23-0820a Transcript

Preacher: Jim Lokenbauer

(0:58) All right. (1:00) Well, good morning everybody. (1:03) Can you believe this is my 24^th installment of the Great I Am Lessons (1:10) and it’s the 19th lesson out of the Gospel of John (1:15) in bringing to you the Great I Am Statements made by Jesus. (1:21) And I feel like I’ve been compiling a book. (1:28) But today we’re going to be looking at John 14 where Jesus makes his statement, (1:35) I am the way, the truth, and the life.

(1:39) It’s a three-part statement. (1:41) And so far the events that lead us up to this point that have taken place (1:47) prior to him making this statement, (1:50) we have Lazarus being raised from the dead. (1:55) And by being raised from the dead and Jesus receiving such glory for it, (2:01) the high priests put out a hit, a death sentence on Lazarus and Jesus.

(2:11) Martha held a dinner in honor of Jesus for raising her brother from the dead. (2:17) And at that dinner, her sister Mary anointed Jesus with very expensive ointment (2:25) in preparation, as the Scripture tells us, to prepare him for burial. (2:32) So she anointed Jesus.

(2:35) And that actually started, let’s say, the clock ticking for Jesus' final week on earth. (2:45) Then Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Sunday. (2:52) And this we know as Palm Sunday.

(2:55) He rode in on the colt. (2:57) And then Jesus promptly went in and cleansed the temple. (3:02) Think about that, cleansing the temple.

(3:07) He purged it of the money makers and the selling that was going on there (3:14) that never had authorization. (3:17) Now the temple was dirty because of these animals being in there. (3:23) So Jesus purged the temple.

(3:26) And that’s an example to us to purge the temple. (3:30) What is the temple today? (3:33) It’s us. (3:34) We are the temple of God.

(3:37) We’ve got to periodically take an assessment of our life and purge the temple. (3:45) Get rid of the things that make us dirty. (3:51) And then he promptly started teaching in the temple.

(3:56) And he taught from Monday through Wednesday, or rather actually Sunday through Wednesday. (4:03) And that was four days of him being on public display for all to see God’s perfect lamb. (4:15) To see that he was without spot and without blemish.

(4:20) Just like in Exodus 12 where God commanded Moses that that Passover lamb was to be on display (4:28) for everybody to see for four days before the Passover. (4:34) When they would slaughter it in the evening to take away sin. (4:43) To remember that horrible frightening night when God’s angel went throughout Egypt (4:55) slaying all the firstborn who were not saved by the blood of the lamb on the doorpost.

(5:06) This same angel who slayed those firstborn is the firstborn of God. (5:16) The first begotten of God. (5:20) And he is about to become the slain to save all mankind.

(5:32) So on Wednesday of Jesus' final week, God gave his third open public witness of his son in the marketplace. (5:42) If you remember the Greeks who were visiting Jerusalem because they were there for the holiday Passover (5:51) and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. (5:53) And they sought audience with Jesus.

(5:57) And so Jesus is teaching. (6:01) And as he taught he said, Father, glorify your name. (6:06) And the voice so loud people thought it thundered.

(6:11) And that voice said, I have glorified it and I will glorify it again. (6:17) And so God for the third time gave witness that Jesus is his son. (6:27) And he was going to do great things through Jesus.

(6:31) So toward evening on Wednesday the disciples are with the Lord in the upper room. (6:37) And they’re having a special meal together. (6:40) And that was also the night that Jesus was betrayed by Judas.

(6:45) And if you remember Jesus was greatly moved. (6:50) And finally he broke down and he said, one of you is going to betray me tonight. (6:56) And all of the disciples were looking at each other stupefied.

(7:02) And so Peter motions to John. (7:05) Peter was across from John at the table. (7:08) And they reclined as they ate.

(7:10) They didn’t have chairs with a raised table like we have today. (7:15) And John happened to be right next to Jesus being his favorite. (7:22) And Peter motions to John, tell us who it is.

(7:27) And so John asked Jesus. (7:28) And Jesus said, is this the one who I give this morsel to? (7:33) But Jesus dipped the morsel and gave it to Judas. (7:37) And Jesus looked at Judas.

(7:39) But perhaps he was really looking at someone else who was in the room, Satan. (7:46) And he said, what you do, do quickly. (7:49) That was the command from the second person of the Godhead.

