The Exception to the Rule

Church. And Yes, brother. Well, happy birthday, Gwen. Brother Ralph, you want to sing happy birthday for? Well, you won't.

Oh, alright. Well, we can all sing it. Okay. Gwen, here you go. Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday. God bless you. Happy birthday to you Alright. Good.

Glad you didn't drop the ball the way there, Rob. Amen. Alright, we are in. We're going to start out in first Corinthians and then flipped over to John 14 in just a minute. So, first Corinthians chapter 15, okay?

First Corinthians 15. I'll read several verses from there. So, first Corinthians 15. Message this morning is entitled The Exception to the Rule, okay? And let me show you why I titled the sermon that.

Here is the rule. Hebrews nine twenty seven, as it is appointed unto man once to what? Die. But after this, the judgment. Now, turn if you would to first Corinthians 15 and verse beginning in verse 51.

First Corinthians fifteen fifty one, Paul writes, behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep. Now, I'll be stopped just there for a moment. Paul uses sleep as a metaphor for the death of a child of God, okay? And there's a reason for that as we will see in the passage, okay?

So, 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, 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.

Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for this beautiful day you've given us.

Thank you for the opportunity to sing praises to your name and to be reminded of the precious promises of your word for your redeemed children. Lord, I pray that if there be one here today that's unsure of their relationship with you that they would not leave this place unsure anymore and I pray Lord that we who know you would be encouraged Lord to watch and be ready for your return. Lord and we thank you for that precious promise and for all that we have in Jesus Christ our savior. For it's in his name we do pray. Amen.

Okay? Who makes the rules? God does. Who makes the exceptions to God's rules? God does, okay?

So, here in Hebrews nine twenty seven, we have the rule. As it's pointed on the man wants to die but after this, the judgment And we read in first Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 51. It says, behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all what? Sleep.

Now, what is he talking about there? Well, he's not talking about what you do when you go to bed at 09:00 in the evening, okay? What he's saying is we will not all die. This physical body, we won't all face death, okay? But we shall all be changed, changed into the image of who?

Of Jesus Christ, our wonderful savior, okay? So, here in Hebrews nine twenty seven, God says, appoint on the man wants to die. Here in first Corinthians fifteen one, Paul says, not everybody is going to die, okay? What do we call that? We call that the exception to the rule, okay?

And there is an exception here but this is and God makes exceptions, okay? As he sees fits. For instance, Noah and his family found what? Grace in the eyes of the Lord and they weren't destroyed with how many of how many others? Everyone else.

Everyone else was destroyed in the flood but who? But Noah and his family. God made an exception for Noah and his family. Lot, God rained down fire and brimstone and destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. But he sent angels in to almost drag Lot and his family out of the city of Sodom.

God made an exception for Lot. Why? Because he was a child of God. The Bible calls him in the New Testament a righteous man. Maybe a bit too comfortable in the wicked city but one of God's own.

God made, as we mentioned in Sunday school this morning, God made an exception for Rahab. God sent the Israel into the land of Canaan and he sent them in with the command to do this. I want you to kill all the Canaanites or drive them out of the land. There are not to be any Canaanites left in this land. They sent them to the city of Jericho and he said, let none live.

Now, that sounds a little harsh, I know. But if anybody has the right to make that decision, it's who? It's God and God gave the Canaanites five hundred years from the days of Abraham to turn back to the Lord and they didn't do it and didn't do it and didn't do it. God finally sent judgement at the hand of Israel. However, God made an exception for one Canaanite and her family.

Her name was Rahab and of all things, she was a harlot. But when the spies showed up to spy out the land of Jericho, who hid the spies? Who put their faith in the God of Israel? Well, it was Rahab the harlot who did and so God made an exception for her because of her faith. The people of Nineveh were spared God's judgment of the preaching of Jonah because they repented.

There are exceptions to the general rules God's of God's dealing with humanity but you will find those exceptions are always connected to the grace of God and the faith of the one being saved. Always has to do with the grace of God and the faith of one being exempted from the God judgment of God. Remember when God set the death angel, the tenth plague to kill all the firstborn of Egypt? The Israelites lived in Egypt but God made an exception for them but they still had to demonstrate their faith by slaying the lamb and putting it on their on the doorpost of their what? Of their home And they called it the Passover.

Why? Because the judgment of God passed over those who had the blood of the lamb on their doorpost. The same as God's judgment passes over us who have the blood of Christ. On our lives through faith in him, who died for us and shed his blood on the cross of Calvary. God does make exceptions.

