The Midnight Cry

The Shout of the Lord

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

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Series Code: TMC

Program Code: TMC000019A


00:18 Thank you... thank you very much.
00:21 Maddy Couperus has worked with us for about the last 9 years.
00:26 She'll be singing for those that are watching by television.
00:42 How about your heart?
00:47 Is it right with God?
00:52 That's the thing that counts
00:57 today!
01:02 Is it wracked with sin
01:07 or is it pure within?
01:12 Would you ask Christ in
01:16 to stay?
01:23 People often see you
01:28 as you are outside.
01:33 Jesus really knows you
01:37 for He sees inside you.
01:43 How about your heart?
01:48 Is it right with God?
01:53 That's the thing that counts
01:58 today!
02:03 Friend, if you could see
02:08 all that you can be
02:14 would you ask Christ in
02:18 today?
02:24 He won't let you stray
02:29 if He guides your way.
02:34 He is waiting...
02:37 come today.
02:44 People often see you
02:50 as you are outside.
02:55 Jesus really knows you
03:00 for He sees inside you.
03:06 How about your heart?
03:11 Is it right with God?
03:16 That's the thing
03:18 that counts
03:21 today!
03:35 This weekend it has been our joy and privilege
03:38 to have the twin pianos of Myrna Matthews-Haynes
03:42 and Adrian Westney with us.
03:44 And tonight they're going to play a Negro spiritual:
03:48 John Saw That Number. Let's welcome the twin pianos!
10:51 We're delighted to have Herman and Sonnie Harp with us.
10:57 They're going to sing a beautiful song
11:00 entitled Don't It Make You Want To Go Home?
11:02 They'll be accompanied by Dona Klein at the organ.
11:14 When the things of your life
11:19 that you cherished
11:23 seem almost too heavy
11:28 to bear.
11:33 And you cry through the long
11:37 lonely nights in despair
11:43 and you feel like
11:46 there's no one to care.
11:54 Don't it make you want to
11:58 go home?
12:02 Where no heartaches or tears
12:07 ever come.
12:12 When you think of the place
12:17 He's preparing for you
12:23 don't it make you want to
12:28 go home?
12:33 Out on a lonely
12:38 hilltop
12:42 when you've laid a loved one
12:48 to rest.
12:52 And your heart breaks within you...
12:57 your world's at an end
13:02 lay your head
13:05 on your dear Savior's breast.
13:14 Don't it make you want to
13:18 go home?
13:23 Where no heartaches or tears
13:28 ever come.
13:33 When you think of the place
13:38 He's preparing for you
13:44 don't it make you want to
13:48 go home?
13:56 Don't it make you want to
14:01 go home?
14:26 Heavenly Father,
14:29 we look forward to that day when we can go home.
14:34 Where there won't be any sorrow,
14:36 crying, or pain.
14:39 We pray tonight as we
14:42 look at all the provisions that You've made
14:46 for each one of us
14:48 to have that opportunity no matter who we are
14:51 we thank you.
14:53 We ask that You would give us tonight
14:56 the understanding, the wisdom that we need.
14:59 Pray, Lord, that our hearts may be soft and tender.
15:04 That the Holy Spirit may be able to speak to each of us
15:07 and draw us nearer to You.
15:09 For this we ask in Christ's name, Amen.
15:21 Scripture says that the Word of God is living,
15:24 powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
15:29 It says that God merely speaks
15:32 and things come into existence.
15:35 Listen:
15:48 I mean, He spoke and the earth was formed,
15:53 came into existence.
15:55 So when God speaks, folks,
15:58 mighty things take place and happen.
16:01 In fact, there on Mt. Sinai
16:04 it says as He spoke the law
16:06 into existence, Deuteronomy 5:22
16:17 He stood there and He spoke the commandments of God.
16:26 He spoke the Word of God into existence.
