The Double Door

The Double Door

30 November, 2025

Thesis: Through faith in Christ, death becomes a doorway into everlasting life.

Summary: The sermon, "The Double Door," interprets death as a passageway to everlasting life for believers, drawing parallels with Abraham's purchase of the cave of Machpelah in Genesis 23. The preacher notes that even God's people experience sorrow and are strangers on earth, yet they possess a living hope rooted in Christ's resurrection. The "double doors" of Machpelah symbolize death as both an exit from earthly life and an entrance into glory. The sermon asserts that Christ, as the "greater Abraham," guarantees an eternal inheritance, with the Holy Spirit serving as a down payment. This hope, present in Old Testament figures, is fully realized through Jesus's victory over death, ensuring believers' future resurrection and their inheritance of a tangible new heaven and new earth.

Sermon

I love that song. That is the gospel in song. I love songs that talk about the birth, death, burial, resurrection, and return of Christ—themes that speak directly to the reality of death and the promise of everlasting life. That is our living hope. Just as the song points us to the hope found in Christ's victory over death, the passage we'll explore today in Genesis 23 reveals how God's promises of eternal life are rooted in His covenant faithfulness.

If you've got your Bibles this morning, turn with me to the book of Genesis chapter 23. Genesis 23. We're going to be talking about living hope this morning, actually—living hope rooted in God's covenant faithfulness, which is at the heart of our eternal inheritance through Christ. Genesis 23. And I'll be honest, this is a passage of scripture I don't believe that I have ever preached before, by itself. But it is rich with theological significance, as are all things in the book of Genesis.

I'm going to give you the title of my sermon. It is The Double Door. This morning we're going to talk about the subject of death, resurrection, and the promised land. Death, resurrection, and the promised land. The double door metaphor captures the tension between the certainty of death and the hope of resurrection, as well as the promise of God's eternal inheritance.

Now, by way of introduction, Paul talks about death in 1 Corinthians 15, and he refers to death as the last enemy in 1 Corinthians 15, 26. The last enemy—Paul calls it that. That is, an enemy that each of us has encountered and will encounter unless the Lord returns first. And until the day death itself is cast into the lake of fire—praise God, that day is coming—it remains a certain reality we all face.

Now, for many, the idea of death sounds terminal, doesn't it? It sounds like, well, this is the end. This is the end of life. This is the end of marriage. This is the end of a friendship. This is the end of hope itself. But what if I told you that according to the Bible, for the believer, death is not the end of life. Death is actually the very beginning of life. Because we have a living hope. And we have a living hope because we have a living Savior who defeated death.

So my main idea this morning is that through faith in Christ, death becomes a doorway into everlasting life. Open your Bibles to Genesis 23. And this chapter records a time of grief in the life of this great patriarch, Abraham. Sarah, his wife, has died at the age of 127. And by the way, this is very significant because this is the first and only time that the lifespan of a woman is recorded in the Bible. It's significant because Sarah is a significant woman—the matriarch of the covenant line, the mother of the promised son through whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed. She is mentioned in Hebrews 11 as a woman of faith, a woman who walked by faith, a woman who trusted God even when the promise seemed impossible. But despite all of that, to Abraham, this is his wife. This is simply his beloved, his cherished wife. And now he must bury her.

This is a sorrowful time in the Scriptures. If Abraham's greatest test was the offering of Isaac, then surely here is his greatest sorrow. But woven into this account of mourning is one of the most hope-filled pictures of the Gospel. Because against the dark backdrop of this intense time of sorrow, God is painting a picture of resurrection hope that actually echoes throughout eternity.

So if you're writing this down, I want you to note and look for these three truths that we find through this chapter. Number one, God's people, too, experience sorrow. Coming to Christ doesn't mean that all your troubles, sorrows, and griefs are over. It does not mean that. Abraham, the great father of faith, mourns the loss of his wife, Sarah. Jesus himself weeps at the tomb of his friend, Lazarus. In this fallen and broken earth, we still have sorrow. Jesus promised, in this life you will have sorrow. But he says, be of good cheer, because he has overcome. We will all have times of mourning. Nevertheless, we mourn not as those who have no hope. But even through our sorrow, even through our mourning, we live as those whose hope transcends the grave.