God made exceptions concerning death. Again, as his point on man wants to die but after this, the judgment, can you think of anybody that didn't die? Ezekiel eighteen twenty says, the soul that sinneth it shall die. But I can think of at least two people that didn't die. First one's name was Enoch.

We meet him in Genesis chapter five. He walked with God for five hundred years and God took him home. Doesn't say he died. It says, he was translated. He was here and then poof.

He was gone. Nobody here, nobody to bury. God took him home. He didn't die. How about Elijah?

How did Elijah go to heaven? He went up in a chariot of fire and in the clouds. As Elisha stood there, he saw Elijah being taken up into heaven. Alive. See, God does make exceptions.

There are exceptions to this this rule and there's another one. Those who are alive and remain at the time of what we call the rapture, that is believers who are children of God by faith will be taken home to be with the Lord preceding a time of great judgment on this world we call the tribulation. Another exception to the rule. In John fourteen one through three, Jesus said this, you can look at it in your Bible. You can look up here on the screen.

Says, let not your heart be troubled. His disciples hearts, minds were troubled because he was talking about dying and leaving them. He said, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions.

If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, there you may be also. Christ died on a cross. Three days later, he rose again from the dead. Forty days later, he ascended where?

Up into heaven from the Mount Of Olives. He told his disciples ahead of time this was going to happen. All of these things. He said, don't be troubled at my departure because I'm going back to heaven to prepare a place for you and when the time is right, I'm going to what? I'm going to come back and receive you unto myself to take you to the place that I have prepared for you.

He is Jesus went back to heaven to prepare a place for the church, for the redeemed in Christ Jesus. For all those who put their faith in Christ, his children. His going away was necessary for his return. He's using a metaphor here of a bride and a bridegroom. Particularly in the days when this was written in Jewish culture, the man and the woman were betrothed.

Sometimes, good long time in advance. They were betrothed and the bridegroom would then leave and he would go and he would get a job and he would make a home. And then when the home was was made and the provision for a family, then, the groom would come back and he would marry his bride and then he would take her to their what? To their new home. Now, this is the imagery.

The imagery. Jesus said, I'm going away like the groom leaving his betrothed bride to do what? To prepare a what? A place for you. And if I'm going to prepare a place for you, you can be assured I'm going to do what?

I'm going come back for my bride. So, I can take my bride to be to the home, in the place that I provided. That's the imagery that Jesus is using here. He is going away, yes, but he's going away for a purpose. The purpose is to prepare a place for us.

That he might one day return again to take us to be with him. The symbolism of the bride and the bridegroom is not an uncommon analogy in scripture. Between Christ and the church in the New Testament, between Christ and Israel in the Old Testament and there are several passages that use that metaphor. When I was graduating from college, my senior year at college, my last year, Kate and I were engaged on November 7. I remember.

Yeah. And and However, we weren't married then. We finished college. I left college and went to Georgia to a church that felt the Lord's calling to me for me to go as a youth pastor and for the months of end of May, June, July, I youth pastored and started my job and prepared a home and and August 7, I went back to Ohio and we got married and brought my bride back to Georgia to our home similarly. Our honeymoon was driving from Ohio down to Georgia.

So, we took a week and that was that was our honeymoon. So, interesting things that I won't tell you about on our trip but but we had a wonderful time but that's the same imagery we have here. The church is the bride, the redeeming Christ Jesus, and Jesus is the groom who is coming back for his bride. Christ is coming back to take us home to be with him. Look if you would in first Thessalonians four thirteen or you can look up here on the screen.

It's a little bit small so you might want to turn there but first Thessalonians four beginning in verse 13, we have a similar passage to first Corinthians 15. We just read a few minutes ago. First Thessalonians chapter four and verse 13. Paul writes, but I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep. Now, again, what is asleep?

What is Paul using that? He's using that as a description of those who have died in Christ. So, those who've already passed away, he's calling them asleep. So, every time you see that, think of that, our metaphor but I would not have you be ignorant brethren, concern them which are asleep, that you sorrow not even as others which have no hope. Meaning, those who are unsaved, who think, well, this is all there is.

