BEGINNING WITH THE END IN MINDDr. Jobe Martin

www.biblicaldiscipleship.orgwww.evolutionofacreationist.com

Professors or True Possessors?

• We have many “professors” of Christianity, but relatively few that truly POSSESS the Truth, the Lord Jesus Christ, in such a way that He comes out through our lives in His power and glory so that those around us want to know this Power behind our lives.

• Few are willing to pay the cost of commitment which is essentially DEATH TO SELF.

• Deception is the modus operandi of the last days and it is fully in place at this time.

Scriptures for the Week• Prov. 14:12: There is a way which seemeth right

unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

• Col. 2:8: Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

• I Pet. 3:15: But sanctify the Lord God in your heart: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

II Timothy 2:15:

• Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

II Corinthians 13:5

• Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates? KJV

• Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you– unless indeed you fail the test? NASV

THE PHYSICAL DEATH AND THE BODILY RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST

1 Corinthians 15

HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?

GENESIS 1:1

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

GENESIS 1:27

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God

created he him; male and female created he them.

GENESIS 1:29

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed,

which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the

which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be

for meat.

GENESIS 1:30

And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every

thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life [living soul], I have given every green herb for

meat: and it was so.

GENESIS 1:31

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold,

it was very good.

THE CREATOR-GOD OF THE BIBLE ADDS

A TEST OF LOVE AND OBEDIENCE….

GENESIS 2:16-17And the LORD God commanded the man,

saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17But of the tree of the

knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou

eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. [Heb. dying thou shalt die]

THE TEST FOR ADAM IS A SPIRITUAL TEST.

GENESIS 2:18

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help

meet for him.

ADAM NEEDS EVE TO FACE THE SPIRITUAL TEST.

BUT THE SERPENT WENT AFTER EVE!

GENESIS 3:1

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath

God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

GENESIS 3:4-5

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your

eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and

evil.

GENESIS 3:6

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it

was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she

took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband

with her; and he did eat.

Adam is with Eve as she is being tempted by the serpent.

Adam is Eve’s spiritual leader.Adam is silent, he is not saying to

his wife “Let’s get out of here, Eve, God said do not eat.”

Adam is passive in his spiritual leadership with his wife!

We men inherit the Adamic Sin Nature.Part of that inherited Adamic Sin Nature is

being passive in our spiritual leadership at home.

Apart from God’s grace, we men passively follow our wives and children.

We do not for the most part exhibit sacrificial, loving spiritual leadership in

our families.

SOMETHING ALSO HAPPENED TO WOMEN AS A RESULT OF THE

FALL.Genesis 3:16

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy

conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire

shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

• “…and thy desire shall be to thy husband….”• What is the “desire” (used 3x in Bible) of a wife

for a husband?• God talking to Cain (use #2) in Genesis 4:7:• “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?

and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”

• The “desire” of sin for you is the desire to over-rule, over-power, over-throw in your life.

AS A RESULT OF THE FALL:

• Husbands are passive in leadership,• Wives over-throw and take over,• Husbands resent wives for taking over,• Wives resent husbands for making them

take over, but they believe that they must take the leadership or no one will.• A primary root of conflict in marriage.

All of this did not catch the God of the Bible by surprise. God spoke to the serpent:

GENESIS 3:15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel (the crucifixion death of Jesus was a

3-day temporary “bruise”).

WHAT HAVE WE DISCUSSED SO FAR?

29

In the first age, man was created and innocent. Adam and Eve had a wonderful life in the garden of Eden and they had fellowship with God.

Will they trust and obey God in this paradise? Will they trust His wisdom and love for them?

30

God gave them a very simple test… Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In the day you eat of it, dying you will die.

Satan lied… You will not die. They ate.

As a result, sin and death came on the entire human race. Man is now separated FROM God. The rest of the Bible is about God’s redemption of

man and restoration to fellowship with God.

TWO VITAL DOCTRINES OF CHRISTIANITY

“Vital” means essential to life.• The doctors check your “vital signs” to

determine if you have life.• The physical death and bodily resurrection of

the Lord Jesus Christ are vital (essential) for Christianity to be true!

Because Adam and Eve failed the test (their responsibility before God not to eat of that one tree, and they ate); disease,

decay and death came upon them and the entire creation was cursed!

