After Death

1
After Death

• Acts 12-3 and Selected

Pastor Dave Martin Cross Creek Community Church
March 30, 2008
2

• How long was Jesus on earth after His
  resurrection?
• What was Jesus doing between His death
  resurrection?
• When a person dies today, where do they go?
• What was Jesus new resurrection body like?

3

• Acts 11-3 1 In my former book (Luke), Theophilus
  (friend of God), I wrote about all that Jesus
  began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was
  taken up to heaven, after giving instructions
  through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had
  chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed himself
  to these men and gave many convincing proofs that
  he was alive. He appeared to them over a period
  of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

4
I. The Proclamation of Christ

• Jesus spoke of two men who died and went to two
  different places
• Luke 1622-23 22 "The time came when the beggar
  died and the angels carried him to Abraham's
  side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23
  In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up
  and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his
  side.

5
I. The Proclamation of Christ

• Jesus told the thief on the cross, today you will
  be with me in Paradise
• Luke 2343 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the
  truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

6
I. The Proclamation of Christ

• Paradise/Abrahams side was part of the
  underworld
• Luke 1626 And besides all this, between us and
  you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those
  who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can
  anyone cross over from there to us.'

7
I. The Proclamation of Christ

• Gods Word speaks of various regions in this
  underworld Paradise Hell separated by a
  Great Chasm, Tartarus, the Abyss, Lake of Fire
  and it also speaks of having shafts, gates,
  chains, and keys (Gen 6 Lu 16,23 Eph 4 Mt 25
  1Pet 3 Col 2 Heb 414 Jude 6 Rev 1,20 etc)

8
(No Transcript)
9
I. The Proclamation of Christ

• Between His death resurrection Jesus descended
  into this underworld, into the realm of the
  dead
• (Jesus was NOT offering a second chance for
  salvation to the lost Limbo or purgatory are not
  found in scripture)
• Hebrews 927 Just as man is destined to die once,
  and after that to face judgment, (Luke 1626)

10
(No Transcript)
11
Jesus Proclaimed

• To all the occupants of the underworld, His
  victory at the cross over Satan, Sin and Death
• 1 Peter 318-19 18 For Christ died for sins once
  for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to
  bring you to God. He was put to death in the body
  but made alive by the Spirit, 19 through whom
  also he went and preached to the spirits in prison

12
Jesus Proclaimed

• Jesus then opened the gates of Paradise leading
  O.T. believers triumphantly into Gods presence
  in heaven.
• Ephesians 48-10 8 This is why it says "When he
  ascended on high, he led captives in his train
  and gave gifts to men." 9 (What does "he
  ascended" mean except that he also descended to
  the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended
  is the very one who ascended higher than all the
  heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

13

• During the present church age, the redeemed who
  die are absent from the body . . . at home with
  the Lord. (2Co 58) The wicked, by contrast, are
  in hades. (Luke 1623) Both are awaiting
  resurrection one the resurrection to life and
  the other the resurrection to condemnation.
• Philippians 210-11 10 that at the name of Jesus
  every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and
  under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that
  Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
  Father.

14
II. The Presence of Christ (Resurrection Body)

• He could appear or disappear at will
• John 2019 On the evening of that first day of
  the week, when the disciples were together, with
  the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came
  and stood among them and said, "Peace be with
  you!"
• Luke 2431b and he disappeared from their
  sight.

15
II. The Presence of Christ (Resurrection Body)

• He could be touched and recognized
• Luke 2439 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I
  myself! Touch me and see a ghost does not have
  flesh and bones, as you see I have."
• Luke 2431a Then their eyes were opened and they
  recognized him

16
II. The Presence of Christ (Resurrection Body)

• He was able to eat food
• Luke 2441-43 41 And while they still did not
  believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked
  them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 42 They
  gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took
  it and ate it in their presence.

17
II. The Presence of Christ (Resurrection Body)

• He opens hearts and minds to Bible truth
• Luke 2445 Then he opened their minds so they
  could understand the Scriptures.

18

• The Proclamation of Christ
• The Presence of Christ
• Next Week
• The People of Christ (eyewitnesses)
• The Promises of Christ

19

• Friend Day
• April 13th
• In the Beginning (New series)
• Be inviting your family, friends and neighbors

20
(No Transcript)