Power of the Resurrection || 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 || Manna for the Mind #45

Welcome to Day 45 of my “Manna for the Mind” devotional series! This series takes a passage of scripture (typically 1-3 verses) and builds understanding through its context and connecting scripture. This helps us understand what the Bible truly teaches us.

Today, we embark on a profound journey into the words of 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, a passage that holds immense significance in our ongoing exploration of faith.

1 Corinthians 15:20-22

20          But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who died.

21          So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man.

22          Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.

Just as the first part of the harvest was brought to the Temple as an offering. Christ was the first to rise from the dead and never die again. He is the leader and proof of our eventual resurrection to eternal life. The power that rose Jesus back from an earthly death resides inside us. We may not have an earthly resurrection like Jesus, but all believers will have a spiritual resurrection into eternal life. Death came into the world as a result of Adam and Eve’s sin. We once had eternal life but lost it to them choosing to do their own thing instead of sticking to God’s command. You can read through Genesis 1-6 to see how the shortening of human life resulted from Adam and Eve’s sinful actions. Paul says that Adam’s sin brought sin to all of us. He explained death and sin spread to all humans because of this first sin and the parallel between Adam’s death and Jesus’s death.

Colossians 1:18 shares the proof of the first in everything.

Colossians 1:18

18          Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.

Christ’s resurrection is a historical event and a transformative power that continues to shape our lives. It’s the ultimate proof of his lordship over all of creation, a beacon of hope that assures us of victory over death and the promise of eternal life. This profound truth should inspire and compel us to live Christ-centered lives, where we give him first place in all our thoughts and activities.

As we meditate on the teachings of Christ and the sacrifice he made for us, a deep sense of gratitude should permeate our hearts. We should be appreciative of everything Christ has done for our lives and everything he endured to restore our relationship with our Heavenly Father. This gratitude should not just lead us, but compel us to continuously praise and worship Jesus, using his teachings as the bedrock of our thoughts and attitudes.

1 Peter 1:3

3            All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,

“Born again” refers to spiritual birth—the Holy Spirit’s act of bringing believers into God’s family. Jesus used this concept of new birth to explain salvation to Nicodemus in John 3. A person cannot be a Christian without a fresh beginning based on Christ’s salvation. When we receive God’s perfect gift, he brings us new freedom, identity, and family.

We can turn away, or repent, from the sinful nature we lived in of the earthly life we once lived and turn to God’s ways. That’s committing to be a Christian and starting your new beginning. A significant way to solidify this commitment is through the act of Baptism. It symbolizes washing away our old self and becoming clean, pure, and whole in Christ to start again. We should strive to live a life that is Christ-centered in all parts of our lives. Remember, you are adopted into the body of Christ. You are welcome into the family of other imperfect brothers and sisters who are ready to walk through life together in the community. Let’s share the glory that’s talked about in Revelation 1:5.

Revelation 1:5

5            and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us.

Others had risen from the dead—people that the prophets, Jesus, and the apostles had resurrected during their ministries—but those people later died. Jesus was the first to rise from the dead in a body that wouldn’t perish. Remember that the power of resurrection lies within us. Where will you see resurrecting power show up in your life?

Father God, thank you for the resurrection power that brought Jesus back from his earthly death. With that, your plan came to fruition. Help us remain grateful for Christ’s resurrection and see how it resurrects different parts of our being: body, mind, and soul. It’s in your name, we pray. Amen.