100:00:00,040 –> 00:00:10,840And in order to whet our appetite for what is yet to come in its glory the200:00:10,840 –> 00:00:18,000Apostle Paul gives us a four fold description of the Resurrection body.300:00:18,000 –> 00:00:23,440Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick. Glad you400:00:23,440 –> 00:00:27,719could be with us today. And Colin, a lot of us have wondered what life in500:00:27,920 –> 00:00:31,799eternity is going to be like. I guess that’s what we’re focusing on today.600:00:31,799 –> 00:00:36,480Yes, and of course we are told in the New Testament that our minds can’t conceive700:00:36,480 –> 00:00:41,959of the wonder and the glory of what God has prepared for us. It’s beyond really800:00:41,959 –> 00:00:46,340what we can imagine, but God has given us some900:00:46,340 –> 00:00:52,439anticipation and never more clearly than in the verses that we’re looking at from1000:00:52,799 –> 00:00:58,500I Corinthians and chapter 15. Today, I think we have here the clearest glimpse1100:00:58,500 –> 00:01:03,639in the New Testament of what the resurrection life is going to look like1200:01:03,639 –> 00:01:08,519and it is wonderful and it is given to us in order to strengthen us and to1300:01:08,519 –> 00:01:12,440encourage us when we’re going through the hardest times because when you get a1400:01:12,440 –> 00:01:16,199glimpse of what lies ahead and the glory of it1500:01:16,199 –> 00:01:21,519God uses that to put new strength and perseverance into you in a time of1600:01:21,540 –> 00:01:27,000trouble. So join us if you can in first book of Corinthians chapter 15 as we1700:01:27,000 –> 00:01:31,959continue the message hope for tomorrow here’s Colin here’s the description then1800:01:31,959 –> 00:01:37,559a fourfold description for us to savor I want you to try and take in the sheer1900:01:37,559 –> 00:01:48,059beauty and glory of this number one your resurrection body will be imperishable2000:01:48,400 –> 00:01:54,540imperishable verse 42 so it is with the resurrection of the dead2100:01:54,540 –> 00:02:00,379what-is-sown is perishable what is raised is imperishable2200:02:00,379 –> 00:02:07,900I sometimes feel a little bit sorry for poor old Lazarus you remember he was2300:02:07,900 –> 00:02:12,880raised from the dead by the Lord Jesus Christ what a wonderful thing that was2400:02:13,880 –> 00:02:19,300brought back into life in the same body in which he had died which of course2500:02:19,300 –> 00:02:23,279meant that at some point in the future the poor fellow had to go through the2600:02:23,279 –> 00:02:29,740whole miserable business of dying all over again now you see the point here in2700:02:29,740 –> 00:02:38,600the word imperishable Jesus rose in the power of an endless life and your2800:02:38,979 –> 00:02:45,880resurrection body will be a body that will never die your resurrection body2900:02:45,880 –> 00:02:55,080will never age it will never tire it will never decline it will never suffer3000:02:55,080 –> 00:03:03,179illness and it will never lose capacity isn’t that good news and people say by3100:03:03,179 –> 00:03:08,880the way you can’t put an old head on young shoulders but in the resurrection3200:03:08,880 –> 00:03:15,119the wisdom of maturity will be combined with the strength and vigor of youth all3300:03:15,119 –> 00:03:21,660of God’s people will flourish we will be all the God has created us to be and we3400:03:21,660 –> 00:03:29,119will enjoy all that God has created us to enjoy your resurrection body will be3500:03:29,979 –> 00:03:36,300perishable second he tells us your resurrection body will be glorious it is3600:03:36,300 –> 00:03:43,139sown in dishonor it is raised in glory they remember that Moses was in the3700:03:43,139 –> 00:03:48,080presence of God at Mount Sinai and when he came down from being in the presence3800:03:48,080 –> 00:03:56,020of God his face was radiant it shone there was a glory about him you remember3900:03:56,179 –> 00:04:01,619Jesus took Peter and James and John up the mountain and he was transfigured4000:04:01,619 –> 00:04:08,440before them they caught a glimpse of the future glory of Jesus and what was it4100:04:08,440 –> 00:04:13,139like? Well there was a brightness there was a radiance there was a glory that4200:04:13,139 –> 00:04:20,799they saw in him and in the resurrection there will be a brightness there will be4300:04:20,959 –> 00:04:28,140a radiance there will be a glory about you you’ll never see a long face in the4400:04:28,140 –> 00:04:39,920resurrection. Glorious. Shining. Radiant. Joy-filled. Third your resurrection4500:04:39,920 –> 00:04:47,200body will be powerful it is sown in weakness it is raised in power4600:04:47,299 –> 00:04:53,079Professor Donald MacLeod wrote these words about the resurrection body4700:04:53,079 –> 00:04:59,359I just love this description he says and I quote it will have more energy more4800:04:59,359 –> 00:05:08,399stamina more athleticism more speed more coordination and more durability than it4900:05:08,399 –> 00:05:15,320ever had before isn’t that good news and then he writes this the scenario is a5000:05:15,500 –> 00:05:23,619thrilling one brilliant minds in powerful bodies in a transformed5100:05:23,619 –> 00:05:29,380universe that’s going to be glorious this is what lies ahead of you brother5200:05:29,380 –> 00:05:34,720sister and the Lord Jesus Christ a mind that is opened and expanded in all new5300:05:34,720 –> 00:05:41,299ways a body that has strength that you have never known before and a5400:05:41,299 –> 00:05:47,059transformed sin free universe the home of righteousness where you will rejoice5500:05:47,059 –> 00:05:53,119in the presence of God forever and forever5600:05:53,880 –> 00:05:58,679and the fourth description I think is the most marvelous of all your5700:05:58,679 –> 00:06:06,299resurrection body will be spiritual look at verse 44 it is sown a natural body5800:06:06,579 –> 00:06:16,119it is raised a spiritual body now someone will say well what is a5900:06:16,119 –> 00:06:20,040spiritual body that’s a very good question there’s been a lot of6000:06:20,040 –> 00:06:26,559misunderstanding surely about that phrase let’s begin with what it is not a6100:06:26,559 –> 00:06:34,459spiritual body is not a body made of Spirit that would be a contradiction in6200:06:34,500 –> 00:06:40,579terms wouldn’t it if it was made of Spirit it simply would not be a body so6300:06:40,579 –> 00:06:44,179put that notion out of your mind the sort of vague spirit floating around6400:06:44,179 –> 00:06:49,500kind of idea if it was a body made of Spirit it would not be a body as6500:06:49,500 –> 00:06:55,540contradiction in terms that’s not what it is what is it then? A spiritual body6600:06:55,540 –> 00:07:05,420will be a body that is fully responsive to the desires of your redeemed Spirit a6700:07:05,420 –> 00:07:13,760body that is fully responsive to the desires of your redeemed Spirit. Now6800:07:13,760 –> 00:07:18,279think about how wonderful this will be it’s very wonderful indeed6900:07:18,380 –> 00:07:27,160because right now your spirit has at least two problems with your body the7000:07:27,160 –> 00:07:33,519first is that your body is often unresponsive to your spirit this is why7100:07:33,519 –> 00:07:37,440our experience is often that we we intend to do good things we don’t get7200:07:37,440 –> 00:07:41,079around to doing them we want to do good things and somehow they don’t always7300:07:41,079 –> 00:07:45,700happen our experience in the words of the Lord Jesus is that the spirit is7400:07:45,779 –> 00:07:52,320willing but the flesh is weak I was just thinking about this during during the7500:07:52,320 –> 00:07:59,040week and Now a childhood memory came just flooding back to me every year in7600:07:59,040 –> 00:08:03,619the little church that we grew up in in the summer we had a Sunday school7700:08:03,619 –> 00:08:07,660picnic it was a great occasion some of you will have memories like this I’m7800:08:07,660 –> 00:08:13,059sure from growing up as well for us what it meant was that on a Saturday morning7900:08:13,200 –> 