Number two, we learn that we are sojourners. That is, we are strangers and pilgrims just passing through. Abraham knows he's just a stranger, he's just a pilgrim. He has no title deed for any plot of land in this promised land. All he has is a promise from God: You and your descendants will have this land. Your descendants will possess this land. He knew that this land of Canaan would be his descendants. Yet Hebrews tells us that he was looking for a better land, a true promised land. He was looking for a city that has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

And likewise, we understand that, like the great patriarchs, we too are only passing through. That changes how we live. It changes what we value. It changes who and what we prioritize. It changes how we spend our time, talents, and treasures. When we understand that the most important things of life are not found here on this earth, we will begin to live for eternity. It transforms how we live. It transforms how we die and the way we view death. Not as the end, but as the beginning of what we were truly made for and where we will live forever.

And number three, like Abraham, we have a living hope. We have an earnest expectation of coming good. Friends, one thing I want you to note this morning is that God's promises to Abraham did not end in a grave. God's promises do not end in death. And neither do our promises. As Peter says in 1 Peter 1:3, we have a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

So let's begin reading Genesis 23 here in verse 1. This passage reveals how death becomes a doorway into everlasting life, just as Abraham's faith endured through sorrow. We'll read through the entire chapter, then explore how this story testifies to God's promises that transcend death. Genesis 23 in verse 1. Sarah lived 127 years. These were the years of the life of Sarah. So Sarah died in Kirjath Arba, that is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. There we have it—godly people experience sorrow, yet their hope remains unshaken.

Verse 3. Then Abraham stood up from before his dead and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Even though this is the land that's been promised to me by God, I acknowledge my role as a sojourner in His divine plan. Speaking with a heart full of reverence, he declared, I am merely passing through. I am a foreigner and a visitor. Give me property for the burial place among you that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, Hear us, my lord. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us is withholding from you his burial place that you may bury your dead. They recognized Abraham was a great man, chosen by God. But Abraham stands up and bows before the people, the sons of Heth, and he spoke to them, saying, If it is your wish that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and meet with Ephron, the son of Zohar, for me, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price as property for the burial place among you. Keep that in mind—underline it, circle it—the cave of Machpelah.

Now Ephron dwelt among the sons of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the presence of the sons of Heth, who entered at the gate of his city, saying, No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field and the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people. I'm giving it to you. Bury your dead.

And Abraham, despite his greatness, bowed before the people of the land, and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people, saying, If you will give it, please hear me. I will give you money for the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there. Let’s listen to the negotiation. And Ephron answered Abraham, saying, My lord, listen to me. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. What is that between you and me? Bury your dead. If you insist on paying me, it is worth four hundred shekels of silver. But what's that between us?

And Abraham listened to Ephron. And Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron, which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants. By the way, this was about a year's worth of labor. This would be the payment for a year's labor in those days. So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave, which is in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth before all who went in at the gate of his city.

And after this Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan. So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth, and they were given the property for a burial place.

So first we note the death of a godly woman. Now think about Sarah—she is not just a wife, but a woman of unwavering faith. She left Ur of the Chaldeans with her husband Abraham, not knowing where she was going, yet trusting God’s call to form a people, a nation, and a legacy. Her faith was tested when Abraham and Lot separated, when Isaac was nearly sacrificed, and when she waited decades for God’s promise to be fulfilled. At 90 years old, she gave birth to Isaac, the son of promise, not by human means but by divine intervention. She had been faithful to the Lord through every trial, and now she passes from this life. But notice how Abraham responds—not with haste, but with deliberate care. He mourns deeply, weeps openly, and then takes an extraordinary step: he purchases not just a cave, but the entire field surrounding it, including all the trees within its boundaries. Why? Because Abraham is not merely burying Sarah; he is burying her with the hope of resurrection. This act reflects his unshakable belief that God’s promises transcend death. Sarah’s burial is not an end, but a testament to the eternal covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac, and all who would follow. Her story, and Abraham’s response, remind us that faith is not just about life—it is about trusting God even in death, knowing He will fulfill every promise.

