But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15: 57, NKJV
Dear Lord, thank You so much for conquering, on our behalf, our most dreadful and final foe, death! In Jesus’ name. Amen
In this chapter Paul argues about the importance of the resurrection. He lays it as the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Everything that Jesus did in the plan of salvation would have become of no effect if there were no resurrection. “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain” (verse 14). All the suffering, the humiliation, hanging upon the cross, dying of a broken heart, all would have been of no avail, were there no resurrection!
Jesus had spoken to His disciples about His death and resurrection, on several occasions, during His three and a half years of ministry here on earth. But as the saying goes, translated from Spanish, “No one is blinder than the person who doesn’t want to see.” The disciples had envisioned a messiah who would come and free them from Roman domination; not a messiah who would allow himself to be humiliated, condemned, and put to death in the most ignominious fashion. So they did not “hear” Him when He said, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12: 40).
The hope of the resurrection is the light at the end of the tunnel. When a Christian lies on his bed dying, there is no dread, nor fear. Many have “fallen asleep” with a smile on their faces, and these words of farewell on their lips, “I will see you in the morning.” They know that those who die in Christ are just sleeping, and that there is going to be a “great getting up morning!” Jesus said of Lazarus, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep….Howbeit Jesus spake of his death[.]” (John 11: 11, 13).
For the Christian, the resurrection is seen as the event that gives meaning to life. After all is said and done, “What then?” Paul addresses this question in the following manner: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Cor. 15: 19). But it is not only in this life that we have hope in Christ! Praise God! Christ has gone to prepare a place for us, and He is coming back to take us to live with Him! Hallelujah!
The resurrection is the Christian’s shout of victory “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The preceding verse describes sin as the “sting of death.” But glory be to God! Jesus’ death and resurrection took the sting out of death. When Jesus rose from the dead that glorious Sunday morning, He wrenched the keys of death out of the hands of the enemy of our souls! Yes my friends, the resurrection of Jesus Christ gained for us the victory over the last enemy, death! Praise Him!
None who have put their trust in God need ever fear to “walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” Jesus cleared the way. We can walk through in victory!
Will you be able to walk through victoriously when your day comes? Jesus waits with arms opened wide to receive you, and walk with you. Will you please, accept Him today? I would love to know if you do. God bless you!