Heresies 11

Overview

The Sadducees, the Corinthians, and the Bodily Resurrection

The Sadducees were a Jewish sect that denied any bodily resurrection, believing that when the body dies, the soul dies with it. The Greeks of Corinth shared this same conviction. When Paul preached at the Areopagus, the response was predictable: "When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed" Acts 17:32. Luther observed that this same poison still circulates today—particularly among those who measure God's Word by their reason and secretly regard the resurrection as a laughable claim.

A modern echo of this heresy reduces Christianity to a philosophy for living, treating Jesus as one wise teacher among many and the faith itself as a path to becoming wealthier, healthier, or more successful. This therapeutic model is why so-called Christian books often land in the "Self-Help" section of the bookstore. But Christianity is not self-help. We do not merely tweak the corpse. We deal in the categories of death and resurrection—daily drowning the old Adam in repentance and rising to new life in Christ. The law kills us; the gospel raises us. The heart of what we proclaim is Christ crucified and risen for the salvation of the world.

Scripture testifies to bodily resurrection from beginning to end. Job confessed, "I know that my Redeemer lives... in my flesh I shall see God" Job 19:25-26. Abraham, ready to sacrifice Isaac, "considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead" Hebrews 11:17-19. Jonah's deliverance from the fish Jonah 2:1-9 was applied by Jesus himself as a sign of his own three days in the heart of the earth Matthew 12:38-40. David prophesied that God's Holy One would not see corruption Psalm 16:7-11, which Peter explicitly applied to the risen Christ Acts 2:25-28. Isaiah foretold that the suffering Servant, after his anguish, would "see light" and receive an inheritance—language belonging only to the living Isaiah 53:10-12.

Paul confronts the Corinthians directly. The Christian faith is not human wisdom but divine revelation; the message of the cross is foolishness to those perishing but the power of God to those being saved 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. He hands on what he himself received: Christ died, was buried, and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, witnessed by hundreds 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. Then comes the dismantling argument: if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is empty, our faith is futile, and we are still in our sins 1 Corinthians 15:12-20. But Christ has been raised—as the firstfruits, guaranteeing more fruit to follow.

This is more than doctrine; it is pastoral comfort. Jesus promises that "all who are in their graves will hear his voice" John 5:28-29. We will live in heaven body and soul. Whether buried or cremated, the Lord will reconstitute us, and we will recognize one another as Moses and Elijah were recognized at the Transfiguration. Death holds no final power over the believer. Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again—and for those who are his, death is simply a change of address.

Transcript

Two weeks ago, we studied about a group called the Judiizers. 0s

And the Judiizers, you will recall, were those that said, 4s

that in order for a Gentile to become a Christian, 9s

they had to adhere to all of the law. 12s

We talked about the distinction between the moral law, 17s

the ceremonial law, and the civil law. 22s

That's a very, very important distinction to be maintained, 25s

because the moral law in Holy Scripture echoed in the New Testament, 28s

contained in the Ten Commandments. 35s

That is that which continues on. 38s

The ceremonial law and the civil law, in other words, 41s

the laws that govern the political life of the people of Israel, 45s

the laws that govern the worship life of the people of Israel, 49s

those are no longer in force with the coming of Christ. 53s

So we took a look at the argument, it's called the shellfish argument, 59s

where some will maintain that. 63s

Well, why does the church still think, and then you can fill in whatever blank it is, 66s

in terms of the moral law? 70s

Why does the church still think that is sinful? 72s

Because there's a lot of things in the Bible that we don't adhere to anymore. 74s

Well, that's getting at the shellfish argument that mixes up the three different types of laws, 81s

and the response, of course, is we studied, 88s

is the moral law is for all time, the moral law is at which reveals our sinfulness, 91s

it reveals God's will. 98s

Those dietary laws, the worship life laws, the ceremonial laws, they're no longer. 100s

They simply pointed to the Messiah to come, indeed they have been fulfilled in Christ, 105s

Christ has fulfilled all of the law. 112s

The Judaizer at the heart will say that you must adhere to the law of God to earn your way 116s

into the good graces of God. 125s

And so we analyzed that in light of Scripture last time. 128s

We talked about the proper use of the law, which is mirror, curve, and guide. 133s