But notice what Abraham does. He doesn't just dispose of her body. He doesn't bury her quickly and move on. The Bible specifically says that he mourns for Sarah. He takes time to weep. And then he does something strange. He buys a cave of all places. But not just the cave. He buys the field that the cave is in. And of course, all the trees and everything within this property line belong to him. He doesn't just bury Sarah under the oaks of memory, where he has lived most of his life in the promised land. He specifically wants to bury her in this cave of Machpelah. Why is that? And as we'll see here in a moment, Abraham is burying Sarah with the hope of resurrection. That God's promises do not end in death. He will see her again.

Now, you might be thinking, Why on earth did Moses devote a whole chapter in the first book of the Bible to this story about the dealings of Abraham with the Hittites and back and forth? Someone once said that this chapter seems to be of little interest to anyone unless you're a lawyer, a realtor, or a funeral director. If you're a lawyer, you would focus on the legal technicalities of the transaction. If you're a realtor, you would wonder why Abraham paid such a high price for a cave without searching for a better deal. If you're a funeral director, you would ask, Why on earth didn't Abraham have this figured out before she died?

But Genesis 23 is going to show us why Abraham was willing to pay a full year's wage for this particular cave. And it not only has significance for Abraham, but for Abraham's children and his children's children and for us as well.

So, point number one, we have the cave with two doors. Abraham, after he mourns for Sarah, purchases this field. Now, Moses gives us the name of the cave within this field, Machpelah. And it comes from a Hebrew word meaning double. So either this is a cave with double chambers or it is a cave with two entrances, a cave with, we would say, double doors.

I've done some research on this cave. This cave is understood by both scholars and rabbis to refer to the double-chambered cave and to the double burial of husbands and wives. This symbolism is further emphasized by the fact that Abraham and Sarah will both be buried here, later followed by Isaac and his wife Rebecca, then Jacob and Leah. Jewish tradition even holds that Adam and Eve were interred here, though we have no way to verify this claim. This cave, with its dual chambers and repeated pattern of husband-wife burials, serves as a powerful testament to the enduring promises of God that transcend death. We have no way to know if that's true or not. That is simply the tradition of the rabbis.

Here's the story. They said that Abraham was looking for a place to bury Sarah, and he passed by this cave. And he began to smell the fragrance of Eden coming from it. Abraham viewed this cave as a bridge connecting heaven and earth, and a bridge between this life and the next. This is why, beyond all this tradition, the scripture consistently shows that this cave of Machpelah stands as a monument not to death but to faith—that the promises of God are so certain that even in death, we can rest in them. That even death does not negate the promises of God.

Now this seems like an insignificant detail. So what? It's the cave of two entrances. The cave of double doors. But I want you to understand the theological symbolism here: for the believer, death is not a one-way passage into darkness. The grave is not a dead end. Rather, it is a double door that we walk through. We go through this side in death, but by God's grace we exit into glory. We leave this life and enter into the very presence of our Savior. That is what death does to the believer. It is a double door—exit from this life and entrance into eternal glory. God's promises do not end in death. Sarah will not end in death. Abraham knows. I will see her again.

And likewise, listen loved ones, when believers leave this life they're exiting this side and going to the true Eden. They are going to the true promised land, the paradise Christ has prepared for His bride.

Notice also that this purchasing of this field and cave is Abraham's declaration of faith. This is the only way—this is the only piece of land that Abraham will ever own. Something we need to understand: Yes, God had promised him the whole land. But this is the only piece of land where he actually holds a title deed. It's a cave—specifically, a field with a cave. It's not meant for harvest. It's not pastures for flocks. It's not a city. It's not a palace. It's a burial cave. Why do you think that is? I believe it's because Abraham believed God's promise so deeply that he buried his dead in the land of inheritance long before he saw that inheritance promise fulfilled. Because he knows God will make good on His word. God will make good on His word.

Abraham could have buried Sarah anywhere, but he insists on purchasing this cave of Machpelah. Now remember, God had promised him the land from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates. But Abraham owns only this one small plot of land—this tomb. Yet this tomb is a guarantee. It is a down payment. This was God's promise made tangible to Abraham. What Abraham is essentially saying is, I am burying my wife in the land of promise because I believe that my family will inherit this land. This is ours. We're not going back to earth. We're not going back to Mesopotamia. We belong right here. And one day, all of my descendants will be here. They will possess the land. God has given me the promise of having a people, a place, for the purpose of blessing the nations. So purchasing this cave was a declaration of Abraham's faith in God's promise.

