Victory in Jesus Himalayan Heights – June 13 Readings: 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 – Twinkling of an Eye

 

1 Corinthians 15 - Our Risen Lord

All Scripture is God-breathed and useful, but there are some Scriptures that we can consider the Himalayan mountaintops of the Bible. In the next few months, we will be looking at a series of great texts that inspire and move us - the "Himalayan Heights" of God's Word.

Today's Reading:  1 Corinthians 15:51-57

1 Corinthians 15 explores the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I would encourage you to read the entire chapter daily, then to focus more closely on the selected text

Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. 53 For this corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality. 54 When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place:

Death has been swallowed up in victory.
   55 Where, death, is your victory?
Where, 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, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Through the Bible Readings: 1 Chronicles 12-13, John 15:1–17, Psalm 73:4–10, Proverbs15:3–4

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional: Victory in Jesus    

These last few days I have been focused almost completely on death, spending time with my mom and dad who are living out their final days. We know all the truths as believers - that Jesus rose from the dead and because of him, we will be resurrected one day as well. He gives meaning and purpose to our lives by the life he lived, the death he died, and the resurrection he experienced from the dead.

Even knowing all of that, death still bites hard and hurts us. It causes fear and pain and sorrow, even to those who know that there is a life after death and a hope beyond the grave. Even Jesus wept at the grave of a loved one. Our God doesn't demand that we pretend that the death of one we love is insignificant or inconsequential. It is, as Revelation says, the final enemy to be destroyed.

What Paul affirms in these verses is a great comfort, though. For those who believe in Jesus Christ and have been redeemed by him, death has been ultimately, eternally, and infinitely defeated. Look at Paul's taunt of death, taken from Hosea 13 and Isaiah 25. Death has been defeated and its sting has been removed.

For us, as believers, death can take us, but it cannot sting us. Because our sin has been dealt with by Jesus Christ at the cross, there is no condemnation and at death, we are ushered into rest, into the presence of God, into glory. My body, which is daily showing evidence of its corruptibility and mortality will become incorruptible and immortal. Death and decay and aging and all the effects of sin will no longer have any impact on me because of Jesus Christ.

This is the ultimate victory. We may not be able to avoid death, but we can face it knowing that it has been defeated by our Savior.

Father, I thank you for your Son and the victory he gives over our ultimate enemy, death. He has removed the sting of death and given us hope beyond the grave. 

Think and Pray:

Do you fear death?
Knowing what the Bible says about death, why do you fear it, if you do?
Consider these truths carefully and prayerfully today.