00:08:18,839there was a bright double decker bus that arrived outside the church and all8000:08:18,839 –> 00:08:24,339of us would pile into this double decker bus all the kids on the upstairs all the8100:08:24,339 –> 00:08:29,059adults on the downstairs and off we would go to some Park on the other side8200:08:29,059 –> 00:08:34,239of the city of Edinburgh with streamers coming out of the upstairs of this8300:08:34,239 –> 00:08:39,760double decker bus the whole church went it’s amazing these things that come back8400:08:39,859 –> 00:08:46,500after years I think the lunch was mince pies followed by sticky buns and all8500:08:46,500 –> 00:08:50,760brought in from a local Baker on these enormous trains that were put on big8600:08:50,760 –> 00:08:57,440trestle tables and after lunch we had always a game of you would say soccer a8700:08:57,440 –> 00:09:06,559game of football adults against kids and these are the kinds of occasions where8800:09:06,640 –> 00:09:14,479Older men who sit at desks all week are at great risk of overdoing it and the8900:09:14,479 –> 00:09:21,799kids all knew what was going to happen at church on the following morning.9000:09:21,799 –> 00:09:25,880Sure enough I mean it was always the pattern that the choir filed in from the front of9100:09:25,880 –> 00:09:30,520the church onto the platform and then the minister followed them in and and we9200:09:30,520 –> 00:09:35,559would sit there, wait for it, wait for it. We knew what was coming the women would9300:09:35,559 –> 00:09:42,119file in with great dignity first and then the men coming in afterwards,9400:09:42,119 –> 00:09:49,000two rows of them barely able to walk and we would we would sit there trying not9500:09:49,000 –> 00:09:58,159to laugh and not succeeding. The spirit was willing. The flesh was weak.9600:09:58,440 –> 00:10:06,320I give an example. You know what this is like. Your body is often unresponsive to9700:10:06,320 –> 00:10:11,559your spirit. What you find is that you’re often sluggish,9800:10:11,559 –> 00:10:18,619you’re often drained you don’t have the capacity to follow through on everything9900:10:18,619 –> 00:10:26,359that you would like to do. But in the resurrection, you will have a spiritual10000:10:26,400 –> 00:10:31,119body, which means you will have a body that is completely responsive to your10100:10:31,119 –> 00:10:37,140redeemed spirit and because your redeemed spirit will be made perfect10200:10:37,140 –> 00:10:43,799this union of desire and of ability will be absolutely beautiful. You will love it.10300:10:43,799 –> 00:10:53,340You will be blessed in that body-soul union that is in harmony as never before.10400:10:54,260 –> 00:10:57,880The other problem, of course, very obviously, that your body presents to10500:10:57,880 –> 00:11:03,599your spirit is that your body often tempts your spirit. That is why the10600:11:03,599 –> 00:11:08,380apostle Paul says in Romans and chapter 8 and verse 13, you’ve got to put to10700:11:08,380 –> 00:11:13,619death the misdeeds of the body. Well, the reason we’ve got to do that, of10800:11:13,619 –> 00:11:20,380course, is that in this life the body is the gateway by which temptation comes to10900:11:20,400 –> 00:11:25,080the soul. And that is why Paul says in Galatians and11000:11:25,080 –> 00:11:29,739chapter 5, you’ve got to walk by the Spirit then you will not gratify the11100:11:29,739 –> 00:11:34,820desires of the flesh for the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit and the11200:11:34,820 –> 00:11:39,219desires of the Spirit are against the flesh for these are opposed to each11300:11:39,219 –> 00:11:43,299other to keep you from doing the things that you want to do. In other words, you’re11400:11:43,299 –> 00:11:47,820living in this kind of conflict and you experience it all the time. We all know11500:11:47,820 –> 00:11:51,859what it’s like to live with this struggle, it’s woven into the fabric of11600:11:51,859 –> 00:11:56,820the Christian life. And that is why Paul says in 1st Corinthians in chapter 9,11700:11:56,820 –> 