<< Previous | Index | Next >>"THE GOSPEL OF MARK" The Resurrection Of The Dead (12:18-27) INTRODUCTION 1. After the Pharisees and Herodians, the Sadducees make their attempt to confound Jesus... a. A sect of the Jews who did not believe in the resurrection - Mk 12:18; Ac 23:8 b. Who thought they had an unanswerable argument - Mk 12:19-23 2. Jesus quickly answered their supposed dilemma... a. Charging them with being mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures or God’s power - Mk 12:24 b. Explaining first that marital relations do not continue in the resurrection - Mk 12:25 c. Proving the resurrection by the words of God to Moses at burning bush - Mk 12:26-27 [The Sadducees were "greatly mistaken" regarding the resurrection (Mk 12:27). The same might be said of many people today. Lest we be mistaken about the resurrection of the dead, let’s review what is revealed in the Scriptures concerning this wonderful event. Beginning with...] I. THE FACT OF THE RESURRECTION A. JESUS TAUGHT THERE WILL BE A RESURRECTION... 1. In which both those good and evil will come forth from the grave - Jn 5:28-29 2. Jesus assures those who believe in Him will be raised at the last day - Jn 6:39-40,44,54 B. HIS APOSTLES PROCLAIMED A RESURRECTION... 1. Peter and John preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead - Ac 4:1-2 2. Before the Sanhedrin and Felix, Paul confessed his hope in the resurrection - Ac 23:6; 24:15 3. To the church at Corinth, Paul asserted the necessity of the resurrection - 1Co 15:12-23 4. To the church at Thessalonica, Paul taught the doctrine of the resurrection - 1Th 4:16-18 [Unless one questions the authority of Christ and His apostles, the fact of the resurrection is undeniable. But how can such a thing happen? It helps to remember...] II. THE AGENT OF THE RESURRECTION A. CHRIST ATTRIBUTED IT TO THE POWER OF GOD... 1. As He reminded the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection - Mk 12:24 2. And of course, "with God nothing will be impossible" - cf. Lk 1:37 B. PAUL ALSO EMPHASIZED THE POWER OF GOD... 1. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead - 1Co 6:14 2. He who can raise Jesus from the dead can certainly raise us up at the last day - 2Co 4:14 [While it may be difficult for us to comprehend how the dead can be raised, it is not difficult for God to do it (unless "your" God is too small)! Another question to be addressed concerning the resurrection pertains to who will be raised. Therefore we note...] III. THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE RESURRECTION A. JESUS TAUGHT ALL WILL BE RAISED... 1. "All who are in the graves will...come forth" - Jn 5:28 2. Both "those who have done good" and "those who have done evil" - Jn 5:29 3. One to experience a "resurrection of life", the other a "resurrection of condemnation" B. PAUL TAUGHT ALL WILL BE RAISED... 1. There will be a resurrection "both of the just and the unjust" - Ac 24:15 2. "for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive" - 1Co 15:21-22 [While there may be a difference in the nature of the resurrected bodies (see below), in some way everyone will be raised from the dead! What about the timing of the resurrection...?] IV. THE TIME OF THE RESURRECTION A. AT "THE LAST DAY," WHEN THE LORD COMES AGAIN... 1. Jesus spoke again and again of raising the dead at "the last day" - Jn 6:39-40,44,54 2. Paul wrote of it occurring when Jesus comes again, to deliver the kingdom to the Father, having destroyed the last enemy, death itself - 1Co 15:22-26 3. He later says that it will occur at "the last trumpet" - 1Co 15:52 B. WHAT ABOUT DOCTRINES OF SEPARATE RESURRECTIONS...? 1. Premillennialists (and others) teach that there will be more than just one resurrection a. All Premillennialists teach at least two resurrections: 1) The resurrection of believers at the beginning of the millennium 2) The resurrection of unbelievers at the end of the millennium b. Dispensational Premillennialists add two more: 1) The resurrection of tribulation saints at the end of the seven-year tribulation 2) The resurrection of millennial saints at the end of the millennium 2. There are several reasons why the doctrines of several resurrections are found wanting... a. The Bible presents the resurrection of believers and unbelievers as occurring together - Dan 12:2; Jn 5:28-29; Ac 24:14-15; Re 20:11-15 b. The Bible teaches that believers will be raised at "the last day", not several times (and therefore several days, years, or millennium) before the last day! - Jn 6:39-40,44,54 c. Passages offered in support of several resurrections do not necessarily teach what Premillennialists say they do 1) 1Th 4:13-16 concerns itself with the resurrection of the righteous, but that does not demand that the wicked are not being raised at the same time 2) Re 20:4-6 describes a resurrection of "souls", not bodies, and the reigning with Christ is likely to occur in heaven, not on earth - cf. Re 2:26-27; 3:21 [One more subject to be considered in this study, and that pertains to...] V. THE BODY OF THE RESURRECTION A. THE RESURRECTION BODY OF THE RIGHTEOUS... 1. Will be our physical bodies, but gloriously changed and different! - 1Co 15:35-55 a. By the power of God (Mk 12:24), our bodies will serve as the "kernel" from which comes incorruptible and immortal bodies in which to house our souls - 1Co 15:35-37 b. Our physical bodies... 1) Sown in corruption, will be raised in incorruption! - 1Co 15:42 2) Sown in dishonor, will be raised in glory! - 1Co 15:43 3) Sown in weakness, will be raised in power! - 1Co 15:43 4) Sown as natural bodies, will be raised as spiritual bodies! - 1Co 15:44-49 c. Even those alive at Christ’s coming will undergo this "change", in which that which is corruptible and mortal will "put on" incorruption and immortality - 1Co 15:50-55 2. Will be conformed to the glorious body of our Lord! - Php 3:20-21 a. That which is "lowly" will be transformed to be like that which "glorious" b. How? "...according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself" - i.e., by the power of God! - cf. Mk 12:24 B. THE RESURRECTION BODY OF THE WICKED... 1. Very little is revealed, other than the wicked will indeed be raised from the dead 2. Though the Scriptures only apply the terms "incorruption" and "immortality" to the bodies of the righteous, most understand that the resurrection body of the wicked... a. Is not subject again to death b. Is capable of experiencing eternal suffering 3. There are some, however, who understand that the "second death" will be literal... a. After the resurrection and judgment, the wicked will "die" again (a separation of resurrected "body" and spirit) b. Not that the wicked will be annihilated, but that they will spend eternity as "disembodied spirits" in the lake of fire c. This is not to be confused with those who don't believe in a resurrection of the wicked, or who believe the wicked will be annihilated 4. Since the Bible is relatively silent on this subject perhaps "the best course seems to be simply leave the problem where it was left by the writers of the New Testament." - Ray Summers, The Life Beyond, p.93 CONCLUSION 1. There is probably more about the resurrection we would like to know... a. But we can know more than the Sadducees knew or believed! b. If we are willing to accept both the Scriptures and the power of God! 2. From the Scriptures we can know... a. The fact of the resurrection b. The agent of the resurrection c. The universality of the resurrection d. The time of the resurrection e. The body of the resurrection 3. Which is certainly enough to motivate those who... a. Desire whatever God has planned for those who love and obey Him! b. Are making it their aim to be ready for whatever God has prepared! Does the hope of the resurrection motivate you to abound in the work of the Lord...? - cf. 1Co 15:54-58<< Previous | Index | Next >>
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