IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Labor in the Lord is Not in Vain

Date: Apr. 9, 2023

Passage

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Mystery and Victory

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 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.”
55   “O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 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.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:58

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.

Flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom. So how can we enter God’s kingdom then? The mystery is: we will all be changed in a flash at the last trumpet. The perishable will be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. At that moment death will be swallowed up in victory. Where then is death’s victory and sting (55)? Death’s sting is sin, and sin’s power is the law. But thanks be to God, we have victory in and through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Paul concludes this powerful chapter on the resurrection with a “therefore.” What, therefore, should we do? We should stand firm in the gospel and not be moved or shaken by doubts or enemies (1,58). We should always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. Why? Because labor in the Lord is never a useless waste.

“Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

--C.T.Studd (1860-1931)

Prayer: Prayer: Father, thank you for the hope and promise we have in Jesus Christ our Lord. May our lives bring him glory, honor and praise. Amen.

One Word: One Word: Therefore, live and labor for Jesus

Daily Bread

Remember Who God is

Psalm 77:1-20

Key Verse: 77:11

I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

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Intro Daily