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Scripture Reading: Luke 24:1-9

Why Seek the Living Among the Dead?

 

Intro.

1.  The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation and keystone of the gospel, 1 Cor. 15:3-5, 14-19.

2.  On that great morning, the angels said to the women: “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” Lk. 24:5

3.  Valuable lessons we can draw from this statement.

 

I.  FIRST, THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS FACT, NOT FICTION.

   -Why seek the living Son of God among the dead people of history?

  A.  Was Predicted (foretold) by the Old Testament Prophets, Psa. 16:8-11 (Acts 2:25-28, 29-32); Acts 3:18.

  B.  Was Promised by Jesus, Lk. 24:6-8 (Jno. 2:18-22; Matt. 16:21; Jno. 11:25).
  C.  It Proclaimed (declared) the Deity of Christ,
Rom. 1:3-4.
     -Knees do not bow to a dead man, but to the living Christ, the Lord,
Phil. 2:8-11.

 

II.  THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST IS THE BEGINNING OF THE RESURRECTION OF ALL HUMANITY, 1 Cor. 15:20-23.

  -Why seek resurrection among the false (dead) doctrines of men?

  A.  There Will be Only One Resurrection of All the Dead.

    1.  Premillennialism has a first and second resurrection, separated by 1000 years, Jno. 5:28-29.

    2.  One resurrection: “At His coming” (1 Cor. 15:23-25); “last trumpet” (1 Cor. 15:51-54).

  B.  There is No Endless Reincarnation of Souls, Heb. 9:27 (Rebirth or transmigration of souls). Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. Buddhism sees death as the “beginning to a new life through reincarnation. What one will be in their next life is the result of how they lived in their past lives” (https://goo.gl/wFPvNV).

  C.  Wicked will Exist Forever, Matt. 10:28; 25:46; Rev. 20:10, 13-15.

     -Annihilation/No hell doctrines are false, Mk. 9:43-44 (Jehovah's Witnesses, 7th Day Adventists, Universalists, 70 AD doctrine).

 

III. WHY SEEK THE SPIRITUALLY LIVING AMONG THE SPIRITUALLY DEAD?

  -Why seek life in Christ where only spiritual death exists?

  A.  Water Baptism Marks the New Birth from Spiritual Death into Spiritual Life, Rom. 6:3-4; Eph. 2:1, 4-9.

  B.  Christians are Tempted to Go to the Spiritually Dead World Searching for the Answers to Life’s Difficult Questions.

    1.  Seeking spiritual counsel, Col. 2:20-23.

    2.  Seeking the purpose of life, cf. Eccl. 12:13-14.

      a.  To find out “who you are,” why you are here, and where you are going.

      b.  To define spirituality, faith and Christianity.

    3.  Seeking recreation/relief, Matt. 6:33-34.

      -To shape and define our minds, values, and objectives in life (cf. Col. 3:1-4).

    4.  Christians go to the dead in search of life when we fail to assess this life in terms of Bible  truth (2 Pet. 1:3).

  C.  Why Should Christians Go to the Spiritually Dead?

    1.  To teach them the gospel to help bring them to life in the Son, Matt. 28:19-20; Jno. 3:3-5. (salvation)

    2.  To restore the fallen (dead) to spiritual life, Jas. 5:19-20.

 

Conclusion

1.  The living Christ left an empty tomb to testify that He is alive forevermore, with power over Hades and death, Rev. 1:18.

2.  Seek Jesus among the living, and find Him.

3.  Don’t look for Him where He will never be found: The wisdom, will and death of the world of sin.

 

 

By: Joe R. Price

Posted: April 13, 2017