April 20, 2025 - INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE HEART

PS 

A prelude to a postlude  

Jesus' resurrection is a prelude to a postlude.  

1 Corinthians 15:20-23 ESV 

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. [21] For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. [22] For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. [23] But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 

 

Because Christ resurrected from the grave so all believers will also be resurrected with glorified and transformed bodies and they will be with God for eternity. His resurrection guarantees the believers' resurrection. His was the prelude and ours will be the postlude of resurrection. While this is "yet to be" we are still here in the "here and now" and we need to live the future resurrection in the present time while we await for that great day.  

 

The way we live our lives in the "here and now" should be reflective of the "will be." His resurrection should affect the way we live our lives. No amount of discouragement and even lack of results as we do the work of the Lord should deter us in living for Christ and Impacting Lives until He comes again. While the prelude guarantees the postlude, in between, during the waiting time,  there are four ways that our lives can be descriptive of the "here and now" as we await for the "will be."  

 

  1. Be Grateful:  be thankful for the victory that we have in Jesus.  

  1. Be Steadfast: we must not abandon the hope that the dead will be raised with new bodies, and we must not abandon the gospel of the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. 

  1. Be Immovable: let nothing move us, instead we must resist being moved away from the gospel and the hope of resurrection.  

  1. Be Unstoppable: always available to serve, completely devoted to the Lord’s work, in and through the church, knowing fully well that our labour is not in vain. 

 

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 ESV 

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [58] Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 

1 Corinthians 15 LASB - 15:54-56 Satan seemed to be victorious in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) and at the cross of Jesus (Mark 15:21-38). But God turned Satan’s apparent victory into defeat when Jesus Christ rose from the dead (Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14-15). Thus, death is no longer a source of dread or fear. Christ overcame it, and one day we will also. The law will no longer make sinners out of us just because we cannot keep it. Death has been defeated, and we have hope beyond the grave. 15:58 Because of the Resurrection, nothing we do for the Lord is useless. Sometimes we become apathetic about serving the Lord or hesitate to do good because we don’t see any results. Knowing that Christ has won the ultimate victory should affect the way we live right now. Don’t let discouragement over an apparent lack of results keep you from doing the work of the Lord enthusiastically as you have opportunity, knowing that your work will have eternal results. 

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