Jesus And The Resurrection

Paul Stirred By A City’s Idols

0:07 SPEAKER_01: For more ministry podcasts, visit our website and subscribe to doncarpenter.ca.

0:13 SPEAKER_00: In the book of the Acts in chapter 17, verse 16, Paul was stirred. Why was he stirred? Because the whole city was given to idolatry. I am stirred when I see our communities given to idolatry. Christians, I believe, everywhere are stirred when we see people given totally over and not understanding that Jesus Christ came to earth to save them from their sins. This passage demonstrates that the masses of people can be deceived. Quite often, people follow the masses. Whatever it is they're doing, they will be brought into that and they will go along with that thinking that this is what life is and what it's all about.

Why Resurrection Offends The Flesh

1:13 SPEAKER_00: Jesus Christ rose from the dead. In Acts 17, 17, it says that Paul disputed with the Jews and with devout persons. There were the Jews from Judea. There were the Jews who were devout persons, very religious, and there were people that he met in the marketplace by chance. The Bible tells us that flesh, the human mind, cannot accept, will not accept anything spiritual. It's amazing you can be amongst people and they'll talk about every subject. But if you ever start talking to them about the Lord and start talking about the things of the Spirit, they get uncomfortable.

2:06 SPEAKER_00: That is the flesh trying to rule and reign. But believers who know the Lord Jesus Christ, who are filled with his Holy Spirit, who understand and know that he rose again, preaching there is a resurrection from the dead, incensed, upset, stirred the Sadducees. If Sadducees don't believe in resurrection, and it can only occur through Jesus Christ. That they cannot brasp. And there are people who have Sadducee spirits. They'll get right upset, but yet you cannot talk to them about the kingdom of God.

2:50 SPEAKER_00: And the same message today stirs the passions of worldly men. They get upset, many will say, There's got to be another way. The Bible said there's one way. And what makes that way so powerful and so positive and so sure is the resurrection. Jesus rose from the dead.

The Resurrection As Gospel Power

3:17 SPEAKER_00: First Corinthians chapter 15. I want to read to you a few verses here.

3:29 SPEAKER_00: 12th verse starts off like this. Now if Christ be preached, now notice that. If he's preached, what are you preaching? If Christ be preached and he rose from the dead. That's the preaching I'm talking to you about. If that is preached, how safe some among you, there's no resurrection from the dead. But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. If Christ be not risen, then our preaching in vain, and your faith also is also vain. Yea, and we're found false witnesses of God, because we've testified of God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

4:23 SPEAKER_00: For if the dead rise not, then is Christ not raised. So we celebrate today Christ raising from the dead. We believe in the resurrection. The resurrection is the power of the gospel. You'll sometimes hear people say, you'll even see signs, gospel meetings. Come and hear the gospel preach, or they preach the gospel at our church. The resurrection is the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And what is the gospel message? The gospel message is given in three words death, burial, resurrection. That is the gospel.

5:12 SPEAKER_00: What is resurrection from the dead? The New Testament, consistently throughout, you will read about the resurrection, the hope that believers have. And it says in Colossians 1 18 that Jesus Christ is the first born from the dead. There are going to be millions, millions who are going to raise from the dead. And what a think about it. All the cemeteries that are known and unknown. And there will be on that day they're just going to raise from the dead. In Colossians 1 18, and he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have preeminence.

6:15 SPEAKER_00: Jesus rose from the dead to show every believer that you will rise from the dead. Resurrection is expressed in terms as a transformed body. In Philippians 3 21, we read, Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. The New Testament talks about life. It talks about resurrection. In 2 Corinthians 5 1, we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

7:06 SPEAKER_00: Hallelujah. Thank God for these scriptures.

Two Resurrections And A Choice

7:10 SPEAKER_00: But I talk to you about the resurrection of the dead, and I've been talking to you about the resurrection of the dead of those who believe in Christ. But there's going to be a resurrection to judgment. There's going to be a resurrection. John chapter 5, verse 25. It says it very well. I'm going to read it. Jesus himself explains to this to us. Jesus explains to us the contrast of resurrections. Verily I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live.

7:45 SPEAKER_00: Now we're just talking there about people walking around in the earth, on the earth. The Bible says that we're dead and trespasses of sin, but when we know Christ, we have life. Verse 26, John chapter 5. For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to his son to have life in himself, and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice, and shall hear his voice, and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.

8:32 SPEAKER_00: The great gospel message is that you can have life and you can have it more abundantly in Christ. Accept Jesus Christ, make him your Lord and Savior. Ask him to come into your heart, and he will forgive you of all your sins. He'll make you a new creature. Old things will pass away, all things will become new.

Mars Hill Curiosity And Blind Hearts

8:54 SPEAKER_00: We get down into verse 20 of Acts chapter 17, and the comments that were starting to be made by people who listen to this preacher called Paul. Here's one of their comments. For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears, we would know, therefore, what these things mean. All their discussions, all the days and months and years that philosophers and teachers gathered at Mars Hill, they'd never heard about the resurrection. And the reason they never heard about the resurrection is because they never heard about Jesus.

9:38 SPEAKER_00: Jesus is the only one that has ever raised from the dead. They were spiritually blind. Up until that moment, they were spiritually blind. In Ephesians 4.18, having the understanding darkened, let's go up into the next verse. Let's say, brethren, and testify in the Lord that ye henceforth not having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. Spiritually blind. Verse 21.

10:32 SPEAKER_00: They were always curious about something. John's Gospel, chapter twelve, verse nine. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there, and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. They were curiosity seekers. Curiosity, not realizing that when we come to church, we come into the Almighty presence of God. That is our opportunity for God to minister to us. Let me just read you something else out of Ephesians 4.14. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby he lay in wait to deceive us.

How To Stand Up To Mockers

11:36 SPEAKER_00: Verse 32 of Acts 17. When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. Others said, We'll hear thee again on this matter. We'll think about it. The Bible says in Matthew 20, shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and discourage and to crucify him the third day he shall rise again. They're talking about Jesus. And they said Jesus was going to be mocked. Do you know that we get mocked? Four things you need to understand about a mocker. Do not let them affect you. Number one, the Bible tells us that they're going to be vocal, very vocal, in the last days.

12:20 SPEAKER_00: They'll mock you. Number two, they always walk after their own ungodly lusts. Always remember they think they're right in everything. Number three, they separate themselves. To lift themselves up as the all-wise ones. And number four, as a believer, we have to understand, and this is what will give you great strength. This is what gives you the great power to not allow a mocker to stop you, harm you, or disturb you in any way. They do not have the Holy Spirit. Always remember that. They don't have the Holy Spirit.

13:06 SPEAKER_00: And these men that Paul was talking to on Mars Hill did not have the Holy Spirit. They didn't understand. So what did Paul do? Paul delivered his message, and the Bible says in verse 33, he departed from them. Acts 17, 34. Howbeit, certain men clave unto him and believed, among which was Dinosius, the Arabagid, and a woman named Demeris, and others with them.

Confidence And The Final Invitation

13:46 SPEAKER_00: The devil will always tell you, be quiet because nobody wants to hear, or nobody will believe what you gotta say. Do you know because Jesus rose from the dead, and the power of the resurrection is in us, and it's with us, he's with us, the Holy Spirit is with us. Do you know that we'll always get results? Just like I will get results from this message today. Accept the gospel, believe that Jesus Christ died. Hallelujah. For you. Resurrected for you.

14:27 SPEAKER_00: Hallelujah. Accept it, and you will know life abundantly.

14:33 SPEAKER_01: For more ministry podcasts, visit our website and subscribe to Don Carpenter.ca