00:12:03,940I have to discipline my body. I have to keep it under control lest of having11800:12:03,940 –> 00:12:09,739preached to other people I end up being disqualified myself. So you see we live11900:12:09,739 –> 00:12:14,580this Christian life in the constant tension between the soul and the body12000:12:15,340 –> 00:12:21,780you receive the gift of the resurrection body brother, sister, that war will be12100:12:21,780 –> 00:12:29,099over it will be done. Your resurrection body is going to be as eager to do the12200:12:29,099 –> 00:12:34,859will of God as your redeemed spirit. And that’s why in the resurrection body you12300:12:35,500 –> 00:12:45,059be at peace with yourself as you have never fully been before you’re listening12400:12:45,059 –> 00:12:49,219to open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called hope for12500:12:49,219 –> 00:12:54,539tomorrow it’s part of our series hope is a name it’s based on the first book of12600:12:54,539 –> 00:12:58,700Corinthians chapter 15. If you ever missed one of the series don’t forget12700:12:58,700 –> 00:13:02,539you can always catch up or go back and listen again online at our website12800:13:02,880 –> 00:13:09,260openthebible.org.uk You can also find us as a podcast and that’s on all the12900:13:09,260 –> 00:13:14,260main podcast sites search for open the Bible UK and subscribe if you want to13000:13:14,260 –> 00:13:20,320receive regular reminders. Back to the message now here’s Colin. An analogy to13100:13:20,320 –> 00:13:29,940consider. A wonderful description for us to savour and then lastly today a promise13200:13:30,020 –> 00:13:40,039to believe and it’s in verse 49. Just as we have borne the image of the man of13300:13:40,039 –> 00:13:48,479dust we shall also. There’s the promise we shall also bear the image of the man13400:13:48,479 –> 00:13:54,460of heaven. Now in these last verses that we’re looking at from verse 45 to verse13500:13:54,520 –> 00:14:01,02049 Paul is drawing a contrast between Adam the first man and the Lord Jesus13600:14:01,020 –> 00:14:09,840Christ who he describes as the last Adam and the contrast is that the first Adam13700:14:09,840 –> 00:14:16,260was from the earth. That’s verse 47. God formed him from the dust of13800:14:16,260 –> 00:14:22,020the ground and that’s why he’s described in this verse 49 as the man13900:14:22,179 –> 00:14:26,919of dust. Not a very flattering description but an accurate one.14000:14:26,919 –> 00:14:36,380He’s the man of dust, that’s Adam. Now, all of us share the Adam life14100:14:36,380 –> 00:14:43,239and because we all share the Adam life, we all share the Adam experience,14200:14:43,239 –> 00:14:49,679which is that we are off the dust and to dust we will return.14300:14:49,820 –> 00:14:56,859We bear the image, verse 49, of the man of dust.14400:14:56,859 –> 00:15:01,200Now let’s just pause there for a moment before we get to the wonderful promise.14500:15:01,200 –> 00:15:07,599We bear the image of the man of dust. Dust you are and to dust you return.14600:15:09,159 –> 00:15:16,440The Bible uses two pictures to press home for us the shortness14700:15:16,520 –> 00:15:23,479and the uncertainty of our Adam-like life in this world.14800:15:23,479 –> 00:15:27,359The first picture is the picture of grass.14900:15:27,359 –> 00:15:32,320God says through the prophet Isaiah, all flesh is grass15000:15:34,179 –> 00:15:39,619and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.15100:15:39,619 –> 00:15:45,820The grass withers, and the flower fades.15200:15:45,840 –> 00:15:47,059That’s taken that picture.15300:15:47,059 –> 00:15:50,260What God is saying to us in that15400:15:50,260 –> 00:15:56,880is that the reality of our lives in this world is like grass.15500:15:56,880 –> 00:16:01,760The grass grows up, the grass gets cut down,15600:16:01,760 –> 00:16:05,799and there’s not a lot of time between these two events.15700:16:07,080 –> 00:16:15,520So, every time you see or hear a lawnmower,15800:16:15,520 –> 00:16:19,059it should remind you of how short your life