anymore, 26:54 that's unusual. 26:56 David responded and gave the reason why he did that. 27:00 it says, 27:02 "But now he is dead, the Bible says, 27:05 wherefore should I fast?" 27:06 In other words what can I do for him now? 27:08 He's gone. "Can I bring him back again?" 27:12 in other words if I fast and pray will it bring him back?" 27:15 the answer of course is no. 27:17 But Davis understands he says, 27:19 "I shall go to him, but he shall not return on to me." 27:23 In other words I'm gonna die just like he died. 27:26 And so, rather than him coming back 27:28 I'm the one who is going in that direction. 27:30 So there's nothing more I can do, 27:32 he's dead and therefore it's finished. 27:35 He pleaded with God but God did not answer his prayer. 27:43 So what then is death? 27:45 What does the Bible called death? 27:49 Let's consider that 27:50 and see what the scriptures calls death. 27:53 One time there was a man name Lazarus. 27:57 Jesus was considered to be a very close friend of Lazarus 28:02 and Lazarus had two sisters. 28:04 Finally Lazarus got sick and the sisters Martha and Mary 28:09 send word to Jesus and said whom you love is sick. 28:15 The reason why they said that was they were hoping 28:18 that Jesus will leave everything he was doing 28:21 and make a quick run to where Lazarus was 28:26 in Bethany and heal him. 28:29 Martha and Mary had seen Jesus heal a lot of people 28:33 and so they assume all we have to do is tell Jesus, 28:36 He'll leave whatever He's doing, 28:37 He'll come to one of his good friends 28:39 and He'll take care of the problem. 28:41 But when the message came to Jesus, 28:43 Jesus did not respond. 28:46 Jesus did not go. 28:48 And so many times for you and for me, 28:50 when we are going through the valley the shadow of death, 28:53 often times we pray and we wonder where is Jesus? 28:57 Why hasn't He done something? Why isn't He responding? 29:03 Jesus did not respond for a purpose. 29:06 You see prior to this Jesus had resurrected several people. 29:11 And a little Damsel which He said Talitha cumi, 29:13 I say unto thee, arise. 29:15 Jesus had said she's asleep. 29:18 There's another boy who has been carried in a funeral train 29:22 and Jesus stopped the funeral train and resurrected the boy. 29:25 He said he's okay. 29:27 And so, the assumption was that Jesus really had no power, 29:33 had really not done anything for these people 29:35 because they were asleep, you see. 29:38 And so, Jesus then in order to demonstrate His divinity, 29:43 in order to demonstrate that man had hop out of the grave 29:47 did not do anything for four days. 29:50 Now, think of it. 29:51 I've been to many, many places where when people die, 29:54 if nothing is done with those people, 29:56 it isn't long before they begin to corrode 30:00 and deteriorate and begin to stink, and so it happen? 30:05 But when Jesus talked 30:06 to the disciples about the situation, 30:09 Jesus used an interesting phrase, 30:11 notice it says, "These things said he: 30:16 and after that he saith unto them," 30:17 in John11:11 "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth, 30:21 but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." 30:24 And so Jesus uses the wonderful term 30:28 my friend is asleep. 30:29 Well, the disciple said, 30:31 if he is asleep, Lord, then he shall do well. 30:35 Notice, in other words when a person is really sick 30:39 they really can't sleep because they're terribly sick. 30:41 But when they began to sleep 30:43 it means that they are recovering, 30:44 so the disciple said, well, Lord if he is asleep, 30:48 then he is okay, we don't have to worry about him. 30:50 But Jesus was not referring to sleep as the normal sleep. 30:55 Jesus was using this term 30:57 to help the disciples understand something 31:00 that they did not understand. 31:02 Jesus finally said to the disciples 31:05 "Howbeit a Jesus spake of His death: 31:07 but they thought that he had spoken 31:08 of taking of rest in sleep." 31:12 And finally He says, our friend Lazarus is dead. 31:17 Our friend Lazarus is what? Is dead. 31:20 Then Jesus after four days decides to go to Bethany, 31:24 and one of the sisters who hear that Jesus is coming, 31:27 runs to Him, and says the words, 31:30 Lord if thou have been here, 31:32 our brother would not have died. 31:35 In other words, why didn't you come sooner, 31:38 now it's too late? 31:40 If you had been here before, he wouldn't have died. 31:44 But then she says something interesting. 