The resurrection of the dead

Our future hope

“Hope” does not mean “it might happen....”

• Hope is the sure and certain expectation that what God says will come to pass

• The bible has much to say about the fact that after we die we will be resurrected again to eternal life

• [Paul says of Jesus that he was buried and rose again on the third day according to the scriptures]

• Psalm 16, Psalm 71, Daniel 12, Job 19, Isaiah 26, Hosea 6 ...

• What is Eternity?

• Eternity is not time without end or a long period of time

• Eternity is a place where there no longer is Time

• Eternity describes where God is

• It is the realm where He is – it has no time.

• It describes His nature “I am who I am”

• He is eternal, unchanging, “the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end” [Rev 1.8]

• Eternal life is Life with God. Time is not part of it.

• Time is a construct created by God for us to live in now

• Time is a barrier that prevents us interfering with the Eternal realm

• God lives outside time

• God has no need of time

• Without time there are none of the effects of time:

• Ageing, regret, the relentless march of time, pleasures passing never to be recovered, the fleeting nature of life

• Eternity will be quite different

Think about the nature of God

• He is perfect, has no need of anything [“He is not served by human hands Acts 17.25]

• Said of Jesus “He has done all things well”• God takes pleasure in all He does; all that He is• He is unchanging because nothing could change.• There is no one better than Him, there is no one

that it would be better to become like

• So the greatest goal for us, is to become like Him

• That is His greatest goal too

• He likes you

Our resurrection will be bodily

• “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.26 And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!27 I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought! Job ch 19

• You are Spirit, Soul and body

• The resurrection is the culmination of our salvation – our future hope

1 Peter 1 v 3 – 9 ......3 questions

• What is the basis of our hope?

• How does this hope of resurrection affect me now?

• How will it affect my future?