1 Corinthians 15:54-55 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” --NKJV In the name of the One Who has swallowed up death, amen.
In verse two of his great Easter hymn “Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands” (The Lutheran Hymnal, #195) Dr. Martin Luther wrote, “It was a strange and dreadful strife when Life and Death contended; The victory remained with Life, the reign of Death was ended; Holy Scripture plainly saith that Death is swallowed up by Death, His sting is lost forever. Hallelujah!”
Dear friends, this is what Jesus has done for us. Because death no longer has any power over Him, it no longer has any power over those of us who are baptized into Him. We can never really die. Oh yes, because the devil, the world, and the old sinful flesh are still a part of us in this life we will experience the symptoms of death. We will age, our bodies will break down, we will suffer, we will even die--but only temporarily. Believers can never die eternally. Rather, the victory is with Life. We have this promise from our Lord. As a pledge and token of that promise He gives us His own body and blood to eat and drink in the Holy Supper as the medicine of immortality. When we take Christ’s living body and blood into ourselves we are infused with new life. So, even as our bodies are headed toward the grave we know, by faith, that death really has no power. Those same bodies will be resurrected on the last day and joined with our spirits for all eternity. Amen.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, we thank you for winning the victory over death for us so that we may never die. We also thank You that You have given us Your Holy Supper as a pledge and token of this fact. Grant that we may receive this life-giving food always, amen.
Copyright 2002 Reformation Lutheran Church http://ReformationLutheranChurch.org
Thank you Vicar Lawson for the devotions this week (Tuesday through Saturday).