• In the first message in this series, we talked about THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.
• Tonight we want to talk about the GLORIFIED BODIES that we will receive at the RAPTURE.
Look at these verses in 1 Cor. 15:51-52, “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Notice, when Paul talks about those who are living when Christ returns, he says that these mortal bodies will be changed to glorified bodies.
Paul refers to this as a mystery. I do not know how it is going to take place, nor does anyone else, that is why Paul refers to this as a “mystery”.
But notice how fast this is going to happen. The Word of God says, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” It does not say the wink of an eye, that would be fast, but in the twinkling of an eye.
The rapture is going to take place so fast that it is going to be over before we realize what happened.
• All those who have died in the Lord are coming out of those graves in the twinkling of an eye.
• But also, almost simultaneously, when the dead in Christ shall be resurrected, the Bible states that those who are living at this time will be changed, and their bodies will become glorified bodies in the twinkling of an eye.
WHY ARE WE GIVEN THESE NEW GLORIFIED BODIES? Because these mortal bodies that we are living in are not designed for celestial living.
Illus: We all have seen the astronauts when they travel into space, into the second heaven. They have to wear space suits in order to survive.
For us to survive in the third heaven, God is going to give us a glorified body or else we would perish.
Look at 1 Cor. 15:53-55, we read, “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
The Bible refers to death as something all of us will experience.
It is referred to as the “Sting of death”.
• When a loved one dies, the “Sting of death” is so severe that it takes months and years to get over it.
• In some cases we never do get over it, we just get to where we can live with it.
But one day, when the Lord comes back and raptures the church, we will never again have to stand beside the grave of a loved one, weeping. All those who are saved are going to be given a glorified body, and we can point our finger in the face of death and say, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
No wonder God’s Word says in 1 Thess. 4:1, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
One of these days, we are going to get our NEW GLORIFIED BODIES! Every Christian here should be excited about receiving their NEW GLORIFIED BODY! WHY? Because these mortal bodies that we live in are constantly giving us problems.
Illus: A national television program was doing a documentary on the demand for plastic surgery in our society. What made this documentary so interesting was that they were showing what we consider some of the most attractive people in Hollywood who are not happy with their bodies. They are paying big bucks to have their bodies changed, because they are so unhappy with them.
Illus: Linda Tripp became famous during the Monica Lewinski sexual escapade with the former president, Bill Clinton. She was taken to court to defend herself, but before she went she had a complete makeover. When the plastic surgeon got through with her, it was hard to believe that she was the same woman.
Listen, the Lord will RAPTURE us, and “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,” God’s people are going to be changed from THEIR MORTAL BODIES into their GLORIFIED BODIES.
WHAT KIND OF BODY WILL WE RECEIVE?
I. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE LIKE THE BODY OF CHRIST
Look at 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 even to subdue all things unto himself.”
Notice, the Word of God says we are going to be changed from our “Vile” bodies into GLORIFIED BODIES LIKE HIS.
Look at the word “Vile”. This is the word “tapeinosis” (Pronounced as , tap-i'-no-sis) which means TO BE MADE LOW.
This old sinful flesh that we live in, is so vile there is nothing it will not stoop to do.
For example, we read in the newspaper of -
• Strong men, who will take a helpless woman out in the woods and rape her, and when they are through with her, they kill her.
• Two or three men who get together and go into a store, and kill an old man or woman for the money in the cash register.
• We hear about men who violate their own children sexually.
I am here to tell you that this mortal body we live in is VILE! The Word of God says it is, but even if the Word of God did not say these mortal bodies of ours are vile, life itself teaches us these bodies we live in are vile.
There are times I read what people have done in these vile bodies, and I am ashamed that I belong to the human race. There is nothing on this earth that is as “Vile” as we mortals.
Illus: We look at pigs as filthy creatures, but there are things that evil man will do, that even a pig will not do.
For example, only among mortals do you find the sin of homosexuality. You can not find a homosexual pig in the whole world, but man is so vile that he will stoop to the sin of homosexuality.
We mortals live in a vile body. Sometimes, it is all we can do to keep it in line.
But one of these days, the rapture is going to take place and I am going to get a glorified body that is not controlled by the flesh, but by the Spirit of God.
• From the first Adam, I have received a body of flesh that is vile.
• From the Second Adam, I am going to have a body like Christ.
Look again at 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 even to subdue all things unto himself.”
The Bible says that this new glorified body will be FASHIONED LIKE UNTO HIS GLORIOUS BODY.
Look at Philippians 3:21 again, we read, “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be FASHIONED LIKE UNTO HIS GLORIOUS BODY…”
So if we want to know, as Christians, what kind of body we will live in for eternity, we have to look at the glorified body of Christ. Our new glorified body will be FASHIONED LIKE HIS GLORIOUS BODY! Did you get that? One day we shall be LIKE HIM!
Look at 1 John 3:2, we read, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: BUT WE KNOW THAT, WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; for we shall see him as he is.”
Let this sink deep into your minds. The Bible says that when He appears, “…We shall be like him…”
So what kind of body will we receive?
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger tells that when he was a young man, he used to admire body builders. He would look at magazines of these muscular fellows, such as Steve Reeves or Carl Strader, and it would inspire him to pump weights so he could become like them.
The lost people of the world look at other mortals and say, “I wish I had a body like that!”
That is, we have:
• Women who will look at some movie actress and say, “I wish I had a body like that!”
• Men who will look at some handsome actor and say, “I wish I had a body like that!”
But listen, we who know the Lord have gone beyond this fleshly lust, we want a body fashioned after the body of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But let me show you something else about this glorified body.
II. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE A BODY OF FLESH AND BONES
Many folks do not know that, but look at the resurrected body of Christ.
