11 August 2005

This portion of 1 Corinthians 15 is the bedrock, the promise, the reality that is set down and ours even when we do not want to see it or hear about it....it is. We may give this text two days of reflection - still leaving us with much to consider.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom of God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "All things are put in subjection," it is plain that this does not include the one who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all. (1 Cor. 15:20-28)

"...so all will be made alive in Christ." That follows the statement about all living in sin. We usually refer to that as "original sin" or sin that is a part of what it is to be human and there is nothing we can do to rid ourselves of it. This is a universal type of an image. And yet, with that simple use of "so"...that transition into the next part of the sentence...there is something that is also universal. In fact, it is the power that has say over the power of sin. In Christ - in that story that Paul has been turning to call the gospel - there is a new reality in which we live. It is as gift and it delivers us from the power of that pull to set up our day according to the power of the Adam story. We are now "in Christ" for God has set up a new reality in which death (the greatest power of death - the great sting that cannot be stopped) is made impotent because God raised Jesus from its grasp on humankind. So now, we can live according to the One who is the power over death. Therefore, when people want to give into the power of death and separation and division and scorekeeping, that is no the ruling story anymore - for anyone. I tell our youngest children in worship, we need to remember to say "Baloney!" when we hear something about our God - that we come to know in Jesus - that is filled with conditions . Too often, we are so caught in the Adam story that we forget that we live within a new story that will always rule us. In fact, it is in itself (that is the story of God raising Jesus) the power to make our lives new even when we stumble and fall or are unable to meet the demands that the power of death presses upon us. Adam...it may be some story. Jesus, raised from the dead by God...there is a story that cannot be overcome by any power.

Connection: When the day comes to an end, it ends with God "for us." That is also how it begins and no other word can have the last say or the opening word. In between, it will be a battle and during that time be assured - without a doubt - of who is on your side.

Lord of the Resurrection, you lift us up and take us into your eternal Reign and we give you thanks as our lives are empowered by your love when our brokenness tries to control us. Continue to let your Spirit of new life guide us and keep us as you have always promised. Amen.