But it was also a declaration of faith in that Abraham believed that there was more to come. That this life is not the full story, but a seed that will sprout in the resurrection, as seen when he was willing to offer Isaac. He knew that God could raise him from the dead. Therefore he knew God could also raise Sarah from the dead. He knows that the God who made humanity in His image from the dust of the earth can raise people from the dust of the earth. He knows this is not the end. He believes that God will raise Sarah from this very ground. He's saying my dead will not stay dead. This land is ours. Not just for our descendants. But for all my descendants. For all those of the seed of Abraham who have faith in God. For all those who have resurrection hope. Just as Abraham secured a burial place for his descendants, Christ has secured an eternal inheritance for all who believe.

Point number two. Let's look at the greater Abraham in the true promised land. Christ is the purchaser of our redemption. Abraham is the one who paid the price to purchase this burial cave. 400 shekels of silver. He weighed it out before the witnesses. But Christ has paid an infinitely greater price. He paid for us with His own blood. He purchased us from bondage to sin. He paid for our redemption not with silver or gold but with His own precious blood. Abraham bought one cave, but Christ has purchased people from every tribe, nation, and tongue. Abraham secures a burial plot in Canaan, which is the promised land for his descendants. But Christ has secured for us, as the Bible says, an eternal inheritance. An inheritance that can never spoil, that can never perish, that can never fade away. The true promised land.

We also see that Christ is the guarantor of things to come. When Abraham purchased this cave, he was saying there is more to come—my descendants will inherit this land; they will bury their dead there. Likewise, friends, God has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee. He is the down payment of our inheritance. When we are saved, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. That means there is more to come. That means we are living for more than just this life. That means when we are sealed, we have the hope of a glorified body. We have the hope of a true and better promised land. We are waiting for the final adoption—that is, the glorification of our bodies and the resurrection of the dead when Christ returns.

We see this as a foreshadowing of the true promised land. Abraham said, "This is the only deed I have—the only parcel of land I can legally claim as mine." But that’s okay, because he was looking for a better promised land. As Hebrews 11:10 reminds us, Abraham sought a city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. I’m just passing through; I won’t cling to this life or drive my tent stakes too deep, for I know there’s a true and better promised land ahead. Yes, the physical land of Canaan was real, and yes, this cave was real. Yet they pointed beyond themselves to something also real—something eternal, not temporary. They directed us toward the new creation, the new heavens and the new earth where righteousness dwells. That’s why Romans 4:16 says Abraham inherits the cosmos, not just Canaan. What might this mean? I believe he looked forward to what Revelation 21–22 describes: the new Jerusalem, the new heaven, the new earth—Eden restored, the true and better promised land.

Now one thing I want us to note also is that all the patriarchs were buried in faith. When Abraham buries Sarah in Machpelah, he is acting in faith. When Isaac and Rebekah are buried there, they are declaring hope. When Jacob, listen, Jacob makes his son swear to bury him in the cave of Machpelah and not leave him in Egypt. That is a declaration of faith. When Joseph, the great-grandson of Abraham, says, "You don't leave my bones in Egypt. You carry me back to the promised land and you bury me in the cave of Machpelah." He also is being buried in hope. Why? Because this cave of the double doors represents tangible resurrection and hope.

Now of course these are Old Testament characters and they live on the Old Testament side of the resurrection. And even though all the details about the afterlife and resurrection are not clear, they are looking forward to one who would come who would defeat death. They are looking forward to one who will deliver them from the grave. Listen here in the Old Testament. Listen to some of these promises of resurrection hope. Job and all of his suffering he cries out in Job 19:25-27, where he says, "I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God. I shall see him for myself. My eyes shall behold, and not another." Job had the hope of resurrection.

