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1:17And he exhorts his church there in verse 10, do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison. So that you will be tested and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. It's a great text for Resurrection Day. So I thought we'd just, instead of moving on, spend a little time talking about this crown of life. This crown of life that is so emblematic of the glory that awaits God's people. You see, resurrection has an ultimate purpose. Jesus' resurrection had an ultimate purpose.

2:13He is life. Death is no match for life. Jesus came out loudly and boldly, but even in his humility, we knew he had power over death. Lazarus, here. Death has no power over life. And we are the assembly of the resurrected. If you are in Christ, you have been raised already spiritually. And you await an ultimate glory when you put on The imperishable. This crown of life. It speaks of a future glory of Christ's people. The glory that awaits us.

3:19Do you live in the light of the resurrection? Listen, if you don't know him today, I pray today you will hear your Lord saying to you, Come here, come forth. That through the preaching of his word, that new life will spring up within you. And if you do know him, I pray that as we bring this resurrection truth before you this morning, that you too will experience that spring-in step, that hope for the future, and that that would show up in all that you're going through now. Just as he told the church at Smyrna, they were going to suffer.

4:16You know, the year was 1999. Can you guys remember back that far? I can remember it pretty clearly. I had been sent out to California. California to open an engineering office. And there was this building, it was an executive suite where a lot of startup companies will basically rent a floor, rent some office space, and will share a secretary, share a bunch of services, so that if you don't have a lot of money or if you're just wanting to see what's going to happen, that's the way you get in. It's a nice way to start without a lot of the commitment. Well, in this executive suite, there were many different companies. It was a whole floor. And one of these companies was a bunch of techies. I never could really figure out what they were doing. We'd meet in the coffee room and sit around, talk sometimes, and pass them by. And like, so what do you do? What do you do? And one of the guys said, well, we're in this thing called e-commerce.

5:36E-commerce. What's that? Well, we're trying to facilitate greater commerce over the internet. You think that's really going to catch on? And so a few months later, They go public with their startup, and these people on the floor all of a sudden entered into instant wealth on a major level. And so I guess it did catch on. I mean, who would put their credit cards on the internet? No one would do that, right? Well, they did. It made them very wealthy. And I remember going in there, it was fall, and when all this took place, it was talk around the building floor. I was talking to one of the guys, and I said, so I heard things went pretty well. And I mean, you could see it in their step, you could see it in their smile, you could see it, and you could see it in the way they drank coffee. I mean, you could just see it. And I never will forget what he said: he said, It's going to be a Merry Christmas.

7:02It's going to be a Merry Christmas. Because he knew, he said, I'm going to sell this stuff. I'm getting rid of some of this. It's going to be a Merry Christmas. Well, because he had so much ahead, so much ahead, so much excitement that it showed up in his step, in his thoughts, in his countenance. Let me tell you something. There is something awaiting Christ's. People that far dwarfs what I just described, and that should characterize us.

7:40He is risen, and yes, that should mark us. And so, I want to take a little bit of time today to go deeper into this crown of life. And really, what this touches upon is this doctrine of glorification, the teaching of Scripture about how God glorifies His people. It's the doctrine we call glorification. And this doctrine of glorification carries two major streams: the doctrines of the end times, eschatology, and the doctrines of salvation, soteriology. And it comes together in this glorification of God's people. There is a glory awaiting God's people that is depicted in this crown of life, this wreath of life, this trophy, eternal life.

8:47And so, this glory that awaits God's people dwarfs anything we can imagine. And I hope to bring to your mind this morning as we celebrate on this. Beautiful resurrection morn, the scriptural truth and the reality of the resurrection of Christ and what that has and what that says and what that means for us today. So I want you to see this is glory awaiting Christ's people so that you will be a person that is characterized by this resurrection hope. I'm just going to take you through four steps, and this will be drawing in other scripture that relate to this teaching.

9:39So I want to talk to you today about the crown of life and the ultimate glorification of God's people. First of all, resurrection glory is sure. Hopefully you can read that. It is sure. At the outset, resurrection glory for God's people is sure. It's not just some wishful hope. It is anchored in historic reality and historic promise. It is sure. It is sure for at least three reasons. You give many. But first of all, it's sure because of Jesus' bodily resurrection.

