The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
1 Corinthians 15-16
Act 3: God’s New Covenant People
Scene 4: Christ’s Church: God’s People Advance the Kingdom
Background Information: 1 Corinthians 15-16
If chapter thirteen is a staple at weddings, chapter fifteen has been read in at least as many funerals. We would do well to give this chapter much room in our minds, hearts ,and lives today and every day until our final day. Paul gives us what is of primary importance in the beliefs that are to drive our behavior. Christ died for our sins. Christ rose from the dead in space and time. These are historically verifiable facts with eternally important applications. Since Christ has risen from the dead, we too will one day experience the resurrection of our bodies. Since this is true, then our entire natural lives should be built fully on our final hope in Christ. Since Christ has risen from the dead, death is defeated. This defeat, for us, is already but not yet. It is already a done deal, but if Christ doesn’t return in our lifetimes, then we will still have to go through death to get to life. The reality of our death should drive us to wisdom and not folly. The world around us looks at the reality of death and lives only for today. We look at Christ’s defeat of death and live in today for eternity. Paul knows that this is hard, actually impossible, to get the mind around. He casts about for analogies to help us grasp the wonder of what lies ahead of us. The plant is different than the seed from which it came. The physical world is filled with a vast diversity of types of creations. The heavens display God’s glorious creativity in the difference between celestial bodies. Look around… you can see his power to create in this present world; now don’t doubt what he can and will do in the age to come. The day will come when your present body, which is destined to be undone, will be remade into a body that is full of glory and will never again taste the dust of death. Paul then enters into a joyful taunt of death. The fearsome foe has become an object of ridicule.
Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your victory?
Where, death, is your sting?
1 Corinthians 15:55
Paul never leaves us focused purely on the future. The practical purpose of our future hope is to empower us for living faithfully in the present. Therefore, since all is true, we must be steadfast, unmoved by any circumstances. We must always give ourselves fully to the work that God has given us. Why? Well, because our labor is never in vain, and because our future hope is secure in Christ. Either everything matters or nothing does. There is no middle ground. If Christ has not risen, our hope is in vain, and our lives are without meaning. But Christ has risen, so our hope is secure, and our lives are filled with eternal purpose.
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Ask God to give us opportunities to have gospel conversations this holiday season. Pray for the lost and ask God to lift the veil from their eyes.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.