When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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 15:54–58
On Sunday, we talked about how Jesus got up from the grave and won the victory that we could not; He then applies this victory to us. Too often, people go from singing great victory songs on Resurrection Sunday to fear and worry on Monday. They acknowledge Jesus’ miraculous resurrection, but it has little bearing on their lives. I ended Sunday by pointing to the confidence that we can have because Jesus lives, today I want to point out what some of the practical implication of this are:
We don’t have to fear missing out
It seems to me that a great deal of our discontentment in this life is in what we fear we are missing. We don’t even know what we want or need until we see that someone else has it. James identifies this as one of the major causes of sin:
You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. | James 4:2
Getting more does not solve this. We live with more than any people have ever had, yet it has not solved the issue of want. The only thing that can do that is satisfaction. We are looking for fulfillment and keep coming up short. In the resurrection, we receive assurance that this life is not all that there is and that we have eternity to eat, drink, and be merry.
We don’t have to fear loss
Along with not having to fear missing good things, the resurrection also takes away the weight of loss. When something bad happens to us, it can be devastating: death of a loved one, health problems, getting laid off, losing your house, or even just the kids moving out. This loss comes from feeling as if some part of your life has died. The victory of the resurrection reminds us that our idea of death and loss are limited by our understanding of lifetimes (and our linear measurement of time). If all will be resurrected, then death is not as final as it feels.
This doesn’t mean that we do not mourn or lament, but simply that lament is met with hope. There is still a loss, but loss is not the greatest power. Resurrection allows us to feel sorrow, without sorrow giving over to despair. Jesus’ victory acknowledges that death is part of the process, but it is not the end.
We don’t have to fear power
This world has all sorts of unjust power systems. Whether they be social, political, or even spiritual, it is easy to feel like you are subjected. One of the major motivators that people commonly use is a fear of power (or losing power). I recently read something that said that the best way to fundraise is to appeal to people’s fear of oppression; pointing out good just doesn’t get as much support. Built into this is the very real fear that we all have of being on the losing end of the power struggle. The victory of the resurrection is assurance that we won’t be.
This week, David French wrote an article that points out this truth as it relates to the decline of the institutional church in our society. Many fear what the church losing power will mean for our culture; the victory that we have frees us from fear. We can be concerned without having to give ourselves to anxiety. Jesus has already won and promised us His victory.
We don’t have to fear death
Death is this impending reality we all have awaiting us. The book of Ecclesiastes takes on the shadow that this reality casts over all of life. We work to build things that will be handed off to others. We try to leave a legacy that will most likely be forgotten. We obtain things that we cannot take with us. If we place our value in achievement, fame, or possessions, then death is something to fear. It takes away all that we love. The victory of the resurrection is assurance for us that death has been overcome; it no longer defines us.
If our lives are eternal, then it makes sense to start living for eternity now. We live for eternity when we let go of the limited and short term and put our energy into worshipping He who gives life. Our victory may not look like victory to those who are laboring for the table scraps of this earth, but living in the confidence of the resurrection allows us to be satisfied and fulfilled NOW. The victory of Jesus gives us contentment in a world filled with grief. True victory is not found in defeating a bunch of people in a game that does not matter, but in walking away from the rat race to put your efforts into that which will never be in vain. I love how the author of Ecclesiastes ends, after searching for fulfillment in every part of this world, he says:
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. | Ecclesiastes 12:13–14