DAILY BIBLE VERSES AND PRAYER THOUGHTS

MONDAY - VERSES: Matthew 22:23-32 PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God for creating us with a soul that will live on after death.

TUESDAY - VERSES: John 11:21-27 PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God for the knowledge about the resurrection that He has revealed in His word.

WEDNESDAY - VERSES: John 5:25-29; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 3:18-22 PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God for the first resurrection (baptism) that gives us hope in the second resurrection.

THURSDAY - VERSES: Luke 14:12-15; Philippians 3:8-14 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you live in preparation for the resurrection to come.

FRIDAY - VERSES: Acts 2:22-36 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you teach others about the coming resurrection and judgment.

SATURDAY - VERSES: Matthew 27:50-54; 1 Corinthians 15:12-21 PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God for Jesus and His resurrection that makes ours possible and meaningful.

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e

Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime. - Martin Luther

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e

Because the New Testament provides the primary historical source for information on the resurrection, many critics during the 19th century attacked the reliability of these biblical documents. - Josh McDowell

*******************

To disprove Jesus' resurrection, all the Jews and Romans had to do was bring out the body, but they could not because there was no body.

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Daily read over this material and read or sing the song.

2. Place the scripture where you will see it each day.

3. Think of how your life has changed since your baptism.

4. Pray for God's help in transforming your life now.

5. Write down the ways your life needs transforming.

6. Plan to tell the class how your life since your first resurrection (baptism) is helping prepare you for your second resurrection, or tell how you have misunderstood the resurrection in some way.

SPIRITUAL HEALTH REGIMEN - WEEK 37

RESURRECTION - 3-31-13 to 4-6-13

SCRIPTURE - Romans 6:5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

COMMENT – When we are buried with Christ in baptism we die to sin and we will be united with him in being raised to walk in newness of life. We will live a new life as servants of God and righteousness.

SONG - A NEW CREATURE

1. Buried with Christ, my blessed Redeemer, Dead to the old life of folly and sin; Satan may call, the world may entreat me, There is no voice that answers within.

2. Dead unto sin, alive through the Spirit, Risen with Him from the gloom of the grave, All things are new, and I am rejoicing In His great love, his power to save.

3. Sin hath no more its cruel dominion, Walking "in newness of life," I am free Glorious life of Christ, my Redeemer, Which He so richly shareth with me.

REFRAIN: Dead to the world, to voices that call me, Living anew, obedient but free; Dead to the joys that once did enthrall me Yet 'tis not I, Christ liveth in me.

THOUGHTS

THE CENTRALITY OF THE RESURRECTION

The resurrection is the outstanding event in the historic beginnings of Christianity. It is the cornerstone of the Christian faith; the Gibraltar of Christian hope, and the Waterloo of unbelief. For now almost two thousand years the battle between Christianity and infidelity has been waged around the empty tomb. If the Resurrection stands, Christianity stands; if the Resurrection falls, so does the Christian religion. Through twenty centuries infidelity has been at its wits end to explain the empty tomb; and upon that stupendous fact Christianity has staked its all! From C. C. Crawford, The Passion Of Our Lord, page 225.

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e

YOU TELL ME I AM GETTING OLD

You tell me I am getting old. I tell you that's not so!

The "house" I live in is worn out, and that, of course, I know.

It's been in use a long, long while: it's weathered many a gale;

I'm really not surprised you think it's getting somewhat frail.

The color changing on the roof, the windows getting dim,

The walls a bit transparent and looking rather thin,

The foundation's not so steady as once it used to be –

My HOUSE is getting shaky, but my HOUSE isn't me.

My few short years can't make me old. I feel I'm in my youth.

Eternity lies just ahead, a life of joy and truth.

I'm going to live forever there, life will go on -- IT'S GRAND!

You tell me I'm getting old? You just don't understand.

The dweller in my little "house" is young and glad and bright;

Just starting on a life to last -- eternal day -- no night!

You only see the outside, which is all that most folks see.

You tell me I am getting old? YOU'VE MIXED MY "HOUSE" with me!

