Tag: 1 Corinthians 15

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Daily Devotion June 28th

SUNDAY 28th

1 Corinthians 15:35-58

We will return to where I left off yesterday, the amazing transformation that is going to take place at the moment of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Incidentally, if in doubt about a possible future rapture or being caught up as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, do not forget it has happened before! Remember a few weeks ago we looked at Enoch, who was not, because God took him. (Genesis 5:24) Elijah who was taken up into heaven in a chariot of fire, witnessed by Elisha (2 Kings 2:11-12) and Jesus was taken up (Acts 1:11) – Jesus knew the wonder of resurrection and rapture! As a result, we who believe in him will experience one or the other, depending on whether we are dead in Christ (resurrection) or living in Christ when he returns. (Rapture)

What is the transformation that is going to take place? Read what Paul has to say, 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 ‘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. 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.’

Paul says ‘we shall be changed’ in these few verses he is saying or declaring what is to be factual in the future, that is that the perishable shall be transformed into imperishable, and the mortal shall be transformed into immortality. It will be the final moment when death will be ultimately defeated, swallowed up in victory. Understand this, that once we have gone through this transformation, death will never haunt us again, we will live for ever, spiritually, and in the new resurrection body.

In the Scripture we read the accounts of men and woman who had died but through the means of a miracle had been raised from the dead, but the problem was that they would all have to face death again! When Lazarus came out of the tomb all wrapped up, once the grave clothes had been taken off he might just as well have washed them and packed them in a bag and kept them in a cupboard, because he would have to use them again one day. When Jesus arose from the dead, the grave clothes were folded and left where his body had lain, Jesus could have put a note on them, free to anyone who wants them, because I will not need them again, because he was raised to the power of an endless life.

Let us remind ourselves regarding our loved ones who have died in Christ, the place where we have laid their earthly remains is only temporal! They will rise again, and we will meet them in that meeting in the air.

And this incredible transformation that will take place when Jesus comes again, means that we will be transformed or changed from the earthly and natural to the heavenly and spiritual. From perishable to imperishable, from immortal to immortality. As in Adam we all die, so in Christ shall we all be made alive.

In verse 42-44 of 1 Corinthians 15 Paul says, ‘So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.’ And the same transformation will happen to the bodies of those who are alive when Jesus comes again.

I want us to note the word used there in those verses, ‘it is raised in glory’. This is where I had intended to be back three days ago when I mentioned in the devotion those words ‘from glory to glory he’s changing me’ but I have got carried away with the excitement of it all!

Here on earth we have bodies that are fallen, fragile, life is futile (especially outside of Christ). Should the Lord tarry we will all go the same way, the way of death, and Paul says when we are buried, we are sown in dishonour. But the good news is that we will be raised in GLORY!

We are going to know the fullness or the completion of our redemption!

Face to face with Christ, my Saviour,

Face to face—what will it be,

When with rapture I behold him,

Jesus Christ who died for me?

Face to face I shall behold him,

Far beyond the starry sky;

Face to face in all his glory,

I shall see him by and by!

Only faintly now I see him,

With the darkened veil between,

But a blessed day is coming,

When his glory shall be seen.

What rejoicing in his presence,

When are banished grief and pain;

Death is swallowed up in vict’ry,

And the dark things shall be plain.

Face to face—oh, blissful moment!

Face to face—to see and know;

Face to face with my Redeemer,

Jesus Christ who loves me so.

Mrs Frank Beck CCLI788682

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Devotions

Daily Devotion June 23rd

TUESDAY 23rd

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Today we come to the last of our letters in the word Saviour, V for victorious.

We have a dual aspect look at this word, first to remind ourselves that our Saviour was victorious and secondly that we share in his victory.

Way back in the garden of Eden, our fore-parent, Adam along with Eve failed. God had given them an instruction and they chose to disobey, and the rest is sad history. But thank God there was a second Adam, the man Christ Jesus who came, and he lived an obedient life and as a result was victorious. Where Adam failed, Christ triumphed. Let us allow Scripture to speak:

1 Corinthians 15:21-28 ‘For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For God has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when it says, all things are put in subjection, it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.’

It is continued in verses 45-50 ‘Thus it is written, the first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.’

Back in the garden of Eden, God had declared ‘I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.’ (Genesis 3:15) In this single sentence God was predicting and proclaiming the final victory of the Lord Jesus Christ over the devil and sin and of the final destruction of the devil himself. Back then as far as time was concerned it was something that would happen a few thousand years later, but in God’s purpose it had already happened! The victory was already a guaranteed victory. And try as he would in all manner of ways to bring humankind to destruction, in God’s plan the devil was defeated and through the victorious and conquering Saviour at Calvary it became a reality.

And what a victory, for the victory has brought about everything that we have been considering in our words taken from the word SAVIOUR and so much more. He the second Adam has conquered and triumphed. He has fought the battle and won the fight, he who was the Lamb slain has become the Lion who has conquered. He who was taken and executed at the hands of cruel men, was raised triumphant and victorious by the power of God. (Acts 2:22-24 ‘Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.   God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.’)

Isaiah 53 portrays for us a picture of the suffering servant, which is prophetic of the death of Jesus. Isaiah says this ‘He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.’ (v3) Isaiah has much more to say, but overall, it is the picture of a pathetic looking man, who has become ridiculed, beaten, and crushed. At first it does not seem to speak much of triumph and victory and yet it was through his suffering, his humiliation and his death that he won the victory! Thanks God the story did not stop the moment his dead body was placed in the tomb and the stone was rolled in place. There was something big about to happen! Isaiah continues in the same chapter with ‘Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.’ (vv10-12)

Isaiah prophecies that the one who suffered and died will see his offspring (v10) it also continues that he would divide the spoils which speaks of someone having conquered and taken from the enemy camp. (v12) This takes us into the New Testament and to the resurrection story in Luke and the good news I mentioned ‘He is not here, he is risen’ The one who was despised and rejected is now the conquering victorious Saviour, he has taken the spoils, and  he will see his offspring, all those who come to him by faith, who are born again by the Spirit of God.

