RADICAL EFFECTS OF THE RESURRECTION
Quote for Today
“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.”
- Rosa Parks
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WORD FROM THE HOLY BIBLE FOR TODAY
1 Corinthians 15:19
“If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
REFLECTION
PAUL CHOOSES SUFFERING, BECAUSE HE CHOOSES OBEDIENCE
“Paul concludes from his hourly danger, and his daily dying, and his fighting with wild beasts, that the life he has chosen in following Jesus is foolish and pitiable if he will not be raised from the dead.
If death were the end of the matter, he says, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32). This doesn’t mean: Let’s all become gluttons and drunkards if there is no resurrection. Drunkards are pitiable too — with or without the resurrection. He means: If there is no resurrection, what makes sense is middle-class moderation to maximize earthly pleasures.
But that is not what Paul chooses. He chooses suffering, because he chooses obedience. Ananias came to Paul after his encounter with Christ on the Damascus road, with the words from the Lord Jesus, “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:16). Paul accepted this suffering as part of his calling.
How could Paul do it? What was the source of this radical and painful obedience? The answer is given in 1 Corinthians 15:20: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” In other words, Christ was raised, and I will be raised with him. Therefore, nothing suffered for Jesus is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
The hope of the resurrection radically changed the way Paul lived. It freed him from materialism and consumerism. It gave him the power to go without comforts and pleasures that many people feel they must have in this life. For example, though he had the right to marry (1 Corinthians 9:5), he renounced that pleasure because he was called to bear so much suffering.
This is the way Jesus said the hope of the resurrection is supposed to change our behavior. For example, he told us to invite to our homes people who cannot pay us back in this life. How are we to be motivated to do this? “You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:14).
This is a radical call for us to look hard at our present lives to see if they are shaped by the hope of the resurrection. Do we make decisions on the basis of gain in this world, or gain in the next? Do we take risks for love’s sake that can only be explained as wise if there is a resurrection?
May God help us to rededicate ourselves for a lifetime of letting the resurrection have its radical effects.”
- By John Piper. © Desiring God Foundation.
RADICAL EFFECTS OF THE RESURRECTION
PAUL CHOOSES SUFFERING, BECAUSE HE CHOOSES OBEDIENCE
1 Corinthians 15:19 is a powerful verse! It reminds us that our hope in Christ is not just for this life, but for eternity. Here are a few key reasons why our future with Jesus far surpasses anything we experience on earth, even amid suffering: 1 Eternal Glory Outweighs Temporary Suffering – Paul himself said in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Whatever we endure now for Christ's sake is light and momentary compared to the eternal joy we will experience in His presence. 2 Resurrection Life is Our True Hope – 1 Corinthians 15 emphasizes that Christ's resurrection guarantees our own. If our hope were only for this life, it would be empty. But because He lives, we will live with Him forever, free from sin, pain, and death (John 11:25-26). 3 Unshakeable Inheritance Awaits Us – This world is broken and fading, but our inheritance in Christ is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:4). No suffering here can diminish the treasure we have in Him. 4 We Will Reign with Christ – Scripture teaches that we are co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17) and will reign with Him in His coming kingdom (2 Timothy 2:12). The struggles of this world prepare us for an eternal role in His glorious reign. 5 Being with Jesus is Our Greatest Reward – The greatest joy of heaven isn’t the absence of suffering but the presence of Jesus Himself. In Revelation 21:3-4, we are promised that God will dwell with us, wiping away every tear. The deep longing of our souls will finally be fulfilled in perfect communion with Him.
Neven MacEwan
Heavenly Father, I come before You with a heart that longs to stand firm in the hope You have given me through Jesus Christ. Lord, You have called me to a life that is not easy, a path that is narrow, and a race that requires endurance. I cannot walk this journey in my own strength—I need You. • Strengthen me, O God! When trials press in, when suffering for Your name becomes heavy, when my flesh is weak—fill me with the power of Your Spirit! Let me not be shaken by fear, pain, or opposition, but may I stand rooted in the unshakable foundation of Your love. Let me be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in Your work, knowing that my labor is never in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). • Give me courage, Lord! The world may reject me, my flesh may tremble, and the enemy may whisper lies—but I choose to trust in You. Make me bold like a lion, unafraid to stand for truth, unwavering in my devotion to Christ. Let me not shrink back in the face of trials but face them with the courage that comes from knowing that You are with me (Joshua 1:9). • Teach me obedience, Father! Jesus, You obeyed the Father, even unto death (Philippians 2:8). Let my heart be like Yours—willing, surrendered, and joyful in following Your will, no matter the cost. When the path is hard, when my flesh resists, when the world tempts me—help me to say, “Not my will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). • Increase my trust in You, Lord! When the storms rage, when suffering clouds my vision, when I do not understand—help me to trust You completely. Remind me that You are faithful, that Your promises are true, that You are working all things for my good (Romans 8:28). Let my faith not waver but grow stronger, knowing that my hope is secure in Christ. Father, my greatest desire is to stand before You unashamed on that glorious day. I long to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23). So, refine me, purify me, strip away everything that hinders my walk with You. Make me ready to reign with Christ, to see His face, to dwell in Your presence forever. Until that day, let me run this race with endurance, my eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of my faith (Hebrews 12:1-2). I love You, I trust You, I surrender all to You. In the mighty, victorious name of Jesus, I pray. Amen!
Neven MacEwan
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