10:30Remember, he went to the cross. He died on Passover. The next day is the beginning, the first day of the feast of unleavened bread. He's in the grave, the beginning of the feast of unleavened bread. And what they would do with the feast of unleavened bread is they'd go through the house and sweep out all the leaven. Depiction of getting rid of sin, get sin out of your life, out of your house. That was the celebration. Well, he goes into the grave. Why? Because he is the one who takes the sin away. He dies on Passover as the Passover lamb. He goes to the grave as the one who takes sin away.

11:12But then he is raised upon the feast of first fruits. All this. What does the feast of first fruits mean? It depicts really one reality. There's more to come. There's more to come. In fact, there's a curious little text in Matthew 27. I'll read to you. Matthew 27, verse 50. Kind of read over it. But this is, and Jesus cried out with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. Verse 50. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs, get this, the tombs were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

12:12What's that all about? There's more to come. Resurrected bodies, not just Christ, but Christ, and then others. Resurrection is sure. Died on Passover, buried in the grave, and unleavened bread comes to life, first fruits, as a wave offering that there is more to come. More to come. Resurrection and glory awaits all of God's people, whether sanctified by faith alone before the cross or after the cross, all of God's people will be glorified in an ultimate sense with this resurrection glory, this crown.

13:07Second reason why it is sure is because of Jesus' power. Matthew 28:18, Jesus came up to his disciples and said, All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. All of it. He has all the power. He is the first. First and the last. That's how he describes himself here in Revelation 2:8. The first and the last. The author and finisher, the one who has the last word, who himself was dead and has come to life.

13:56So it's sure because of Jesus' bodily resurrection. It's sure because of Jesus' power. But it is also sure because of Jesus' promises. Listen to what Jesus promised. In John 6:38, he says, I have come down not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me, that of all he has given me, I lose nothing, but raise it up the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in him will have eternal life. And I myself will raise him up on the last day. We will hear, like Lazarus heard. Lazarus, hear.

14:47We will hear our name called. So it's sure he would have to ungod himself for him to violate his. Promise. He would have to thumb his nose at the will of our heavenly Father if there is not awaiting a future resurrection glory for God's people. So it is sure because of Jesus' bodily resurrection, it is sure because of his power, it is sure because of Jesus' promises. Second, resurrection glory involves both body and soul, body and soul.

15:33You see, in Plato's philosophy, they viewed the body as a prison house of the soul and gladly discarded it at death. That's kind of that Platonic philosophy. The soul really is what's important, the body really is nothing, and so that's simply discarded. But the Bible presents a much more positive and glorious role for the human body, especially of that of the believer. Glorification of God's people is the final application of salvation to the believer. Listen to what Romans 8:23 says. And not only this, but we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves grown within. Ourselves waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

16:40Body. It's what Paul says in Philippians 3:20. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory by the exertion of the power that He has, even to subject all things to Himself. The glory that awaits resurrection glory involves the human body. And historically, this is why Christians respect the body. This is why they do not cremate the body historically. The body is something to be respected. In fact, even as you look out at the cemetery, they face east. Why? There's an expectation of resurrection and that they would come out facing east because Christ is going to return from the east. But there is this idea that the body is really useless.

17:59It doesn't. Come out of Christianity. In fact, the Bible makes it very clear that the unnatural state is for humanity to be separated from the body. That's what death is. That's what is unusual. No, we will put on a body, a new body, a resurrected body. But resurrection glory doesn't just involve the body, it involves both the body and the soul. Not only is there going to be bodily perfection, there will be moral and spiritual perfection as well.

18:48Colossians 1:21 says this, and although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet he has now reconciled you in his fleshly body through death in order to present you before him holy and blameless and beyond reproach. Beyond reproach. Jude 24 says this, now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory blameless with grace. Joy. We're not going to get there on our own. But this is the commitment that Christ has made to us.

19:401 John 3:23, Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies Himself just as He is pure. Yes, resurrection glory, it is sure, and it involves both the body and the soul. Third, resurrection glory, this crown of life, includes participation in the new creation, participation in the new creation.

20:29Listen, creation itself, get this and make sure you hear this. Creation itself is waiting for our glorified state. Romans 8:19, Paul says this: For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. And this is the children of God. So, ladies, you're not left out. The children, revealing of the sons of God, the children, sons and daughters. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Creation itself is waiting to be released into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Think about that.

21:34For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. Resurrection has a direction, it has a purpose, it has a goal. The creation itself awaits the perfection of humanity. Then itself will be renewed. It will be renewed. Creation itself will be renewed into a creation that is appropriate for glorified humanity. Today we live in a creation that is fit for fallen humanity. There's thorns, there's, and yet it's incredibly beautiful, isn't it?