16:32 So Moses said that "He spoke that, wrote it
16:35 on tables of stone, and gave it to me. "
16:38 The Bible says that when Jesus comes back
16:43 He's going to speak. It doesn't just say
16:46 He's going to speak. Says He's going to SHOUT!
16:49 Listen:
17:05 Says He's going to come; He's going to shout.
17:08 His words are going to roll through this earth
17:10 like thunder and those that are dead in the ground
17:14 are literally going to hear that voice
17:17 and they're going to come up out of the ground.
17:20 They're going to rise...
17:21 resurrection will take place.
17:24 All these people that are going to come forth
17:28 when Jesus speaks... when He shouts
17:31 where are they coming from?
17:35 Are they up in heaven?
17:38 Are they in hell?
17:41 Just exactly where are these people?
17:44 We need to establish that.
17:45 We need to establish what God's Word says.
17:48 Where are these people that when He shouts
17:50 and they're all going to be resurrected
17:53 where are they coming from?
17:56 Well let's see. The Scripture tells us very clearly
17:59 where they come from.
18:12 So it says clearly all these people that are in the graves
18:17 will hear His voice and come forth.
18:29 So the Scripture says clearly
18:30 that all of the dead are going to come up out of the grave.
18:35 Let's look at another one.
18:37 Daniel 12 verse 2. This is Daniel. This is one
18:40 that he said: "Daniel, you are greatly beloved. "
18:44 I mean he... You know that there are only 2 people in the Bible
18:48 that it doesn't say anything bad about. Do you know that?
18:51 That's Daniel and Joseph.
18:53 So he's very much beloved.
18:56 So listen to what the Lord says to Daniel:
19:08 They're in the dust of the earth. OK.
19:15 OK. So it makes it very clear that
19:18 they are asleep in the dust of the ground.
19:22 They're going to come out of that.
19:24 You remember when Jesus was crucified
19:29 the veil in the temple was rent?
19:31 Did you know that the Bible says
19:33 that the graves opened?
19:35 Huh? Listen to this:
19:53 So these people that are dead
19:56 and when Jesus comes and calls
19:59 where are they coming from, folks?
20:01 Graves. They're not coming from heaven.
20:05 They're not coming from some spirit world.
20:09 They're coming from the grave
20:11 is exactly what the Scripture tells us.
20:13 And it says these people that came out of the grave...
20:23 So the Bible makes it very clear where they are.
20:27 I guess the question we need to ask ourselves then tonight is:
20:30 what's their condition?
20:32 You know, if they're in the grave
20:35 then do the dead retain their senses?
20:38 Can they see? Hear? Taste? Touch? Smell?
20:45 Do the dead experience such things as
20:48 joy? Sorrow? Pain?
20:51 What just happens to a person when they die?
20:53 What is their condition?
20:55 Well, let's see if the Scripture will tell us
20:56 what their condition is.
21:15 So the Scripture says when the person's in the grave
21:18 they don't know? "Nothing. " Anything.
21:22 You know, it's always amused me why...
21:25 why people want to think that the people in the grave
21:27 know something, you know.
21:30 Let me ask you a question tonight:
21:33 when you go to cross the street
21:35 which way do you look first?
21:37 To the left or to the right?
21:41 Some of you don't even know, do you?
21:45 OK... all of you since you were children
21:48 have been taught to look to the left
21:50 'cause that's the way the traffic's coming from.
21:52 And that's great as long as you don't travel.
21:56 OK? Because there are places in the world where they
21:58 drive on the other side of the street.
22:00 And I have been there, you know, and looked.
22:03 Nobody coming. Step out in the street
22:06 and boy, right there it was. Just almost got me.
22:08 OK... there's people lose their life every year
22:11 over that one thing. OK?
22:13 So let's say I'm not watching where I'm going.
22:15 All right? And I step out in the street
22:18 and this car hits me, knocks me down.
22:21 Knocks me unconscious. OK?
22:25 Do I know anything?
22:26 No. I'm unconscious... I don't know anything.
22:29 And they call the ambulance.