The law holds up a mirror to our sinfulness, and we see our need for a Savior. 138s

It's a curb, in other words, God gives the law, and we don't want to transgress it, 145s

because there is consequences for that. 150s

That if I go and I steal something from a store, 154s

well, you need to weigh the consequences on that. 158s

And the consequence is a huge thing, and there's no one do that. 163s

Life is going to go better for you if you don't do that. 167s

That's the curb function of the law. 171s

The guide function of the laws we studied is, as Christians, then the law becomes the guide to that, 174s

which is pleasing to God, and that which is God empowers in our life. 180s

So that was the Judaizers two weeks ago. 188s

Today I want to talk with you about the Sadducees and the Corinthians. 192s

So we've got this class today, and then we've got next week's class, 197s

and we'll conclude this time on the Heresies. 201s

But I want to focus with you today on the Sadducees and the Corinthians. 204s

The Sadducees were a Jewish sect, and this sect simply 209s

put, believe, that there was no such thing as a bodily resurrection. 215s

There was no such thing as the bodily resurrection. 220s

They believe that when the body dies, the soul dies along with it. 225s

The ancient Greeks, including the Corinthians, shared the Sadducees' belief 233s

that there was no such thing as a bodily resurrection. 239s

Let's start in Acts 17th chapter, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, 245s

and then Acts 17, verse 32, 252s

Acts 17, verse 32. 260s

And here Paul is witnessing, he's standing in front of the Aureopagus. 267s

That's a court named for the hill on which it once stood. 271s

In Acts 1732, we read this, 276s

when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, 282s

some scoffed, but others said, 286s

we will hear you again about this. 289s

When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed. 292s

It was part of the Greek culture. 297s

It was part of the Jewish sect there of the Sadducees 300s

that there was no such thing as a bodily resurrection. 304s

Some today, you see this heresy played out. 311s

Some today will look at Christianity and say that Christianity is really about the here and the now. 314s

It's about how you live in the here and the now. 323s

And all this talk about resurrection from the dead and all of that. 329s

No, they would say Christianity is really a philosophy of living. 334s

They would say, okay, you've got great teachers, they would say, 341s

throughout the history, Jesus falls in line with these great teachers. 345s

And so Christianity falls then in this line, 349s

and it's about how you live, about how you live. 352s

You see playoffs on this in terms of emphasis in congregations, 360s

in terms of what is preached and what is taught. 367s

We've talked about it before, so I'll just glance on it. 374s

It's really a therapeutic model that congregations have adopted. 377s

Where you would think that Christianity was about how you can become wealthier and wiser, 382s

how you can be most successful in your job, how you can reach your fullest potential, 393s

how you can get success in all of your endeavors, 400s

how you can be the most popular on the block. 405s

It's a therapeutic model that looks at it and focuses Christianity on the things of this world. 410s

Now, does Christianity touch on the things of this world? 418s

Well, absolutely, it does. 422s

We see that in Scripture, we see all kinds of talk about relationships, etc. on that. 423s

But the heart here of what it is we proclaim is Christ crucified and risen 431s

for the salvation of the world. 437s

That's the gospel. 440s

And so what you'll see then on kind of offshoots, 443s

and you can't draw a straight line here to the Sadducees and the Corinthians on this. 447s

But you can see that when the church becomes so worldly-minded 452s

and Christianity starts to be portrayed as kind of a philosophy for living, 458s

that is really swerved from the biblical message. 464s

I think it's so interesting, isn't it? 469s

That when you go into a bookstore, you will oftentimes find Christian, 472s

I'm going to put that in quotes, you're going to find Christian books in the Self-Help section. 477s

Now, just think about that a little bit. 485s

Now, there is nothing self-help about Christianity, isn't it? 487s

We deal in the categories of death and resurrection. 491s

Not as one author puts it, as Christians are tempted to operate on the corpse. 496s