22:28And yet, all this. All this is passing away. And going to make room, make way for a whole new order characterized by joy in its marvels. Think about the new creation where now it's not for a fallen humanity, it is for a glorified humanity where all the potentials and all the potentialities for goodness are released. It's a whole different creation that's necessary. Union with one another, delight in God, endless possibilities of goodness. Creation must afford more possibilities for a glorified humanity.

23:26In fact, the purpose of the whole initial application of our salvation in justification, the whole purpose of justification has an end goal. It's not just to get us out of heaven, I mean, out of hell. Scratch that from the tape, you know. That's how they make heretics out of sound bites, right? You know, no. You know, justification has an end goal, and that end goal. is glorification in heaven. It's not just to get us out of hell, it is to bring us into this endless possibilities of goodness and explorations of a new creation.

24:16This is what heaven is like. Romans 8, 29, Paul says this, for those he foreknew, he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brethren. And these whom he predestined, he also called, and these whom he called, he also justified, and these whom he justified, he also glorified. The last point in the whole chain of salvation is glorifying. I love what R.C. Sproll says in his holiness of God on this. He cites Luther and interacts with him. And I'll just read to you what he says.

25:05Luther described the condition of a patient who was mortally ill. The doctor proclaimed that he had medicine that would surely cure the man. The instant the medicine was administered, the doctor declared that the patient was well. At that instant, the patient was still sick. But as soon as the medicine Passes his lips and entered his body, the patient began to get well. So it is with our justification. As soon as we truly believe, at that very instant, we start to get better. The process of becoming pure and holy is underway, and its future completion is certain. End quote.

25:56So, glorification, God's people, it is sure. It involves both body and soul. It includes participation in the new creation. And fourth, it is far greater than the sufferings of this present world. It is far greater, far greater. Romans 8:18. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us. You see, we get to be a people that just start looking at ourselves. We can get so down and we lose sight of the great glory that waits.

26:52We're like a person who's just realized his stock has gone up. And then forgets, forgets, and doesn't have any money to go supersize his McDonald's. 2 Corinthians 4:17, for momentarily, momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. That's what's happening. Paul makes it very clear that our present sufferings and afflictions are real. They are real. Our longings are real. Our frustrations are real. Our fallenness is real. We live in a fallen world. Our tribulations are real. Our trials are real. Our opposition is real.

28:01But our future blessings, in light of our future blessings, they pale in comparison to what awaits us. Let me just read you some words from Ephesians 1, and I'm just going to read it. It says it so well, I just will let it speak for itself. It's a good practice, isn't it? Let me just read. To you. I'm going to begin reading in Ephesians 1:18. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of the inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe. Paul's praying, I pray that your eyes can see this, that you'll be illumined, opened, so that you can understand this.

29:05These are in accordance with the working of the strength of his might, which he brought about in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but in the one to come. And he put all things in subjection under his feet and gave him as the head over all things to the church. That's who he's given to the church. Isn't it? This is who we have. This is who he's given to the church. This is our head. This is our leader. This is our king. The one who is everything has been put in subjection to him. Then he goes on to say in chapter 2 and verse 4: But God, being rich in mercy, Because of his great love with which he loved us.

30:05Even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ. For by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with him. Past hence, Christ is risen, and amen, and raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. So that, why? Why all this? Chapter 2, verse 7. So that in the ages to come, he might show the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

30:56A whole purpose. Salvation is that God is going to, for in the ages of the ages, is going to show, reveal, make known the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness towards us who are in Christ Jesus. That's better than a stock that's doubled. It really is. But this is exactly why Jesus exhorted the Church in Revelation 2:10. Do not fear what you're about to suffer. And boy, they got suffered. They suffered. Behold, the devil himself is involved in this. He is about to cast some of you into prison so that you will be tested. And you will have tribulation for 10 days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. You see, Jesus knows us. He knows what they were going through. He knows what that church was going through. He knows what we're going through. He knew the pressures that they were facing. He knows the pressures that we are facing. He knew who their enemies were. He knows who our enemies are. He knows what our enemies are up and doing right now. He knows what was about to happen to this church in Smyrna. He knows what's about to happen to us today and tomorrow. He knows all that. And what does he expect? He goes on and he tells them what he expects. Don't be afraid. Stop fearing. Expect suffering. It's coming.