Romans 8:22-23

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23And not

only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan

within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

• Holy and righteous God made a provision for his sinful creatures, mankind, to regain access to and fellowship with Him.

• This provision is the substitutionary death of His only Son, Jesus, who took our sins on Himself on the cross of Calvary so that we could be washed clean as snow from our sin and inevitable damnation.

Isaiah 1:18

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they

shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Jesus was bruised for our iniquity, but His crucifixion death and bodily resurrection three

days later guaranteed the crushing of the head of Satan.

TO BE A TRUE CHRISTIAN YOU MUST BELIEVE IN THE DEATH AND THE

BODILY RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

The death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ were both prophesied more than

400 years before His birth.

PSALM 22:1a, 8, 18

1My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?8He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver

him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

18They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

ISAIAH 53:4-64Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our

sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was

bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own

way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

PSALM 16:8-11

9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

11Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand

there are pleasures for evermore.

Acts 4:1-4 1And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and

the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, 2Being grieved that they taught

the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide. 4Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number

of the men was about five thousand.

Acts 4:5-10 5And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, 6And Annas the high

priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the

people, and elders of Israel, 9If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of

Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand

here before you whole.

Acts 4:11-1411This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

(The prophecy of Psalm 118:22 fulfilled) 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 13Now when they saw the boldness

of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been

with Jesus. 14And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing

against it.

Psalm 118:17-2917I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. 18The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath

not given me over unto death. 19Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into

them, and I will praise the LORD: 20This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. 21I will

praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 22The stone which the builders refused is

become the head stone of the corner. 23This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it…. 28Thou art my God, and I will praise thee:

thou art my God, I will exalt thee. 29O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for

ever.

• God the Father was cementing into place the cornerstone of His building, the Church, when He bodily raised Jesus, His only son and the 2nd Person of the Trinity, from the dead.– Jesus must have truly died.– Jesus must have truly been raised from the dead.

Jesus resurrection had been prophesied• These are the words which I spake unto you, while I

was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48And ye are witnesses of these things. Luke 24:44-48

1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and

wherein ye stand; 2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according

to the scriptures: 5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen

asleep. 7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

12Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no

resurrection of the dead? 13But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have

testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in

your sins. 18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19If in this life only we have hope

in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

1 Corinthians 15:12-19

IF NO BODILY RESURRECTION OF JESUS:

SIX CONSQUENCESThe preaching of the Gospel is vain.

The Christian Faith is vain.Christians are false witnesses.

We are all still in our sins.All who have died have eternally perished.

Of all people Christians are most miserable, as we have hoped in vain.

A bodily resurrection cannot occur unless there has first been an

actual, physical death!

From time to time people say to me:– “I believe in Jesus, but I just cannot believe in a

physical resurrection from the dead. Am I going to go to heaven?”

– My answer: “No.”– “But I believe in Jesus and the Bible says if we believe

in His name we will be saved.”– “The devil also believes in Jesus and knows Him

personally and he is not going to heaven.”– “So you are telling me that I can believe in Jesus and

still not go to heaven?”– “Yes, that is what the Bible says.”

ROMANS 10:9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart

that God hath raised him from the dead (RESURRECTION), thou shalt be saved.

BUT MAYBE JESUS DID NOT REALLY DIE, HE JUST “SWOONED.”

• If Jesus did not really die a physical death, then there cannot be a physical resurrection from the dead and the two fundamental doctrines and foundation stones of the Christian Faith are null and void! Without the bodily death and bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead the Christian Faith is nothing.

• If Jesus did not die, the apostles all died horrible deaths for something they knew was not true—that being the death of Jesus that had not happened.

• If Jesus did not die on the cross then He was living somewhere in Israel after that event.

• How could it be that the Jewish priests and the Romans never found Him?

• How did He roll the stone away that sealed His heavily guarded tomb three days after His crucifixion?

“Maybe someone stole the body.”11Now when they were going, behold, some of the

watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. 12And when they were assembled with the elders, and

had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, 13Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by

night, and stole him away while we slept. 14And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade

him, and secure you. 15So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is

commonly reported among the Jews until this day Matthew 28:11-15

John 20:11-1311But Mary stood without at the sepulchre

weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith

unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid

him.

Matthew 28:5-7

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek

Jesus, which was crucified. 6He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place

where the Lord lay. 7And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead;

and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE?

