Christian Life Church
July 13, 2025 at 8:30am & 10:30am
You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:13-15
Locations & Times
Christian Life Church Columbia
2700 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
THE BOOK OF ACTS JULY 13, 2025
THE RESURRECTIONS
SCRIPTURE
While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees. These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead. They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning. But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000. The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says: ‘The stone that you builders rejected, has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:1-12
RESURRECTIONS
“There will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” Acts 24:15
Clarity: Being raised from the dead is not the same as being resurrected.
“And the doctrine of final resurrection itself is the high point of Christian nonsense. What will happen to those whose bodies were destroyed by fire? Or eaten by beasts or by fish? Will God scour the world after bits and pieces of each body?” Celsus
1/ The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Every Gospel presentation in the Book of Acts includes the Resurrection of Jesus.
“I have spent more than 42 years as a defense trial lawyer… in many parts of the world. I say unequivocally…the resurrection of Jesus is the best attested fact of ancient history.” Lionel Luckhoo
Jesus’ death proved He was human. His resurrection proved He was God.
Jesus is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead… Colossians 1:18
2/ The Resurrection of Dead Saints
“I saw… (Christian Believers come) to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection.” Revelation 20:4-6 (selected)
Graveyards remind of the brevity of life & resurrection reminds of the brevity of death.
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13
3/ The Resurrection of Living Saints
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18
4/ The Resurrection of the Wicked
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.” John 5:28-29
REWARD & RETRIBUTION
It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment… Hebrews 9:27
The Judgment Seat of Christ (Christians)
Resurrected Bounties
Christians receive Jesus’ reward, which is living in God’s presence forever. But our rewards will vary based on how we live today.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Resurrected Bodies
The Lord Jesus Christ… will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21
“The first thing I plan to do on resurrected legs is to drop on grateful glorified knees.” Joni Eareckson Tada (paralyzed for more than 50 years)
Resurrected Brains
Now we see things imperfectly… but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. 1 Corinthians 13:12
The Great White Throne Judgment (Non-Christians)
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15
Eternal Condemnation
The purpose of hell is not rehabilitation or purgatory. It is judgement on the wicked.
Extensive Categories
“But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you… for the land of Sodom than for you.” Matthew 11:22; 24
REDEMPTION
You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:13-15
In the future, He will impart physical life to the physically dead. In the now, He can impart spiritual life to the spiritually dead.
No Alternative Ways
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6
No Admirable Works
“Morality may keep you out of jail, but it takes the blood of Jesus Christ to keep you out of hell.” Charles Spurgeon
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” And she turned toward Him. John 20:16
THE RESURRECTIONS
SCRIPTURE
While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees. These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead. They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning. But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000. The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says: ‘The stone that you builders rejected, has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:1-12
RESURRECTIONS
“There will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” Acts 24:15
Clarity: Being raised from the dead is not the same as being resurrected.
“And the doctrine of final resurrection itself is the high point of Christian nonsense. What will happen to those whose bodies were destroyed by fire? Or eaten by beasts or by fish? Will God scour the world after bits and pieces of each body?” Celsus
1/ The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Every Gospel presentation in the Book of Acts includes the Resurrection of Jesus.
“I have spent more than 42 years as a defense trial lawyer… in many parts of the world. I say unequivocally…the resurrection of Jesus is the best attested fact of ancient history.” Lionel Luckhoo
Jesus’ death proved He was human. His resurrection proved He was God.
Jesus is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead… Colossians 1:18
2/ The Resurrection of Dead Saints
“I saw… (Christian Believers come) to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection.” Revelation 20:4-6 (selected)
Graveyards remind of the brevity of life & resurrection reminds of the brevity of death.
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13
3/ The Resurrection of Living Saints
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18
4/ The Resurrection of the Wicked
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.” John 5:28-29
REWARD & RETRIBUTION
It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment… Hebrews 9:27
The Judgment Seat of Christ (Christians)
Resurrected Bounties
Christians receive Jesus’ reward, which is living in God’s presence forever. But our rewards will vary based on how we live today.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Resurrected Bodies
The Lord Jesus Christ… will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21
“The first thing I plan to do on resurrected legs is to drop on grateful glorified knees.” Joni Eareckson Tada (paralyzed for more than 50 years)
Resurrected Brains
Now we see things imperfectly… but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. 1 Corinthians 13:12
The Great White Throne Judgment (Non-Christians)
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15
Eternal Condemnation
The purpose of hell is not rehabilitation or purgatory. It is judgement on the wicked.
Extensive Categories
“But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you… for the land of Sodom than for you.” Matthew 11:22; 24
REDEMPTION
You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:13-15
In the future, He will impart physical life to the physically dead. In the now, He can impart spiritual life to the spiritually dead.
No Alternative Ways
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6
No Admirable Works
“Morality may keep you out of jail, but it takes the blood of Jesus Christ to keep you out of hell.” Charles Spurgeon
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” And she turned toward Him. John 20:16