is in this world.15900:16:19,059 –> 00:16:20,260That’s the point.16000:16:20,260 –> 00:16:21,260That’s the point.16100:16:22,380 –> 00:16:25,960And then there’s a second picture to press this home16200:16:25,960 –> 00:16:28,919and it’s in James chapter four in verse fourteen.16300:16:28,919 –> 00:16:30,460What is your life?16400:16:31,320 –> 00:16:37,380You are a mist that appears for a little while16500:16:37,380 –> 00:16:39,080and then it vanishes.16600:16:40,419 –> 00:16:42,340So, when you get up in the morning,16700:16:42,440 –> 00:16:44,000pull your curtains open16800:16:45,000 –> 00:16:48,760and you see that there’s a mist outside.16900:16:48,760 –> 00:16:51,020You should say to yourself17000:16:51,020 –> 00:16:54,159this mist will soon be gone and so will I.17100:16:55,299 –> 00:16:56,340That’s his point.17200:16:57,440 –> 00:17:02,440We talk and plan as if we were going to be here forever17300:17:03,179 –> 00:17:06,380but the truth is that even the ones17400:17:06,380 –> 00:17:08,020with the longest life among us17500:17:08,020 –> 00:17:11,060are only here for a very short time.17600:17:11,060 –> 00:17:13,380Our life in this world is very fragile,17700:17:13,380 –> 00:17:17,719it is very uncertain, and soon it will be gone.17800:17:19,160 –> 00:17:21,339Now some of you might be saying at this point17900:17:21,339 –> 00:17:24,280he’s sounding a bit miserable today.18000:17:26,900 –> 00:17:31,680But seriously folks, the whole point of our life18100:17:31,680 –> 00:17:34,119in this world is to prepare us for life18200:17:34,119 –> 00:17:35,439in the world to come.18300:17:37,000 –> 00:17:38,959If we go through our lives in this world18400:17:38,959 –> 00:17:42,040with the illusion that somehow we’ll always be here,18500:17:42,040 –> 00:17:45,060we will miss the whole point of this life.18600:17:47,260 –> 00:17:49,439We are off the dust!18700:17:51,579 –> 00:17:54,479And that’s why if we live only for this world18800:17:54,479 –> 00:17:57,020and our hope is only in this world,18900:17:57,020 –> 00:17:58,339we are to be pitied.19000:17:58,339 –> 00:18:00,839We’re the most miserable people in the world.19100:18:03,680 –> 00:18:08,680So thank God, verse 47, for the man from heaven.19200:18:09,000 –> 00:18:13,719Thank God that Adam did not have the last word.19300:18:13,719 –> 00:18:18,000The man from heaven, of course, is the Lord Jesus Christ.19400:18:18,000 –> 00:18:20,880And the Apostle Paul says of him that he is,19500:18:20,880 –> 00:18:25,640verse 45, a life-giving spirit.19600:18:25,640 –> 00:18:28,400So you see, he’s bringing these two things together here19700:18:28,400 –> 00:18:32,060and he’s saying to us the experience of those19800:18:32,060 –> 00:18:36,339who share the life of Adam is short and very uncertain.19900:18:36,619 –> 00:18:39,599And it’s like the grass and it’s like the mist.20000:18:39,599 –> 00:18:41,780But the experience of those who share the life20100:18:41,780 –> 00:18:44,619of the Lord Jesus Christ will be glorious20200:18:44,619 –> 00:18:47,260and it will last forever.20300:18:47,260 –> 00:18:49,939You see, these two things together in verse 48,20400:18:49,939 –> 00:18:53,619as was the man of dust so also are those20500:18:53,619 –> 00:18:58,500who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven20600:18:58,500 –> 00:19:01,920so also are those who are of heaven.20700:19:01,920 –> 00:19:03,819Off the dust, off heaven.20800:19:03,819 –> 00:19:05,540These two things are true of you20900:19:05,540 –> 00:19:07,640as a Christian believer and they’re both true21000:19:07,640 –> 00:19:09,099of you at the same time.21100:19:10,380 –> 00:19:13,819You’re off the dust and you’re off heaven.21200:19:14,900 –> 00:19:16,619What a strange mixture you are.21300:19:17,699 –> 00:19:19,819And therefore, of course, how strange21400:19:19,819 –> 00:19:23,140and mixed your experience will be.21500:19:23,140 –> 00:19:25,060You’re off the dust.21600:19:25,060 –> 00:19:28,560So decay and decline and insecurity and fragility21700:19:28,560 –> 00:19:31,020and