Live In Easter Victory!

Easter Sunday, 4/17/22 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 Live In Easter Victory! I. Victory in death II. Victory in life It was reported last Wednesday that 2021 was the deadliest year in US history, surpassing the record number of deaths set in 2020. Maybe that news comes as no surprise to you. After all, we spent every day of 2021 dealing with the COVID pandemic. The report stated that 415,000 people in the US died of COVID last year. Surely that contributed to the record-setting mortality rate. But it wasn’t the only factor. Not all the data is in yet, but it appears that drug overdose deaths in 2021 will exceed those in 2020. Likewise for deaths due to cancer, diabetes, liver disease, and stroke. Taken together, these stats would indicate we’re not winning the daily battle to live. We appear to be losing. Much the same can be said for other aspects of our lives. The inflation rate last month hit a 40-year high. The increased cost of fuel for our vehicles and food for our tables is hitting many people hard. And we’re likely facing more of the same for months. In fact, in some cases, prices may never come down. We’re losing the battle to spend less and save more. Manufacturers can’t find the raw materials they need, and nearly every employer can’t find enough qualified employees. I heard the other day that some restaurants are interested in purchasing robots to deliver meals to diners. Businesses are having a harder time doing business than ever before. And if all that isn’t enough, our hearts ache for the people of Ukraine whose country is under a vicious and immoral attack. And, closer to home, we shake our heads in disbelief over another mass shooting in a subway in New York. We’re losing the battle to maintain peace in our lives. By now, you’re probably saying to yourself, “Enough, Pastor! Enough! I didn’t come to church this morning to be reminded of all the bad things that are happening in my life and in my world. After all, it’s Easter, Pastor! It’s Easter, and I want to hear some Easter good news.” Precisely! I couldn’t agree with you more. Easter’s good news is exactly what we need to hear and believe and ponder. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the good news of victory in a world in which we appear to be losing. And that Easter victory is not just your comfort for the moment of your death or for the moment when Jesus returns to this earth. Jesus wants you to live in Easter victory right now, today, every day of your life. Live in Easter victory! That’s our risen Lord’s encouragement here in these words from 1 Corinthians 15. Live in Easter victory! May the Holy Spirit enter our hearts through his Easter message this morning and enlighten us regarding what that means for us each day. I. With the only exception being the children among us this morning, we’ve all stood at the gravesite of a loved one. And what hits us is the finality of it all. We’ve seen our loved one for the last time. Within minutes the casket will be lowered, or the urn of cremains will be placed and that will be it—our final connection to our loved one will be removed from us. Gone! Billions of people living on the earth today think that way. When the casket is lowered or the urn is placed, or the ashes are scattered, that’s it. It’s ashes to ashes and dust to dust and that’s it. But listen to what Paul tells us, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” Paul informs us of a mystery. It’s a mystery in the sense that this truth can’t be known using human wisdom and knowledge. It’s a truth that only the Lord Jesus can reveal to us. And that mystery is the resurrection of our bodies in glory on the Last Day. Every religion believes in some form of life after this life is over, but only Christianity teaches and believes that there will be a resurrection of the body on the Last Day. Paul wanted his readers to know that will happen even if “we do not all sleep.” He’s telling us that, if we’re still alive when the Lord Jesus returns, we won’t experience death. But our bodies will be changed. They’ll be glorified like Christ’s glorious body after his resurrection. Likewise, the same will happen to our bodies if we die before the Last Day. Our Lord Jesus is almighty. He has the power to do anything and everything. He created our world and the entire universe out of nothing simply by speaking his word. He also has the power to raise bodies from the dead. The bodies of Christians will be glorified like his glorious body after his resurrection. And he will raise us never to die again. It’s a morbid way of thinking about life, but the moment we’re born into this world, we’re heading slowly to our inevitable death. It has to be that way. We’re mortals. We die. But not after the resurrection. Then our bodies are clothed with immortality. We’ll never die—which is the way God created the first human beings. So, in spite of the record-setting number of deaths in our country, in spite of sickness, disease, war, and crime, we’re not losing. We ultimately win—we win the battle over death. That’s what Jesus’ resurrection from the dead on Easter means for us. His victory is our victory by faith in him. Live in Easter victory—victory in death. Paul once told the Thessalonian Christians who held to a false teaching about death and the resurrection on the Last Day that he didn’t want them to live like the rest of the people in this world who have no hope. In some ways, we know how they felt. The older we get, the less healthy we are and there doesn’t seem to be any solution. Our physician is relegated to helping us manage the inevitable decline. No matter how young or old we are, we have hopes and dreams for what we want to accomplish or experience in this life. If we’re fortunate, we realize a fraction of it. The rest remains just that—a dream. Meanwhile, we suffer through daily setbacks and disappointments. Will things ever get any better? Not in this world. Not in this life. It’s called the curse of sin and we’re all under it because there’s no one who is righteous on their own. Our daily sins are proof of it. But that’s what Good Friday was all about—a Savior who took the curse of our sins on himself and suffered for them. Easter—the resurrection of Jesus from the dead—is all about our future, our eternal future. And it looks glorious because death has no power over us. It may claim our bodies, but we still live with our Lord. And our dead bodies await their glorious resurrection on the Last Day. That’s God’s plan for your eternal future and the resurrection of Jesus guarantees it. Live in Easter victory—victory in death! II. Has it ever occurred to you how much time we spend waiting for things to get better, hoping for things to get better? And just when we think that happy days are here again, they vanish, and we’re confronted once again with the harsh realities of life. And we start singing the blues. The life of the Apostle Paul wasn’t better than any of our lives. In fact, in many ways it was worse. He suffered numerous beatings for his faith and died a martyr’s death. But we don’t hear him singing the blues. Just the opposite. Listen once again, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul uses no future tenses in those words. He doesn’t say, “God will give us the victory.” He emphatically states that God gives us the victory. That victory is yours right now. How so? Paul tells you that you have the victory over sin. The results of sin are death—physical death and spiritual death—separation from God in hell. The universal condemnation for sin was removed when our Savior suffered and died on the cross. His work was finished, completed, done. Sin’s curse and hell’s punishment were removed. And therefore, we live—we live in victory with our God right now and forever when he calls us home to him. Sure, our lives along the way will have setbacks. In fact, Jesus himself told us they would be full of trouble. But you have the victory right now. You have your Lord Jesus living with you and even in you through every difficulty of life. You have his promise that he is directing all things in your life towards the goal of eternal victory with him. Even in the face of tragedy, it’s going to end in eternal victory for you and for every member of God’s kingdom. How can I be so sure? Because Jesus is risen from the dead! He rose victorious and his victory is your victory by faith in him. Live in Easter victory—victory in life! In the verse following our text, Paul offers this application of the truth that you live in victory today and always. He tells us to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. When we do, we can’t lose. We’re living and working for the risen Lord Jesus who is directing all things for the good of his Church. As a member of his glorious, eternal Church by faith in Jesus, you live in that confidence. Each day is an opportunity to live for the Lord and win. You’re not losing; you’re winning, and so is the Church. “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Live in Easter victory! Amen.