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
I'VE TAKEN YOUR STING

A little boy and his father were driving down a country road on a beautiful spring afternoon. Suddenly out of nowhere a bee flew in the car window. Since the little boy was deathly allergic to bee stings, he became petrified. But the father quickly reached out, grabbed the bee, squeezed it in his hand, and then released it. But as soon as he let it go, the young son became frantic once again as it buzzed by the little boy. His father saw his panic-stricken face. Once again the father reached out his hand, but this time he pointed to his hand. There still stuck in his skin was the stinger of the bee. "Do you see this?" he said. "You don't need to be afraid anymore. I've taken the sting for you." And this is the message of Jesus' resurrection. We do not need to be afraid of death anymore. Christ faced death for us. And by His victory, we are saved from sin. Christ has taken the sting! First Corinthians (15:55) asks: "Where, oh death, is your sting?" Christ has taken the stinger for us. He has risen! Fear is gone. New life is ours.

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
A BIBLE WITH A SAD ENDING

In the 18th century, the U. S. Congress once issued a special edition of Thomas Jefferson's Bible. It was a simple copy of our Bible with all references to the supernatural eliminated. Jefferson, in selecting, had confined himself solely to the moral teachings of Jesus. The closing words of the gospel in Jefferson's Bible are: "There laid they Jesus and rolled a great stone at the mouth of the sepulchre and departed." Thank God our Bible continues with the news that "He Is Risen."

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION

If you don't believe in the resurrection of the dead, you ought to be here five minutes before quitting time! Sign in San Francisco wholesale florist

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
TRANSFORMATION

Two caterpillars were crawling across the grass when a butterfly flew over them. They looked up, and one nudged the other and said, "You couldn't get me up in one of those things for a million dollars.

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
__________ RESURRECTIONS

INTRODUCTION - THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF ____________ RESURRECTIONS - REVELATION 20:4-6

I. THE _______________ RESURRECTION - ROMANS 6:1-11

II. _________________ OF THE ____________ RESURRECTION - REVELATION 20:6, 12-15

A. THE 2ND ___________ HAS NO POWER OVER THEM.

B. THEY SHALL BE ______________ TO GOD.

C. THEY SHALL ___________ WITH HIM 1000 YEARS.

III. THE _______________ RESURRECTION - JOHN 5:28-29

CONCLUSION - REVELATION 14:13

TWO RESURRECTIONS

SCRIPTURE - (Rev 20:4-6) And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. {5} But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. {6} Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

INTRODUCTION - THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF TWO RESURRECTIONS

A. NOT THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST AND UNJUST AS SOME SUGGEST.

1. AN HOUR IS COMING - (John 5:25-29) "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. {26} "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, {27} "and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. {28} "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice {29} "and come forth; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

2. GOOD & BAD SEPARATED AT JUDGEMENT – MAT 25:31-46 (46) "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

3. "THE JUDGMENT" - (Heb 9:27) And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

4. "THE DEAD" - (Rev 20:12-13) And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. {13} The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

B. THE TWO RESURRECTIONS ARE THE RESURRECTION FROM BAPTISM AND THE RESURRECTION TO ETERNAL LIFE

I. THE FIRST RESURRECTION - FROM BAPTISM

A. NEWNESS OF LIFE - (Rom 6:1-11) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? {2} Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? {3} Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? {4} Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. {5} For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, {6} knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. {7} For he who has died has been freed from sin. {8} Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, {9} knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. {10} For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. {11} Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

B. BURIED & MADE ALIVE - (Col 2:11-13) In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, {12} buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. {13} And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

1. RAISED FROM DEATH IN TRESPASSES -(Eph 2:4-5) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, {5} even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

2. MADE ALIVE BY FORGIVENESS OF SIN AT BAPTISM - (Acts 22:16) 'And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'

C. RAISED WITH CHRIST - (Col 3:1-3) If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. {2} Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. {3} For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

II. BENEFITS OF THE FIRST RESURRECTION - (Rev 20:6) Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

A. THE SECOND DEATH HAS NO POWER OVER THEM - (Rev 20:12-15) And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. {13} The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. {14} Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. {15} And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

