Matthew 20:19
“they will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.”
1 Cor 15:54,55 “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?”
The resurrection of Jesus was a great event. For milinea people have been plagued by sin. It creates a destructive selfishness. It has a dark allure which attracts, then imprisons. Lives and relationships are damaged because of sin. It also seperates us from God. There is a veil between us. Jesus’ acts changed all that.
The above passage says that death was swallowed up in victory. Something greater was done. This was in the spiritual realm. Revelation 5 describes how Jesus’ work was like a legal transaction. He earned the right to open the scroll. Forevermore sin has been conquered and death defeated.
We still die a phyiscal death. We still struggle with sin to some degree. We are living in these earthbound bodies which are fallen. Our spirits are new. If we’ve accepted Christ, we have a new nature. Our old body and new nature live contrary to eachother. The old craves selfishness and sin. We can overcome that by feeding the new nature.
As we stay in the bible, christian fellowship and service, we are feeding the new person. God empowers us to overcome sin. This is where we see the victory. Relationships improve, personal struggles become managable.
We can say, “Oh death where is your victory, oh death, where is your sting?” Not in arrogance in our own efforts, but boasting in the cross. This is giving gratitude to God for His great deliverance.
Jesus, thank You for Your death and resurrection. Thank You for the great impact that it gave. Thank You for the freedom and the healed relationships.