Sunday Scripture for Easter 2024

 

Years ago (2014) I did a "Why Easter Matters" study from Good Morning Girls and have written only a few posts from that study -- one in 2014 and two in 2022.  Since today is Easter Sunday, and since it really does matter tremendously to us, I felt it was important to take a break from our regular Sunday Scripture posts and share more of my study with you.  The Scripture passage to be SOAPed today is 1 Corinthians 15:57-58, but I will write out verses 54-58 to help with context.  It is from the third week of the Easter study.  The week is titled "Why the Resurrection Matters".

S= "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
"O death, where is thy sting?  O grave, where is thy victory?
"The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
"But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, inasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."  (1 Corinthians 15:54-58)

O= Verse 55 asks, "O death, where is thy sting?  O grave, where is thy victory?"

We see the answer to this question in verse 54: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

This "saying" as Paul puts it, is a quote from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah:

"He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth; for the LORD hath spoken it.
"And it shall be said in that day,  Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."  (Isaiah 26:8-9)

William MacDonald notes that this saying will be "brought to pass when the dead in Christ are raised and the living changed with them ... How magnificent!"

He adds, "Through faith in Christ, we have victory over death and the grave.  Death is robbed of its sting. 
"The truth of resurrection changes everything.  It provides hope and steadfastness, and enables us to go on in the face of overwhelming and difficult circumstances."

A= We can be so thankful to God, who gives us the victory over death and the grave by way of Christ's sacrificial death and His glorious resurrection.  Because of this, we can be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,  We can be confident that our labor for Him is not in vain.

How grateful I am that Christ was victorious over death!  Because of His sacrificial death and His miraculous resurrection, I need not fear death.  It has no sting for me -- and the grave is not the end.  Christ has swallowed up death in victory.

And so I can move forward steadfast and grounded in my faith, abounding in the Lord's work in confidence that my labor is not in vain.  One day my faithful service will be rewarded.

Warren Wiersbe outlines 1 Corinthians chapter 15 like this:

* We have a living Lord (v. 1-19).  Jesus is alive, and the gospel message is true!  Witnesses who saw Him have passed along their testimony to us.  When you trust Him, you receive resurrection life, eternal life; death can hold you no more.

* We have a living hope (v. 20-49).  Jesus Christ will come again, and the dead in Christ will be raised.  We will have glorified bodies like Christ's body.

* We have a living dynamic (v. 50-58).  We have no reason to give up because Jesus has conquered sin and death.  If you really believe in the resurrection and return of Jesus, verse 58 will characterize your life.  The best is yet to come, so let us give Him our best now. -- Warren Wiersbe, With the Word

P= "Lord, I thank You so much for your promise of eternal life.  I praise You that death has no sting for believers, and that the grave is not our final resting place.  I praise You for giving us the victory over death, through Christ.

"I pray that You will help me to be steadfast and grounded and to always abide in Your work.  I know that labor done as unto You, and in Your strength, will never be in vain.  Help me to serve You faithfully throughout my life, I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

And there is our simple Easter study.  I hope it was a blessing to you today and that you will enjoy a blessed Resurrection Day with family or church family.  Because He lives, we will live also!