all that goes with this short and uncertain life21800:19:31,020 –> 00:19:33,979that we have in Adam, all of that is at work in you.21900:19:33,979 –> 00:19:36,280All of that is in your experience.22000:19:37,199 –> 00:19:41,739But at the same time, you are off heaven.22100:19:41,739 –> 00:19:44,459And because you are off heaven, resurrection22200:19:44,459 –> 00:19:47,540and hope and peace and joy and all the go22300:19:47,540 –> 00:19:50,020with the everlasting life that is already yours22400:19:50,020 –> 00:19:51,800in and of the Lord Jesus Christ,22500:19:51,800 –> 00:19:54,619these things too are already at work in you.22600:19:55,819 –> 00:19:58,619And so Paul comes to this marvelous promise22700:19:58,619 –> 00:20:03,119of Verse 49, just as we have born the image22800:20:03,199 –> 00:20:06,619of man of dust, we shall also.22900:20:06,619 –> 00:20:11,619There’s the promise, we shall also bear the image23000:20:11,959 –> 00:20:15,280of the man of heaven.23100:20:15,280 –> 00:20:18,040Oh, that’s the most glorious good news.23200:20:18,040 –> 00:20:21,140We grieve because of how like Adam we are.23300:20:22,160 –> 00:20:27,160How easily tempted, how quick to blame others,23400:20:28,160 –> 00:20:31,500how prone to make excuses,23500:20:31,500 –> 00:20:34,079how ready to hide from God.23600:20:34,079 –> 00:20:37,339We bear the image of the man of dust all right,23700:20:39,420 –> 00:20:40,640but if you’re in Christ,23800:20:40,640 –> 00:20:44,140you also bear the image of the man of heaven.23900:20:45,239 –> 00:20:48,040Already you love God.24000:20:48,040 –> 00:20:50,479You want to know him.24100:20:50,479 –> 00:20:51,939You really want to serve him.24200:20:52,839 –> 00:20:56,380You hunger and thirst after righteousness.24300:20:56,380 –> 00:20:58,540You long to be holy,24400:20:59,459 –> 00:21:02,819and all of these desires that he has put in you24500:21:02,819 –> 00:21:07,819by his holy spirit will be fully satisfied.24600:21:09,060 –> 00:21:13,239We have born the image of the man of dust.24700:21:13,239 –> 00:21:18,239We shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.24800:21:20,859 –> 00:21:23,339And so writing to believers,24900:21:23,339 –> 00:21:25,619the apostle John says in his first letter,25000:21:25,619 –> 00:21:30,260”Beloved, we are God’s children now,25100:21:31,160 –> 00:21:35,339and what we will be has not yet appeared.25200:21:35,339 –> 00:21:39,920But this we know, that when he appears,25300:21:40,979 –> 00:21:42,540we shall be like him.”25400:21:44,959 –> 00:21:48,199Your body is going to be raised25500:21:48,199 –> 00:21:50,560as the body of Jesus was raised.25600:21:51,900 –> 00:21:54,540Your soul is going to be made perfect25700:21:55,800 –> 00:21:58,400as Jesus himself is perfect.25800:21:59,400 –> 00:22:02,199You’re going to share a glorious new life25900:22:02,199 –> 00:22:03,819in the immediate presence of God26000:22:03,819 –> 00:22:05,859as even now the Lord Jesus Christ26100:22:05,859 –> 00:22:08,099is at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.26200:22:08,099 –> 00:22:10,400That’s what lies ahead of you.26300:22:12,040 –> 00:22:13,839And the Apostle John says,26400:22:15,099 –> 00:22:18,540”Everyone who has this hope in him26500:22:20,239 –> 00:22:25,239purifies himself even as he Christ is pure.’26600:22:26,280 –> 00:22:28,099You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin Smith26700:22:28,099 –> 00:22:32,099on Open The Bible with a message called Hope for Tomorrow.26800:22:32,099 –> 00:22:34,780Part of our series, Hope is a Name.26900:22:34,780 –> 00:22:36,479And if you ever miss one of the series,27000:22:36,479 –> 00:22:38,099don’t forget you can always catch up27100:22:38,099 –> 00:22:40,300or go back and listen again online27200:22:40,300 –> 00:22:43,680at our website, openthebible.org.uk27300:22:43,680 –> 00:22:46,040or on your favorite podcast site27400:22:46,040 –> 00:22:49,099by searching for Open The Bible UK.27500:22:49,099 –> 00:22:50,560While you’re on our website27600:22:50,560 –> 