22:31 They put me in the ambulance and they rush me to the hospital.
22:35 They roll me into the emergency room
22:37 and the doctor comes in and examines me.
22:41 And he says: "This man is hurt internally.
22:43 We're going to have to operate on him. "
22:45 So they roll me into the operating room.
22:48 They call the anesthetist.
22:50 Comes in and they begin to give me the anesthetic.
22:53 They put me to sleep.
22:54 Do I know anything? No. Huh?
22:57 No! I'm asleep... I don't know a thing.
22:59 The doctor starts operating on me
23:02 and while he's operating on me my heart stops beating.
23:06 Now I know everything!
23:11 No, folks... See?
23:13 The Bible just says that when a person dies
23:15 they don't know anything.
23:18 Listen. It goes on further:
23:34 So the Bible makes it clear they don't know anything.
23:37 We've just gone through the Olympics.
23:41 I don't know if you've noticed it, but
23:44 so many times I see this where somebody who has
23:48 participated in one of the sports
23:50 and they win say the gold medal
23:54 and the commentator will be talking to them
23:58 and find out that maybe they lost their mother
24:02 or their father. And the commentator will say
24:05 something to them about "You know your Dad was
24:07 very close to you and helped you all this time
24:10 and it's been so nice if he could have been here"
24:14 and you know they talk about that.
24:15 And then something will be said about
24:17 "Well he's up in heaven looking down on you. "
24:20 I'm sure you've seen that time and time again.
24:22 Would you like to see what the Bible says about that?
24:24 Listen. This is what the Scrip- ture says about that very thing:
24:43 No... he doesn't know that.
24:47 They die. He's not aware of it.
24:48 He dies; he's not aware of what goes on there.
24:51 Makes it very clear.
25:04 Says he dies; breathes his last.
25:07 Where is he? Well, we found out where he is, didn't we?
25:10 He's in the grave; he doesn't know anything.
25:29 The Bible is crystal clear that the dead
25:33 don't know anything. They are asleep
25:36 and they will remain so until the coming of Jesus Christ.
25:48 They don't know anything. They don't praise God.
25:51 Says they just "go down into silence. "
25:54 That's where they are that whole time.
25:58 Well you say: "Well, they're in their grave.
26:00 They don't know anything. "
26:07 Well, I can tell you this, folks:
26:10 if you think that philosophy offers you some hope,
26:13 you missed it.
26:16 You know, I've read the works of atheists,
26:20 agnostics, and infidels
26:21 and when I got through
26:24 it was just nothing there. It was just darkness.
26:27 There was no hope at all.
26:28 I want you to listen to what Christ offers to you:
26:45 Now folks, let's get something clear:
26:47 where is eternal life? In you?
26:52 No... eternal life is in His Son.
26:56 Listen:
27:06 It's simply right there. And if you want life,
27:11 if you want eternal life,
27:12 it's found totally and completely in Jesus Christ.
27:16 No one else.
27:18 See, Christ died. Did He stay in the grave?
27:24 No! He did not stay in the grave.
27:26 He came forth from the grave. Listen to the promise of God,
27:29 what He says He will do for you and for me:
27:55 So it says that same Spirit that gave life
27:58 to Jesus Christ will give your life.
28:02 That's where the hope is. The hope is in Jesus Christ.
28:06 It is not you and I. Nowhere in that Bible, folks,
28:10 does it says that you and I have immortality.
28:15 Just doesn't promise that.
28:17 We get immortality because of Jesus Christ.
28:21 We are mortal. That means we are subject to death.
28:25 We do not have immortality of ourselves.
28:29 OK... the Bible doesn't promise that.
28:32 It promises that we get im- mortality through Jesus Christ.
28:36 He's the One that gives it.
28:38 Well then, we need to ask ourselves a question.
28:40 If this happens at the resurrection,
28:43 when does the resurrection take place?
28:48 Well, let's see if the Scripture will tell us.
29:07 So when is the resurrection going to take place?