Verse 14, for if if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them which also sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not prevent which means go before them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the archangel with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then, we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. He ends with wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Let's be a comfort to those who had lost loved ones in the church at Thessalonica and who were concerned what the Lord hadn't come back yet and so what's going to happen to our loved ones that have passed away and Paul says, no, don't worry. Don't worry. There, they will rise what? First, and then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together to meet them, to meet them in the clouds. There is an exception to the rule here.

If you're alive when Christ comes back for his church, you won't face death. We'll go straight to heaven. Wouldn't that be great? Wouldn't that be wonderful? That could be today.

Could be tomorrow. We don't know. Christ is coming back to take us home to be with him. Who is he taking back? Well, he's taking back believers.

He's taking back his children. If you receive Christ, you become a child of who? A child of God. He's coming back to take his children home. He's not those who are not his children.

He's not coming back to take them. To the place he has prepared. Only those that believe in him. He begins John fourteen one, you believe in God, believe what? Also in me.

Is that important? In John fourteen six, Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father but by me. So, this promise is only for those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their savior and Lord. Two categories, those that are dead or are asleep as Paul puts it here, they shall rise first as we as we read there and also we see here 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.

The dead shall be raised incorruptible. We shall be changed. Let's see. Speaking of the dead, they will be reunited with their glorified bodies. Here in first Thessalonians says, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus, will God what?

Bring with him. Now, read some older commentaries and they try to make that word bring mean take. But I looked it up in the Greek and the word bring means bring. The Lord will bring with him. Well, what does that tell us about those who have died before us?

Well, their life did not end in the grave. Their soul went to be where? With the Lord and when Jesus returns, he will bring them with him to be reunited with their new incorruptible resurrected bodies. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. That is their bodies to be reunited with their soul.

There are those that teach, well, when you die, you just die and your body lays there and there's no existence really until Christ raises you but that doesn't jive with scripture. Luke 16 tells us the rich man and Lazarus who died and the rich man died and he lifted up his soul where? In hell and Lazarus died and he lifted up, opened his eyes in paradise, okay? In first second Corinthians eight five eight, Paul says, to be absent from the body is to be present what? With the Lord.

How about the Mount Of Transfiguration? Was Jesus the only person that was seen by Peter, James, and John on the Mount Of Transfiguration? The answer to that is no. Who else was there? Moses and Elijah.

Moses and Elijah. Now, you say, well, pastor Elijah didn't die, did he? No, he was taken straight up into heaven. But how about Moses? Did Moses die?

He did. And his body was buried by God on Mount Nebo. Bible tells us that. So, Moses died. His body was buried at the top of the mountain that's today is in the country of Jordan.

One day, that body is going to rise again and be reunited with his soul. But notice, Moses appeared on the Mount Of Transfiguration. Now, how did that happen? If his soul was not where? Was not with the Lord.

See? So, We're all going to die except should Christ return. Be baptized from the body is to be what? Present with the Lord. Though Christ will come and will raise their bodies and if we have passed on, we will get our new one then but for the living, for the living in Christ, it says, they shall not all sleep but they shall all be changed.

They shall all be changed. We shall all be changed here. How both the living and the dead. Those who alive and remain will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Look up here.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain in the coming of the Lord shall not go before, prevent which them which are asleep, then, we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. And as we are, we will be changed. And we will get our glorified body. And that could happen today. There's nothing must which must happen before Christ takes his children home.

How will this happen? Well, it will happen instantaneously. In the twinkling of an eye, it says, in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. What does that mean? That means faster than you can blink your eye.

When it we sing the song, I'll fly away. It's really sounds cool and I think about, you know, we'll we'll be here and we'll start and all of a sudden, whoosh and we'll go up the air and we'll sail through the and we'll fly. It's not going to be like that really. It's going to be I'm here and then I'm what? And I'm there.

Snap of fingers. It will happen instantaneously and it will happen without what? Without warning, like a thief in the night. Bible says, when people least expect him, he'll return. He'll take us home to be with him.

It'll be instantaneous. It'll be without warning and we will also be instantaneously changed into the image of Jesus Christ. Philippians three twenty and twenty one say this, for our conversation, our citizenship is in heaven from whence. Also, we look for the savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like into his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. It says here, who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.

When does that happen? Well, that happens here. We're changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. How are we changed? We're given an incorruptible, immortal body.

Without what? Without sin. And without the effects of sin. Even more so, we will be like Christ Jesus our savior. It says here in first John three two, beloved, now are we the sons of God?