31:46 She said but I know that he will rise at the last day, 31:50 I want you to understand that and remember that. 31:52 Notice that the sisters believed 31:55 that the brother would rise at the last day. 32:00 That's verse 24 of chapter 11. 32:04 But one thing she did not understand, 32:07 she did not understand that Jesus was the one 32:13 who would raise him up in the last days and so, 32:17 the life giver is right there in her presence 32:22 and she does not understand it. 32:25 So she is thinking he is gonna rise at the last day, 32:28 and Jesus then says, 32:30 "I am the resurrection and the life. 32:35 He who believes in Me, 32:37 though he may die, yet shall he live." 32:43 Wonderful hope, what do you say? 32:45 Think of it. 32:47 Jesus says, I am the one who is gonna raise him. 32:52 I'm the one who is a life giver. 32:54 I am the one who will bring him up again. 32:57 Not at the last day 32:59 but I'm going to do something special 33:01 and you will see what I'm gonna do. 33:03 Well, Jesus then goes closer to the house 33:07 and the other sister here said Jesus is coming 33:10 and she goes and runs to Jesus 33:11 and likewise says the same thing. 33:13 If you had been here, my brother would not have died. 33:16 And Jesus then, the Bible says wept. 33:19 It's the shortest verse in the scriptures. 33:21 He wept because of the unbelief of the people 33:26 who He came to save. 33:28 I was one time holding a funeral service, 33:32 and as I was holding a funeral service, 33:33 the casket was in front of me, it was an open casket funeral 33:37 and I wanted to bring home the point to the people 33:40 and I asked them the question, 33:42 because I was referring to Jesus' 33:46 miracle at the resurrection. 33:47 I said suppose I were able to say to this man arise, 33:54 and suppose that at my command 33:56 this man would actually stood up. 33:59 What would you do? 34:00 Well, I remember one person in the audience saying, 34:03 I have a heart attack. 34:05 I remember another person saying, 34:06 I get out of here as quickly as I could. 34:10 Well, I said the problem is you see that we do not believe. 34:14 We do not what? We do not believe. 34:18 And that's why Jesus wept 34:21 because even though He came to restore men 34:24 back to life and give man the hope of life. 34:28 They would not believe. 34:30 He waited four days 34:32 so that there would be no question 34:34 that the man was dead. 34:36 So that when He would rise the person, 34:38 raise the person apparently, 34:40 then they would be clear that He truly was 34:44 who He claimed to be the life giver. 34:47 So finally He goes to the sepulcher 34:49 and the sister says don't do it Lord, 34:52 because by this time 34:54 he'd been dead four days and he stinks. 34:57 And Jesus said, did I tell you 34:58 that you shall see the glory of God today, 35:00 and then Jesus said the words Lazarus come forth. 35:07 And what do you suppose, did Lazarus come from above? 35:11 No. 35:12 Did Lazarus come from beneath? No. 35:14 Where did Lazarus come from? 35:17 The Bible says that Jesus said, Lazarus come forth. 35:20 Jesus knew where Lazarus was, and Jesus called him. 35:23 He didn't said, Lazarus come down. 35:25 He said Lazarus come forth. 35:27 And the scripture says that the one 35:30 who He called forth came out of the sepulcher, 35:36 clad or dressed with the grave clothes, 35:39 and Jesus says loose him and let him go. 35:43 What a miracle, what do you say? 35:46 The life giver gave clear evidence 35:51 that man could be restored again, 35:54 just as He was able to take dust and form a body, 35:59 so He was able to take this decomposing body 36:02 and likewise reconstituted and give it the life, 36:06 so that man could live again. 36:09 Jesus then calls death asleep. 36:13 I would like to just call it a pause. 36:15 Some people think that death is a punishment. 36:18 Well, let me say this way. 36:20 It is not the kind of punishment 36:21 that you'd think it is, 36:22 because death as we understand it 36:26 happens or affects the good and effects the bad. 36:29 In other words the wicked die and the righteous die as well. 36:33 And so, if it was a punishment it would mean 36:37 that God is punishing the good with evil 36:39 and of course we understand this is not true. 36:43 God does not seek just to punish 36:46 for the sake of punishing. 