Remember, the Word of God said that one of these days, these vile bodies of ours are going to be FASHIONED after the body of Christ.
WHAT KIND OF BODY DID HE HAVE? Look at Luke 24:39, after His resurrection, Jesus said, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”
This verse of scripture took place after the Lord had received His glorified body. It is a body that has substance:
• IT IS A BODY WE CAN SEE. He said, “Behold my hands and my feet.”
• IT IS A BODY WE CAN TOUCH. he said, “handle me.”
• IT IS A BODY WITH FLESH AND BONES. He said “For a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”
WHAT KIND OF BODY WILL OUR GLORIFIED BODY BE? It will be fashioned after the body of Christ. It will be a body of flesh and bones, that we can see and touch,.
• The skeleton gives our body height and depth
• The flesh gives our body the appearance
A question that is often asked is, “Will we be able to recognize each other in heaven?” I want to remind you that this glorified body that we are going to receive is going to be fashioned after the glorified body of Christ.
When Christ appeared unto the disciples in His glorified body, they recognized Him.
Illus: He did not have to go up to them and reintroduce Himself to them. They knew Him when He appeared before them. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE RECOGNIZEABLE.
We will all have a body fashioned like His body, but that does not mean we will all look alike. We will have our separate identity.
Illus: For example, I am the son of _________________. I do not look exactly like my dad but I do:
• Have his black hair
• Talk like him
• Have his good looks (why are you laughing)
• Have his good intelligence (Why are you laughing, you ought to be ashamed of yourself)
The point I am trying to make is this, my body is fashioned something like his.
And when I get to heaven I will not be cloned to look like Christ, but my body will be fashioned after His body. I will be recognizable for who I am.
Look at 1 Cor. 13:12, we read, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; (Get this) BUT THEN SHALL I KNOW EVEN AS ALSO I AM KNOWN.”
You see, I have the characteristics of my heavenly Father, but at the same time I am different. Paul shows us that difference by comparing us to the differences we find among the stars.
1 Cor. 15: 42-44, we read, “There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.”
Paul is saying that even the stars are different. Paul is saying that we all will have a body in heaven that is fashioned after the body of Christ, but we will all have our own distinct differences.
III. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE A BODY FILLED WITH NEW KNOWLEDGE
When we get to heaven, there will be people we have never met in our lifetime, yet we are going to know them all.
We are not going to be walking around asking can someone tell us:
• Which one is Jesus - We will know!
• Which one is Paul - We will know!
• Which one is Peter - We will know!
• Which one is Abraham - We will know!
We will have a body that is fashioned after the Lord Jesus Christ, which means we will have the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
IV. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE A BODY WHERE THE SPIRIT DOMINATES
Look at 1 Cor. 15:44, we read, “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”
At the present, Christians are in a body that is dominated by the flesh.
Illus: We have lived in this old body of flesh for years, and when we became born again and we started telling this old flesh we live in that it could no longer have it’s way, IT WANTS TO PITCH A FIT!
IT WANTS TO DOMINATE. This old flesh that we live in is like a spoiled child. HOW DOES A CHILD BECOME SPOILED?
Illus: Most of the time a child becomes spoiled because Mom and Dad give that child anything they want. And when they realize what a little monster they have created, and they begin to clamp down on that child, the child starts PITCHING A FIT!
Illus: If some of you want to help your loved ones and friends, you need to quit telling them to see a doctor, and tell them they need to go to the Lord Jesus Christ and asked him to teach them how to overcome this sinful flesh that wants to have its way.
But one day the Lord is going to give us a body that is NOT dominated by the flesh, but by the Spirit.
• The flesh does not want to read the Bible
• The flesh does not want to witness for Christ
• The flesh does not want to pray
• The flesh does not want to attend church
• The flesh is in opposition to everything God is for
That is why God has to give us a NEW GLORIFIED BODY!
In Mark 14:38, we read, “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK.”
One day the flesh is going to be led by the Spirit of God.
V. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE UNLIMITED BY TIME, SPACE AND GRAVITY
Look at Luke 24:30-39, we read, “And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”
Notice that after Christ received His glorified body, the Bible tells us in verse 31, “…he vanished out of their sight.” In other words, He was there teaching them, and all of a sudden, He WAS GONE!
Look at John 20:18-19, we read, “Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.”
Notice, the Bible says He appeared in a room where the doors were shut!
Look also at verse 26, we read, “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.”
There is a reason that the Bible tells us the doors were shut. Look at what happened. All of a sudden, the Lord was standing in the midst of them. Remember, the Bible tells us our glorified body will be fashioned like his glorified body.
Beloved, I am here to tell you that one day we are going to receive our glorified bodies and:
• Those who have died trusting in Christ for salvation, will come out of a grave, from six feet in the ground, and never disturb a grain of sand.
• Those who are living for Christ when He returns, will pass through the buildings they are in without doing any damage to the buildings.
• We can be standing here one moment, and vanish and appear somewhere else.
Today, we live in a body that is transported by the will of the flesh, but one day we are going to live in a body that will be transported by the will of the Spirit.
Conclusion:
The greatest surprise will be how fast the RAPTURE of the church is going to take place.
The greatest blessing will be when all the Saints of God receive their glorified bodies.
Now if you are not saved, you do not have anything to look forward to. You need to receive Christ tonight, so you can receive your glorified body one day.
(1 of 2)
I. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE LIKE THE BODY OF CHRIST
II. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE A BODY OF FLESH AND BONES
III. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE A BODY FILLED WITH NEW KNOWLEDGE
IV. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE A BODY WHERE THE SPIRIT DOMINATES
V. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE UNLIMITED BY TIME, SPACE AND GRAVITY
(2 of 2)
I. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE ETERNAL
II. OUR GLORIFIED BODY WILL BE BEAUTIFUL