B. THEY SHALL BE PRIESTS TO GOD

1. MADE US PRIESTS - (Rev 1:6) and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

2. A HOLY PRIESTHOOD - (1 Pet 2:5) you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

3. A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD - (1 Pet 2:9) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

C. THEY SHALL REIGN WITH HIM 1000 YEARS

1. IN THE CONTEXT THEY ARE PRIESTS AND REIGNING AT THE SAME TIME – CHRISTIANS ARE PRIESTS NOW (SEE ABOVE)

2. CHRIST IS REIGNING NOW - (1 Cor 15:25-26) For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. {26} The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

3. WE ARE LIVING IN THE FIGURATIVE THOUSAND YEARS NOW

III. THE SECOND RESURRECTION – ETERNAL LIFE

A. IT WILL BE A RESURRECTION OF THE GOOD AND EVIL

1. (John 5:28-29) "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which 'all who are in the graves' will hear His voice {29} "and come forth; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

2. (Acts 24:15) "I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be "a resurrection of the dead", both of the just and the unjust.

B. IT WILL BE A RESURRECTION TO COMPLETE SPIRITUALITY FOR FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS - (1 Cor 15:42-44) So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. {43} It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. {44} It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

C. IT WILL BE ON THE LAST DAY

1. (John 6:44) "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

2. (John 11:24) Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

3. (John 12:48) "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

D. IT IS THE MAIN BASIS OF HOPE FOR CHRISTIANITY – (1 Cor 15:13-20) But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. {14} And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. {15} Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up; if in fact the dead do not rise. {16} For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. {17} And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! {18} Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. {19} If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. {20} But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

CONCLUSION

A. BLESSED TO DIE IN THE LORD - (Rev 14:13) Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' " "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."

B. ONLY ONE WAY TO GET IN THE LORD

1. (Rom 6:3) Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

2. (1 Cor 12:13) For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

3. (Gal 3:27) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

C. TO GET TO THE SECOND RESURRECTION WE MUST GO THROUGH THE FIRST RESURRECTION

D. BIRTH IS THE MOST TRAUMATIC HAPPENING IN HUMAN LIFE

ILLUSTRATION - THE PARABLE OF THE UNBORN BABY Before you came into this world, you were an unborn baby. We all were. As we contemplate going from this world into another, we are again unborn babies so far as that other world is concerned. Now if a baby not yet born, still tucked under his mother's heart, could think, he might say to himself, "This is a wonderful place. It's warm. I'm fed. I'm taken care of, I'm secure. This is a great world where I now am. I like it." And then someone might say to him, "But you're not going to stay here. You have to move on. You're going to die out of this place. You're going to another world." That baby would look upon the process of birth as if it were death, since it would be the end of the pleasant state he was in. And he would protest, "I don't want to die. I understand it here and feel secure. I want to stay." What to us is birth, to him is death, and he resists it. But the day comes when he does die to that life and is born into our world. What happens to him? He is cradled in loving arms. Soft hands hold him gently. A kind face looks down at him, and he loves that face. Everybody that comes near loves him. He is the king of the world he surveys. Then he begins to grow, and he finds life good. He has some struggles and hardships, of course, but that is to make a man out of him. He has difficulties and sorrows, but he loves this world, with its seasons, its beauty, its human companionship. Finally, he gets to be an old man and he is told, "You have to die." He protests, "I don't want to die. I love this world. I like to feel the sun on my face, and the cool rain. I like our dear human ways. I love the faces of my wife and children. I've lived here a long time. I don't want to die." But he does die to this world and is born into the next. He will awaken to find himself young again. Loving faces will greet him; loving hands will touch him. More beautiful sunlight will surround him; sweeter music will sound in his ears. All tears will be wiped from his eyes, and he will say, "Why was I so afraid of this thing called death, when, as I now know, it is life?" This parable helps us understand something of what God means when He tells us, "Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, it hasn't entered into the heart (imagination) of man what God has prepared for those who love Him."

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.