(7:55) Not just to Judas who understood, but to Satan. (8:02) And Satan thought, oh, this is my opportunity. (8:05) Remember when Jesus was in the desert being tempted by Satan.

(8:10) Luke records that Satan left but waited for a more opportune time. (8:16) Well, this was the time in which Satan thought, I’ve got him. (8:20) I’m going to squeeze him and get him to sin.

(8:27) So Judas goes out in the night. (8:29) And that’s one of the ways we know that this was not Passover night. (8:34) It was the night before.

(8:39) Let that sink in. (8:40) Jesus would not make Judas sin because there was a command to the Israelites that they were not to leave their homes on the night of the Passover. (8:53) So Judas goes out in the night.

(8:55) And he goes to the high priest. (8:58) And there he rats out Jesus, makes a deal with 30 pieces of silver, starts the wheels in motion. (9:12) So with Judas gone, Jesus shared with his disciples some of the most intimate teaching that he gave the disciples in that upper room.

(9:22) And for the next four chapters, really from John 12 until John 17, Jesus is giving them intense instructions. (9:39) And so we’re going to read chapter 14. (9:42) Our primary concern is in actually the first six verses, but we’re going to read through just to give context.

(9:51) Let me cool my pipes. (10:01) Chapter 14, starting at verse 1. (10:03) Do not let your hearts be troubled. (10:06) Trust in God.

(10:08) Trust also in me. (10:10) In my Father’s house are many rooms. (10:13) If it were not so, I would have told you.

(10:16) I am going there to prepare a place for you. (10:19) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me, that you may be where I am. (10:29) You know the way to the place where I am going.

(10:33) Thomas said to him, Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? (10:39) Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. (10:44) No one comes to the Father except through me. (10:51) If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.

(10:55) From now on, you do know him and have seen him. (11:01) Philip said, Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us. (11:06) Jesus answered, don’t you know me, Philip? (11:09) Even after I have been among you such a long time, anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.

(11:19) How can you say, show us the Father? (11:22) Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? (11:28) The words I say to you are not just my own. (11:31) Rather, it is the Father living in me who is doing his work. (11:37) Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.

(11:41) Or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. (11:47) I tell you the truth. (11:49) Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.

(11:54) He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (11:59) And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. (12:06) You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

(12:12) If you love me, you will obey me, what I command. (12:17) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever, (12:23) the Spirit of Truth. (12:26) The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.

(12:31) But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (12:37) I will not leave you as orphans. (12:39) I will come to you.

(12:40) Before long, the world will not see me anymore. (12:43) But you will see me, because I live, you also will live. (12:48) On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

(12:56) Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. (13:01) He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. (13:09) Then Judas, not Judas Iscariot, said, (13:12) But Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world? (13:17) Jesus replied, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.

(13:22) My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (13:29) He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. (13:34) These words you hear are not my own.

(13:36) They belong to the Father who sent me. (13:40) All this I have spoken while still with you. (13:42) But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, (13:48) will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

(13:55) Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. (13:58) I do not give you as the world gives.

(14:01) Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid. (14:05) You heard me say I am going away, and I am coming back to you. (14:09) If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, (14:13) for the Father is greater than I. (14:15) I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe.

(14:23) I will not speak with you much longer, for the Prince of this world is coming. (14:30) He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father (14:35) and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. (14:40) Come now, let us leave.

(14:42) And so that’s when they go to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane that’s there. (14:52) So at the start of this chapter, Jesus probably looked around the room at his disciples (14:59) and could see that they were greatly distressed. (15:03) And that’s why he gives them these wonderful words of peace and assurity.

(15:12) But he was probably looking at two particular disciples as he was saying these things. (15:22) That’s my guess. (15:26) And what he revealed to them from chapters 12 and 13 of John, (15:32) that one of them was going to betray them, that Peter would deny him, (15:39) and that all would abandon him as he would be put to death.

(15:45) So he could read their faces. (15:48) They looked distraught. (15:50) And the reality of the words he had spoken to them about dying and rising from the dead three days later (15:57) were finally starting to sink in.

