HE LIVES “UNTO THE AGES OF THE AGES”
REVELATION 1:9-10, 18
Psalms 18:46, “The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.”
Revelation 1:18, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
Introduction:
For hundreds of years Satan has tried to destroy the preaching of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He knows that it is the KEY to the Gospel’s power of over of sin. Death is the one enemy that man fears more than any other thing.
Jesus Christ is “LIVING” today and because He is “living” the believer will live “unto the Ages of the Ages” in God’s presence. Satan, who hates Jesus and the truth, is CONSTANTLY on the ATTACK to destroy this great doctrine of the Word of God. HOWEVER, JESUS LIVES…
I. HE LIVES BY THE PLAN OF GOD
A. God’s plan is to save man by Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, Matthew 16:16, “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
1. God is not the God of the dead, Matthew 22:32, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
2. Death has no dominion over the Son of God, Romans 6:9, “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.”
B. God’s Son has the VICTORY OVER death and the grave, 1 Corinthians 15:54-55,57, “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1. Jesus has DELIVERED US from the POWER of death, Hebrews 2:14-15, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
2. There is NO CONDEMNATION to those who are in Christ Jesus, Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
3. He RESCUES our BODIES from the grave, and FASHIONS them LIKE unto HIS glorious body, Philippians 3:21, “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”
II. HE LIVES BY THE PURPOSE OF GOD
A. God’s purpose GUIDED HIS PLAN for the redemption of man, Ephesians 1:11, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”
B. God’s purpose is NOT temporary, Ephesians 3:11, “According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:”
C. God’s purpose is to DESTROY the works of the devil, 1 John 3:8, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
III. HE LIVES BY THE POWER OF GOD
A. Even though Jesus was crucified YET HE LIVES, 2 Corinthians 13:4, “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.”
1. He lives by the POWER of God, John 10:18, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
2. We shall live WITH HIM by the same power, Romans 6:4, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
B. CHOSEN WITNESSES of His Resurrection are ABUNDANT, Acts 10:39-41, “And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly 41 NOT TO ALL the people, BUT unto witnesses CHOSEN BEFORE OF GOD, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.”
1. The Lord was seen by Peter and then by all twelve of the Apostles, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:”
2. The Lord was seen by more than 500 brethren, 1 Corinthians 15:6, “After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.”
3. The Lord was seen by James, 1 Corinthians 15:7, “After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.”
CONCLUSION:
Because He lives, we shall also live, John 14:19, “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.”