Death, where is your sting?
Read 1 Cor 15:1-57.
We just celebrated Easter weekend. It is about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I love it when you read through the book of Acts; the number one thing that caused the Apostles to be persecuted was the message of Jesus’ Resurrection. The enemy hates the message of Jesus’ victory.
Rev 1:18 I am He who lives and was dead and behold I am alive and live forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of hell and death.
This scripture made me think about what it must have been to be hell and death. Both hell and death are cast into the lake of fire in Rev 20:14. Death had all that power over men from the beginning of time when Adam and Eve sinned. Sin gave power to death because we all sinned, and death claimed man’s natural life as a reward. Death ruled as if he was a king that will never be dethroned. Sin preyed on man’s weakness and the power of fleshly desires. Hell was satisfied to keep men away from God’s presence. It looked like these two had the perfect combination with sin as their weapon and would forever be a force to be reckoned with. They had the keys that would strike fear into every man and woman born into this world. They made one mistake by miscalculating that God had a plan.
Jesus is the plan of God. There is no plan B. Can you imagine with me what happened when Jesus died? Scripture says that Jesus spends three days in death and then was raised again. During that time, He preached the Gospel even to those in the place of death with Him – 1 Pet 4:6. I wonder what the conversation between Jesus, death, and hell was like”
Death: “Hell, you know that I have the power to take a man’s life from him and give him over to you to keep them in the realm of death.”
Hell: “Yes, death, You are powerful in that sense. Will you get this Jesus as well? He has been causing havoc in my kingdom.”
Death: “He is human, isn’t he? All human beings are subject to my call because, in Adam, they all sinned. Do I need to remind you that I was there the day God told Adam that all humans would return to the earth when they died? I have an assignment, and I can not fail.”
Hell: “I understand but do you realize that this Jesus is not the first Adam? I saw Him call a man out of a tomb, and I saw Him raise a dead girl from a stretcher. I saw you cringe when His word had more power than your assignment, and I saw your disappointment when you could not hold them anymore. Even I tried to keep them in the place of death, but His Words, His words are more powerful than both of us.”
Death: “Yes, hell. That is true but don’t forget that even though He raised them, they will die again. The ones whom He raised are only a temporary setback for us. I have a plan. When I kill Him, all those who believe in Him right now will have to doubt His word and what He said about being the way, the truth, and the life.”
Hell: “Death, it sounds like you gave this some thought. If you kill Him, then I would be in your debt for a long time. They have Him on the cross right now; maybe it is time for you to go and do your thing.”
Death arrives at the cross while hell is waiting in anticipation:
Death: Jesus, your time has come. It is time for me to kill you and make you see how much power sin has given to me. Are there any last words you would like to say?”
Jesus: “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they do. Into your hands, I commit my spirit.”
Jesus breaths His last breath.
Death: “Wait, hold on, you can’t give it up, I am to take it from you. That is not how I planned this to happen. Jesus, you cannot forgive them that gave me the power through their sin.”
Jesus: “Death, What sin? The blood just reconciled man with God. The Father has given me the power to forgive sins. Their sins killed them, but I have never sinned, and because of having no wrong, you have no control over me. I lay my life down, and I take it up again. No man takes my life from me.”
Death: “Jesus, you are indeed dead, but I did not kill you. How is that possible?”
Jesus: “Death, I once was dead, but now I live forever. Your time is up. The Father has me now like He will have everyone who dies in Me after this day. From now on, you can kill the flesh, but you can no longer keep a man in the place of death. Because I am life, I will give the life I AM to men and women, and they will live, even if they died in the flesh. More than that, When I rise in three days, the life that I AM will live in both men and women before they die physically, and they will know and experience what it is to have no fear of you anymore.”
Death: “Hell, why are you so quiet? Say something!”
Hell: “Death, I don’t know what happened. One moment I was watching you, and the next moment, I was powerless to do anything. I lost the battle to keep people here. They are leaving in scores saying something about resurrection life. I have never experienced this. I thought we had this planned out, but we made a mistake. We have lost the battle, and Jesus is the King. Nothing can stop Him now!”
He has risen. He lives forever to make intercession on our behalf with the Father. Our sins have been forgiven, and death has lost its power over us. Though we die, yet we shall live. Death, where is your sting?