32:39But produce faithfulness to the most extreme degree. That's what he wants from us. And he says it's because he knows what awaits. Why does he expect so much? Because he knows that the coming life, the coming glory. Is far greater than the sufferings of this world. That's why he promises the crown of life, the trophy of persevering in faith. And it's far greater than the sufferings. He knows our trials. He knows everything we're up against. He knows everything about us. Before any trial comes, he knows it.

33:30He's the first. And when all is said and done, when it's over, he's the one who has the last word. And he's the one with all power, all authority, and he gets the last word. And he has promised a resurrection glory for his people. In fact, that's the whole reason his heavenly Father sent him in the first place. So now you have a framework for the cross, but you have a framework for the resurrection because it too is pointing forward to something.

34:10That is the final resurrection and ultimate glorification of God's people. There's nothing to be afraid of except turning away from Him. Failing to obey him. That is what should cause us more fear than anything else. I want to obey him. And I'm afraid of a life that doesn't involve him. Well, I wanted you to see the glory that's awaiting Christ's people so that you will be a person characterized by this hope. So, how do we live in the light of this truth?

35:11If you're in Christ, there is a glory that is coming so over-the-top wonderful. And you will live in it, you will experience it, you will put on that future glory. So, how should that shape you now? Well, the answer is to live in the reality of our present glorification. Yes, there is a future and ultimate glorification of God's people that awaits, but there is also the reality of a present glorification that has already happened. Let me read to you. You remember in John 17, verse 22.

36:01Jesus says this, the glory which you have given me, I have given to them. Speaking of the disciples and those who will believe in through the word, I have given them the glory which you have given me, an ability to manifest the Father. This glory I have given to them that they may be one just as we are one, I in them and you in me, and that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them, even as you have loved me.

36:50Think about that. That the world may know that you sent me and that you loved them, speaking of the disciples, even as you have loved me. Our present glory is that we are presently loved to the same degree that Christ is loved. Let that set in. Our present glory, the glory which He has given us. Our present glory is that we are presently loved to the same degree that Christ is. Love. There is no other explanation of these words, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you have loved me.

37:44You see, and what does he want us to do? The Father was in Jesus, and we know the Father's love for us because of what Jesus did and does. And so we can look at Jesus, we can see what He did and what He does, and we can understand that the Father loves us as much as He loves Jesus. You remember what Jesus did in John 13 before the feast of Passover? Jesus, knowing that His hour had come and that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And He gets up and He washes their feet. And then He says, I want you to love each other the same way that I have loved you. A sacrificial, devoted love. See, there's glory in the unity that is in the body. Of Christ, a resurrection glory that is already there. And you see, when we love one another as Christ loved us, we show His glory and ours with Him. What is our glory? The same as His, to manifest the character of our Heavenly Father.

39:28We have been given this even now, and it shows up, especially in the way we love one another. Think about this. When we love one another, what's happening? You see, Jesus is in His people. I in them. The Heavenly Father is in Jesus, and Jesus is in His people. And so He wants us to love one another because that is how the whole world is going to know that the Heavenly Father sent Jesus. This is what He said: that the world may know that you sent me.

40:20That they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that you sent me and love them even as you have loved me. You see, the world comes to know the Father. Comes to know, the world will come to know that the Father sent Jesus by what we say and do. By the way we love one another. That's how we know the Heavenly Father loved Jesus because the Heavenly Father was in him. And we know that the Heavenly Father loves us because of what Jesus said and do. And so one to another, as we put God's glory on display by loving one another to the same degree, in the same capacity, it communicates our Heavenly Father's love.

41:10And then the world gets it. There's a great glory awaiting God's people. Let this truth sink in. Let this truth define the stride and the steps we take. Let it characterize us. What a beautiful morning. So much. Christ is risen. And Amen. Heavenly Father. Father, we thank you for this beautiful day, the reminder of the impact that the resurrection has upon not only our future, but our present, a historical reality. You came out of the grave, not just as some happy ending to a story, but the beginning of a whole new creation.

42:33Resurrected. First fruits. More to come. And Father, we have indeed, through the words of the apostles that you walked with, we have received their words, we have believed them. And Father, we thank you that we can celebrate here, some 2,000 years removed, and share this resurrection hope that the disciples experienced firsthand. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for all these great gifts. Help us to be a people who live in light of these truths. Thank you for the glory that awaits. Thank you for the glory that you've already given. And may you be exalted here in Jesus' name. Amen.