It’s Easter tomorrow… It’s the culmination of a special week of remembrance and celebration for Christians! This week – “Holy Week” – we’ve been remembering and celebrating all the significant events leading up to the death, burial and resurrection of our Savior!
Interestingly, in the Bible reading plan I developed several years ago – “Necessary Food Bible Reading Plan” – the Bible reading from the Epistles has been 1 Corinthians 15 this week, the great “Resurrection Chapter” of the Bible! It doesn’t always happen that way, and it didn’t happen from my purposeful design this year, it just turned out that way. 1 Corinthians 15 – such a significant and critical chapter to Christian faith and life!!!
Sharon and I are visiting my brother and his wife, Wes and Dianne Bartel, this Easter weekend. In their home, there is a particularly significant light switch at the corner of a banister in their house that controls many of the lights and outlets in their living room. Dianne pointed it out to me yesterday and remarked on its significance. I rise early in the morning, before light, to have my time of “Coffee with the Lord” and would need it to have light enough to read.
It struck me this morning as I was reading 1 Corinthians 15… That chapter is a lot like the light switch in Wes and Dianne’s home – It is so critical – so significant – it impacts so much of my faith and life as a Christian!!! (Hey you should “read, reflect and respond” to what that chapter says!)
Here’s just a sampling of key, significant, statements from the chapter as a “taste” of its importance…
“I would remind you of the gospel I [Paul] preached to you, which you received, in which you stand…
“Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, He was buried, and he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…
“If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain! We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ… and if Christ has not been raised your faith is futile and you are still in you sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ [those who have died] have perished…
“So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable!…
“I tell you this… Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, no does the perishable inherit the imperishable! 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 the perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on the immortality!
“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!!
Yup… 1 Corinthians 15 is so significant to me as a Christian – so important – a bit like “Wes and Dianne’s light switch! It makes sense of so much of my life as a Christians! It gives help, healing and hope! I’m so glad it’s in the Bible! I’m so glad that what it declares is a reality on which I base my salvation from sin, my daily life as a Christian, and my confident hope for the future! Be sure and read it!
Coffee With The Lord 