When are we the sons of God? Well, if you've trusted Christ, you are now what? A child of God. You have to wait to get to heaven. You became a child of God when you accepted who?

When you accepted Jesus Christ. Do you always act like it? Do you, does your body appear like it? Probably not. But one day, it's going to change.

First John three two again. Beloved, now are we the sons of God? It does not appear yet appear what we shall be. I'm I'm I'm interested in seeing what I'm going to be when I get there. But we know that when he shall appear, when he shall appear first to take us home.

When he shall appear, we shall be what? Like him. Changed in an instant. Shedding this old mortal body that has all kinds of interesting problems. To get a new one and we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.

Can't see him as he is in this body. Get just glimpses. Remember Moses on the on Mount Sinai? He caught just a glimpse of the glory of God and his face radiated so much that when he came down from the mountain, he had to put a veil over his face. One day, we will see him as what?

As he is. Not veiled so we can see him in this sin cursed body. The sin cursed part will be no more. And we will be like him. We will meet Jesus in the air, in the clouds.

He does not come. All the way to the earth for the rapture, then we which are alive and reign shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the what? In the air. The Bible speaks of every eye shall see him but that's not talking about this day. That's talking about the day when Christ returns to the Mount Of Olives from which he ascended.

That is called the second coming and when Christ returns to the Mount Of Olives with his saints, with his saints. To defeat the armies of the antichrist and set up his kingdom. On that day, every eye shall see and there will be no mistake. On this day, the only people who are seeing Jesus are who? Us.

The only people saying Jesus this day are the redeemed in Christ Jesus. Now, some of the people around the world might be a bit surprised when we vanish, I would think. But we'll be with the Lord and then seven years later, we'll come back with Christ and he will rule and reign for what? For a thousand years. We'll meet him in the air.

We'll meet him in the air and what's the last praise and so shall we what? Ever be with the Lord. Never to leave him ever what? Ever again. So shall we ever be with the Lord.

No more separation between us and God. We're born separated from God in sin, dead in trespasses, and in sins. When we get saved, we're reunited with our father in heaven but still in this body of flesh, we are still separated. To a certain degree but one day, the veil will be what? Be taken away completely.

We'll see him as he is and we'll be changed to be like him and we'll never leave him again. The Bible tells us to be prepared The Bible also tells us, no man knows the day or the hour. So, the Bible says, be prepared but I'm not going to tell you when. Now, now, why is that? Well, you'll have to ask God to to know for sure the answer to that question but I think it's because we would live our life differently if we knew the day and the hour.

Maybe we would just say, hey, well, he's not coming in my lifetime. So, I'm not worried about. I'm not going to, you know, because I, he's not coming to my lifetime or may we say, oh, I know he's coming on this day. Well, I'll just live like the world. Now, I'll get right, you know.

I I got, you know, I got five years yet before he comes back. I don't have to worry about it till then. The fact is even if Christ doesn't come back for five years, you could see death before then. Do you don't have that? That assurance, do you?

But I think the Lord and his wisdom says, I'm not going to tell you. You need to be prepared when? Today and next week and next year, ten years. Stay prepared because you don't know when your Lord is coming. That helps motivate us.

To be what we should be for the Lord. And to be watching. First Mark chapter 13 verse 35 says this, watch you therefore for you know not when your mass, the master of the house cometh. At even or at midnight or at the cock crowing which would be early morning or in the morning. Watch therefore for you don't know when he's coming back.

Be what? Be ready. Be prepared. I've got three things here that we ought to keep in mind in in regards to Christ's return and not knowing when it is. Number one, we should be looking to it with anticipation.

We should be looking for the return of Christ with great anticipation. Why? Well, a couple of reasons. Number one, I don't have to die. I kind of like that idea, don't you?

Yeah. I like that idea. I'm looking for that in anticipation because I would prefer to go that way. Another reason, I get to see heaven. I get to see heaven and I get to be with Jesus.

We should be looking for that day with great anticipation. There may be, there's good things God has in store for his own here but there's also, there's also some days of trouble and difficulty we face here and some of those we don't know what's coming down the road. I I'd love to be up there with him. I don't have to worry about all that. Not sure how many Christians today are really looking forward like maybe they were in past days.

Why? Because we're too comfortable with what? We're too comfortable with this world. Too caught up in its pleasures, too invested here that we're not quite so enthusiastic about Christ taking us home like maybe some in the past. Too invested in the things of the world.