David declared in Psalm 16:10, "You will not abandon my soul to the grave; You will not let Your Holy One see corruption." Of course, he is speaking prophetically of the Lord Jesus Christ and His resurrection. David’s hope of resurrection is directly tied to Christ’s resurrection, as the fulfillment of God’s promises. Psalm 17:15 says, "As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with Your likeness." Isaiah 26:19 declares, "Your dead shall live; your bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy, for your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead." Ezekiel 37 describes the valley of dry bones coming to life. Daniel 12:2 writes, "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt." Hosea 13:14 records God speaking to Hosea: "I shall ransom them from the power of the grave; I shall redeem them from death. O death, where are your plagues? O grave, where is your sting?" That sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Paul later quoted those very words in the New Testament, applying them to the resurrection of believers. So even in the Old Testament, all these people were buried in hope.

Hebrews 11:13 says they all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. In other words, they believed that God had made them for so much more than this life. They knew that the God who made them from dust would also one day raise them from the dust. Hence, they were laid to rest in the cave of the double doors—not as a final destination, but as a temporary state, a waiting place until the day of resurrection. Yes, we've entered, but one day we will exit. Yes, we've been buried, but one day we will rise. And that's the Old Testament. How much more living hope should we have living on this side of the resurrection? Knowing that our Savior has conquered death and the grave, we can live with unwavering confidence in the promise of eternal life. This hope transforms our understanding of death, seeing it not as an end but as a passage into everlasting life. We are people who have resurrection hope.

Now let's connect this all together. Let's take all these Old Testament threads and weave them together in the New Testament. Jesus says in Matthew 22, verses 31 and 32. The Sadducees come to Jesus. And by the way, the Sadducees don't believe in the resurrection. They don't believe in angels. They don't believe in spiritual beings. They don't really believe in anything. And they're like, so, you're talking about the resurrection, huh? Let's get your take on it. The resurrection. They set up Jesus with a whole elaborate story. Go back and read Matthew 22 for yourself.

Here's Jesus' answer. Have you not read what was spoken to you by God? I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. By the way, Jesus is quoting God's words to Moses. Hundreds of years after Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and their spouses were buried in the cave of Machpelah, long have they been dust and bones. Yet God speaks to Moses as if they are still alive. And Jesus in the New Testament is speaking as if they are still alive. Notice he says in the present tense, not "I was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," but "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." In other words, all these people—buried in the cave of Machpelah—they are still alive. Because God doesn't say, "I was," but "I am" the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I am their God right now. What does that teach us? That teaches us that as believers, when we leave this earth and enter into the presence of God, we're more alive than we've ever been.

I believe it was Billy Graham who said the day is going to come when people say, Billy Graham's dead. Don't you believe a word of it. Because I'll be more alive than I've ever been. Friends, if your loved one knew Christ, and they have exited this door, then they have also entered through the other door. And they are more alive now in the presence of their Savior than they have ever been. He is not the God of the dead. He is the God of the living. And they are experiencing life abundantly in the presence of God. They are there with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the ones who were buried in hope.

Hebrews 11:39 and 40 tells us what they’re waiting for. Both Old Testament saints and New Testament saints are waiting for the resurrection together—waiting for the day when God’s promises will be fully realized. Hebrews 11:39 and 40: these were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. Since God had planned something better for us, so that only together with us would they be made perfect. In other words, they don’t have their glorified bodies yet. They are alive, in the presence of the Lord. Their souls are with Him, but they are waiting together for the glorious day when the trumpet will sound and the dead in Christ will rise first, and we who are alive and remain will be called up together with the Lord. They are waiting for that day. The patriarchs are in glory, but they’re not yet complete. Your loved ones are in glory, but they’re not yet complete. They’re waiting for the resurrection day, and God has ordained that all believers—Old and New Testament—will be glorified together. This is the promise He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to every saint who has ever walked the earth. It is the hope that binds us across time and eternity.

So like Abraham, when we bury our dead, we are planting seeds for the resurrection. They were all saying, bury me here in the Promised Land. I belong here. Plant me as a seed in Machpelah, because there I will rise. God will be faithful to His word. Friends, when you bury a loved one, you are planting them as seeds in the ground, which will spring up the resurrection. Resurrection is like springtime. Every Christian who has been buried in this earth will rise. Abraham's saying, I've not seen the end of Sarah. Friends, you have not seen the end of your loved one. They will rise in Christ. They have passed through the first door of death, but they exit through the second door into glory.

