1 Corinthians 15:50-58
I clearly see we are living in a time when it is apparent that our lives either declare the resurrection victory or we declare a false victory. As our country pursues the natural outcome of living outside of the presence of a necessary savior, God & king, we have the opportunity to be a unique people who are compassionate, serving, loving, and unswervingly convinced that Jesus did indeed need to die to pay for our sins, did rise from the dead, and will return to bring about our resurrection.
Paul leads us to conclude that if we want to feel the victory that is ours we absolutely must be persistent about the truth of the resurrection until we pass out. We can't be seduced by the false victories that our flesh, the world, and Satan pose. We must work out Jesus’ truth with our actions. Only then will our lives not be filled with empty ("kenos") thoughts and activities.
Questions for working this out:
1. What are the channels of seducing ideas you need to eliminate? Where do you get false messages about what is good and worth living for? How can we eliminate and reduce the power of false victories in our lives?
2. What are the ways you can actively have your mind and body work out the truth? Where can you serve? Who can you serve? Refugees, children, homeless, neighbors, widows, etc. How can you have your time, money, energy, and resources declare that the resurrection happened and Jesus will come again to clothe us in imperishability and give us eternity?
When the truth we hold onto in our mind and the actions of our life align our heart begins to feel the victory.
August 4, 2019 | Scott Cooley