1 Corinthians 15:57

VICTORY IN JESUS

 

Intro:  This verse has served as our motto for Vacation Bible School this week.  Each night, we have learned about the great victories God has won down through the ages.  We have learned about Obedience from the life of Joshua; of Courage from the life of Daniel; of Patience from the life of Job; of Commitment from the story of Nehemiah and of Faithfulness from the life of Elijah.  Each of these men is a great hero of the Bible, but even though their stories took place so long ago, they can still give us hope for victory in our own lives.

      The verse we have read this evening tells us about a victory that can be yours and mine.  It lets us knows that victories are not just something that happened to people who lived long ago and are long dead.  In fact, this verse teaches us that victory can be a present tense experience.

      Paul has been writing about the resurrection from the dead in this chapter.  Apparently, some of the Corinthians had come to doubt the resurrection.  Paul writes to reassure them, and us, that the resurrection of Jesus is a real event and that His resurrection from the dead can give us victory in our lives day by day.  I want to take just a moment this evening to talk to you about three very special areas where Jesus can and will give you absolute victory if you will only trust Him by faith.

 

  I.                           HE GIVES VICTORY OVER DEATH

A.  Paul has taken this entire chapter to tell us that Jesus gas given those who believe in Him absolute victory over death!  By entering death and rising again, Jesus forever took away the power of death.  (Ill. A boy crawled up into his mama's lap one hot summer day and just sitting there, loving mama, and mama loving him, and then the little fellow became afraid and the little fellow pulled closer to its mama and the mother said, "What's the matter, Son?"  And the little boy said, "Oh, Mama, look at that bumble bee! Look at that bumble bee buzzing all around me.  Mama, Mama, I'm afraid of that bumble bee."  She said, "Aw, Son, you don't have to be afraid of that bumble bee."  "Well, Mama, that bumble bee will sting me." "No, no, no, Son.  That bumble bee won't sting you, you don't have to be afraid."  "Why don't I, Mama?"  And Mama reached out her hand and she showed the little boy her hand and in her hand she pulled out a stinger and she said, "Son, you don't have to be afraid of that bumble bee; that bumble bee has already stung your mama and it can't sting you.  I've got the stinger.")

B.  Death is one of the greatest fears known to men.  We don’t talk much about it, but the thought of the eternal blink fills many hearts with fear!  But, if shouldn’t!  If you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, friend, He has forever pulled the stinger out of death for you and me, 1 Cor. 15:55-56.

C.  Death is coming for everyone of us, Heb. 9:27, but it does not need to be feared!  If you are saved, death is merely your doorway into the eternal presence of God, 2 Cor. 5:1-8; 2 Tim. 4:6.  If, however, you are lost and do not know Jesus Christ, then friend, you have good reason to fear death!  For death is not your doorway into life, but it is your doorway into eternal damnation in the fires of Hell!

D.  All those who have placed their faith in Jesus need not fear death.  He has conquered it for us.  He has pulled its stinger!  He has given His children victory over death!  Thank God for His victory!

 

 II.                      HE GIVES VICTORY OVER DECEPTION

A.  Paul mentions the problem of sin in verse 56.  It is sin that demands our judgment, Rom. 6:23.  It is sin that stands between us and the Lord, Isa. 59:2.  It is sin that blinds us to the way of righteousness, holiness and life, 2 Cor. 4:4.  It is sin that is destroying your life my friend!  It is sin working in your body that propels you to live a wretched and wicked life, Eph. 2:1-3.  It is sin that will use you up, wear you out and leave you empty, damned and doomed!  Sin is your problem!  It is the problem of every human on the planet.  It is from sin that you need to be delivered!

B.  Sin is the reason Jesus came into this world, lived and died on the cross. It is His death that delivers to sinner from his sins and gives him a new life in Jesus, Rom. 6:6-18.  Jesus gives the victory over sin, because He paid the price for sin in His Own blood.  He died to set the captives free, Luke 4:18.  He died to set you free!

C.  Friend, you do not have to allow sin to wreck your life and condemn you to Hell.  Come to God and be saved!  He will receive you, John 6:37.  He will deliver you and change your life, 2 Cor. 5:17.  Ill. Sin will “bind you, blind you and grind you”, but there is victory and that victory is only found in the Lord Jesus!

 

III.                      HE GIVES VICTORY OVER DAMNATION

A.  When the Bible speaks of death being the sentence on sin, Rom. 6:23a, it is not referring to merely dying and going to the graveyard.  It is referring to what happens to the sinner after death.  You see, every person who leaves this world without Jesus Christ goes to an awful place called Hell, Psa. 9:17.

B.  No one wants to think about dying lost and going to Hell, but it is a reality nonetheless!  But, it does not have to happen to you!  Because Jesus Christ came to this world, died for sin and paid the price for you, you can be saved from your sins and from the damnation of Hell.  There is nothing standing between you and deliverance from your sins, but a simple prayer of faith!  Listen to the Word of God, Rom. 10:13; John 6:47; Acts 16:31!

C.  I praise the Lord that no saved individual need ever fear the flames of Hell’s fire.  They are forever shielded and protected from that awful future through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ!  When this life ends, you need to be found in Jesus, He is the sole place of safety and salvation, 1 John 5:12.

 

Conc:  My friend, you are not here tonight by accident.  God has brought you here so that you could hear about the victory that can only be found in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Have you trusted Him by faith?  Are you walking in His victory this evening?  Are you saved, sealed and sure for Heaven?  If you died right now, are you sure you would miss Hell and go to Heaven?  Friend, you need to be!

      Maybe your life is a mess this evening.  You know you are not right with God.  You know that if you died, you would go to Hell forever.  Friend, it doesn’t have to be that way!  If you will come to Jesus by faith and accept His death and resurrection as the payment for your sins, you will be saved.  Jesus will come into your heart, He will change your life and you will have a home in Heaven when you leave this world.  Isn’t that what you want?  It can be yours!  Victory can be yours today, if you will respond to Him.  Will you do it?

      Whatever your relationship with God tonight, if He is calling you to come to Him, then I challenge you and encourage you to obey His voice.  Just do what He is calling you to do and He will honor your response of faith!