As if we just kind of can tweak ourselves, we're going to be okay. 503s

No. 508s

We are sinners and thought, word and deed, and it's not a matter of just kind of tweaking ourselves 509s

so that we can attain our full potential and our better self today. 515s

Now, we have to be put to death each day. 521s

Each day, as Luther talks about, is a drowning and a rising. 524s

Right? 529s

We return to our baptism and repentance, and we are raised to new life. 529s

We're not given ten things to do to tweak ourselves. 536s

We are given the message that kills us, the law. 540s

We are driven to Christ and we are raised with Him each and every day to new life. 544s

So with that as the prelude, I better get into the body of the class or we're going to run out of time here. 553s

So in Acts 17, Paul then is talking about the resurrection and there is scoffing here 563s

because the Greeks look at this and they say, look, they're a bodily resurrection. 571s

No, no, no. 579s

Luther said this, the Sadducees and the Greek philosophers maintain that God is the God of the dead. 582s

Christ, on the other hand, teaches that God is the God of the living. 591s

Luther said there are still many who do not believe this, the resurrection of Christ in their hearts, 596s

and secretly regard this as a big laugh, especially those who claim to be smart and very intelligent 602s

and who measure and judge God's word with their reason. 609s

They are like the Sadducees and their disciples in the days of Christ who spread that poison among God's people. 614s

So let's look and see the testimony of Scripture to the resurrection. 625s

Notice the certainty, first and foremost, in the Old Testament of the resurrection of the dead. 633s

Let's start in Job the 19th chapter, please. 643s

To find Job, just go to the book of Psalms and Job is nestled right in front of it. 649s

Job 19 verse 25. 656s

Job 19 verse 25. 662s

Listen to the confidence of the bodily resurrection. 678s

Verse 25. 684s

For I know that my Redeemer lives and that at the last he will stand upon the earth. 687s

And after my skin has been thus destroyed and watched this, then in my flesh I shall see God, 696s

whom I shall see on my side and my eyes shall behold and not another. 706s

After my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God, the bodily resurrection. 714s

Let's go to the book of Jonah. 727s

Good way to find the book of Jonah is to go to Matthew and then turn left. 729s

You're going to hit Malachi, which is the last book in the Old Testament, then keep turning left. 736s

You're going to hit Zef and Ia. 744s

You're going to hit Habakkuk, Nehem. 747s

Then you bump into Jonah. 753s

If you've hit Obadiah, you've gone too far. 755s

So Jonah chapter 2 verse 1. 759s

Here in chapter 2 Jonah is in the belly of the whale. 765s

And we read Jonah chapter 2 verse 1. 773s

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, 778s

I called to the Lord out of my distress and he answered me, out of the belly of sheol I cried and you heard my voice. 784s

You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas and the floods surrounded me. 795s

All your waves and your billows passed over me. 801s

Then I said, I am driven away from your sight. 805s

How shall I look again upon your holy temple? 808s

The waters closed in over me. 812s

The deep surrounded me. 814s

Weeds were wrapped around my head at the roots of the mountain. 815s

I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever, 819s

yet you brought up my life from the pit. 825s

Oh Lord, my God. 828s

As my life was ebbing away, I remembered the Lord and my prayer came to you into your holy temple. 830s

Those who worship vain idols forsake their true loyalty. 837s

But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you what I have vowed I will pay deliverance belongs to the Lord. 843s

But I, verse 9 again, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. 854s

It's the certainty of the bodily resurrection. 864s

Let's go to Genesis, chapter 22. 869s

Genesis, chapter 22, verse 9. 873s

Here's the story of Abraham and Isaac. 885s

Verse 9 of chapter 22, when they came to the place that God had shown him. 892s

Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. 900s

He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 904s

The Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 911s

They were called a backdrop on this. 917s

Isaac is the child of promise. 920s

Abraham and Sarah have the child now and through Isaac now this nation is going to come forth. 923s

And so the call now of God for Abraham to kill Isaac. 930s

You put that on the backdrop of the promise. 935s

He kills Isaac here and all is lost here. 938s

Isaac is the one that's going to continue on this line. 945s

Now let's go to Hebrews, the 11th chapter in the New Testament. 951s

First and second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. 956s

Then you hit the tea books, you'll hit Titus, Philemon, and then you land in Hebrews. 963s

