We Shall Not All Sleep — J. Frank Norris

The Mystery of Resurrection Change

Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, we shall all be changed. 1 Corinthians 15 and 51, if you notice in that text, there are two R's. We shall not all sleep, we shall all be changed. There's quite a difference in those two R's.

They appear, they mean the same thing on the surface, but look underneath and you'll find they do nothing. When he says we shall not all sleep, that means that not all the Christians will die, but the multitude, the eminent living, when Christ comes.

That's what the first R applies to, but the second R applies both to the dead in Christ and those who will be living when He comes. Therefore, the second R is more inclusive. Let's follow the method of contrast.

Scripture’s Permanence and the New Birth

Isaiah 40 and 6 tells us how that all the glory of the world is as grass and the goodliness thereof is the flower that fades, but the word of our God shall stand forever. Peter tells us that the inspiration of the Scriptures came not by the wisdom of man, but as holy men were moved and borne along by the Spirit of God.

John tells us concerning the new birth, He came unto his own, and his own received him not, but as many as received him. Peter tells us concerning our baptism, 1 Peter 3 .21, the life speaker went unto baptism to also now save us, not to putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God.

The Last Trumpet and the Resurrection of the Dead

On that second R, we shall all be changed. Following verses explains to us very clearly what's meant. In the twinkling of an eye of the last trump, for the preface shall sound, and the dead shall be raised.

Then the second, shall be changed, that is, we which are alive. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. That does not refer to the dead, but to the living.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. That does not refer to the dead.

That refers to the living who will not die. Then he gives us the quotation for both Isaiah and Hosea that refers to both the dead and the living. When he says, O death, where is thy stain? That refers to the dead.

When and Where the Change Will Take Place

O grave, where is thy victory? That refers to the living, for the grave will not contain them, or win the victory over them. Notice just briefly, we shall all be changed. First, when will the change take place?

Second, what is involved? What is the change? Third, where will it take place? He tells us very plainly when, after the time. He says, at the last trumpet. He says the trumpet shall sound. Jesus, in Matthew 24 and 31, speaks of the great sound of a trumpet, at which time the angel shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other.

Isaiah says that it will be the great trumpet that shall be blown, that this present age comes to a sudden end, and every wheel of industry shall stop. There'll be no argument then as to ways increase.

There'll be no peace conferences held at Moscow, Washington, London, or anywhere else. But that trumpet sounds, he'll call all the nations of the earth to the final peace conference of time and eternity.

We need not to fear the passing of years, but rejoice that we are one day nearer home. For forty long weary years, the children of Israel wandered aimlessly, miserably, hoping for the cross. At last I heard the proclamation, tomorrow.

I love those words, one sweet and solemn thought, comes to me o 'er and o 'er. I'm nearer home today than I've ever been before. Nearer my Father's house, where many mansions meet, nearer the great white throne, nearer the crystal sea, nearer the bound of land where we lay our burdens down, nearer leaving the cross, nearer gaining the crown.

Christian Hope Beyond the Grave

So therefore, instead of whining and whining about the passing of years, rejoice over the approaching victories of glories that earth has not seen. A very dear friend of mine was talking to me not long ago about how he dreaded the tomb.

He said, it's to me the most horrible thing that I'm going to be put under the ground in darkness and cold and alone. I said, I don't dread it. I'm not going to be there. I'm not going to be put under the ground.

He said, you're not? No. I said, I'll be somewhere else. He said, what do you mean by that? Oh, I said, they may take this old house and do what they please with it. I'll be through with that. I'll move out of this house into the Father's house.

He said, Norris, I wish you'd explain to me what do you mean by that? Why, I said, very simple. Why, I said, it doesn't matter whether I'm left on top of the ground or put under the ground or buried in the sea or cremated or what.

I won't be there. He looked at me as a man of great wealth. He said, you know, I killed everything in the world if I believe that. Well, of course, he'd given himself over to the making of money and spending it in pleasure, and that's why he dreaded to be put under the ground.

What Is Involved in the Change

Thanks be unto God, there won't be a Christian on earth ever put under the ground. That's why Jesus said, if you believe in me, you'll not die. Now, the second question I want to notice, what's involved in this change?

What a change. In this present evil world, in this present world of conflict and anxiety and fears, men's hearts failing them for fear. In this world of funeral possessions, I conducted some for funerals last week.

