The God of the Living
Mark 12:24-27 Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ ? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”
Jesus said many things that inspire us and give us hope. A few of the things He said make us scratch our heads and wonder what it is He really meant. For the very religious, His words were like nails on the chalkboard. They wanted to pull out the hair on their heads and beards because His words absolutely drove them crazy. After a particularly sneaky attempt to trap Him in an argument about the Resurrection, He just had to set them all straight.
Much of the confusion comes because Jesus viewed life and death differently than we do. Have you noticed that whenever He was about to raise the dead, He refused to acknowledge death? He would say that the deceased wasn’t really dead, but only sleeping (Mark 5:35-42; John 11:11-14). This small peculiarity gives us a huge insight into Glory. There is no room for death from within the Glory. God is God of the Living and not the dead.
John 8:51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
John 6:54-57 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
John 8:56-59 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Moses and Elijah were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Moses lived to be 120 years old. He had great eyesight and was undiminished in vigor for his entire lifetime (Deut. 34:7). Elijah never did died, he was caught up in a whirlwind and his living body was transported directly to heaven (2 Kings 2:11). These two men are examples of how exposure to God’s Glory can actually change our physiology.
Jesus is the ultimate example. He conquered death through His resurrection and afterward could appear and disappear at will, walk through walls and ascended directly into heaven in His glorified body. The angel said He would return in the same way. Which means He is still using His body in heaven. Something has been forever changed. Scripture says that we will also be changed in the same way when our bodies are redeemed.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Corinthians 15:22-23 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
Some of us may have an experience like Elijah. We might ascend directly from the earth to heaven and in the process be changed (Transformed - Transfigured - Glorified) to meet our returning Lord somewhere in the atmosphere. I think we should spend some time practicing. Just in case it’s our generation that gets the nod for an immediate upgrade to Glory.
READ
Romans 8:19-25; 1 Corinthians 15; John 10:9-10
ACTIVATION
How do we get ready for glory? What should we do to prepare for our transformation? I remember a story told by Chris Blackaby about a friend who routinely had heavenly experiences. He asked if he could try it. His friend instructed him to get a square of carpet and step onto it and off of it. When he would step onto the carpet, he was to IMAGINE, with eyes of faith, that he was stepping into heaven. He tried it and gave up after a time because he felt foolish and it didn’t seem like anything was happening. Sometime later, he ran into another friend who also routinely had heavenly experiences. This friend commented that recently she had been in a heavenly experience and while having it, she had seen Chris appear in heaven (in her experience). But, he kept flickering into and out of it. He was dumbfounded! Something was happening, even though he didn’t know it! So, activate your faith, use your imagination and tune into the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said many things that inspire us and give us hope. A few of the things He said make us scratch our heads and wonder what it is He really meant. For the very religious, His words were like nails on the chalkboard. They wanted to pull out the hair on their heads and beards because His words absolutely drove them crazy. After a particularly sneaky attempt to trap Him in an argument about the Resurrection, He just had to set them all straight.
Much of the confusion comes because Jesus viewed life and death differently than we do. Have you noticed that whenever He was about to raise the dead, He refused to acknowledge death? He would say that the deceased wasn’t really dead, but only sleeping (Mark 5:35-42; John 11:11-14). This small peculiarity gives us a huge insight into Glory. There is no room for death from within the Glory. God is God of the Living and not the dead.
John 8:51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
John 6:54-57 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
John 8:56-59 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Moses and Elijah were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Moses lived to be 120 years old. He had great eyesight and was undiminished in vigor for his entire lifetime (Deut. 34:7). Elijah never did died, he was caught up in a whirlwind and his living body was transported directly to heaven (2 Kings 2:11). These two men are examples of how exposure to God’s Glory can actually change our physiology.
Jesus is the ultimate example. He conquered death through His resurrection and afterward could appear and disappear at will, walk through walls and ascended directly into heaven in His glorified body. The angel said He would return in the same way. Which means He is still using His body in heaven. Something has been forever changed. Scripture says that we will also be changed in the same way when our bodies are redeemed.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Corinthians 15:22-23 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
Some of us may have an experience like Elijah. We might ascend directly from the earth to heaven and in the process be changed (Transformed - Transfigured - Glorified) to meet our returning Lord somewhere in the atmosphere. I think we should spend some time practicing. Just in case it’s our generation that gets the nod for an immediate upgrade to Glory.
READ
Romans 8:19-25; 1 Corinthians 15; John 10:9-10
ACTIVATION
How do we get ready for glory? What should we do to prepare for our transformation? I remember a story told by Chris Blackaby about a friend who routinely had heavenly experiences. He asked if he could try it. His friend instructed him to get a square of carpet and step onto it and off of it. When he would step onto the carpet, he was to IMAGINE, with eyes of faith, that he was stepping into heaven. He tried it and gave up after a time because he felt foolish and it didn’t seem like anything was happening. Sometime later, he ran into another friend who also routinely had heavenly experiences. This friend commented that recently she had been in a heavenly experience and while having it, she had seen Chris appear in heaven (in her experience). But, he kept flickering into and out of it. He was dumbfounded! Something was happening, even though he didn’t know it! So, activate your faith, use your imagination and tune into the Holy Spirit.
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