(16:01) And it blew up their grandiosity. (16:05) Which of them would be the greatest in the kingdom? (16:09) As they had just been arguing about moments before. (16:15) And who would sit next to Jesus on his throne? (16:21) It confused them because they thought Jesus would conquer and remove Rome from Israel (16:29) and reestablish the kingdom of David.

(16:32) So in verse 1 he gives them, and all who read and hear this story, that means us, (16:40) wonderful news and words of comfort. (16:44) Do not let your hearts be troubled. (16:48) Trust in God.

(16:49) Trust also in me. (16:53) The Godhead from before the creation of this world had a plan in place (16:59) that would bring about what is most important for all of us humans from all time, (17:06) and that is God had a solution to our sin problem. (17:12) Mankind has a sin problem.

(17:17) From the very first couple up until all of us here today, we got a sin problem. (17:27) God has a solution. (17:30) Sin separates us from God, and he arranged for his son to be an atoning sacrifice (17:38) to take our sins away.

(17:40) And that way, when we believe in him, we could one day be reunited with our God, (17:47) not in the garden, but in heaven for all eternity. (17:52) He said, don’t let your heart be troubled, so don’t worry. (17:56) Don’t be anxious.

(17:57) Don’t be afraid. (17:59) I got this. (18:01) At this point here in our story, in just a few hours, (18:06) Jesus was about to become the perfect sin offering to God on the cross, (18:12) bringing the whole scheme of redemption to a climax.

(18:17) Perfectly timed and executed, it unfolded over the centuries. (18:22) So Jesus soothes their worries and gives them hope with these comforting words. (18:30) Trust, belief, and faith all come from the same Greek word, pisiou.

(18:38) We trust in God. (18:40) We believe he exists. (18:43) We commit to him, and we believe that he loves us and is concerned for us (18:48) and provides for us.

(18:49) We believe he’s in control of all that happens, (18:53) and that nothing escapes his attention in our lives. (18:58) That’s why later, Peter could reflect on all of Jesus' words (19:03) and write this in his second letter. (19:06) He has given us everything we need for life and godliness.

(19:12) So, everything for our physical lives and our spiritual lives, (19:17) that’s a God who loves us and one you can trust. (19:21) The same way we trust in God is the way Jesus wants us to trust in him. (19:28) And he’ll soon stress that God the Father and he are one.

(19:34) So in verse 2 it says, (19:36) In my Father’s house are many rooms. (19:39) If it were not so, I would have told you. (19:42) I am going there to prepare a place for you.

(19:46) So Jesus is telling the disciples that he’s going away. (19:50) He doesn’t say heaven. (19:52) He implies he’s going to heaven where his Father’s house is.

(19:57) He has a mission to prepare a place for them and all of us (20:03) after their and our work on earth is done. (20:07) And Jesus is trying to redirect his disciples' thoughts to what lies ahead for them. (20:15) Heaven is our goal.

(20:17) That’s where our forever home is. (20:20) And Jesus is preparing us a special place to dwell there. (20:30) Many have speculated as to what the place Jesus is actually talking about.

(20:37) And there have been many theories as to what a mansion or room is. (20:42) There have been many false teachings as to what not just the mansion is, (20:48) but what heaven is. (20:49) It’s even been taught in this place, falsely, (20:54) that heaven’s not a place, it’s just a state of mind.

(20:58) Well, if it’s a state of mind, I can have heaven right now. (21:02) That’s patently a false teaching and it’s stirred up and disturbed a lot of people here. (21:09) Rubbish, I say.

(21:11) By Jesus following up that statement by saying, (21:14) if it were not so, I would have told you, totally debunks those crazy theories. (21:21) What Jesus said was, he’s preparing a place. (21:26) A place is a place.

It’s a physical place. (21:30) It may be spiritual and not bound by material, but it’s a place. (21:36) And a mansion or a room is a specific place.

(21:41) And so Jesus qualifies his statement by saying, (21:45) if it were not so, I would have told you, eliminates all other false teachings. (21:52) So Jesus is preparing us a place. (21:57) He’s only talking about a dwelling place in which we can live.

(22:03) Whether it’s a room in his Father’s house or a singular mansion, (22:07) it doesn’t matter, it’s prepared by Jesus for each of us. (22:11) So it doesn’t matter. We have a special place prepared for us in God’s kingdom in heaven.

