Today's Scripture
Sowing Seeds 1 Corinthians 15:50-58
50 What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, 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 imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O 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.
58 Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
RJ's Devotion
What Does the Passage Say?
V. 50 Paul talks about our finite nature. Our nature is limited, but God invites us to an eternal life.
V. 51-54 Paul reveals the mystery of redemption, which comes through Jesus Christ. Our flesh, which is perishable, is redeemed by the grace of Jesus, to immorality. We are to see this mystery being revealed when we enter into the kingdom.
V. 55-58 Therefore, Paul says, we are not to fear death. We live in this life, as redeemed people We live with courage, that death can’t shake.
What Does the passage Mean to Me/US?
Do we live this life as redeemed people?
‘Redemption’ became one of my favorite words. As we are walking through the journey of Paul’s life and message, I see how Paul was redeemed by God’s grace. Not only that he was redeemed by God’s grace, the redemptive power was the center of Paul’s theology. When he understood the redemptive power of our Lord, who redeems death to life, difficulties to opportunity, and limited to infinite, his belief became unshakeable. Even death could not shake him. He continued with the courage, we might need, as we live this life.
We live in a world that is fear crippled. Some people can blame how the world became evil. Some might even blame the media. As Christians, however, why do we not see that fear is overcoming us because we do not believe in the redemptive power of Jesus Christ?
When we reclaim and uphold the redeeming grace of Jesus, who offers us eternal communion, we can live out the promise. “Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
Prayer
Lord, pour out your grace upon us. Help us to see you redeeming grace. May we live in this fear crippled world, with the courage that comes from you. Bless us, so we can become a blessing to others. In Christ Name, we pray, AMEN.
Click to subscribe to our Daily Devotion.
You will receive a devotion in your inbox every morning.