29:10 At the last day. If you're not clear on that,
29:12 look at this one:
29:28 Is it getting clearer?
29:29 The resurrection takes place at the last day.
29:33 One more:
29:36 "No one can come to Me
29:38 unless the Father who sent Me draws him... "
29:45 So the Scripture is crystal clear
29:47 that the resurrection is going to take place at the last day.
29:50 It says you and I as individuals are mortal.
29:54 It says that we're subject to death
29:56 and that when we die we are in the grave.
29:59 We don't know anything until the resurrection.
30:03 At the last day: that's when the resurrection will take place.
30:07 Now this idea... You know, this idea that
30:11 when you die, if you're good you go to heaven
30:14 and if you're bad you go to hell...
30:17 that really causes some major problems
30:20 in understanding God's Word.
30:22 Let me show you a few of them.
30:24 If it's true that when you die
30:28 if you're good you go to heaven
30:29 and if you're bad you go to hell,
30:31 then what need is there of a resurrection?
30:35 Why have one if all the righteous are up in heaven? See?
30:40 Why not just gather the live and take them to heaven?
30:43 All the rest are there.
30:45 If this is true that when you die
30:49 if you're good you go to heaven; if you're bad you go
30:51 to hell, then what need is there of the coming of Jesus?
30:57 Why does Jesus need to come back
30:59 if when you die you go to heaven?
31:02 Not really any reason.
31:04 Or if it's true, then what need is there of a judgment?
31:10 You talk about getting in trouble
31:12 have someone go to heaven and be there for a few hundred years
31:15 and then have the judgment and find out
31:17 they didn't belong there. That won't work, see.
31:22 So what I'm trying to say
31:23 that does away with some of the great teachings of God's Word.
31:28 I have a friend
31:30 when her daughter was about, oh, I don't know,
31:34 five years old or so
31:36 they went out to the cemetery to put some flowers
31:39 on the aunt's grave. And they got out there
31:44 and laid the flowers on the grave there.
31:46 And this little girl... the wheels were turning.
31:49 And she reached over and tugged on her mother's skirt
31:53 and she said: "Is Aunt Polly in there? "
31:57 Her mother said: "Oh, no. Aunt Polly's not there.
32:00 She's up in heaven. "
32:02 And the little girl thought that through for a little bit
32:05 and she tugged on her mother's skirt and she said:
32:07 "Why are we putting the flowers there? "
32:12 And of course this really threw the mother into confusion
32:15 you know. She didn't know exactly what to say.
32:18 And so she said: "Well, Aunt Polly's up in heaven
32:22 but her body's here. "
32:25 And the little girl thought a little bit
32:27 and tugged on her mother's skirt and said:
32:30 "Aunt Polly's up in heaven run- ning around without a body? "
32:33 You see, you get into all kinds of difficulty
32:37 when you depart from the Word of God, folks.
32:40 God has made it very very clear - very simple -
32:45 that when a person dies he's asleep.
32:49 He doesn't know anything
32:50 and will not until the resurrection morning.
32:54 THEN he'll come forth from the grave.
33:09 So that makes it clear where they're coming from: the grave.
33:12 God promises that they'll be resurrected
33:16 from the grave. I Corinthians 5:12...
33:19 Excuse me, 15 verse 20.
33:22 One of the great, great scriptures, folks.
33:26 Promises to you and I change.
33:29 Promises to us immortality. Listen:
33:49 So it says He's going to gather them all.
33:51 Take them to heaven at His coming.
33:54 Well, when the people are all resurrected from the grave
33:57 what are they going to be like? Hmm?
34:03 Going to be an invisible spirit just kind of flitting around?
34:06 Is that what they're going to be like?
34:08 What does the Scripture tell us that we will be like
34:11 at the resurrection?
34:33 Let me tell you something, dear friend:
34:35 you'll be just as real as you are today.
34:39 There'll be some changes.
34:41 You know? You won't be sick.
34:45 You won't ever get tired.