00:22:53,219don’t forget to check out Open The Bible Daily.27700:22:53,280 –> 00:22:55,540So that’s our daily reflection series27800:22:55,540 –> 00:22:57,660based on Pastor Colin’s teaching27900:22:57,660 –> 00:23:00,079and read in the UK by Sue McCleish.28000:23:01,000 –> 00:23:04,739Open The Bible is supported by our listeners financially.28100:23:04,739 –> 00:23:07,140And if you’re already give to support the work,28200:23:07,140 –> 00:23:09,619we want to say thank you so much.28300:23:09,619 –> 00:23:11,140If you’re considering supporting28400:23:11,140 –> 00:23:13,300open the Bible financially in the future28500:23:13,300 –> 00:23:16,099and you were able to set up a new direct debit28600:23:16,099 –> 00:23:18,339in the amount of five pounds per month28700:23:18,339 –> 00:23:21,800or more or a one off gift of 50 pounds or more,28800:23:21,800 –> 00:23:24,319we’d love to thank you by sending you28900:23:24,319 –> 00:23:28,140a copy of Lee Strobel’s book, The Case for Easter,29000:23:28,140 –> 00:23:30,520along with Pastor Colin’s booklet,29100:23:30,520 –> 00:23:32,920Six Days That Changed the World29200:23:32,920 –> 00:23:37,920and a lovely open the Bible tote bag, pen and bookmark.29300:23:38,079 –> 00:23:40,760Colin, what makes this book so useful?29400:23:41,579 –> 00:23:44,199Well, as author, Lee Strobel was a journalist29500:23:44,199 –> 00:23:45,459for the Chicago Tribune29600:23:45,459 –> 00:23:48,140when he began exploring the Christian faith.29700:23:48,140 –> 00:23:49,839And in The Case for Easter,29800:23:49,920 –> 00:23:52,839he actually retraces his steps29900:23:52,839 –> 00:23:56,439showing the biblical evidence that led him to the conclusion30000:23:56,439 –> 00:23:59,160that Jesus really rose from the dead.30100:23:59,160 –> 00:24:03,239It’s a fascinating book because he interviews experts30200:24:03,239 –> 00:24:05,459who help us to sort through the Bible’s evidence30300:24:05,459 –> 00:24:06,599for the resurrection.30400:24:06,599 –> 00:24:10,380So for example, he interviews a medical doctor30500:24:10,380 –> 00:24:13,920to help us examine the evidence that Jesus really died30600:24:13,920 –> 00:24:16,680and a psychologist to help us see30700:24:17,140 –> 00:24:19,319that Jesus’ appearances30800:24:19,319 –> 00:24:21,239could not have been simply hallucinations.30900:24:21,239 –> 00:24:24,199So The Case for Easter really helps Christians31000:24:24,199 –> 00:24:26,900know why we believe in the resurrection31100:24:26,900 –> 00:24:30,079and it can provide a wonderful pathway to faith31200:24:30,079 –> 00:24:31,979for someone who’s beginning to explore31300:24:31,979 –> 00:24:33,520the truths of Christianity.31400:24:33,520 –> 00:24:36,199Well, we want to thank you by sending you a copy31500:24:36,199 –> 00:24:39,000of Lee Strobel’s book, The Case for Easter31600:24:39,000 –> 00:24:41,000along with Pastor Collin’s booklet31700:24:41,000 –> 00:24:43,160Six Days That Changed the World31800:24:43,199 –> 00:24:45,800and a lovely Open The Bible tote bag,31900:24:45,800 –> 00:24:48,680pen and bookmark if you’re able to set up32000:24:48,680 –> 00:24:51,479a new direct debit to the work of Open The Bible32100:24:51,479 –> 00:24:54,920this month in the amount of £5 per month or more32200:24:54,920 –> 00:24:57,819or a one-off gift of £50 or more.32300:24:57,819 –> 00:24:59,920Full details, terms and conditions32400:24:59,920 –> 00:25:04,199on our website, openthebible.org.uk.32500:25:04,199 –> 00:25:06,660For Open The Bible and Pastor Collin Smith32600:25:06,660 –> 00:25:07,800I’m David Picke, and I hope32700:25:07,800 –> 00:25:09,819you’ll join us again next time.32800:25:09,819 –> 00:25:14,260Music32900:25:14,260 –> 00:25:17,839What happens to believers when Christ returns?33000:25:17,839 –> 00:25:19,500There are two answers,33100:25:19,500 –> 00:25:21,439one for those who have died33200:25:21,439 –> 00:25:23,900and one for those who are still alive.33300:25:23,900 –> 00:25:25,479Find out both answers,33400:25:25,479 –> 00:25:27,380next time on Open The Bible.