How do we know this? Because Jesus Himself is the resurrection and the life. In John chapter 11, as Jesus is standing before another tomb, another cave, His friend Lazarus has died, and Mary and Martha are distraught. And Jesus says to Martha, your brother will rise again. Martha says, yes, I know he'll rise again. In the resurrection, Jesus looks at her and He says, I am the resurrection and the life. And the one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this? And she says, yes, Lord. I believe You are the Christ, the Son of God. Friends, Jesus doesn't just promise us the resurrection. He is the resurrection. Life is not something He simply gives. Life is who and what He is. And if you have Jesus, you have life right now. If you have Jesus, heaven is as good as yours. Your inheritance is already there. You're just waiting to exit through the double doors. Or you're waiting for Christ's return.

So let's talk about Jesus' own trip through these double doors. Jesus entered through death's door, didn't He? Hebrews 2.9 says, But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He by His grace should taste death for every man. But listen, what did Jesus' death accomplish? He says, Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself took part of the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. This text teaches us Jesus became truly human so He could truly die. And His substitutionary death was for all of His people. And by His death He defeated the one who held the power of death, that is Satan, and then He delivers all those who live their lives in bondage to the fear of death. In other words, Jesus did not simply escape death, He entered into death. He entered in through that first door. But that's not the end of the story, is it?

Yes, He was buried. Yes, He took His Sabbath rest. But here came Easter Sunday morning, and Jesus Christ burst forth from the tomb. He exited the second door in resurrection power and glory, emerging from the tomb victorious with the keys of death and hell. As the one who has all authority, death no longer has dominion over Him. Death could not keep Him, for He has no authority over Him. And listen to this, friends, because you are in Christ, death has no more claim over you than it did upon Him. So you see what Jesus did? He didn't just open the second door. He kicked the gates wide open. He entered into death and blew a hole right through the middle of it, emerging from the other end. And He leads us into His very presence.

So when a believer dies, their soul is not asleep. Their soul is not in the ground. They do not descend to Sheol. No, they ascend into the very presence of God, because Jesus defeated death. He has brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. And our lives are inextricably bound to His. We are buried with Him in baptism. We are raised to walk in newness of life. We are seated with Him in the heavenly places. And when He appears, we will appear with Him in glory. Because Christ rose, friends, we will rise. Jesus' resurrection is the first fruits of the harvest. That means it is the first of more to come. You see, Jesus' resurrection guarantees your resurrection. Because Jesus lives, we will live also. Therefore, we as believers have victory over death.

Now how will this take place? How will this exiting through the second door take place? What does this look like? Well, Paul describes this in 1 Thessalonians 4, verses 16-18. Let me read it to you. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel's voice, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Following that, we will always be with the Lord. Therefore, encourage one another with these words. So picture it. The Lord Himself descends—not just the angels, but the Lord Himself. He gives the shout of command. Just like He commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave, the dead will hear His voice. And they will rise. And the voice of the archangel. All of heaven attends this moment. And the summoning call of the trumpet sounds. And the dead in Christ rise first. And those who are alive will be transformed in the moment, in the twinkling of an eye. And there we will meet with the Lord in the air. And we will always be with the Lord. No wonder he says, encourage one another with these words. That should be comforting for us who have stood at our own cave of Machpelah. For those of us who have mourned the loss of a loved one. Because we know the promises of God do not end in death. Praise God.

Well, Paul answers the question about what type of resurrection bodies we'll have in 1 Corinthians 15. People say, well alright, they're going to raise from the dead. What are they going to look like? What are they going to be like? Well, Paul says that we're sown in corruption. We're raised in incorruption. We're sown in dishonor. We will be raised in glory. We're sown in weakness. We will be raised in power. We are sown a natural body. We will be raised a spiritual body. We will have a body just like the Lord Jesus Christ raised. I don't know about you, but I can't wait for that. No more sin. No more sickness. No more struggling with the flesh. Just perfect communion with the Lord.

But that's not the end of the story just yet. Remember, there is also a promised land to inherit. Because after resurrection comes the eternal state. Comes the new heaven and the new earth. What does that look like? Well, we watch on TV and think that people in heaven are simply disembodied souls. We're just floating on clouds and strumming harps with overweight cherubim. That's Hollywood. The Bible paints a far more glorious picture of what our inheritance looks like. Revelation 21 verse 1 through 3. By the way, this is the land that Abraham was looking for. This is the land that we will inherit. John sees a vision. He sees a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And John saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. And then I heard a loud voice from the throne. God's dwelling is with humanity and He will live with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with them and will be their God and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more. Grief, crying, and pain will be no more because the previous things have passed away. And then the one seated on the throne said, I am making all things new.

