Saturday, April 9, 2016
1 Corinthians 15:22-24 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
THEN
In our culture a "champion" is one who wins the final game of a tournament. But "champion" has long had another meaning: a representative who wins for others. We still see a trace of that when a student receives a text from someone on a returning team bus and shouts out, "We won!" But he wasn't even at the game! Yet the team represented him, so when they won, he won!
Thus when David defeated Goliath, Israel won! And when Christ defeated death, the human race won! Ever since Adam, our first father, succumbed to Satan, he was a loser, and all his offspring became born losers. But Christ, our Champion, defeated death for us. In connection with Him we are winners!
This is not yet seen. We daily sin much and often look like losers, but because He lives, we shall live also. "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 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" (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
Strong Champion! For this comfort, see,
The whole world now brings thanks to Thee!
And once we too shall raise above
More sweet and loud the song of love:
Hallelujah!