(22:19) So Jesus was being specific. (22:24) And it isn’t a metaphor for something else or an allusion to something else. (22:30) Jesus, the creator, is creating us something unique, something to look forward to.

(22:38) So whatever happens in this world, no matter how crummy it is that happens to us, (22:45) we’re not guaranteed a rose garden. (22:48) Once we’re a Christian, we’re still going to suffer the same. (22:54) But it’s what lies beyond this life that matters.

(22:59) So Jesus directs their thoughts on the idea that after this life, we’ve got a place to go. (23:06) Jesus and then his disciples are about to go some real challenges in the first century. (23:14) And with this thought, he leaves them, will give them great comfort during those times.

(23:20) Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4.18, (23:24) So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. (23:29) But what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (23:34) So Paul knows this.

He wants his readers and those who hear him to fix our eyes on heaven. (23:44) This is temporary. (23:46) Even though it’s a lifetime, it’s all we know.

It’s all we’ve seen. (23:51) But it’s the unseen realm that we’re going to that matters, (23:57) because that’s where we’re going to spend the rest of our lives. (24:01) Right now, we’re like in a cocoon.

(24:05) We’re pupa developing into something eternal. (24:10) This flesh is going to rot. (24:15) But we’re going to go on and be something that lives forever.

(24:20) I’m not saying we’re going to be beautiful little butterflies up there. (24:23) But we will be beautiful little God’s children up there like him. (24:31) So we must purge ourselves of sinful ways that will bar us from entering heaven.

(24:37) Down here, we must learn to trust in our Lord, (24:41) to give us aid and comfort, instruction, example, and correction on how to live the Christian life. (24:48) It is here we put into practice what we’re being taught. (24:54) If we’re not putting into practice all what’s being said here, what are we doing? (25:05) Just punching a time card? (25:10) Put it into practice.

Try it. Walk the walk. (25:16) Be like Jesus.

Try. (25:19) Of course we’re going to fail occasionally. (25:21) You get back up.

You dust yourself off. (25:24) You confess to the Lord. (25:26) You don’t have to come here and blather every bad thing you’ve done.

(25:30) Go to your closet, Jesus says. (25:33) Talk to God there. (25:35) Get right with God.

(25:37) Lord, I blew it. I did this. (25:40) Save me.

(25:43) Strengthen me with your strength. (25:45) And God will give you the strength. (25:48) You just got to keep at it.

(25:54) If we truly want to be honest with and pleasing to our God, (25:59) we have to be honest with ourselves and do a deep introspection of our lives. (26:05) And weed out any evil that we might be harboring in our lives. (26:09) We have to give our idols up, so to speak.

(26:13) Even our secret, sacred cows that we may be hanging on to, (26:18) if we ever want to walk those streets of gold in heaven. (26:22) We need to see ourselves as God sees us. (26:26) Well, how is that done? (26:28) By God’s word.

(26:30) God’s word acts as a mirror to our soul. (26:37) When we look into the Bible, (26:40) we can see ourselves as God sees us. (26:47) And this is illustrated in these two scriptures.

(26:51) In James 1, 22-25, James writes, (26:56) Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. (27:01) Do what it says. (27:03) Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says (27:06) is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror (27:09) and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

(27:14) But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom (27:22) goes away justified. (27:31) The perfect law gives freedom. (27:35) And if he continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, (27:40) but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does.

(27:46) And this scripture from Hebrew letter, Hebrews 4-12, (27:50) For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. (27:57) It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. (28:05) It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

(28:11) So when we look into God’s word, the Bible, (28:17) this book with its words, (28:21) when we come across where it says do not do A, B, and C, (28:27) your conscious is going to say, uh-oh, you’ve been doing B and C. (28:35) You’d better stop. (28:36) God sees you. (28:39) Repent.

(28:40) That’s how that perfect mirror works. (28:44) No one knows us better than ourselves and God. (28:50) And so God is going to use his word and our conscience, (28:54) and if our conscience is a little tough, a little callous, (28:59) Holy Spirit is going to elbow us and say, pay attention.

(29:05) This pertains to you. (29:09) Stop. (29:12) Listen to that little voice.

