But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive! (Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
Please join us this Sunday, April 14th at 10:00 am, as Calvary Bible Church hosts its weekly Bible Teaching and Communion Fellowship Service in the front lobby of the U.S. Bank Building, 303 Crescent Avenue (near the corner of Crescent & Metropole), offering a Biblical study entitled: “Life After Death: But Wait, There’s More!" taken from the Gospel of John and the Letters of the Apostle Paul. Please join us and hear this message of love and truth from God's Life-Changing Word!
On Easter Sunday, we celebrated the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Prior to His death and resurrection, Jesus taught us what we should expect after we die and pass from this life into the next. For one thing, Jesus Himself clarified the ancient belief that the “good” would be rewarded with a pleasant “afterlife” and the “bad” would suffer a painful, eternal punishment. (Luke 16:19-31) But better than that, Jesus went on to define who is “good” and who is “bad,” by clearing up both Jewish and pagan misconceptions of the kind of relationship God and humanity needs to have with one another. He zeroed in on worship (John 4:23-24), loving God and one another (Luke 10:27), and the importance of just “hanging in there” until the end in order to receive our reward. (Revelation 2 & 3) But even better than these words, Jesus showed us all what kind of body we can expect to receive, when we join Him in His glorious, heavenly kingdom.
Just before Jesus was crucified and arose from the dead in His new, glorified body, He toke Peter, James, and John up to the summit of Mt. Tabor and there was "transfigured" before them into His "glorified" heavenly body. The three apostles tell us that they "were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' And we heard this voice which came from heaven, when we were with Him on the holy mountain." (2 Peter 1:16-18) For 40 days following His resurrection, Jesus showed all of His disciples this new body, a body made of "flesh and bone," yet heavenly-transformed. (Luke 24:39) This new "glorified" body, as we call it, could disappear from sight (Luke 24:31) and even pass through walls and locked doors! (John 20:19) This is the new body which Paul tells us, we will have when Jesus returns to take us to His heavenly kingdom, and the same everlasting life promised by Jesus Himself. (Colossians 3:4 & John 11:25)
The personal hope of a physical, bodily resurrection from the dead is based on the promise of Jesus Himself, when He said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live!" (John 11:25) This promise from the one, true living God, Jesus Christ, is the entire foundation of Christianity. No other man-made religion on planet earth makes such a claim! Nor can they even suggest such a thing, for all of their founders are dead. Our founder, on the other hand, is alive! The Word of God guarantees the believer's resurrection at the return of Jesus Christ. Such hope and assurance results in a great song of triumph, as the Apostle Paul writes, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55) This is our Hope. This is our Victory. Our hope and obedience in Jesus Christ makes it possible to triumph over death. So, with this kind of guarantee, shouldn’t you ask yourself, “Don’t I want to live forever?” I know that I do!
Just before Jesus was crucified and arose from the dead in His new, glorified body, He toke Peter, James, and John up to the summit of Mt. Tabor and there was "transfigured" before them into His "glorified" heavenly body. The three apostles tell us that they "were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' And we heard this voice which came from heaven, when we were with Him on the holy mountain." (2 Peter 1:16-18) For 40 days following His resurrection, Jesus showed all of His disciples this new body, a body made of "flesh and bone," yet heavenly-transformed. (Luke 24:39) This new "glorified" body, as we call it, could disappear from sight (Luke 24:31) and even pass through walls and locked doors! (John 20:19) This is the new body which Paul tells us, we will have when Jesus returns to take us to His heavenly kingdom, and the same everlasting life promised by Jesus Himself. (Colossians 3:4 & John 11:25)
The personal hope of a physical, bodily resurrection from the dead is based on the promise of Jesus Himself, when He said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live!" (John 11:25) This promise from the one, true living God, Jesus Christ, is the entire foundation of Christianity. No other man-made religion on planet earth makes such a claim! Nor can they even suggest such a thing, for all of their founders are dead. Our founder, on the other hand, is alive! The Word of God guarantees the believer's resurrection at the return of Jesus Christ. Such hope and assurance results in a great song of triumph, as the Apostle Paul writes, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55) This is our Hope. This is our Victory. Our hope and obedience in Jesus Christ makes it possible to triumph over death. So, with this kind of guarantee, shouldn’t you ask yourself, “Don’t I want to live forever?” I know that I do!
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| His Empty Tomb is Our Guarantee of Our Own Resurrection to Life! |
When Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection in His new, glorified body, He told them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ (the Messiah King) to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations." (Luke 24:46-47) This is the true "gospel," the "good news" that ministers of our Lord are commanded to preach: repentance of your sins with the promise of everlasting life with Him in heaven. Your faith in this promise "comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) There is no other way to eternal life after you die. Please join us this Sunday and learn what God has to say about your future, as written in His inspired Holy Word... the Bible. Become a REAL Christian... a true follower of Jesus Christ. He gave up His life so that we -- each and every one of us -- might have eternal life!
Paul, in his letters to the early Church, tells us that it is our friend, Jesus Christ, who saves us from sin and gives us a resurrected body and eternal life -- we do not save ourselves. Trying to be "a good person" or doing good deeds does not lead to salvation. To both Jews and pagans, Paul preached "repentance of sin toward God and faith commitment toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:21) It is only by our repentance of sin (turning away from it) and direct commitment to Jesus Christ -- not belonging to a particular religion, following a church denomination, or doing "good works" -- that changes in our life and our eternal salvation are assured. Peter tells us how easy it is to find salvation: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) Are you ready to receive the free gift of eternal life from your new-found friend, Jesus?
Join Us This Sunday On Beautiful Catalina Island!
Each week's study is taught by Pastor Jason Gant, bringing you the loving and living Word of God from the Bible, chapter-by-chapter, verse-by-verse. Everyone is welcomed, and transportation is happily provided. Attendees at this Sunday's service will have the opportunity to ask their Bible questions and take part in a brief discussion period after the teaching. Our "Coffee & Carbs Fellowship" follows immediately afterwards. For more information, please call 310-510-3003 or visit our website at www.calvarybiblechurch.com. If you need prayer. please call our toll-free 24-Hour Prayer Line 1-866-Holy-Word (465-9967). Remember... Read the Book, Learn the Truth!
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