Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 11- Thoughts on the afterlife (1 Corinthians 15)

15:1-45

Here, we learn of Christ’s resurrection: the fact- ‘Christ has been raised from the dead’- and the meaning- ‘the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep’(20). We look back to His resurrection. We ‘remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead’(2 Timothy 2:8). We look forward to our own resurrection. We will be ‘raised’- ‘imperishable… in glory… in power… a spiritual body’(42-44). Looking back to His resurrection and looking forward to our own resurrection, we are to live, here and now, in ‘the power of His resurrection’(Philippians 3:10). We believe the factof the resurrection. We live in the powerof the resurrection. We rejoice in the hopeof the resurrection. With ‘resurrection’faith in the ‘resurrection’God, let us live the ‘resurrection’life as a ‘resurrection’people!

15:46-16:24

In Christ, there is ‘victory’- glorious, eternal, heavenly victory (54-57). Every day, we face a battle. It is a battle for faith, love and service. (a) We are called to trust the Lord: ‘Stand firm in your faith’(13). We are to have faith. It is to be a growing faith, a faith which is growing stronger. (b) We are called to love the Lord. This is to be the most important thing in our life: ‘love for the Lord’(21). Christ’s question comes to us: ‘Do you love Me?’(John 21:15-17). Is our love for Him growing stronger or getting weaker? (c) We are called to serve the Lord: ‘Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord’(58). Let’s get rid of the lazy, ‘can’t be bothered’ attitude. We shall be victorious through ‘the grace of the Lord Jesus’(23).