GLORIFICATION THE SAVING WORK OF JESUS – PART 7 I. CHRIST ‐ THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THE RESURRECTION A. Jesus' death and resurreCtion purChased our Complete salvation ‐ spirit, soul, and body [1 Thes. 5:23]. Redemption does not stop at saving our spirit and soul. God wants to save and transform our body which is why He still loves to heal sickness and disease [Heb. 13:8]. B. The full redemption of our bodies however does not occur until the second coming of Christ. At that time we will be entirely set free from the effects of the fall and brought to that state of perfection that God created us for. Romans 8:23‐24 "We also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, …groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope… C. This future experience of the saving work of Jesus is called Glorification. Glorification is when we receive resurrected ‘eternal bodies’ similar to what Jesus possessed when He arose from the grave. At that time the Apostle Paul says that we will be "glorified together with him." [Rom. 8:17]. 1 Corinthians 15:22,23 "In Christ all shall be made alive [resurrected, glorified]. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. D. Glorification is the final step in the application of redemption. It will happen in context to the second coming of Christ and His return to the earth in the Millennial Kingdom. All believers ‐ both living and dead ‐ will be forever redeemed from sin, sickness, disease, death, and the curse. II. JESUS’S SECOND COMING & THE MILLENNIUM A. Jesus is Coming baCk to rule and reign on the earth for 1,000 years in the Millennial Kingdom. The Millennial Kingdom is a literal 1,000 year period that happens immediately after He returns at His Second Coming [Rev. 20:2,3,4,5,6,7]. John repeats it six times to clarify that it is not symbolic. Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they [the saints] sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them… and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. B. Jesus’ Second Coming by nature is a coming to the earth forever and ever. Jesus came the first time for thirty three years, and will come back to the earth a second time to stay [Rev. 1:7; Mic. 1:3; Is. 31:4]. Zechariah 14:5,9 “Thus the LORD my God will come, And all the saints with You… 9 And the LORD shall be King over all the earth…” Revelation 21:3 “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. C. During this time of Millennial blessing Satan will be bound up and cast into the bottomless pit, and Jesus Christ will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. All nations will be under His government of righteousness, peace, and justice [Is. 9:6,7; Rev. 19:15‐16]. 1 | P a g e GLORIFICATION THE SAVING WORK OF JESUS – PART 7 Matthew 25:31,32 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 "All the nations will be gathered before Him… D. One of the major themes of Jesus’ Coming in the Millennial Kingdom is that He will bring heaven to the earth. God will forever join heaven and earth into one reality and establish His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven [Matt. 6:10]. Revelation 3:12 “…the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God” E. Most Christians believe and have been taught that we will spend eternity with Jesus in Heaven, but Scripture teaches that after Jesus returns we will spend eternity with Him on the Earth. Heaven is the ‘temporary destination’ of the saints until the Lord establishes His kingdom on the Earth [Rev. 21:2,3]. Ephesians 1:9,10 “Having made known to us the mystery (hidden plan) of His will… 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth‐‐in Him. F. Gentile believers have been taught that we live with God in Heaven forever and ever [Worshiping Jesus as the Divine Son of God.] However, the Jewish paradigm thinks of reigning with the Messiah forever and ever in the natural conditions of the earth [Worshiping the Messiah as the Human Son of David.] * The full truth is only seen when these two paradigms are brought together. G. The simple reason we reCeive ResurreCted Bodies to live in for eternity is beCause we will need bodies that relate to both the Heavenly (spiritual) and Earthly (natural) realms. • The saints in Heaven do not have a resurrected body right now because they do not need one to relate to the spiritual environment of Heaven. However, when they come to earth, all will need a resurrected body to be able to relate to the physical environment of the earth. III. GLORIFICATION: RECEIVING OUR RESURRECTED BODIES A. Jesus’ seCond Coming begins with a heavenly proCession in the sky. At that time He will gather together the saints who are alive on the earth, and those who have already died in Christ. Everyone will receive supernatural bodies which are glorified in a moment [1 Cor. 15:51‐58]. 1 Thessalonians 4:13‐17 “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep [have died], lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus [dead Christians]. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede [or go before] those who are asleep [dead]. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God [3 global sounds]. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain [still living on earth] shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…” 2 | P a g e GLORIFICATION THE SAVING WORK OF JESUS – PART 7 B. “GlorifiCation” is when God resurreCts and transforms the body of every believer (both dead and living) on the last day, and supernaturally gives them new ‘glorified bodies’ to live in for all of eternity. John 5:25‐29 “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live… 28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 "and come forth‐‐those who have done good [the righteous], to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” John 6:40,44 "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him [the believer] up at the last day." 44 "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. C. Resurrection and Glorification were common revelations within the Jewish mindset. All throughout Biblical history Jewish believers have anticipated the resurrection and glorification of the saints at the time of the coming of their Messiah [Dan.12:1‐3]. Isaiah 26:19 “Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. John 11:22‐26 “But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" IV. THE THREE PRIMARY RESURRECTIONS IN SCRIPTURE 1. The first was the resurrection of Jesus with many Old Testament saints. Matthew 27:51‐53 “Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep [died] were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 2. The second is at the Second Coming of Jesus when He will raise up born‐again Believers. 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.