I'm afraid that's too honestly the case for many people today. Not looking with anticipation like we should be because our heart is what? Divided. It shouldn't be. Love the Lord your God with what?

All your heart and if you do, you're going to be looking for with anticipation for the day you get to see him. Number two, not only should we looking with anticipation anticipation but also preparing ourselves for something called the judgment seat of Christ. Second Corinthians five ten says this, for we must all appear. Now, that word all, that means what? That means everybody, that's all.

All means all and that's all all can mean, okay? Somebody told me that a long time ago. It sticks in my head. All means all and that's all all can mean. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body according as that he hath done whether it be good or bad.

So, will you, Christian, appear before this judgment before God? The answer is yes. You will appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Now, it could be translated bema seat. The the word in Greek is Bema and it's not actually a place of punishment.

It's a place of reward. That's what this judgment. There's another judgment we read about in Revelation 20. For those who know not the Lord, it's called the great white throne and all that appear before that judgment, their names are not written in the book of life and they will be cast into the what? The lake of fire.

If your name is not written in the book of life, that is if you have not trusted Christ as savior, who died on the cross for your sins and is risen again. Then, your name is not written in that book and that's that's the judgment you'll face one day. Don't want to be there. God made a way of escape. In who?

In Jesus Christ. And if your name's written in the book of life, then you won't appear at that judgment. You will appear at this one. It is a place of reward. But it wouldn't be sad if you had nothing to show.

Wouldn't it be sad if you had nothing to take with you? No, but pastor, you don't take anything with you. Oh, yeah, you do. You take your testimony. You take the things you've done for the Lord.

You take the lives of people that you've touched for Jesus Christ. You don't take your money. You don't take your house. No, those things you can't take. The things that that you lay up treasure in heaven.

Those things will be there waiting for you. Will you have anything to show? And you know, it could be before this service is over this morning that we could be in the presence of the Lord. What would we have to show? For the life that he gave us, for the time that he gave us, for the tools that he gave us.

What will you have to show? And then number three, looking with anticipation, preparing for the judgment seat to number three, winning the lost while there's while there's what? While there's time. While there's time, while there's time, we must tell the world of Jesus while there's time. Why?

For our Lord is coming soon. Maybe morning, night, or noon. We must tell the world of Jesus while there's time. Are we doing that? Are we inviting people to church?

Are we inviting people for friend day? Are we handing people tracks? Are we praying with people? Are we telling people about Jesus? Are we soul winning?

We speaking with our relatives, our coworkers, are we being the testimony that we ought to be? That they might see Jesus in us. Are we doing those things? Are we cognizant of that? Or we just kind of going through life as though the judgment isn't coming.

It is and if you're, if you know Christ, you're not going to appear at that one. But those who don't, they will. And we've only got so much time to tell them. And time could run out tomorrow. Time could run out tomorrow.

Are you looking with anticipation? Are you preparing for the judgment seat? Are you living your life for the Lord or just for self? And are you winning the loss to Jesus Christ? Are you ready?

Are you a child of God? He isn't preparing a place for those who are not. John three eighteen, he that believeth on him is not condemned but he believeth not is what? Condemned already. Number two, are you anticipating?

Are you too invested in the things of this world? If that's the case, then, you don't necessarily need to have a chat with me but you do need to have a chat with him. Are you prepared to stand before God and give an accounting of what you did with your life? Are we just filling it up with things to satisfy self? Entertainment, amusement.

A little of that's okay. Too much of that gets in the way. Of what we should be doing for who? For Jesus. Are you winning the lost or are you living comfortably?

With little thought. I'm afraid the answer to that for so many Christians today is yeah, we're living comfortably with little thought. That needs to change. We can't change it in other people's lives but by God's grace, we can change it in ours. Let's pray.

Dear God, thank you Lord for this day you've given us. Thank you Lord for the opportunity to know you and serve you. Thank you, Lord for what you did for us on the cross Of Calvary. We pray Lord if there's one here today who's unsure of their relationship with you, who's unsure that on that day you come back for your children that they won't go with you but face a time of great judgment on this world. I pray Lord they'd make sure of that today.

And Lord, for us who do know you, I pray Lord, we consider if we're not anticipating your coming, why? If we're not preparing for your judgment, why? And if we're not winning souls for Christ, why? That we might get down on our knees and confess our sins and Lord, we might love you with all of our heart and love the world around us and take the time we have while there's time. To tell the world of Jesus.

In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.