(29:15) And when you do it and put into practice God’s word, what does it say? (29:23) You will be blessed in what you do. (29:31) James tells us in so many words, (29:33) if we just superficially believe God’s word, hearing or reading, (29:39) assenting to even agreeing that it’s good, but not applying it, not doing it, (29:45) James says we are deceiving ourselves. (29:49) We are still a slave to sin.

(29:52) And then James 1.25, he says that the word gives us liberty. (30:01) Liberty from what? (30:03) Liberty from sin. (30:05) We are free.

(30:08) Free from sin. (30:11) By not doing what the word says is to ignore God. (30:15) If that’s the case, why do we bother? (30:19) We could be sleeping in on Sundays.

(30:22) We could be fishing or gardening or doing whatever we want to do. (30:28) Remember, it’s all about me. (30:32) Is it? (30:34) It’s all about he.

(30:37) And if you want to be pleasing, kill the me to please the he. (30:43) Put God first. (30:45) If we really do believe the word of God and are a true believer, (30:50) we will do what God tells us.

(30:53) That’s obedience. (30:54) That’s what he expects. (30:56) The person who refuses to yield to God’s will is self-willed and arrogant, rebellious.

(31:05) And guess what God likens that to? (31:10) Rebelliousness. (31:12) King Saul had this particular attitude. (31:14) And listen to the rebuke that Samuel gave to King Saul that sheds light on this attitude.

(31:27) In 1 Samuel 15, 22 and 23. (31:46) It is better to listen to him than to offer the fat from rams. (31:53) Refusing to obey is as bad as the sin of sorcery, witchcraft.

(32:05) Being stubborn and doing what you want is like the sin of worshiping idols. (32:13) You refuse to obey the Lord’s command, so now he refuses to accept you as king. (32:24) Do you see what the me, me, me, I want to do what I want to do attitude is? (32:33) It’s rebellion to God.

(32:36) If you don’t yield to God, if you don’t obey his word, (32:40) it’s as bad as sorcery or witchcraft or worshiping idols. (32:49) And think about it. (32:51) If you’re doing something that you feel is more important than putting God first, (32:56) perhaps it is an idol in your life.

(33:00) The Apostle John in his first letter says, (33:04) little children, keep yourselves from idols. (33:08) So ouch for Saul. (33:10) Hearing the word and not doing it is bad news.

(33:15) If we examine ourselves and we find that we have this attitude, (33:19) we need to repent as soon as possible. (33:23) The Hebrew writer tells us that the Holy Mirror, the word of God, (33:28) makes us aware of the things that we do that are sinful (33:31) and actually lets us see inside ourselves. (33:35) We can see our thoughts and attitudes.

(33:38) And hiding among those are our lusts, (33:41) the very motivating force that may cause us to act inappropriately. (33:47) So God’s word helps us to judge our thoughts and actions honestly (33:54) so we can make good choices in our effort to try to be sin free. (34:00) If we want to be with our Lord in heaven (34:03) and get to see the mansion that Jesus is preparing for us, (34:08) we need to heed these warnings.

(34:11) If we continue in our sin without trying to resist (34:15) or just go on living a dual life, so to speak, (34:20) and James talks about that, (34:22) that’s the double-minded man that he warns us about. (34:27) We won’t get to see the heavenly home. (34:32) And that double-mindedness is hypocrisy (34:35) that Jesus would go toe-to-toe with (34:38) when talking with the scribes and Pharisees.

(34:42) And if you remember, I brought a lesson concerning Matthew 23 (34:46) about the seven woes pronounced upon the scribes and Pharisees. (34:53) And guess what the scribes and Pharisees today would be? (34:57) Perhaps us, religious leaders. (35:01) We’ve got to be careful not to have the attitude of scribes and Pharisees (35:08) so we don’t get woe unto you, hypocrites.

(35:13) And then he spells out all the terrible things we do. (35:19) Those of us who felt bad about sinning (35:23) and recognizing the need for a Savior (35:26) will make these adjustments in our life. (35:30) Our hearts were stirred by God’s Word, and we accepted it.

(35:36) We struggled with and overcome sin (35:38) by following His teachings, accepting His grace. (35:44) God doesn’t want pretenders. (35:46) And the Pharisees felt they didn’t need Jesus as a Savior (35:51) because they had the Mary Poppins Syndrome.

