TUESDAY February 27th
1 Corinthians 15:51–53
‘Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.’
As we continue in these verses, Paul informs us that immediately that the trumpet has sounded and instantaneously in the split second after the cry has been given, we will be changed!
Sorry ladies, there will no fitting rooms where you can take your time! There will be no need for sitting around and waiting men! In a twinkle of an eye we will be changed, transformed, immediately ready to leave this world behind, fitted out and kitted out to enable us to be in the presence of Almighty God. Notice it says ‘raised imperishable’ you cannot get more immediate or quicker than that!
I have recently watched a couple of YouTube clips showing the launching of space craft, and it is incredible the amount of power that is required to enable the lift off, let alone to enable the space craft to break through the atmosphere of the earth and out into space. And when you watch a blast off, it is amazing how fast and how far the space craft can get in just a few seconds. But the power attached to the space craft pales into insignificance when we consider the power of God that will be at work on the day of his coming.
Power to raise, power to transform, power to transport, power to bring us into the presence of God.
Think of it again:
Power to raise – It doesn’t matter how long ago the believer died, whether one of the first believers such as Stephen the martyr, way back over 2000 years ago, or the last believer that may have only been buried on the morning when this momentous event takes place, they could have been buried with just a shallow grave or with large slabs of concrete or marble upon the spot, but nothing will stop the power of God, and can I add, even cremation cannot stop the power of God, nor burial at sea, his power is such that he can cause the elements of what we were to be suddenly transformed into what we are going to be! Such is the power of Almighty God.
Power to transform – I quote again from Philippians 3:20-21 ‘But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.’
Power to transport – no time lag, no slow motion, no spluttering, instantly out of the grave and into heaven. This resurrection chapter is so wonderful, it is no wonder it is my favourite chapter, it is no wonder I love to preach from it, it is no wonder I have ended up spending so many devotions going through it—and there are still some verses left, it is no wonder because it is full of wonder. Oh, what a glorious day waits for each one of us who have come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.