As we start the 4th week of social distancing and #covidtine, it feels like knowing what day it is hardly matters. But this week is different. This week we remember and celebrate the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This Sunday, I won’t let my family worship in their pjs, much to their dismay! We’re going to get dressed and take a photo to look back on and remember this Easter when everything was different.
All these changes in our way of life have been forced upon us because of the threat of death. If this virus didn’t kill so often, we wouldn’t be quarantined in our homes, we wouldn’t be cancelling school, and we wouldn’t be willing to shut down our economy as we attempt to slow its spread. Our world has come face-to-face with death in a way that we haven’t before in our lifetime.
As we take these drastic measures to preserve life, we can do so with hope in the One who willingly gave His life to conquer death for us:
“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep . . . ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’” (I Cor. 15:20 and 55, NIV)
Friend, this is good news: Jesus is alive! He is a suffering Savior who died in your place and also a reigning King who conquered the power of death. We read in Revelation 1:18 that Jesus holds the keys to death and hades. Death has no power over Him.
Our risen Savior is the firstfruits of the resurrection. “Firstfruits” implies that there are more resurrection fruits to come! When He stepped out of the grave, He made a way for us to have new life in Him now and eternal life with Him forever. Death has no power over Him, and it also has no power over those of us who are in Christ.
And so even though we feel the pain of death here temporarily, we can look at Christ’s empty grave and say with Paul, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Jesus Christ took the sting of death for us, so we can face the threat of death with confident hope in Him.
No matter what you face this week, the risen Christ conquered death for you.
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