(35:54) They thought they were practically perfect in every way. (35:58) If you remember that Disney movie. (36:01) So anyhow, verse 3. (36:03) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back (36:07) and take you to be with me, that you also may be where I am.

(36:11) And Jesus here gives everybody another clue (36:14) as to the sequence of events surrounding His second coming. (36:19) He took away some of the mystery as to what happens after we die (36:23) before His second coming, as told in Luke 16 (36:29) in the story of Lazarus and the rich man. (36:31) He tells us what happens when we die.

(36:35) When we die, we go to one of two places in Hades (36:39) as we wait for final judgment. (36:43) When a believer dies, they get escorted by angels (36:47) into Abraham’s bosom, also known as paradise. (36:51) It’s the peaceful, sleepy place where we wait for the Lord’s second coming.

(36:59) There, we are unmolested. (37:03) We’re just hanging out. (37:07) Waiting to receive our new bodies.

(37:10) It’s just the inside of us, our soul, that goes on. (37:16) And those angels are charged with taking that soul, (37:22) our thinking, rationalizing, loving part of us (37:28) onto a resting place, the good side of Hades. (37:32) But when an unbeliever dies, (37:37) they are immediately put in torment on the fiery side of Hades.

(37:44) The good side separated from the bad side by a deep, impassable chasm. (37:53) But apparently, those who are on the fiery side are still conscious. (37:59) They’re aware.

They’re thinking of their life (38:07) and how they ended up where they are. (38:09) They are in torment because the rich man, when he died, (38:14) immediately was in flames. (38:17) And he wanted Abraham, who had just welcomed in Lazarus.

(38:22) There’s Lazarus with Abraham. (38:24) And he says, Father Abraham, send Lazarus over here (38:28) to dip his finger in some cool water (38:31) and put out the flame on my tongue. (38:34) What’s the answer? (38:39) Horrible words nobody ever wants to hear.

(38:43) My son, the rich man was a Jew, and Abraham recognized that. (38:50) You had your good things in this life, (38:53) and Lazarus had nothing. (38:56) But now he’s at peace, and you are in torment.

(39:01) Well, then send him back. (39:03) Warn my brothers about this place. (39:07) No can do.

(39:09) Once you are in your place, there is no going back. (39:18) His answer was, they have the law and Moses to warn them. (39:24) Let them, his brothers, listen to them.

(39:30) Word of God. (39:32) That’s our only warning. (39:39) So, at Jesus' second coming, (39:42) is the resurrection of the dead and the living, (39:45) when the good and the bad, all humans, (39:48) will experience the resurrection.

(39:52) There’s the resurrection of life. (39:55) Those who have done good and obeyed the Lord (39:58) go on to the resurrection of life. (40:02) And the resurrection of death, (40:04) those who rejected the gospel, rejected Christ, (40:08) they go on to hell.

(40:10) The second death, the lake of fire, (40:16) will be with Satan and his demons for eternity. (40:21) So we have the opportunity to straighten out our lives now, (40:28) while we can, before it’s too late, (40:32) so we don’t end up in that state. (40:36) We’ve got to do everything we can (40:39) to work out our salvation here in the now.

(40:47) There’s no two-part resurrection. (40:53) There’s a lot of false teaching about Christ coming back (40:56) and setting up a long, earthly kingdom, (41:00) and then the resurrection after that. (41:09) When Christ comes back, that’s it.

(41:11) You hear the horn, you’re going to one of two places. (41:17) The first three verses in John 14 (41:20) explain truthfully what’s happening in the future. (41:25) And one thing for certain is that Jesus wants us in heaven.

(41:31) I’m going there to prepare a place for you, (41:34) and I will come back and take you to be with me. (41:39) Jesus wants each and every one of us in heaven with Him. (41:44) How wonderful is that? (41:47) Let’s not be the stumbling block in our own lives (41:50) that prevents us from going there.

(41:55) Accept the Lord. (42:00) So it’s up to us to keep the faith until the very end, (42:06) either the very end of time when Christ comes back (42:09) while we’re still living, (42:10) or the end of our own lives. (42:13) Keep the faith.

(42:15) This is the invitation. (42:17) You want to be a part of that great event (42:21) of the resurrection of life, (42:23) and you want to have a home in heaven, (42:26) now’s the time to make things right. (42:29) Come as we stand and sing.