Hebrews chapter 11, verse 17. 973s

By faith, Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. 988s

He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son of whom he had been told it is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you. 994s

Now watch this. He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead. 1007s

He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead. 1017s

There you have, Old Testament once again, the belief in the bodily resurrection. 1023s

And so here you have Abraham. God says, I want you to sacrifice your son. 1029s

And what's in the back of Abraham's mind? 1034s

Well, if God wants me to sacrifice the son and God has promised that through here the son, this people is going to come forth and the line is going to continue, then God will raise up Isaac from the dead. 1037s

That's confidence, isn't it? In the bodily resurrection of Christ. 1052s

The resurrection of Jesus was part of Old Testament faith. 1059s

So you had a belief in the bodily resurrection. You also had belief in the resurrection of Jesus. 1064s

Let's go to Psalm 16, verse 7, Psalm 16, verse 7. 1070s

Good way to find the Psalms. It's just open up to the middle and you'll land on on one. 1081s

Psalm 16, verse 7. 1087s

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel in the night also, my heart instructs me. 1103s

I keep the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 1110s

Therefore, my heart is glad and my soul rejoices. 1117s

My body also rests secure. 1122s

For you do not give me up to shield, and I've he translates that appropriately so the grave, for you do not give me up to shield, or let your faithful one see the pit, or let your faithful one see the pit. 1127s

Let's go to Acts chapter 2. 1158s

I probably should have had you do a little hand warm up before the class today. 1163s

Acts 2, Matthew, John, and Acts, Acts chapter 2, verse 25. 1170s

For David said concerning him, 1190s

I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. 1195s

Therefore, my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced. 1201s

Moreover, my flesh will live in hope. 1205s

For you will not abandon my soul, the Haiti, or let your holy one experience corruption. 1208s

You have made known to me the ways of life you will make me full of gladness with your presence. 1216s

Remember the principle, you let Scripture interpret Scripture. 1224s

So here in Acts 2. 1229s

You've got the application of Psalm 16, and who's it being applied to? 1231s

It's being applied to Jesus. 1236s

And so here, as part of Scripture, we see that indeed there was the understanding that Jesus Christ would not see decay. 1238s

That indeed there would be a bodily resurrection. 1251s

Let's go to Isaiah 53. 1256s

Good way to find Isaiah is go back to the Psalms, and then turn right. 1259s

Please the Asti's song of Solomon. 1265s

And then you hit Isaiah 53, verse 10. 1269s

Here's another messianic prophecy. 1280s

Isaiah 53, verse 10. 1287s

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain. 1293s

When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days. 1298s

Through him the will of the Lord shall prosper. 1306s

Out of his anguish he shall see light. 1309s

He shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. 1312s

The righteous one, my servants, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 1316s

Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong. 1324s

Because he poured out himself to death, was numbered with the transgressors. 1332s

Yet he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. 1337s

At the beginning of 12 there, where it talks about, I will allot him a portion with the great, 1344s

that's inheritance language, isn't it? 1349s

Now who receives an inheritance? 1353s

Does a dead person receive an inheritance? 1355s

No, it's the living, right? 1358s

That receive the inheritance. 1360s

Isaiah 53, this great messianic prophecy, again pointing to the fact that Jesus Christ would rise from the dead. 1363s

Let's go to Matthew 12, Matthew 12, verse 38. 1374s

Matthew 12, verse 38. 1385s

And notice how Jesus is going to apply the story of Jonah as an ultimate prophecy with regard to the resurrection. 1394s

So Matthew 12, verse 38, and some of the Pharisees, scribes and Pharisees, said to him, 1405s

And in the name of Jesus, the Son of man, will be in the heart of the earth. 1414s

So Jesus then explains the story of Jonah and says, that is really a prophetic word with regard to the bodily resurrection of Jesus. 1437s

And the regurgitation of Jonah by the fish is applied to the resurrection of Christ. 1449s