34:47 OK? There won't be any sorrow.
34:50 There won't be any pain.
34:51 All that will be gone
34:53 but you'll be a very real person.
34:57 How real?
35:06 So he's a very real person.
35:12 Oh for that day when He's coming back!
35:15 Coming back in which there will be no more sin.
35:21 Ever thought about that? What would this world be like
35:24 if there was no sin?
35:27 Huh? What would it be like?
35:32 No crime... no death.
35:38 No heartache... no sorrow.
35:41 Marvelous! "How my heart yearns
35:45 for that day! " Promises this.
35:58 They're going to do what? All that are in the grave
36:01 are going to what? Hear His voice.
36:03 So we found out that they've got flesh.
36:06 We found out that they can see.
36:08 We found out now that they can what? Hear.
36:11 They'll hear His voice.
36:22 Now folks, this is one of the great scriptures
36:25 as far as I'm concerned that tells you exactly
36:27 what you're going to be like. So here is Jesus.
36:29 This is after the resurrection
36:30 and He's walked into the room there and He's said to them:
36:33 "Peace be to you. "
36:35 Watch what happens here:
36:42 They think they're seeing a what? A ghost.
36:46 What they think they're seeing is a ghost.
36:48 Let's see if it's a ghost.
36:50 Let's see if it's a spirit, OK?
37:12 Said: "Come here... touch Me...
37:15 feel Me. I'm not a spirit; I'm not a ghost. "
37:19 "Thomas, put your finger in the handprints. "
37:23 Not something that's ethereal... a real, real person.
37:28 Do you know how real He was?
37:31 Listen:
37:38 He said: "I'm not a spirit; I'm not a ghost...
37:41 I'm a real person. "
37:45 "And when He had said this
37:46 He showed them His hands and His feet. "
37:49 Now listen to this, folks:
38:01 Said: "Got anything to eat?
38:03 I'm hungry! " That's not a spirit; that's not a ghost,
38:07 folks. "Have you got something to eat? "
38:10 We'll be real people; we'll do real things.
38:16 Heaven will be a very, very real place, folks!
38:22 God promises that to you and to me.
38:26 What's our bodies going to be like?
38:29 Listen... Philippians 3:21:
38:37 Oh, it's going to be conformed to His glorious body.
38:40 Glorious body is referring to His body after the resurrection.
38:44 After the resurrection what kind of a body did He have?
38:47 Flesh and bones. He saw, He ate, tasted.
38:51 Real body. Ours will be like His body.
38:54 Glorious body!
39:01 So He has a very, very real body.
39:10 I mean, if all the dead are asleep in the grave
39:13 is there anybody in heaven now?
39:14 Yes, there are some people in heaven now.
39:17 The Bible tells us that Enoch...
39:19 Enoch, the 7th from Adam, the Scripture says,
39:22 was taken to heaven without seeing death.
39:25 That's what it says. So he's up in heaven.
39:27 The Scripture tells us that Elijah
39:30 was taken to heaven without seeing death.
39:33 Fiery chariot took him to heaven.
39:35 Elisha saw him go up into heaven.
39:38 The Bible tells us that Moses
39:41 died and in the book of Jude it says he
39:45 was resurrected and taken to heaven.
39:47 And you remember he's one of those people that appeared
39:49 to Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration.
39:54 I have people ask me and say:
39:58 "Do you think fasting is of any benefit? "
40:02 Huh? Do you think it is?
40:06 Fasting? There's only three people
40:10 in the Bible that fasted for 40 days.
40:15 Do you know who they were?
40:18 Moses, Elijah, and Jesus.
40:22 And those are the three on the Mount of Transfiguration.
40:26 Evidently has some value, right?
40:28 OK. But listen, it talks about some other people
40:32 that were taken to heaven. We read about them already
40:33 but we'll read it again.
40:51 These people were resurrected at the time Jesus died
40:55 and they were taken to heaven with Jesus because they are
40:58 the firstfruits of the resurrection.