36:48 God is not punishing people with death. 36:51 In fact I believe that this death 36:54 is nothing but a pause, 36:57 a pause between the first life and the new life 37:01 and those that believe in Christ 37:05 shall have life again. 37:08 Well, Lazarus is raised from the death, 37:11 and this idea of sleep 37:14 is not a new idea in the New Testament, 37:17 it is an idea that comes 37:18 all away from the Old Testament. 37:20 I want you to notice 2 Samuel 7:12, 37:24 2 Samuel 7:12 it says. 37:27 "When thy days shall be fulfilled, 37:30 thou shalt sleep with thy fathers." 37:33 You see, thou shalt what? Sleep with thy fathers. 37:36 What does that mean? 37:37 You'll die and you'll be buried 37:39 just like your fathers were buried. 37:42 Paul himself and Jesus 37:45 and all the prophets compared death to asleep 37:49 and that's what the Bible calls it. 37:52 All have called death a sleep. 37:57 Since Jesus is the one that has the keys, 37:59 as we read in Revelation 1:18 38:02 then we must accept Jesus' explanation of death. 38:06 He simply called it a sleep. 38:09 Now, in the Book of Job 7:21, 38:14 notice what the scripture says, 38:16 "Why dost thou not pardon my transgression, 38:19 and take away my iniquity? 38:21 For now shall I sleep in the dust, 38:26 and thou shall seek me in the morning, 38:27 but I shall not be." 38:29 Notice that Job himself believed 38:31 that he will sleep in the dust, 38:33 which is in the harmony with the word of God 38:35 way in the back when it says 38:37 then that you shall return to the dust. 38:40 So you sleep where? In the dust. 38:43 Now, David, himself, the scripture says in 2:10 38:47 "David that he also slept with his fathers, 38:51 and was buried in the city of David." 38:53 So you can see the Old Testament 38:56 and the New Testament harmonize with this 38:58 whole concept of people being asleep when they die. 39:04 What a precious thought when you consider it. 39:08 The scriptures in 1 Corinthians 15:6 say, 39:12 "After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren 39:16 at once, of whom the greater part 39:19 remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep." 39:23 Paul then says that some other people 39:26 who witness Jesus Christ 39:28 when he was alive are already dead 39:31 in other words they have fallen how? 39:33 Asleep. 39:34 And 1 Corinthians 15:20-21, it says, 39:37 "But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, 39:40 the firstfruit of them that are what? 39:44 Asleep. 39:45 For since by man came death, 39:46 by man came also the resurrection of the dead." 39:50 My friends think about this thing. 39:53 Obviously, according to the scriptures 39:56 all the apostles, all the prophets 39:58 believed and taught. 40:00 Even Jesus Christ himself 40:03 who has the keys of death taught, 40:05 that man sleeps in death. 40:11 And so, the Bible says then 40:14 that when Jesus comes we will be raised. 40:19 In fact notice it says, for as in Adam all die," 40:23 notice, "even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 40:28 But every man in his own order: 40:30 Christ the firstfruits, afterward 40:33 they that are Christ's at his coming." 40:36 And so, no wonder Mary and Martha 40:41 believed in the resurrection at the last day. 40:43 Why? Because Jesus taught them that concept 40:47 and it is obvious then that 40:49 that resurrection will actually takes place at the last day, 40:52 at the latter day as the Bible declares. 40:55 Notice according to Revelation 14:13 it says. 41:02 "And I heard a voice from heaven saying." 41:05 Notice, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord 41:09 from henceforth: Yea, says the spirit 41:11 that they may rest from their labours, 41:13 and their works do follow them." 41:15 Obviously rest has to do with sleep. 41:19 And so, we have now come from the Book of Genesis, 41:23 we have gone through all the Old Testament, 41:26 we have come through the New Testament 41:28 and finally we have come the last book of the Bible 41:30 and all the Bible harmonizes with what we first stated, 41:34 that in the beginning 41:35 in the first two chapters there is life. 41:38 Man through sin lost life, 41:40 but God would not allow that to take place 41:42 and so then God in mercy gives Jesus Christ, 41:47 so that through Jesus Christ, man could be resurrected 41:50 and have the privilege 41:52 of living again for ever without sin. 41:55 And so, in Christ then man has hope 41:59 in what is called the resurrection. 