I will close with some verses of Scripture, that show us that the man who hung on the Cross is now seated upon the throne! Victorious.

Philippians 2:5-11 ‘Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’

Thank you for the cross, Lord

Thank you for the price You paid

Bearing all my sin and shame

In love You came

And gave amazing grace

Thank you for this love, Lord

Thank you for the nail pierced hands

Washed me in Your cleansing flow

Now all I know

Your forgiveness and embrace

Worthy is the Lamb

Seated on the throne

Crown You now with many crowns

You reign victorious

High and lifted up

Jesus Son of God

The Darling of Heaven crucified

Worthy is the Lamb

Worthy is the Lamb

Darlene Zschech CCLI788682

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Devotions

Daily Devotion May 8th

Friday 8th

Today we will pause in our devotion from Isaiah 40 and reflect for a short while on what today is all about – the 75th anniversary of VE Day or Victory in Europe Day.

Britain along with its allies had been through a bitter and bloody world war, the second in the space of 30 years. It was a war that caused devastation around the world with the estimated loss of between 70 – 85,000,000 people. VE day marked the end of the conflict in Europe, the war would not come to a complete end until the 15th of August when Japan finally surrendered. The arrival of the Coronavirus has meant that all the planned celebrations for this anniversary have had to be cancelled. Just for a few moments today, spend time honouring those who gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today and pray for all those who are serving in the armed forces today to continue to provide the freedom we enjoy. It would be a good opportunity to pray for peace in the troubled parts of the world today where there is conflict.

Reading for today – Colossians 2:6-15 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Earlier this week our subject was celebration, and the day is coming where there is going to be the biggest and the greatest celebration ever, and it will not take place on earth it will take place in heaven. The battle took place two thousand years ago where Jesus took on the devil, the powers of darkness and death and he came out of the battle as the Mighty Conqueror. Colossians 2:14b-15 ‘by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.’

And 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 ‘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.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’

There has been a constant celebration of victory ever since as many millions have been brought out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, men and women born again by the Spirit of God, set free from being captive to sin and Satan, as we saw in earlier devotions, the angels in heaven are rejoicing. But the biggest celebration is yet to happen, and the good news is we will be there! We read of it in Revelation chapter 5 and again later in chapter 7.

Revelation 5:11-14 ‘Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.’

Revelation 7:9-12 ‘After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”’

What a celebration this is going to be, the whole of heaven rejoicing, every blood washed man and woman joining with the host of heaven in celebration, giving a victory shout, declaring ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne.’ He has conquered, he has triumphed.

When World War I ended it was hoped that such a thing would never happen again, the same after World War II, but the sad fact is that because of the fallen state of humanity and its utter depravity war will continue to happen until the end of the age.

When Jesus conquered it was a once for all battle, it will never need to be repeated, because he has triumphed for ever and ever. He has already dealt the final blow, and the victory is already won!

See, the Conqueror mounts in triumph; see the King in royal state,

Riding on the clouds, His chariot, to His heavenly palace gate.

Hark! the choirs of angel voices joyful alleluias sing,

And the portals high are lifted to receive their heavenly King.

Who is this that comes in glory, with the trump of jubilee?

Lord of battles, God of armies, He has gained the victory.

He Who on the cross did suffer, He Who from the grave arose,

He has vanquished sin and Satan, He by death has spoiled His foes.

While He lifts His hands in blessing, He is parted from His friends

While their eager eyes behold Him, He upon the clouds ascends;

He Who walked with God and pleased Him, preaching truth and doom to come,

He, our Enoch, is translated to His everlasting home.

Now our heavenly Aaron enters, with His blood, within the veil;

Joshua now is come to Canaan, and the kings before Him quail;

Now He plants the tribes of Israel in their promised resting place;

Now our great Elijah offers double portion of His grace.

He has raised our human nature in the clouds to God’s right hand;

There we sit in heavenly places, there with Him in glory stand:

Jesus reigns, adored by angels; man with God is on the throne;

Mighty Lord, in Thine ascension we by faith behold our own.

Holy Ghost, llluminator, shed Thy beams upon our eyes,

Help us to look up with Stephen, and to see beyond the skies,

Where the Son of Man in glory standing is at God’s right hand,

Beckoning on His martyr army, succouring His faithful band.

See Him, Who is gone before us, heavenly mansions to prepare,

See Him, who is ever pleading for us with prevailing prayer,

See Him, Who with sound of trumpet, and with His angelic train,

Summoning the world to judgment, on the clouds will come again.

Raise us up from earth to Heaven, give us wings of faith and love,

Gales of holy aspirations wafting us to realms above;

That, with hearts and minds uplifted, we with Christ our Lord may dwell,

Where He sits enthroned in glory in His heavenly citadel.

So at last, when He appeareth, we from out our graves may spring,

With our youth renewed like eagles, flocking round our heavenly King.

Caught up on the clouds of Heaven, and may meet Him in the air,

Rise to realms where He is reigning, and may reign for ever there.

Glory be to God the Father, glory be to God the Son,

Dying, risen, ascending for us, Who the heavenly realm has won;

Glory to the Holy Spirit, to one God in persons Three;

Glory both in earth and heaven, glory, endless glory, be.

CCLI 788682