1 Corinthians 15:50-58 (ESV)
50 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.
The Theology (Mystery)
1 Corinthians 15:50-53 (ESV)
50 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.
We ARE and we will be TRANSFORMED
| Romans 8:11 (NLT) 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. |
The Result – Taunting death
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 (ESV)
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.
The Now – What do I be? What do I do? What do I know?
1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
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.
WHAT DO I BE?
1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable…
I am steadfast and immovable…
Steadfast Gr. – sitting / sedentary. To sit down and dig in.
Immovable Gr. Not to be moved from it’s designated place
WHAT DO I DO?
1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
58 …always abounding in the work of the Lord…
Abounding Gr. – To overflow. Go above what can be measured.
Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
WHAT DO I KNOW?
1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
58 …knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Vain Gr. Kenos – Empty.
Philippians 2:7-8 (NLT)
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Gave up Gr. Kenosis – He gave up.
My life isn’t empty, because he emptied his life for me!