“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” . . . But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 15:55,57

If you’ve been stung by a bee or a wasp, you know it is not a pleasant experience. The stinger doesn’t just pierce your skin, but the venom causes lasting pain. For that reason, many people have a fear of bees and wasps. But what if you knew that the bee or wasp didn’t have a sting? Well, take away the sting, and you take away the fear. Remove the sting, and the power of that flying insect is gone.

When Jesus rose from the dead, he took away the sting of death. Death had a powerful sting. Death is coming for everyone, and it casts a shadow over all of life. No matter what joy you experience, it won’t last because death is coming.

Death stings because it robs you of your loved ones. All the people you love will one day die. Death separates you from them. There is no FaceTime or phone calls with the dead. They’re gone.

Death stings because everyone has this gnawing feeling deep down that after death, there will be an accounting, a judgment. You are accountable to someone for your deeds and actions. There is a certain sense of fear and uncertainty of what that might be like.

Death stings and its venom can choke out even the best moments of life. The sting of death looks like ultimate defeat. But when Jesus rose from the dead, it meant a stunning reversal. Death no longer held the victory. Death no longer had its sting. Instead, Jesus gives the victory to all who put their faith in him.

Jesus has already undergone the judgment and punishment for sinners. His believers don’t have to fear a final reckoning with God. Jesus promises that those who die believing in him are not lost forever but alive in heaven. You will see them again. And Jesus’ resurrection means that death is not the end of the story for his believers. They will rise to an eternity of perfect joy and love.

Prayer:

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.