In this world, see the tears fall like rivers, unbidden down the cheeks of heartbroken lovers. I say it's fine. Out from this church will never return. Tuesday, Christmas Day, went out to Greenwood. I was a five-month-old baby buried there a short time ago.

I finally decided the grave of all they loved. This good mother that came to me a few moments ago, in their count, Ms. N .W. Williams, Sergeant Robert A. Nail, terrible battle of Corregidor, metan, was sent down.

Oh, what shall I say? The righteousness, from darkness to light, to eternity, from defeat to victory, just the strength, ends not just for easiness of passage. The change shall be broken, shall deliver me from this body of death.

Thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. What a change! From prison bars to freedom, from the willingness to the promised possessions, from Egypt just punished into His presence. Like this long-awaited faith, for faith will be swallowed up in faith, with a glorious individual immortality.

Christian Immortality and the Image of Christ

I read a book recently on Buddhism, and here's that conception of immortality. The individual, the soul that lives here, it passes on its life to another, as like a great hall filled with bells. And one bell would ring, and another bell would pick up the tone, and another would repeat it, on through eternity.

And the first bell is silent, and the next is silent, and on. They use another illustration, that it's like a ray of light detached from yonder sun, released. It's absorbed in the great universe of light.

I use another illustration, it's like a drop of water taken from the ocean, released. It goes back into the seven seas. That's not the immortality that Jesus brought to the world. That he tells about is, that we, as we have formed the image of the earth, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly, and we shall be conformed into His likeness.

So if we want to know what we're going to be here after, behold Him, in His forty days of resurrection, glory. The Christian life, friends, his life continues on. The eternal life that begins here does not part from the grave.

It does not enter the tomb. It's out of this body, into His presence, as swift and quick as walk. So therefore, the eternal life that begins here lasts as long as God Himself shall live. It's all about falling from grace, carry death for a living.

I just do expect that God would leave His throne and the universe to splinter the cast, that a single one of the souls that Jesus has borne shall be put out of His hands, or out of my Father's hands. Therefore, Paul says, you come unto Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, till the General Assembly and the Church of the Firstborn, which are written, which are written, which are written in heaven.

That's why Jesus said to the seventh, do not rejoice in what little you have accomplished, but rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven. And if our names, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, are written in the last book of life, I love to think that there's no power on earth until our eternity that can erase the name of God the Eternal Book.

The King Who Brings His People Home

Why? Why into His presence. I read not long ago the life of old Kublai Khem, the grandson of the great genius Khem, who ruled more territories than any man that ever lived. In the 13th century, he swept on into the center of Europe, and then with his hawking iron he swept down through what is now Manchuria and into China and built the city of Teken.

This is the most magnificent palace, the Palace of Iron and Gold, the finest palace the world has ever seen. That city had 16 miles of walls around it. And old Kublai Khem, every day when he'd sit down at his meals, he required that all the servants and attendants with stuff-filled handkerchiefs in their mouths let their breath to contaminate his food.

And that he had 10 ,000 servants that every day they would bow before him as the wine glass would be given to him. He had his ministers of state to sit in chairs of solid silver, and on the first day of the year he would go out on a celebration among his subjects with 1 ,000 snow-white elephants.

Accompanying him, he was the nicest ruler of all time. But I want to say to you, my friends, that we have a ruler that did not die like Kublai Khem or like that Alexander Hamilton that is in the grave, one who roared.

And when they took old Kublai Khem to bury him, his keen swordsmen on their horses would ride in procession in front and cut off the head of a great company of his subjects so that they could go, they said, to be with his master.

And when they buried him, they buried his 100 wives alive with him. Thanks be unto God, we have a savior, a conqueror, a king of kings and lord of lords that when we pass to sit down in his presence, we'll sit down together with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the seers and prophets and kings and apostles and all the holy men and women throughout the ages that have gone through life's sweeping way and won their incorruptible crown.

Rejoicing in the Coming Victory

So therefore, beloved, what a change! It'll take place when the trumpet sounds. It means that we shall be with him. It means the one and finally and complete and only victory that we can and have ever won.

May I close by saying, you change from youth to old age. Though the outward man perishes, yet let the inward man be renewed by faith and courage and all the Christian praises. To me, the most magnificent thing in the world is to see an old man in years but with character and faith written in every furrow on his face.

