The Advent season that leads up to Christmas is another event on the Christian calendar. Last Sunday was Christ the King Sunday, but as far as days that are celebrated, Christmas day by far outshines Christ the King Sunday. There is more focus on the baby Jesus than on Jesus our King. Our theme for Advent is to return our focus to the word of God and away from man as king and return to and submit to Jesus the King of kings. You can’t say Jesus is your king if you do not follow His word. The church must get back to fixing eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Yes, that is an Easter verse, but the church really should be a daily combination of Jesus our King, Christmas, Easter, Lent and Pentecost. At first, the Jews were waiting for the Messiah to come and reign on David’s throne and that was the first Advent (coming). The church should be way beyond waiting for and celebrating the birth of Jesus as Jesus already reigns on David’s throne and at any moment could return, ending the world as we know it. Yes, the birthday of Jesus was an amazing event and there is much adoration and joy concerning this event, so why do most in the church not follow His words wholeheartedly. Why do most add to and take away from His word when told not to.
The return of Jesus is what our Advent is all about. Our focus should be on serving God wholeheartedly, spreading the good news of the Gospel, healing the sick and casting out demons just as Jesus did. As that is taking place, we wait expectantly and prepared for the return of Jesus to take His bride into eternity. But doing as Jesus did is not happening and most at this point will not see the eternity they expect to see. Most are told come to our church, believe what we teach and go to heaven. These verses should make you really question what you have been saved into, but most will say this does not apply to me. Luke 13:23 “Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’” Matthew 24:15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet 22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.” Matthew 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Above this verse Jesus talked about the five wise and five foolish virgins. The wise were prepared and waited expectantly, even though the wait was long. The foolish virgins were unprepared and when the time came were not ready for the bridegroom. Matthew 25:13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” The church today is unprepared and unexpectant and really not worried about the return of Jesus. There is also no fear of God as most think that because they go to church, all is well with their soul. Many think they are ready, but the Jesus and gospels they are following are not the true Jesus and His gospel as seen in scripture. So while people act as if they want Jesus to return, they really should heed the warnings because the church is not what it is supposed to be. Hosea 8:1 “Put the trumpet to your lips! An eagle is over the house of the Lord because the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law. 2 Israel cries out to me, ‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’ 3 But Israel has rejected what is good.”
Advent is about the return of Jesus, but the rejection of God’s word, a lack of fear of God and the secularization of Christmas means the church has taken their eyes off of Jesus. At this time of year, the emphasis of the church is still on a baby in the manger, not the King who reigns on David’s throne and is about to return. Many churches have bought into the Jewish belief that the Messiah will one day come to earth and reign but those who follow the Jews forget that they murdered their own Messiah. So much time has gone by that people have settled into stubborn and obstinate ways that they call truth. As Isaiah said Isaiah 57:11 “Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me?” The strange part of this is that Christmas just isn’t a church event. Not only is Christmas a big event in the church, as you can see all around you, Christmas is a huge event in the secular world, especially in the commercial world. One statistics site said, “Christmas is arguably the peak point of what is known as the golden quarter in retail. It is also a civil holiday that is enjoyed by an increasing number of non-Christians and is an integral part of the holiday season. In 2024, eight out of every 10 people in the United States stated they were planning to celebrate the holiday, with less than one in 10 declaring that they would not be joining in with the festivities. Christmas is typically the largest economic stimulus for many nations around the world as sales increase dramatically in almost all retail areas during this time.”
For the church, Christmas is also a big event. Though a beautiful time of year, this ritual has become somewhat meaningless just as we talked about before that Easter is a farce. Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of God’s love for His people. Yes, Jesus was a baby, but it was the man that began His ministry and died for our sins. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” This ritualistic celebration of the birth of the Messiah has been an ongoing event for almost two-thousand years. Even though God loves His people, His people continue to reject Him and refuse to believe His words and continue to add to and take away from His word. Revelation 22:18 “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.” Every church does this. It appears it is easier to bow before a baby, than it is to submit to a king.