Sadducees come along, did you wish second? 1459s

And they say, is no such thing as a bodily resurrection? 1463s

Is no such thing. 1470s

When you see though in the Old Testament, when you see though about Jesus and the Scripture applying the Scripture to Jesus, 1473s

we see indeed the bodily resurrection was prophesied and of course was reality. 1481s

Let's see now how Paul deals with this issue in 1 Corinthians. 1490s

Matthew Mark Luke John, Acts and Romans, 1 Corinthians chapter 1, please. 1494s

1 Corinthians chapter 1. 1505s

Remember a couple of sermons ago before Palm Sunday I talked about how the Jews would always look for a sign to validate Jesus. 1512s

And remember Jesus was always a sign short, right? 1524s

So show us another sign, show us another sign there. 1529s

So the Jews were looking for signs. 1533s

Remember what the Greeks focused on? Wisdom, right? 1535s

That's what the Greeks wanted, they wanted wisdom. 1540s

So Paul writing here in 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 18, he says, 1545s

about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved, it's the power of God. 1553s

Remember we dealt with that last week in the sermon. 1564s

It's foolishness to the unbeliever. 1569s

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God for it is written. 1573s

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart. 1582s

Where's the one who is wise? Where's the scribe? 1589s

Where's the debater of this age? 1594s

Greeks just love to get together and just kind of debate about stuff, debate about the latest in that wisdom that was out there. 1598s

So they would just love and get together and just talk about wisdom. 1610s

So Paul here is being very, very pointed where he says, where's the debater of this age in 20? 1613s

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 1620s

For since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided through the foolishness of our proclamation to save those who believe. 1624s

You see the Christian faith does not rely on human wisdom, the Christian faith relies on God's revelation. 1639s

God's revelation. 1650s

So Christianity is not some type of philosophical system that humans have concocted because remember in our sinfulness we would never ever concoct Christianity. 1652s

Remember every other religion is based upon works righteousness with the exception of Christianity. 1666s

Why? Because that's what we get. 1677s

We understand works righteousness. 1680s

We would never ever in our sinfulness invent a religion in which God is gracious giving us what we don't deserve. 1684s

So Christianity is not based upon some philosophical system that you can then hold up. 1698s

No, it's based upon the revelation of God, the good news. 1703s

Okay, that is the backdrop. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1708s

1 Corinthians 15. 1713s

And here Paul is rooting what he's saying in the word. 1719s

He's rooting in that word that he has received. 1726s

Verse 3, for I handed on to you as a first importance what I in turn had received. 1731s

In some other words Paul is not inventing this as a piece of wisdom as a, this is an interesting idea for intellectual debate. 1736s

Paul is saying, no, I have received this truth and I pass it on to you. 1746s

I handed on to you as a first importance what I in turn had received that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures. 1751s

You see where he's rooting this now? He's going right to the scripture to prove the Messiah's ship of Jesus. 1759s

That he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. 1766s

And if he appeared to seepheus then to the twelve then he appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive those some had died. 1773s

Then he appeared to James then to all the apostles last of all as to one untimely born. 1783s

He appeared also to me for I'm the least of the apostles unfit to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. 1789s

You see it's the emphasis on revelation. Here's where it was prophesied in Holy Scripture and now it's just a little bonus. 1798s

Here's all the eyewitnesses here that have seen Jesus Christ bodily resurrected. 1806s

All right. Jump now to verse, let's go to 12 of chapter 15. 1814s

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 1829s

See who's His address? Addressing here. So, Satan sees in the Corinthians, right? 1843s

Come and write at it. If Christ is raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 1848s

Verse 13, if there is no resurrection of the dead then Christ has not been raised. 1855s

And if Christ has not been raised then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 1862s

We are even found to be misrepresenting God because we testified of God that He raised Christ. 1870s

Who He did not raise if it's true that the dead are not raised. Now watch the implications on this. 1878s

For if the dead are not raised then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 1887s

Because what is the resurrection proof? The resurrection proofs that the sacrifice for sin has been accepted. 1898s

So if Christ has not been raised then nobody is raised. But because Christ has been raised then there is a bodily resurrection. 1908s