42:02 In fact the scripture declares that 42:04 what we really need to fear is the second death. 42:06 You'll find that in Revelation 2 42:08 and in Revelation 20 and in Revelation 21. 42:12 In those three chapters 42:13 you'll hear the phrase that the Bible 42:17 writes as the second death. 42:19 In other words the first death is a pause 42:22 where everybody sleeps, 42:23 but then every one will be resurrected, 42:25 some to the resurrection of life 42:27 and some to the resurrection of death. 42:30 And so, you can see then 42:31 from the scriptures very clearly 42:33 what the Bible says concerning this. 42:36 Now as we continue... 42:39 when will the righteous arise from its sleep? 42:43 According to the scriptures, the Bible says in Psalms 17:15 42:47 "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: 42:52 I shall be satisfied, 42:54 when I awake, with thy likeness." 42:56 Notice, I will behold I face in what? 43:01 In righteousness. 43:02 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. 43:08 Notice then that David had the hope, 43:11 that he would then wake up from his death 43:14 and be able to have the likeness of his redeemer, 43:18 whom he loved so much and who he tried to live for. 43:23 It is wonderful to know then that 43:26 even Job who lived before David had this hope. 43:32 In the Book of Job 19:25-26, 43:37 we find this very idea of being resurrected and seeing God." 43:46 "For I know that my redeemer liveth, 43:49 and that he shall stand 43:50 at the latter day upon the earth: 43:54 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, 43:57 yet in my flesh shall I see God." 44:01 Whom I shall see for myself, 44:03 so Job obviously understood the promises of God. 44:09 Job who dialogue with God, 44:10 you can read in the Book of Job, 44:12 Job whom God spoke to and ask questions of. 44:15 Job understood and made that statement of hope into faith. 44:21 I know that my redeemer liveth, 44:23 and though after worms destroyed his body, 44:26 yet in my flesh shall I see God. 44:29 Oh, friends, you can see that the hope of all 44:33 those who believed in God was with the hope 44:36 that even though the worms would eat up the body. 44:40 Yet at the latter day at the coming of Christ, 44:44 man would be able to live again 44:47 with that new flesh that God will give them. 44:51 According to 1 Corinthians 15 44:54 where it says that this mortal shall be put on immortality, 44:59 and this corruption shall put on incorruption. 45:03 In other words God would somehow restore to man, 45:07 the ability to live forever 45:10 as a human being without the taint of sin. 45:21 According to 1 John 3:2 45:25 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God 45:29 and it doth, does not yet appear what we shall be." 45:32 But notice it says, 45:34 "But we know, not we think but we what? 45:39 We know that, when he shall appear, 45:43 we shall be like him, for we shall see him as He is." 45:49 Notice then 1 John 3:2, 45:51 is what we just quoted from the New Testament. 45:53 The other one's from Job and of course David says 45:57 I will awake with His likeness and so, 46:00 here in 1 John it is in harmony, 46:04 in perfect harmony with the Old Testament. 46:07 All believers in God, believed that 46:12 there was hope beyond the grave 46:15 and that's why it was called a sleep. 46:17 1 Thessalonians 4, that wonderful passage, 46:20 that I've quoted many times in funerals 46:23 to those who have bereaved their loved ones. 46:27 Those who are sorrowing and crying 46:29 because the people whom they love 46:31 and were no longer with them. 46:33 Notice the wonderful promise that we find in the scriptures. 46:37 "I would not have you to be ignorant, 46:42 brethren, concerning them which are asleep, 46:46 or which had died, that ye sorrow not, 46:48 even as others which have no hope." 46:53 Why? 46:54 Well, verse 14, "If we believe..." 