Last week was Christ the King Sunday, which means the baby grew up and was no longer in a manger but sits on the throne of David. But for many in the church, Jesus is still the baby and sadly those who worship Him are still babies. This means Jesus never grew up, nor have His followers, even though we are told Luke 2:52 “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Just above, Simeon Luke 2:28 “took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” 33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Paul said 1 Corinthians 3:2 “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly.” And we are told Hebrews 5:12 “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!” Hebrews goes on to say 13 “Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” To train and to distinguish, Paul said Ephesians 4:11 “Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.”
Instead, today the church is filled with the infants, the immature, deceived and the deluded. Those five positions have been infiltrated by what is false and people have not been equipped to no longer be infants and are still deceived by satan’s scheming. Most do not know enough to test the spirits as they think that because they go to church, it must be truth that they have committed their lives to. 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Many churches have very strong discipleship programs, or so it appears, but what are you being saved into and discipled into believing? What other gospels have you unknowingly accepted as truth? Is the Jesus you have been taught about actually the Jesus of the Gospels? In most cases a different Jesus and other gospels are being taught. In a moment you will see an example from Moody Bible Institute.
As the time of this world draws to an end, we must Amos 4:12 “prepare to meet your God.” At this point most who call themselves Christians are not prepared. We used to sing a song that said, “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory!” The “all” at this point is not many, as most have lined up at the wide gate and are not even looking for the narrow way. Most do not even realize that the beautiful sound of their singing is falling on deaf ears. Amos also said Amos 5:21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. 22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. 23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.” The church must repent and turn from wicked ways and this Advent season, like Lent, should be a return to God’s word because the church looks nothing like the Gospels and Acts nor does it have power. Therefore, the church is no longer anointed to go out and do in the same power and authority as Jesus did.
Christ is not the last name of Jesus. Christ means the anointed one, so Christmas really means a mass of the anointed one. Just as kings were anointed, Jesus was anointed. Luke 4:16 “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Acts 10:36 “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” 1 John 3:8 “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”
Not only was Jesus anointed, but His disciples were also anointed to preach good news. This also applies to disciples. Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 42:6 “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” Even though Simeon said about Jesus Luke 2:32 “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel,” Paul said disciples were also anointed. Acts 13:46 “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” 2 Corinthians 1:21 “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
Daniels said Daniel 7:3 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” As we see throughout the gospels, Jesus was anointed to preach the good news, heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead. Matthew 4:23 “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. Matthew 11:4 “Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”
We also see that Jesus anointed His disciples to do the same. Luke 9:1 “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” That same anointing would come on the church at Pentecost as the church was to continue to do as Jesus did. Acts 5:12 “The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.” Acts 8:4 “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.” Because the church follows a different Jesus and teaches other gospels, this power is no longer present in the church.
The power we saw in the Gospels and Acts was the power of a King, whose “dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” That is the anointing Christmas is supposed to be about, but it turned into commercialism both in the church and outside the church. The celebration of Christmas became a powerless mass with no anointing and just an event on the calendar. Yes, the birth of Jesus was the most important birth in all of creation but while the birth has been focused on, the King has been forgotten, rejected and even replaced and His kingdom has not come near. While the birth of Jesus was obviously important, our focus should be on Jesus our King who will defeat our enemies and one day return and eternity will begin. Isaiah said Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” Zechariah said Luke 1:68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— 72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.”
So many Christians are unprepared to meet their Maker because they have been deceived and deluded into believing they are safe and secure. The church is filled with doctrines of demons like the rapture and the Millennial reign of Jesus on this earth. Advent has been changed to include Jesus rapturing the church. On Moody Bible Institute’s site they state, “We believe in the second coming of Christ. His return from heaven will be personal, visible and glorious, a blessed hope for which we should constantly watch and pray. Before He establishes His kingdom on earth, Jesus will come for His Church, an event commonly referred to as the "Rapture. At the end of the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will return with the hosts of heaven as well as the Church to establish the Messianic Kingdom on earth. His Kingdom will last for a thousand years." If you read further, you will also see false teaching on the gifts of the spirit. “Moody holds that "sign gifts" are not normative for the church today.” Paul would say Galatians 3:1 “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?” Sadly, like most they will hold on tightly to their false gospel / doctrines of demons and it is false because nowhere does scripture say that. I didn’t include all of the nonsense they wrote about, but if you have bought into, and many have bought into this this deception and delusion, you do not want Jesus to return before you repent and turn from these wicked ways. Many who call themselves Christians are waiting for this blessed hope to come, but it will never happen and so many are going to die and have died following these false teachings.
