“The Resurrection of the
Body and the Life Everlasting”
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ. Amen. “I believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.”
“I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”
Each week, we confess our faith in those words of the Apostles’ and Nicene
Creeds. But, what does it really mean? This morning, as we observe
All Saints’ Day and remember those who have gone before us into “the life of the
world to come,” we are going to review what the Bible says about death,
resurrection, and eternal life. Point #1) Death is not natural or normal, but an unnatural
abnormality, brought into our world by sin. The only comfort the world has to offer regarding death is the idea
that death is just another part of the cycle of life, and we should accept it as
natural and normal. That might make sense to our heads, but our hearts
know differently. Even when the death of a loved one is anticipated, even
when we can rationalize that it seems like the best thing, it still hurts, and
hurts very deeply. Death is AB-normal and UN-natural, because God never intended for
anyone to die. It was his will that we live with him forever, in paradise.
But, the Lord warned Adam and Eve, “You must not eat from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”
Paul says in Romans, “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through
sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.” Death is not natural or normal, but the horrible consequence of our
sin. As Paul also says in Romans, “For the wages of sin is death; BUT, the
gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Point #2) Through faith in Christ, physical death is the beginning
of eternal life. After humankind’s fall into sin, God put into place his plan for the
salvation of the world, his plan for your personal salvation. “He loved us
and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” “He himself bore
our sins in his body on the cross.” “In him we have redemption through his
blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Jesus promises, “My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son
and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the Last
Day.” “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even
though he dies, yet shall he live.” Point #3) At the moment of death the souls of all who trust in
Christ depart the body and go immediately to be with him in paradise. Paul says in Philippians, “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which
is better by far.” Jesus promised the thief on the cross, who trusted in
him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Paul
says in today’s Epistle Reading: “Therefore we are always confident and know
that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. . .
We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home
with the Lord.” Point #4) At the Last Day, the same body you have now will raised
up, restored, wonderfully transformed, and reunited with your soul. Job says, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will
stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my
flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not
another.”
Ezekiel had a fascinating vision about how the resurrection of our
bodies will take place: “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out
by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of
bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the
floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, ‘Son of man, can
these bones live?’ I said, ‘O Lord God, you alone know.’ Then he said to me,
‘Prophesy to these bones and say to them, “Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!
This is what the Lord God says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and
you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you
and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.”’ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And
as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came
together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and
skin covered them.” Paul describes the resurrection and glorification of our bodies this
way: “We will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the
last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable,
and we will be changed.” “He will transform our lowly bodies so that they
will be like his glorious body.” Point #5) You will pass the final judgment, not because of works
righteousness, but because of Christ’s righteousness. The Bible completely rules out the possibility of works righteousness,
earning your salvation by your own good works: “No one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law. .
. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because
of his mercy.” “[He] saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we
have done but because of his own purpose and grace.” “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” God’s plan of salvation for you is not works righteousness but Christ’s
righteousness. In the sermon outline is a picture of God’s Great Exchange.
God’s Son, Jesus Christ, took your sins upon himself, and through faith in
Christ, you have the forgiveness he earned for you. The second part of
God’s Great Exchange is he also credits to you the holiness, righteousness, and
perfection of his own Son. So when God looks upon you, he sees not only an
absence of sin, but also the presence of holiness and righteousness and
perfection, making you worthy of heaven; not your own holiness and righteousness
and perfection, but Christ’s holiness and righteousness and perfection, credited
to you. Paul puts it this way in 2nd Corinthians: “God made him who had no
sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Isaiah says that, without faith, “All our righteous acts are like
filthy rags.” But, through faith in Christ, you and your life are
acceptable and pleasing to God. Through faith in Christ you will pass the
final judgment, not because of works righteousness, but because of Christ’s
righteousness, credited to you. Point #6) Heaven will be the end of all life’s troubles and griefs. Today’s reading from Revelation says of the blessed in heaven: “These
are they who have come out of the great tribulation.” The “great
tribulation” describes life in this world, which is so often full of struggles
and afflictions, tragedies and sorrows, as Paul says in today’s Epistle Reading,
“While we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened.” But Revelation promises, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.
They will rest from their labors. . . Never again will they hunger; never
again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.
. . There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain . . .
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Paul puts it this way in Romans, “I consider that our present
sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed to us.”
Isaiah describes the joy of heaven, “They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and
sorrow and sighing will flee away.” Point #7) In heaven we will see God face to face and finally have
perfect knowledge and understanding of all things. As Paul says in 1st Corinthians, “Now we see but a poor reflection as
in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall
know fully.” John says, “When he appears we shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is.” And Paul puts it this way in today’s Epistle
Reading: “We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also
raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.” Point #8) In heaven we will be reunited with the departed faithful. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians, “We would not have you be ignorant,
brothers, about those who fall asleep. . . We believe that Jesus died and
rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have
fallen asleep in him. . . And so we shall be forever with the Lord.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.” “I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to
come.” “I believe in the resurrection of the body and the life
everlasting.” Return to Top | Return to Sermons | Home | Email Church Office
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