What a glorious place. God comes to live with us. This is not escape from the earth. This is a new heavens and a new earth. This is earth restored. This is Eden's promise fulfilled. This is the true promised land realized. And as we've preached before, the new heavens and the new earth are just like the Garden of Eden. It's Eden recreated. It's Eden glorified. And the best part about it is that Christ is there in all of His glory and we will be in eternal fellowship with Him. But I want you to understand something. We are not simply going to float around as disembodied spirits. We were made to inherit a tangible earth for all eternity. And in this vibrant new creation, we will not be drifting aimlessly on ethereal clouds. We are going to live, truly live, truly thrive the way we were created. We are going to have community. And what we have here in the church is just a foretaste. It is just an appetizer of the glories that will come.

Yes, we have a home in heaven—but heaven is coming to earth. The earth will be remade, and we too will inherit the earth. See, we are dichotomous beings: body and soul. We won’t be glorified until a glorified soul meets a resurrected, physical, tangible, glorified body. At the resurrection, a glorified soul will unite with a glorified body. We’ll live on a new heaven and a new earth, building, creating, cultivating the land, forming culture, eating food, listening to beautiful music, enjoying life and community. In other words, we’ll do everything Adam was created to do. We won’t sit on fluffy clouds—praise God, that sounds absolutely boring. We’ll live, truly live, truly thrive the way we were made. We’ll have community. What we experience here in the church is just a foretaste—an appetizer of the glories to come.

So how do we live in light of this truth? Well, we mourn and we weep, don't we? We weep when we lose loved ones. But we mourn not as those who have no hope. We mourn as those who have hope. We put them in the cave of Machpelah and we say, I know that we will see you again. This is not the end. You went through one door, you will exit out the other. We cry with the same shout of victory: O death, where is your victory? O grave, where is your sting? Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. Because I know that He lives, I will live also.

The Bible says in Revelation 14, 13 Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Why are they blessed? Because to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. To depart and be with Christ is far better than anything this life can offer.

So as they come and give us a hymn of invitation, I want to remind you that there are two kinds of death, two resurrections, and only two destinies. Jesus says in John 5:28 and 29, the time will come when all who are in grace will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good will experience the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil will face the resurrection of condemnation. Friends, for those in Christ, you will never die spiritually. Physical death is simply falling asleep and waking up in the arms of Jesus. Death is simply passing through this door and exiting into eternal life. You will rise on resurrection day. You will also inherit a new heaven and a new earth. Death has no sting over you. The grave has no power over you.

But for those without Christ, you are already spiritually dead in trespasses and sins. Your physical death will simply confirm your eternal separation from God in a place called the lake of fire, which is the second death. You also will be raised. You also will be given an eternal body. However, an eternal body that is designed for eternal punishment in hell.

So what does that mean for you? It means you must enter through the only doorway into life. And that is the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, "I am the door." And if you enter into me, you will find life. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Because He lived a life you couldn't. And He died the death you deserved. Because He was buried and three days later He rose from the grave. He gives eternal life, everlasting life, new life to all who will place their faith in Him. As the warrior king who has slayed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

So as they sing a psalm of invitation, your sin has already been defeated. Death has already been defeated—the dragon of death has already been slain by Christ. And those who die in the Lord are not lost. They are blessed. They have passed through the first door and will emerge through the second. Because friends, our hope is not in a cave in a field purchased by Abraham from some Hittites, but in another cave just outside of Jerusalem that our Savior walked out of. As the warrior king who has slayed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. So live like it. Worship like it. Grieve like it—but also rejoice that you have hope of resurrection.

So if you would like to come and pray, this altar is open—walk through the doorway of death into the eternal halls of life, for our hope is not in a cave but in the resurrection power that has already conquered the grave. Let your prayers rise like incense, a fragrant offering to the One who turned the sting of death into the sweet aroma of victory, and who now invites you to step beyond the threshold of fear into the boundless light of His promises.