46:57 If we what? 46:58 "If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, 47:02 even so them also which sleep in Jesus 47:05 will God bring with him." 47:07 In other words, God will perform a miracle 47:11 and those who have died in Christ 47:13 will God allow Jesus to bring back with Him. 47:17 Notice it says in next verse. 47:19 "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, 47:23 that we which are alive and remain 47:26 unto the coming of the Lord 47:28 shall not prevent them which are asleep." 47:30 In other words those of us who are still alive 47:32 when Jesus return will not go ahead, 47:35 that's what the word prevent means 47:36 ahead of those who have been dead. 47:40 "For the Lord himself shall descend 47:42 from heaven with a shout, 47:44 with the voice of the archangel, 47:46 with the trump of God: 47:48 and the dead in Christ shall rise first:" 47:51 So notice. 47:53 People who have been dead, they will hear the voice of God 47:57 who will say awake away, 48:00 awake you that asleep in the dust 48:01 and then that miraculous moment will come 48:04 when all who have been dead, 48:06 who have loved God will rise from their graves 48:09 and take their first flight to heaven. 48:12 So it says they rise first, then verse 17 says, 48:16 "We which are alive and remain 48:19 shall be caught up together with them in the clouds." 48:21 Notice It doesn't say we which are alive die 48:25 and then get caught up into heaven. 48:27 Do you see that? 48:29 It say, "We which are alive 48:30 and remain shall then be caught up 48:34 to meet the Lord in the clouds 48:36 and wherefore shall we ever be with the Lord." 48:40 And finally it says, 48:41 wherefore comfort one another with this words. 48:45 Think of it then. 48:46 According to the scriptures the dead in Christ were asleep, 48:51 the thousands who have loved God, 48:53 mothers and fathers, children who have gone to sleep 48:57 who have been torn from their loved once. 49:00 There seemed to be no hope, 49:02 but we find now that in Christ there is hope beyond the grave. 49:06 There is life to be gain, if we believe. 49:10 So according to the scriptures then it says, 49:13 "That we who are alive and remain shall be caught up 49:18 to meet the Lord in the air 49:21 and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 49:24 I was in the country of Norway not too long ago. 49:28 And a doctor friend of mine said pastor, 49:32 I'm going to visit a client of mine, 49:35 who has asked me to give Bible studies, 49:38 and I would like you to go with me. 49:39 I said surely, I'll be glad to go. 49:42 He said but I want you to give the study. 49:44 Then I said on what? 49:45 He said I'm not going to tell you. 49:47 You decide, and I said, 49:49 Well, I don't know anything about the lady. 49:50 He said that's all right, I'm gonna let you decide. 49:52 You pray about it and you will decide 49:55 which subject you gonna present. 49:57 Well, I found myself in a very uneasy position 49:59 because it's always nice to know 50:01 what you gonna be talking about, 50:02 so that you can kind of prepare in your mind. 50:04 Well, I have no time to prepare. 50:06 We arrived at the home and as we are there, 50:09 it turns out there were well of couple 50:12 and they had a luscious meal prepared 50:14 and so we sat down for that wonderful re pass 50:17 at meal that she prepared. 50:18 And then after that we moved 50:20 from the kitchen or the dinning room 50:22 and we then were escorted 50:24 to the living room and we sat down. 50:27 And the doctor says, I decided to ask him 50:30 to give the study tonight, is that okay with you. 50:32 She said sure. That's all right. 50:34 So we sat down and began to study. 50:38 And now, remember I'm trying to figure out 50:40 what to present to this lady 50:42 and so I'm praying Lord what shall I present, 50:45 and somehow we got into the subject 50:47 of what happens to you when you die. 50:49 And we went through the text and the verses 50:52 that I just went through with you this time, 50:56 and as we went through this text 50:59 as I was concluding the lady began to cry. 51:01 And she said how did you know? 51:06 I said how do I know what? 51:07 She said did you tell him, pointing at the doctor, 51:10 he said I didn't tell him anything and I said it's true. 51:13 I asked him what do you want me to present then 51:15 and he said I'll leave it up to you. 51:19 You come up with it. 51:20 Well, I could not figure out 51:23 what to present so I thought well, 51:25 we'll just let the spirit of the Lord lead 51:27 and so I did not know but God knew. 51:30 Well, she said how did you know 51:33 that I have been terrified of death. 