If Christ hasn't been raised then we are just all left in our sins. 1917s

Picking up in 18. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. 1925s

If for this life only we have hoped in Christ we are of all people most to be pitting. 1933s

How pitiful would be the life of the Christian living to the glory of a non-existent Savior suffering for an imaginary Lord and sacrificing whatever to simply be faithful to nothing. 1945s

Paul dismantles the argument of the Corinthians and dismantles the argument of the Sadducees and he starts first in prophecy, in Scripture and says, oh and by the way here are some people for you to check to about what they've seen. 1969s

But the weight of the argument you don't need the eyewitnesses. You've got the scriptural promise that is laid out. 1992s

Verse 20. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead. The first fruits of those who have died. 2004s

We planted this little tree in our front yard and it was kind of on the verge of winter but they said it's okay to do this. You're still in the window to plant. 2021s

So we went ahead and planted it. There was nothing on that tree as the grass is springing back to life and all of that looking at the yard. 2034s

One day I walked out there and I looked at the branches real closely and it was just like three tiny tiny tiny tiny little buds buds on that. 2047s

I was so excited. Brand inside to tell Denise, hey we've got hope here for this little tree that we have planted. 2058s

Well now it's starting to blossom. You can start to see the little flowers coming out. 2066s

But you see those tiny little buds there? That was the first fruits, wasn't it? 2073s

And that was the signal more to come. 2080s

When Jesus Christ rose from the dead, Scripture says, he's the first fruit. Well first fruit means that there's going to be what? 2084s

More fruit, right? So that's where Paul winds up. 2098s

In fact Christ has been raised from the dead the first fruits of those who have died. 2104s

Jesus rose, he's the first fruits and he shows that the rest of us will rise also. 2114s

This is a strong word of comfort for us. 2123s

For far from merely going to some kind of spiritual life in heaven, the resurrection proves here. 2130s

The resurrection proves that God's going to give your body back to you and that you will live in heaven, body and soul, body and soul. 2139s

Of course the question that whenever I teach on this, I inevitably get, so what age am I going to be in heaven? 2153s

And I always remember this one person said, I hope I'm 22 because when I was 22, that was my best year. 2164s

I hope when I'm in heaven I'm 22. Well the Scripture doesn't answer that. We can just trust God and His wisdom here of how we're going to be. 2172s

But will we live in heaven, body and soul? Absolutely. 2180s

Is death the end of the body? Certainly not. 2188s

Let's go to John the 5th chapter, Matthew, Mark, Luke and then John. 2194s

John chapter 5 verse 28. 2203s

Did not be astonished at this for the hour is coming. 2223s

When all who are in their graves will hear His voice and will come out. Those who have done good to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation. 2227s

Remember we let Scripture interpret Scripture. This is not saying that we are saved by works, but good by necessity comes from our faith. 2238s

Remember our works don't redeem us. The works are simply the expression of the faith that exists. We are saved by grace through faith and this is not our own doing. 2249s

Whether when the Lord takes us to be with Him and if the Lord comes in our lifetime may it be and if He doesn't. 2262s

And we are placed in the grave or we are cremated and remember it matters not what happens to the body. 2274s

The Lord reconstitutes the ashes or raises us up out of the grave there. 2283s

We are reconstituted to live with Him body and soul in heaven. 2292s

And will we recognize one another? Absolutely. The mount of transfiguration is the example for that. 2297s

That we will recognize one another in heaven itself and we will live body and soul. 2305s

Sadducees said, when you die, when the body dies or soul dies, that is not the witness of Holy Scripture. 2314s

So when we say Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. We can joyfully know that indeed when we die, if it is before the Lord's coming, He takes us, our soul goes to be with Jesus in paradise, then when Jesus comes again on that day of judgment, the graves are opened and indeed we are reunited once again. 2326s

Body and soul to live with Him forever in heaven. That's Easter joy, isn't it? For each day. 2353s

Do you have to fear death? Absolutely not. 2364s

Absolutely not. Remember death is a transition in living, transition in living or to borrow the phrase from Marcy Sprole that I mentioned to you last week. 2368s

All death is a change of address. It's just a change of address. 2382s