MEDITATIONS
FROM PAUL’S EPISTLES
April 2,
2008 Reading
"Death is
swallowed up in victory" 1 Corinthians 15:54
Easter is one of, if not the, most wonderful celebration in the Christian calendar for it is a celebration of two of the three most significant events of the faith—the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
When Jesus died on the cross He accomplished the victory over sin, rendering it powerless for those who have been adopted into the family of God. The prayer of David is answered on behalf of all God’s children in the death of our Savior:
“Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me” Psalm
119:133.
“For sin shall not have dominion
over you, for you are not under law but under grace” Romans 6:14.
“For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 6:23.
When Jesus walked out of His tomb He declared victory over death and the wonderful thing is that we, by the grace of God, have been made one with Him having been made participants with Him in His death and resurrection:
“Now if we died with Christ, we
believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been
raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him”
Romans 6:8-9.
Jesus was made the firstfruit of all who will be resurrected from the grave:
“Christ the firstfruits, afterward
those who are Christ's at His coming” 1 Corinthians 15:23.
In other words, He was the first to be raised from the dead for many will follow His example when He returns to establish His kingdom upon the new heavens and new earth:
“For the Lord Himself
will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with
the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” 1 Thessalonians
“I am the resurrection and the
life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he
shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall
never die” John
When, forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven He pronounced His Lordship over His entire creation. His work on earth was accepted by His Father and He was rewarded with an everlasting kingdom:
“I was watching in the night
visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to
Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that
all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an
everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which
shall not be destroyed” Daniel 7:13-14 (read Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14).
Victory over sin, victory over death, and victory over the nations; as Believers in Jesus Christ as our Savior we are partakers in these three victories, for
“Sin shall not have dominion over
you” Romans 6:14;
“Christ the firstfruits, afterward
those who are Christ's at His coming” 1 Corinthians 15:23;
“If we endure, we shall also reign
with Him” 2 Timothy 2:12.
Are not these things worthy of celebration? Should not these facts cause us to shout forth praise and Hallelujahs?
“But let all those rejoice who put
their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy,
because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For
You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You
will surround him as with a shield” Psalm 5:11-12.