41:00 He took them back with Him to heaven as living proof
41:03 of the resurrection. So they came up out of the grave.
41:06 They're in heaven.
41:08 So, yes, there's people in heaven.
41:09 But the vast majority of people
41:13 are waiting... waiting for Jesus to come back.
41:17 And when He comes back He's going to shout
41:21 and all the graves are going to open
41:25 and Jesus is going to call them forth from the grave.
41:31 You say: "Well Brother Cox...
41:34 what about the thief on the cross? "
41:37 "What about him? "
41:39 "Didn't he go to heaven that day? "
41:42 Well, let's see what the Scripture says to us. Luke 23:42
41:47 you remember? Speaking to Jesus he said to Jesus: "Lord,
41:51 remember me when you come into Your kingdom. "
42:06 You say: "Well that sounds like he went to heaven that day.
42:10 That's what that text says. "
42:13 That's what that text says.
42:15 "I say to you today, you will be with Me in paradise. "
42:19 That is what that text says.
42:22 The problem with that text is the comma is out of place.
42:27 Now folks, there is nothing inspired about punctuation.
42:32 Punctuation was put into the Scripture by the Medieval
42:35 church. It was not something that was in the original
42:37 language. OK?
42:39 The problem is here:
42:45 That sounds like He went to paradise that day.
42:48 If that's the way that text was, that would be right.
42:51 But the problem is that comma after you
42:55 belongs after today.
42:58 OK? If you put it there, it reads completely different.
43:02 So... let's put it there and see how it reads.
43:06 So you want to watch this very carefully.
43:08 This is what happens.
43:14 OK... we just moved it...
43:16 simply moved it over there to after today.
43:19 Now let's read it:
43:26 See, totally different meaning.
43:29 That first text saying he went to heaven that day.
43:32 This text is saying: "On this day that it doesn't look like
43:34 I have a kingdom. On this day that they plucked My beard;
43:37 on this day that they have put a crown of thorns
43:40 upon My head; on this day that it doesn't look like
43:43 I have a kingdom; on this day I'm promising you
43:46 you will be with Me in heaven. "
43:48 THAT's what that text actually should read.
43:51 You say: "Brother Cox, that's pretty weak. "
43:55 I believe it's true but I believe it's weak also.
43:58 So if you just hang on we'll make it much stronger.
44:01 All right?
44:03 You remember He was crucified between two thieves.
44:09 You remember they've gone out there...
44:13 they found that Jesus was dead.
44:15 Listen carefully:
44:25 Now folks, this Sabbath as it says is a high day.
44:39 So this is a high day.
44:42 It's a high day because the weekly Sabbath
44:46 and the annual Sabbath are falling on the same day.
44:50 That's what makes it a high day, OK?
44:53 So it's a high day, and they don't want their bodies
44:56 out there over the Sabbath.
44:58 So they've asked that their legs might be broken
45:02 that they might be taken away.
45:04 Now I told you, crucifixion
45:07 puts the person's body in a place that the only way
45:11 they can inhale
45:13 is by pushing up with their legs
45:16 and that way gets enough there because when
45:19 all this weight is thrown on their arms
45:21 they can exhale but they can't inhale.
45:23 The only way they can inhale is by pushing up with their legs.
45:26 So to break their legs puts them in a place
45:29 that they can't push up with it
45:31 and thus they'll suffocate.
45:33 Although this takes some time; this doesn't happen quickly.
45:37 This is not like a lethal injection
45:40 or it's not like the electric chair.
45:41 Understand that. This takes a period of time
45:45 for this to happen. So it says:
45:47 "that their legs might be broken they might be taken away. "
45:56 They broke their legs.
45:57 Of course, when they came to Jesus He was dead already.
46:02 What I'm trying to get across to you:
46:04 this is happening late... late Friday afternoon.
46:09 The sun's about to set.
46:11 I'm trying to tell you the thief didn't die that day.
46:16 See? Didn't die that day 'cause the sun was setting.
