Raised in Power

THE RISEN KING!
Terry R. Baughman

“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power” (1 Corinthians 15:42-43 NIV).

Jesus became the first-fruit of the resurrection. He prepared the way of life, and paid the price for our redemption from sin. Paul declared, “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20 NKJ). Because He lives also we have the promise of everlasting life!

There was nothing powerful, beautiful, or wonderful about the crucifixion of Christ. It was brutal, gruesome, and horrible, but the result of His sacrifice brought about everything positive through His defeat of death in a glorious resurrection from the grave. The contrast could not be more apparent. The agony of suffering compared to the glory of victory. The suffering of sacrifice contrasted with the euphoria of new life. Indeed, this was how it could be stated that Jesus, “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2 NKJ).
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Paul likened Christ’s death and burial to the planting of a seed. We look to the result of the new life that grows from the sacrifice of the seed into the ground. The fruitfulness of the resurrection came as a result of Jesus’ death and burial. He was sown in dishonor, but raised in glory. He was sown in weakness and raised in power! Because He lives, we will rise to live again, raised in power!


Theme passage:
“"He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead” (Matthew 28:6-7 NKJ).