RESURRECTION VICTORY

Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Key verse: 57

NIV

50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood(A) cannot inherit the kingdom of God,(B) nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.(C) 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery:(D) We will not all sleep,(E) but we will all be changed(F)— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,(G) the dead(H) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable(I) must clothe itself with the imperishable,(J) and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[a](K)

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”[b](L)

56 The sting of death is sin,(M) and the power of sin is the law.(N) 57 But thanks be to God!(O) He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.(P)

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,(Q) because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.(R)

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Corinthians 15:54 Isaiah 25:8
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:55 Hosea 13:14
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Mystery and Victory

50 I tell you this, brothers: (A)flesh and blood (B)cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. (C)We shall not all sleep, (D)but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For (E)the trumpet will sound, and (F)the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and (G)this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

(H)“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 (I)“O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and (J)the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, (K)who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 (L)Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in (M)the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord (N)your labor is not in vain.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

“We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed” (51). Although Jesus spoke of his resurrection, his actual resurrection was a surprise to everyone. Sometimes we believe in the resurrection in our heads, but when new life arises, it is always a surprise.

“The perishable has been clothed with the imperishable” (54). There is a fundamental change where we cannot go back to who we once were. God’s kingdom is part of an eternal and universal truth that resides in us when we allow ourselves to be a part of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

“Death has been swallowed up in victory” (54). Death and dying is hard, and we can’t help but resist it. But resurrection is what happens when we have faced death and have gone through the pain, shame, rejection, and loss. When we have lost everything, Jesus who died and rose again can give us new life, new hope, and a new spirit of victory that overcomes the power of death. Thank you, Jesus!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving us the victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

One Word: We will all be changed