46:21 That became the end of the day. All right?
46:24 Secondly, Jesus did.
46:26 They buried Him.
46:28 Mary Magdalene has gotten to the tomb before anybody else.
46:33 In fact, the Scripture says she's gotten there
46:35 while it's still dark. Right?
46:38 When she gets there the stone's rolled away.
46:42 And she looks in and the body of Jesus is gone.
46:45 And as she turns around it's dark, folks.
46:48 It's not... the sun hasn't come up. It says she got there
46:51 while it was still dark. The sun hadn't come up yet.
46:53 And in the twilight of dawn
46:57 she can see the figure of somebody over there.
47:00 But not only is it dark
47:02 she's crying... so she can't see very well.
47:05 And she thinks that that individual she sees there
47:08 is the gardener.
47:09 And so she speaks to Him and says:
47:12 "If you've taken my Lord's body somewhere,
47:14 tell me what you've done with it
47:15 and I'll take care of it. "
47:18 And Jesus speaks to her... calls her by name.
47:22 And when He calls her by name she recognizes Him.
47:26 And she runs and she's going to hug Him.
47:30 Watch what happens:
47:59 What I'm telling you is Jesus didn't go to heaven that day.
48:03 He didn't go to heaven that day.
48:04 What he was telling that thief is He was saying: "Listen,
48:07 on this day that it doesn't look like I have a kingdom
48:11 I am promising you you'll have a place in My kingdom. "
48:14 That's what Jesus was saying to him.
48:17 Well you say: "But Brother Cox,
48:19 didn't Paul say some- thing about going to heaven? "
48:26 I have a lot of people that read that.
48:30 Let's read the text, folks. This is what it says:
48:44 So they say: "Oh, that just simply means
48:47 that when you die you're immediately present
48:50 with the Lord. " Now folks,
48:52 I have mentioned night after night
48:56 this Bible will be consistent.
48:59 OK? Do you understand the basis of inspiration?
49:04 The first five books of your Bible were written by Moses.
49:08 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
49:12 That was all written by Moses.
49:13 That's called the Pentateuch.
49:15 That became the basis of inspiration.
49:19 And so when the book of Joshua came along
49:22 it had to agree with what Moses said.
49:25 OK? And every book thereafter
49:29 had to agree with the other ones.
49:31 That's the basis of inspiration.
49:33 So what I'm trying to tell you is
49:35 that Moses and Paul won't disagree.
49:40 OK? And Paul and Jeremiah won't disagree.
49:44 And Jeremiah and John won't disagree.
49:47 It'll harmonize all the way through,
49:50 and Paul will not speak out of two sides of his mouth.
49:57 Understand... Paul will not do that.
50:00 Paul will not say one thing one place
50:02 and something else some other place.
50:06 So listen to what Paul has to say.
50:09 He says: "To be absent from the body
50:13 is to be present with the Lord. "
50:16 Did he in his mind think that that meant when he died
50:19 he was going to go straight to heaven?
50:21 Is that what he thought?
50:23 Well, let's see if he thinks that.
50:40 Is he confident?
50:42 Absolutely! Said: "I have fought a good fight,
50:44 I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. "
51:05 He's gonna give me on that Day...
51:07 When is that Day?
51:15 Paul understood clearly that when he died
51:19 there was no such thing as time.
51:24 You understand what I mean by that?
51:26 To that person who died 6,000 years ago
51:31 and that person who died today
51:33 it will seem only like "that" and Jesus will come.
51:37 There is no time in death.
51:41 And Paul understood that clearly.
51:43 He knew close his eyes in sleep
51:46 and the very next moment to him
51:48 Jesus'll be here.
51:51 That's the marvelous thing.
51:52 To your loved ones, my loved ones who have died -
51:57 closed their eyes in death -
51:59 it will seem to them only like a moment
52:03 and they'll open their eyes and see Jesus come.
52:07 That's what Paul understood; that's what Paul believed.
