1 Corinthians 15
I love it when people make things simple.
Just shoot straight and let the chips fall. Tell me what you really want to say.
Give me the important stuff. Straight and simple: “I delivered to you as of first important
what I also received: that Christ died
for our sins in accordance with the Scripture, that he was buried, that he was
raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures and that he appeared
. . . .”
Jesus died, was buried, was raised and
was seen. And we can add one more thing from this chapter – He is coming again.
This is the core message of our faith. This is our hope. Without Jesus’ death,
our sins are not atoned for. Without His resurrection, the sacrifice was not enough.
But Jesus has been raised, and He was
seen!
What hope does that give us? Two things:
First, our standing with God is secure. Jesus’ blood has cleansed us from all
unrighteousness. Even though, we still struggle and sin daily (and much!), when
our Heavenly Father sees us, he sees those sins washed away. Second, we learn
that we have more and better to look forward to. This is the longest
conversation in the Bible about the resurrection. One of the important things
we grab here is that even though we will not all die, we will all be changed in
the resurrection, and it will be glorious. Beyond that there are only hints:
we’ll be like seeds planted in the ground, what comes up will be different from
what went down. What comes went down was dead, there was nothing appealing
about it. What comes up with be magnificent and full of life. (Notice also that
we will not be angels. We will be people:
people as God intended us to be!)
If this is the case, what do we have to fear in death? “Death is
swallowed up in victory!”
I find that I often get so wrapped in
this life that I lose sight of what is to come. Someday . . . we will no longer
struggle with that torn focus. Someday . . . there will be no sickness. Someday
. . . all will be right again. Until then, we live in hope, for Jesus has won
the victory, and he has given it to us to share.
Jesus, I look forward to the resurrection
when you set all things right. Keep me in Your forgiveness and true faith so
that I may see that day with joy. And let me share that hope so others may
believe too. Amen.
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