Jesus came to vanquish the final enemy, death itself—and He must win the battle. He is triumphant over the grave and lives that death may die. He is a mighty conqueror, who overthrows death and hell. We can boast in His death and resurrection because His wounds paid our ransom. Because of His atoning sacrifice, we receive great spoils from death, hell, and sin, and we will be complete when we join Him in glory. Death no longer has its sting; the grave has no victory. Instead, we triumph if He abides with us. Christ proclaims the death of deaths and hell’s destruction. We’ll sing each of these wonderful truths this morning, as we hear the climactic ending of 1 Corinthians 15 preached. I pray that these truths will take deep roots in our hearts, inspiring us to steadfastness in the work of the Lord—because in Him, our labor is not in vain. —Henry C. Haffner
Key Words: Imperishable, Immortality, Steadfast, Immovable, Abounding, Labor
Keystone Verses: Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)
1 Corinthians 15:50-58
For I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall 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 shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and 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: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where 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 brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.