52:11 Nowhere in the Scripture...
52:18 Just doesn't say that, folks.
52:20 In fact, it says the opposite.
52:39 No... we're not immortal.
52:42 We don't have an immortal soul.
52:44 Says the soul that sin's gonna die.
52:47 Part of the consequence of sin.
52:50 Jesus gave us marvelous hope in the resurrection.
53:09 OK?
53:11 Daniel... Daniel that God gave that promise to
53:16 and you know said: "All those that are asleep in the dust
53:18 shall awake and come forth. "
53:20 Talking to Daniel himself - God is talking to Daniel.
53:23 Listen to what He says to this ancient man,
53:27 marvelous individual:
53:29 "But you, Daniel,
53:32 go your way till the end... "
53:46 He said: "Daniel, you're going to close your eyes
53:49 in death. Go to sleep, Daniel, and rest.
53:53 And at the end you're going to arise... come forth. "
53:58 That's promised to every one of us here.
54:00 I have people say to me: "Oh, Brother Cox,
54:02 I hope I can live to see Jesus come. "
54:07 "Really like to live to see Jesus come. "
54:09 I'm not so sure I want to.
54:12 I'm not so sure, folks,
54:15 that I want to miss the experience of the resurrection.
54:19 You know, that's bound to be a marvelous experience
54:23 when He's going to shout.
54:25 His words are going to roll through this earth
54:29 and the ground is going to open up.
54:31 And as it describes the body... the bones
54:34 are going to form back. You ever read about "them bones,
54:37 them bones, them dry bones" in Ezekiel?
54:40 Says they're all going to form back
54:42 and it says the flesh is going to come on those bones
54:44 and then the sinew and then the skin.
54:47 And then it says the Spirit of God is going to enter
54:49 into that person and they're going to live.
54:52 They're going to come back to life!
54:53 That must be a marvelous experience!
54:56 Not sure I want to miss that
54:58 when He's going to call all... all of His people forth
55:01 from the grave. They'll come forth new in Christ Jesus!
55:19 That's marvelous! Going to be changed.
55:42 All of us going to be changed.
55:44 This mortal shall put on immortality.
55:46 Did you know? Did you know that the Scripture not only
55:50 tells you that the dead are going to come out of the grave
55:53 but did you know that the Scripture tells you
55:56 exactly what Jesus is going to say?
55:59 Did you know that?
56:01 It tells you exactly what He's going to say when He comes.
56:03 This is what He'll say here in Isaiah 26:19.
56:22 Jesus is going to come back and He's going to shout out
56:24 across this whole earth: "Awake and sing! "
56:27 And boy, all those people that are in the ground
56:30 they're going to come out of that grave singing!
56:32 They're going to come out of there singing the praises
56:35 of God! Not only are they going to come out singing
56:38 it says the earth shall cast out her... what?
56:42 Dead. You'd better believe they're going to come out of the
56:44 ground singing. Do you know what they're going to be singing?
56:47 Hmm? Oh, they're going to sing those words in Corinthians
56:51 "O death, where is thy sting?
56:53 O death, where is thy victory? "
56:57 Singing! Coming forth from the grave.
57:00 That is promised to every individual
57:03 that has given their heart to Jesus Christ.
57:07 You tonight can have eternal life in Christ Jesus
57:11 simply by reaching out in faith and accepting Him.
57:15 Oh... oh what a glorious day
57:19 that will be when Jesus comes!
57:22 Let's bow our heads for a word of prayer.
57:23 Heavenly Father, we thank you
57:27 that You promised to each of us life.
57:31 That it's found only in You.
57:35 And we pray, Lord, that we may seek You
57:38 with all of our hearts.
57:40 And that as we do that You will give to us
57:44 all the wonderful things that You have promised.
57:47 Not because we have done anything
57:51 or because we deserve anything
57:54 but simply because of what Your Son has done for us.
57:58 For this we pray in Christ's name, Amen.


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Revised 2019-05-22