While they wait in hope, they continue to be deceived and deluded. Here is why. Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” Jesus warned us about the abomination that causes desolation and the severe destruction it will cause, so much so that none would survive if God does not step in. The church has been decimated and the tribulation they talk about happening in the future has already happened and is happening. Though as Moody stated that they should watch and pray, what they really need to be doing during this Advent season is to repent and turn from their wicked ways. As we recently saw with yet another false prediction about the rapture, many Christians have fallen for this nonsense and have believed something that will never take place. Added to those numbers are those who just are not sure, just as I was in my younger years after watching at church the demonic movie “A Thief in the Night.” Like others, that really messed me up, but that is how satan operates. He has infiltrated the church and distorts scripture and millions fall for it. When Jesus does come back for His bride, many will hear Matthew 25:12 “‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.” As we read in Thessalonians, not only do we have satan deceiving but because the church has rebelled like Israel and Judah, God Himself has deluded the church into believing this nonsense taught by false teachers. I often wonder does satan ever say to himself, I can’t believe they fell for that. These are the thoughts of Jesus. Luke 24:25 “He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” Mark 16:14 “He rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
Advent (actually the whole year) is supposed to be a preparing for the final days, spreading the good news, healing the sick and casting out demons. The church was to carry of the work of Jesus and continue to destroy the devil’s work. Each generation has an opportunity to submit and serve our King. We are not given our life expectancy but whatever we are given is out time to serve Jesus. There are no second chances and there is no in-between / lukewarm. We must serve Jesus wholeheartedly. Revelation 3:15 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” Paul was ready to die and said Romans 14:8 “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” Acts 21:10 “After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
The prophets that spoke to Israel and Judah are still speaking to the church today. That is why it is so important for you to read the Old Testament. As Paul said 1 Corinthians 10:6 “Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” The Christmas carol says, "Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?,” but it is not the sleigh bells you should be listening to, it is the sound of the trumpet warning the church to return to God’s word. Jeremiah 6:17 “I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.’” Ezekiel 12:1 “The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.” Jeremiah 7:23 “I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. 24 But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. 25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. 26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors.’ 27 “When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to them, they will not answer. 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips.” The church was warned by Daniel who said Daniel 8:11 “It set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord; it took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord, and his sanctuary was thrown down. 12 Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.”
Today the church begins to focus yet once again on the Christmas story, while at the same time the church remains unprepared to meet the King that they celebrate the birth of. So many have lost sight of Jesus returning and judgement. Instead, this is the season for shopping, gift giving and gift receiving. There will be work parties and gatherings of friends and family and then just as fast as Christmas came, it will be a new year. Then January hits. One site even has a survival guide for this depressing month of January and Blue Monday (the third Monday in January – not necessarily true as any day could be blue). What happened to “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”? What difference does the celebration of the baby Jesus make in most people lives. The problem is most have no idea who Jesus, the Messiah and King really is. As the new year starts, most are not prepared or even expecting Jesus to come; they just once again go through the motions of a new year, always hoping this year will be better than the last. When Jesus does return, there will be no time to repent and turn from wicked ways, it will be too late. Yet, most have no fear of this dreadful event, the day of judgement.
Every day should be one of expectation, not just as Christmas time but most have been taught they have nothing to fear, but they reality is that most should fear as they are not ready. We must prepare for Jesus to return at any minute. 2 Peter 3:8 “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” 1 Corinthians 15:50 “I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Make sure your labor is not in vain and that you are following the right Jesus and the right gospel. As Paul said, 1 Corinthians 15:2 “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” Don’t wait to find out that you have believed in vain but be prepared and filled with expectation.