The God of the Bible created a perfect, sinless world.Mankind was given a simple test: “Do not eat.”Adam and Eve disobeyed and ate the forbidden fruit.The creation was cursed and death was punishment.We are the heirs and children of Adam and Eve.We inherit the Adamic sin nature from our fathers.

We all sin, every one of us!We are all terminal!

WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE?

Sin? We all break our Holy God’s standards, we “miss the mark.”

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his

grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 3:23-24

• Have you ever lied? That is sin.• Have you ever stolen something? That is sin.• Have you ever cheated? That is sin• Have you ever committed adultery? That is sin.• Have you ever fornicated? That is sin.• Have you ever lusted? That is sin.• Do you look at pornography? That is sin

1 John 2:15-17

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the

love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

REDEMPTION IS THE ANSWER!

But there can be no redemption (forgiveness, salvation) without overcoming the curse of death, (and all life forms eventually die).

Redemption, then, is given via the crucifixion death and bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus conquered death by resurrecting from the dead!

HE IS RISEN!

Jesus did not sin (He was Sinless God in the flesh).Jesus is the Creator: John 1, Colossians 1, Hebrews 1.

(God the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit through the agency of Jesus created everything).

The Christian Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) knew that you and I would rebel and sin against Him

before he ever created any of us.

• In eternity past the Trinitarian God of the Bible decided to create mankind.

• He had full knowledge before creating anything that mankind would sin against Him

• God made the only righteous and just decision possible: He Himself in the person of His beloved Son, Jesus, would take the penalty for man’s sin by dying on a Roman cross.

• Lord Jesus Christ made us.• He knew we would sin.• He took the penalty for our sin by His death

on the cross.

Romans 5:8-10

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died

for us. 9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath

through him. 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be

saved by his life.

Jesus, born of a virgin so that He did not inherit the Adamic sin nature from a human father,

was 100% God and 100% man. “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall

bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God

with us.” Matthew 1:23

Jesus, the man, willfully gave up His Spirit and died on the cross to take on himself the

penalty for your sin and mine.Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, resurrected Himself on the third day proclaiming victory

over sin and death.The resurrection of Lord Jesus proves God’s

acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins!

YOU MAY SAY:

• I believe in Jesus. He was a prophet and a righteous man. He is our example, but I can’t really believe that He died and that He came back to life after being graveyard, tombstone dead. But I believe there was a real person named Jesus that lived about 2000 years ago.

• Will I go to heaven when I die?

• If you believe in Jesus, but do not believe in His death and bodily resurrection from the dead, you are not going to heaven.

• As a matter of fact you are on your way to Hell and the Lake of Fire for eternity!

Romans 10:9-11

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart

that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man

believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Revelation 20:11-15

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books

were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were

judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Revelation 20:11-15 continued:

• 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

So how can I know that my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?

1 John 5:10-13

11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath

not the Son of God hath not life. 13These things have I written unto you that believe on

the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

SALVATION IS BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in

Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10

Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the

gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

• Have you received the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?

• Salvation is a free gift of the God of the Bible.

There are some things that you must do, but there are some things that only God can do.

Acts 12:5-6

5Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 6And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with

two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

Acts 12:6-8

7And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up,

saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 8And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so

he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

Ac 12:8-119 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not

that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. 10When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron

gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. 11And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety,

that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod,…

Some things we must and can do. Some things only God can do!

• Peter could not make his chains fall off or the iron doors of the prison open—only God could do that!

• But Peter was commanded by the angel to put on his sandals and his cloak—Peter could do that!

• Why didn’t the angel supernaturally put Peter’s sandals and cloak on him also? That would be a simple thing compared to having his chains drop off.

Some things we must and can do. Some things only God can do!

• Only God can save our souls from eternal fire and damnation, but there is something that we must do and only we can do it.

• We must turn to Him and receive His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as our personal Savior to gain forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation.

• The question is: Have you received the crucified and bodily resurrected Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?

• Have you placed your faith and trust in Him?• Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the

life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

Mark 1:15b

Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and

believe the gospel.”

John 1:11-14

12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

What is the Gospel that I must believe and receive to have eternal life?

3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according

to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6After that, he was seen of above five hundred

brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

Acts 16:31

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,…

Pray