What did you learn from last week’s sermon, “The Victory!“?
Q1: What doorway do you have to walk through to reach Heaven?
Q2: Will every person have to die to go to Heaven?
Q3: Does the “sting of death” refer to all the stuff you’ll miss about your loved one who died?
Q4: What is the power behind sin?
Q5: Once we are solid in our faith, what are we supposed to do?
Sermon Summary & Answers
“You will never know fully how to live until you have wrestled with the reality of death…If there is to be an eternal kingdom where the saints enjoy the delights of Heaven – and there surely is – death is the doorway.”
Pastor Steve Wilson
Pastor Wilson started us off last Sunday by asking us to logically reflect on one of the “hardest things” in life, death. Most of us must pass through death to get to real-life (eternal life). Strangely enough, some of us won’t. When the trumpet sounds at Jesus’ return, those who are still living won’t die. Their bodies will be changed instantaneously, and they will pass into Heaven directly. Paul says it will happen in a “twinkling of an eye.” Paul was surely reflecting on Old Testament passages like Isaiah 25:8-9 and Hosea 13:14 since he knew his OT Bible like the back of his hand.
When we hear the passage, “O death where is thy sting?” we may think that the word “sting” refers to missing that person or things left unfinished. However, the human heart knows what that really means. It is the constant reminder of sin. The wages of sin is death. Sin is the “sting.” Then there is another, more complex layer to understand. The power behind this death-giving-sin-sting is the Law. Please go back and review Pastor Wilson’s lessons on Romans 7 and 8 that we heard in the second-hour class to better grasp this.
Basically, God made us with the knowledge of His existence (Romans 1:19-20). He knew that we would seek after the desires of our hearts and not His will (see the Garden of Eden). He put a name to that evil (“sin”) and then made us responsible for that sin by saying, don’t do it anymore (the Law – 10 Commandments). Funny thing, this Law actually stirs a person up to commit sin – it’s a kind of inner rebellion that we all suffer from (Romans 5:20). The Law is also a tutor that shows us we can’t obey the Law on our own. Haven’t we all tried and failed miserably? We need real help. This help is the gracious gift of His son Jesus to pay the penalty (death) for the sins we commit in the past, present, and future. Jesus even left His spirit in every believer to help us control our sinning and be more like Him while still living. This is the Gospel that leads to a believer’s salvation and resurrection (like Jesus) to eternal life in Heaven. Because of what Adam did, we have to stay here on earth and wrestle with sin and inevitable death for now. Because of what Jesus did, we get to live sinless and alive forever – after death.
I know your heart is leaping with joy in your chest right now, and tears are misting your eyes. PRAISE GOD! Thank you, Jesus! This is how Paul felt as he was writing 1 Corinthians 15:50-58
“The Law drives the stinger of sin into your heart, and there, sin does its work…it kills you (eternal damnation). But… there is a victory, a victory over this death with Christ. He took the sting. Now, sin comes…yes, but it has NO STING (for the believer). Jesus took it.”
Pastor Steve Wilson
How are we to respond to this knowledge, this glorious revelation? We are to be “steadfast and immovable” in our faith.
Stand we will, but we won’t stand still. We are supposed to “always be abounding in the work of the Lord.” Pastor Wilson will be expounding on “the work” that comes from our steadfast and immovable faith all month in July.
If you don’t feel assured, steadfast, and immovable in your faith, then you may not be feeding your soul with the true Word enough or correctly. Your knees may not have hit the floor hard enough and been pulled back up by your savior in amazing works of grace in your life…but you can, and He certainly can! If this is an area you need help in, grab another believer or one of our Elders. God already knows your need, and He has already provided for it…now you need to know it. Claim The Victory!
Answers:
- Death
- No, some people will still be alive when Jesus returns to call believers home.
- No, it refers to sin that causes your eternal damnation and earthly death.
- The Law
- Be steadfast, immovable, and always be abounding in the work of the Lord.
Did you find this quiz and sermon summary helpful? Log on to gccbg.com/blog each week for the latest sermon study guide. Jessica will send the link out in the Midweek church emails. I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Please email me at thepew@gccbg.com.
