Sunday 8th December
Read 1 Corinthians 15:58
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” (NIVUK)
One of the more profound comments penned by Paul. Because of the amazing resurrection victory of Jesus, because He has shown us our future hope of transphysical bodily resurrection, because of the continuity between the old body and the new – stand firm! Don’t be swayed by spurious hopes in shady, ethereal spirit-like bodies. Ground yourself fully in the hope of resurrection. Don’t be moved.
Because of this transforming hope everything you do in this life has meaning. Unlike the cry of the preacher in Ecclesiastes where he declared everything to be meaningless, vanity upon vanity, Paul argues that the resurrection gives solidity to all our work. What we do here and now will pass through to the new creation. No nihilism allowed. The resurrection is the ground upon which life and work today finds meaning.
An everlasting hope that begins right now. Hallelujah.
