He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Scripture: I Corinthians 15:1-7; 12-28
Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.
But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.
Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
Some thoughts:
I can think of nothing better to say than what Paul has written! The Lord has risen indeed and everything is changed forever. “Forever” means that chronological time as we know it ceases to be. Death is the departure from this world to the world for which we were created, there to live eternally in the presence of our glorious Lord. “No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.” Truly, truly, I say to you, in the resurrection and ascension Jesus Christ makes all of this possible and certain. Glory to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Hallelujah!
Music: “Hallelujah Chorus” Sir Colin Davis Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6_nJ11BgTE
“Hallelujah Chorus” Robert Shaw
Note the difference in the conductors interpretation of this very familiar piece. In the first one, Sir Colin Davis is more leisurely enjoying the piece as we’ve heard it a thousand times. In contrast, Mr. Shaw has a fresh drive in the piece and has some slight stretches in phrasing at key times. Mr. Shaw is letting the music portray the text, “hallelujah!” I’m sorry it’s a visually fuzzy recording, but this rendition is one of the best I’ve ever heard.
“I Know the My Redeemer Liveth” Sylvia McNair
“Worthy is the Lamb” Robert Shaw
“Messiah” part 3 Octopus Symphony Chorus
Prayer:
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
―Jude, the earthly half brother of Jesus
Friends,
I want to thank you again for journeying together these past six and a half weeks leading to this glorious day, but this is not the end! The devotionals continue tomorrow and run through Pentecost, May 23rd. Our goal is to learn to walk with the Lord and to spend time with him each day, not just reading but interacting with him in prayer and in his word.
To those of you who passed the link along, thank you! Word of mouth and the internet is our way of spreading the word.
The Lord be with you,
Dan
Here in one place is the Music List, the Prayer Books and Resource books if you’re interested.
© Daniel Sharp 2021