50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
II. Reflection Questions:
1. What does it mean that God alone holds the victory over death?
2. How does the truth that God in Christ has conquered death, change the way that we live?
By Jason Scherzer
1 Corinthians 15 is a mighty chapter which begins by summarizing the truth of the Gospel, and details the eyewitnesses to the risen Christ, including Paul. The apostle then gives reasoning for the centrality of the resurrection: Christianity is true if Christ is risen, but useless and despised if the apostles had lied about Christ having been raised from the dead. Next, he explains the return of Christ, or Second Coming, which precedes the resurrection of God’s people. The characteristics of the resurrection body are described, as vastly different from our corruptible body in this world. We have bodies now that are like Adam’s, but one day we will have bodies that are like Christ’s body, incorruptible and everlasting.
Christ’s body is of heavenly origin, though He will live with His people in the new heavens and new earth. Verse 50 tells us that “flesh and blood can not inherit the Kingdom of God,” which is not to say mortal humans may not be given immortality. Rather it means that the corruptible bodies we have, which will die someday, are not compatible with eternal life. The expression, “Flesh and blood” signifies our bodies as similar to the body of Adam, which will never be suitable for the glorious life that God intends. This is because Adam led all of humanity into permanent disobedience against God, and a miserable state of death and sin. Why would God allow misery, death, and rebellion into heaven?
Verse 51 begins a prophetic section: the return of Christ in glorious power and the accompanying event of the dead in Christ being raised to eternal life. This is the glorious hope of the Church through all ages: that Christ is coming again. The mystery, Paul says, is that we will all be changed, instantly. When a camera shoots a photograph, an image of some interesting subject matter is “captured” very rapidly. When Christ comes again for His church, it will be a visible, powerful, glorious coming that marks the end of the age. His coming will be rapid.
Matthew 24:31 says, “And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” This will happen, Jesus said, when the “Sign of the Son of Man” appears in heaven. His return will shake the heavens with unimaginable power!
Paul does say in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, that not all will die, but all will be changed. His audience is those who believe in Christ. Some will remain on the earth through the final tribulation but will be changed to a glorious heavenly body, just the same as those believers who have already died in Christ, will also be given a heavenly body. A loud trumpet call will go forth – the sound of the Son of God, King Jesus that will command the dead to rise. Was it difficult for Jesus to call Lazarus to walk out of the grave in chapter 11 of John? Is there anything that is too hard for the LORD?
Every human being who has ever lived, died or will die; except for Enoch and Elijah, and of course the exception of those people who will remain alive on earth when Jesus comes again. Death holds a real sting against us. It is an understatement to say that death is gloomy, depressing. The Apostle Paul does not gloss over this lightly. He says that death has a sting, and it has power. Yet God in Christ Jesus holds immeasurably more power.
Paul’s language in verses 54-55 contains perhaps the most exquisite, lofty poetry to be found anywhere in the New Testament. The word is absolutely beautiful, yet the apostle is not telling a tale. The truth is, death will be swallowed up in victory, as Jesus is the First of those raised to incorruptible life.
Lastly in 15:58, Paul commands us to have steadfast, unshakable faith, such that we are deeply moved to vigorously serve the risen Lord. Christ will most certainly reward those who have faithfully served Him.
IV. Application:
Death is a terrifying reality that most people avoid thinking about. For the person who has ultimate faith in Jesus Christ, death is a defeated enemy, or like a hurdle that an athlete jumps over. Death is a massive, heavy chain that has been broken by the resurrection power of the Son of God.
As a Christian, lift your head up high and fix your eyes on Jesus, the author of our salvation. Live in hope, not in fear. Meditate on the power of Christ and the reality that He lives and reigns forever. Think deeply on His promises to you and His promises to the Church. He most certainly is coming again in great glory and power, and the New Testament is filled with promises of His second coming. He will raise us up to be incorruptible and to live with Him forever, this is our glorious hope. Pleasing and honoring Him is our reason for living.
V. Prayer:
Lord, thank You for the glorious hope that we will be changed in an instant at the last trumpet call when You come again. I want to see You and to behold Your glory. Yet, Lord, I am so unbelievably sinful. Cleanse me and make my heart ready for the coming King Jesus. Amen.
City Life Starter 
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