I conducted a funeral of a great woman down here in Old Rehoboth the other day, Mrs. Kelly. And that was a large company of friends that had lived in that community and throughout the county. And as I thought of that great woman with her husband when both were young, drove from old Missouri down in a current wagon.

And I stood on the hill of the magnificent two-story white house and I said to her, six children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and a great company of friends, she's not dead in the Father's house above.

That's what Jesus meant when he said, in my Father's house are many mansions. I referred a while ago to Prince Morris's mother. I said to her the other day, I congratulate you that you're nearing the boat that most of your burdens are in the past.

I have no sympathy for these people that grew up in the 80s. No, for they hear the music from the other shore. They catch the sight of the glory from the other world. The lyrics of the city of God that's let out from above.

They think of those they've loved and lost a while that they shall see again. They long to be with our Savior. When he said, I'm in a grave straight betwixt you, I have a desire to depart and be with the Lord.

That's why he's fed to die is gain. Lose life and gain heaven. And gain one that shall never grow weary. Lose tears and gain gladness. Lose sin and gain holiness. Lose sorrow and gain joy. Therefore, we shall all, all be changed.

The Change of Heart and Restoration of Families

May I make this word to my own Savior, friends, how that change in your life, I love, in spite of the old-time expression, a change of heart. We've lost it. We've quit it. That's why the word of God says in your heart, I will give you.

And so therefore today, you've been in the grip of sin. See, Edgar Hoover comes out and says that drunkenness has increased in America. I quote Attorney General Tom Clark for this. A hundred and one percent this year.

Oh God, have mercy. And it's in the grip of sin. Have pity on his little wife and children. No Christmas in the home of a drunken. My dear friends today, take God for the handle. Let God take hold of you and have a change from a drunken life to a sober life.

You've got trouble in your home. You manage to start out happily. Misunderstandings have come. They amount to nothing. You misunderstand your husband. He misunderstands you. You grow apart. Children are born in that home.

Have a change today. I say, why? Hold them. Let's come back to our personal. Let's come back to our honeymoon. Thirty-two years ago, this one actress is still out here. That was a man that's wife had been divorced.

She sat at one end of the crowd, he at the other. And that family's between. But there was lower than a little white casket in that cold ground. I never shall forget the snow was on the earth. And afterwards, the next day he came to me.

He said, that's an earth. That's the best girl that God ever gave a man. And he said, I want to start again. Well, I said, all right. Get right with God. And he did. And he went out. He told her, he said, I take all the blame.

She said, no, I'm to blame. And they threw their arms around each other. One got a new license and raised a very happy family. Hold them, my friends today. Change, change now. The morning of the resurrection comes.

The Resurrection Hope and the Call to Confess Christ

And all your family circle be complete. Then the Christmas day. Well, I rejoiced. My heart went out to everybody. All 18 of our family present. And there they were happy. Look, the little children. Four years, three and a half.

Honored to many of the girls. And then the night when we prayed and said goodbye. I said, we know not what a day we'll bring forth. The family circle will may soon be broken. But you know, I look at it differently than I used to.

Suppose it does. As it may. As it will. It means that one by one we cross over. And we shall all be changed. So therefore drive the tears. Rejoice. And again I say, rejoice. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.

That we should be called the children of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved are we the sons of God. And it does not yet appear, but we shall be. I will tell you, I don't quote these words.

But we know. 4 to 6 looks pretty dark. But here's something I do know. I'll be like him that hath his hope in himself. Purifies himself even as he is pure. Let us stand. Every head in the house. Won't this great altar sing when the saints go marching in.

Not a soul moving out for just five minutes. And as we sing this great hymn, this last beautiful Sunday morning of this eventful year. A year that ended two great wars. Who walked down the aisles. So happy, met a man a while ago, said I'm coming today.

Met a man his wife a while ago, said we're coming today. Now nobody moved. Every boy and girl. Junior, intermediate, seniors. I'm coming today. I'm coming to confess Christ. Obey him right now. Come on.

While we sing this song. You've got a letter. How many here live in Fort Worth? Now wait a minute. Nobody leave while I give this invitation. Thank you. That's our custom and I'll appreciate the courtesy.

How many of you live outside of Fort Worth? Got letters here.

Hold up your hands. You have been listening to the regular broadcast services of the First Baptist Church of Fort Worth.