51:39 And she was weeping, she revealed, 51:42 here's a grown woman a beautiful lady, 51:45 wealthy... 51:49 terrified of death. 51:54 And she told us that she was afraid to sleep 52:01 because every time she went to sleep, 52:04 she had nightmares of dying. 52:11 And the only way that she could get rest 52:14 was if there were a lot of lights, 52:16 so she never tried to sleep in the dark. 52:20 She is petrified of the dark. 52:24 Then she said to me. 52:28 I always felt as I was asleep like I was dying 52:32 and I was falling into this dark place. 52:36 And I would begin to sweat and, 52:40 and there was no escape and I would wake up screaming, 52:44 but she said how did you know, I said God knew, 52:50 God knew that you needed this message. 52:53 And she says thank you so much. 52:57 I saw her two days later, 52:58 I was making a presentation like this 53:01 and she came and I noticed 53:04 she was smiling and I said how are you doing? 53:06 She said for the last two nights 53:10 I have slept like a baby, thank you. 53:16 Think of it, how many people are fearful of death. 53:20 In fact, that's the reason why Paul wrote this statement 53:23 and you'll find it in the Book of Hebrews. 53:25 Notice what it says. 53:26 "Forasmuch then as the children 53:28 are partaker of flesh and blood, 53:30 he also speaking about Jesus likewise 53:33 also himself took part of the same." 53:36 Why did Jesus then become flesh and blood? 53:39 Notice what it says, "That through death..." 53:41 through what? 53:42 "Through death in dying he might destroy him 53:47 that had the power of death, that is, the devil," 53:51 The devil brought sin, 53:52 and the results of sin is death. 53:54 For the wages of sin is death. 53:57 But notice it says that Jesus died 54:00 to deliver us rom the power of death 54:04 and notice it says and to deliver us, 54:10 who through fear of death 54:13 were all their life time subject through bondage. 54:17 Oh, friends, think of it, fear of death. 54:20 How many of you fear death here? 54:24 I've been presenting this subject to many places. 54:28 In January, I was in Hungary, 54:32 and I presented this subject 54:33 and a lady as she was leaving said to me, 54:36 thank you so much. 54:37 Just this year my father died, then my daughter died. 54:44 She said I was in torment. I was in pain. 54:48 Thank you so much for helping me to understand 54:52 what happens when you die. 54:55 People are asleep, 54:57 and so that's why the scripture says, 54:59 "He that has the Son have life, 55:02 he that have not the Son of God have not life." 55:06 So tonight, friends, are you afraid of death. 55:09 Have you wondered about it? 55:12 In Christ there is hope of life. 55:16 In Christ there is hope in the resurrection. 55:20 Just five years ago my mother died. 55:29 If she had died before I understood this, 55:32 I believe I would have had a lot of pain 55:37 and gone through a lot of suffering and agony. 55:40 Mother was the only thing we had. 55:44 We loved her. 55:46 She raised us six boys in tough times. 55:49 She was there for us all the time 55:52 and to see mother struggle with life was hard for us. 55:59 And finally she passed away. 56:03 But what a wonderful thing to have known that in Christ, 56:09 there was hope out of the grave. 56:12 And I believe that some day soon 56:14 when the Master comes and says awake, wake, 56:17 you sleep in the dust, 56:18 I believe that life giver will do the same 56:23 for my mother that it did for Lazarus. 56:26 Oh, friends how many of you tonight 56:29 want to accept the life giver? 56:31 How many of you viewing would like to accept the life giver. 56:35 Oh, friends, listen, in Christ there is hope. 56:40 Will you accept Him tonight? Let us pray. 56:43 Our Father in heaven, 56:46 how grateful we are for Your goodness 56:48 and Your kindness in allowing us 56:50 to this wonderful message of hope. 56:55 There is hope beyond the grave, 56:57 even after our flesh is eaten by worms. 57:02 Yet we have the hope to see You again. 57:05 We accept You tonight, in Christ Jesus we pray, 57:10 for this wonderful hope give us life forever. 57:14 Amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17