1 Cor. 15:55-57           TRUTHS THAT SILENCE DEATH

Intro:  No one likes to think about death. It is an enemy that stalks everyone, 1 Cor. 15:26; Heb. 9:27. Some die in old age, some die in infancy and others at all ages in between. Some die by disease, wrecks, wars and murder. Some hasten the arrival of death by cooperating with the enemy through engaging in bad habits and harmful lifestyles.

        Death is our enemy! 1.) Death is unnatural. Man was made “a living soul”, Gen. 2:7. Death entered the world because of sin, Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12; 6:23. Only two, Enoch and Elijah, have escaped death, so far! 2.) Death is painful – Ill. Jesus, John 11:35. As hateful and as hurtful as death can be, it does not have the last word! There are some truths found in the Bible that muzzle the wild beast called death. I want to give them to you today and preach for a few minutes about some Truths That Silence Death.

 

  I.                       THE PLAN OF SALVATION SILENCES DEATH

A. Jesus came to restore everything that death took away, Luke 19:10; John 11:25-26. He came to bring life back to dead sinners.

B.  Jesus conquered two forms of death. 1.) Spiritual Death – Eph. 2:1-9; 2.) Physical Death – 1 Cor. 15:55-57.

C. Faith in Jesus brings instant everlasting life, John 3:16; 5:24. Everlasting life is the present possession of every child of God, John 3:36; 10:28; 1 John 5:12.

 

 II.                      A PLACE CALLED HEAVEN SLIENCES DEATH

A.  Salvation destroys death’s power over the soul. Salvation also changes the soul’s eternal destiny. The lost soul is headed to Hell, Psa. 9:17. The redeemed soul is going to Heaven, Phil. 1:21, 23; 2 Cor. 5:1-8.

B.  Heaven, as Paul said, is “far better” than this world, John 14:1-3; Rev. 21:4.  The Lord, our departed loved ones, the saints of all, all await us in glory!

C.  There is something beyond the door of death! It is not the end!

 

III.            THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION SILENCES DEATH

A.  It Guarantees Our Saviour – Rom. 1:4

B.  It Guarantees Our Salvation – 1 Cor. 15:14-20

C.  It Guarantees A Similar Resurrection For Us – 1 Cor. 15:20

·         Jesus will raise our bodies – 1 Thes. 4:13-17

·         Jesus will change our bodies – 1 Cor. 15:49; 53-54

·         We will be like Him – 1 John 3:1-3

·         A better day awaits us in Heaven – Rom. 8:18

Conc: Ill. The two taunting questions in verse 55. The statement of victory in verse 57.