Daily Devotions and Bible Readings
The Order of the Risen
1 Corinthians 15:29-34
Memory Verse: On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.
1 Corinthians 16:2
The greatest hope of Christ’s resurrection is the hope of our own resurrection.
A couple of weeks ago, Carolyn and I enjoyed a day at Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida. As we stood in line to board several different exhilarating amusement rides, we would see the faces of those who had just completed the experience. As we approached one particular ride, we must have been cautioned no less than 25 times that if we had weak stomachs when it comes to these type adventures, we would probably want to excuse ourselves from this ride. As the warnings were sounded, I continued to think about the faces of those who had gone before us. They had survived and none of them came out holding the little bag provided at every seat on the ride in case someone’s stomach erupted. It was this hope that encouraged me I could handle this just as well as they could.
The author of our text for today, points out a couple of primary results of the resurrection of Christ. First and foremost, Jesus is resurrected and he is the first and only human to ever experience eternal resurrection. Yes Jesus is God, but let us not forget He is 100% man as well. This body that rose most likely is a picture of what our resurrected bodies will be like. Others had been raised by the dead in the ministry of Christ and in the ministries of the Apostles. But none of these had escaped death. They had all, or all would, experience again the taste of physical death. But not Christ. His resurrection is for always. Verse 20 points to the fact that He was the first fruit leaving the probability of other fruits to follow. That is for you and me.
Second, we see the order of things to come. Every human will be raised, but not all will be raised to the same order. The text reminds that all will be in subjection to Him both believer and unbeliever. On that day all will believe. But then comes judgment. There are two orders. One order is to eternal fellowship with God the other is to eternal damnation apart from God. Which order are you? Which order is your neighbor? Which order is your spouse? Which order are your coworkers? Time is short. May we today be gloriously grateful for our salvation and broken to the point of action for the salvation of those we know, and for that matter, those we have never met.
Reflection
What did God say to me from this Scripture reading, devotional, and or prayer time?
What did I say to God?
