Paul Picks a Fight
I Corinthians 15:55-58
Paul Picks a Fight with Death
Christ Temple
11/3/2007
The 55th verse of this awesome text is startling to say the least. Paul here appears to have slipped off into insanity; temporarily lost his mind; in need of psychiatric attention. For it is in this verse that he gets into a confrontation with the killer of killers; he confronts death and says “O death where is thy sting, and O grave where is thy victory.”
It is in verse 55 alone that he stand in a confrontation with death, he stands toe-to-toe; eye-to-eye. He stands in front of death and says as though he’s laughing at death he says “see there, you ain’t that bad.” He laughs at its decline, he makes mockery of the fact that death has become like a toothless lion; like a dog without a bark and a snake without venom. He says “O death” and can’t you just hear him laughing? He points his finger at death and says to death “you really don’t have any authority.” He insults death, he jeers at its lack of a sting, and he sneers at its insignificance and inability to keep mankind down. He displays (if you please) a cynical attitude, almost humorous when he says “see there, you’re not that bad. You’ve been around here fronting off, you’re been making man miserable, you’ve painted a picture of yourself as some bad one, you get on man’s trail when he’s born and when he breathes that last breath you step in as though you’re the one that did it; you’re not that bad.”
Where is your sting? Tell the truth you’ve actually become like a bumblebee without a stinger. Really what and obstinate and arrogant attitude to stand face to face with death, to stand toe to toe, to stand eye to eye looking at death without blinking and saying “see there, you ain’t that bad, O death where is thy sting?” Knowing that death don’t play and it’s not something that you ought to play with.
We’re talking about the grim reaper that has robbed cradles of babies, slowed the pace of teenagers and young people, and robbed elderly people of life – we’re talking about death. And Paul gets in his face and it’s as though he laughing he says “ha ha, where is your sting? You don’t have it do you?” Children over in Pioneer Park would say “na na!”
And that’s what Paul does with death here in the text, he tells death “Get in your place! You’ve falsified your record, you’ve lied about your power, you’ve perpetrated your authority, you’ve made untrue declarations about your might, you’ve misrepresented your potency, tell men and women of God the truth: you’re really not that bad.
In reality all you’ve been reduced to is a powerless entity, all you really are is a divine transport vehicle to get man out of the world and off into eternity, to put corruption out of business. For everybody knows that we have to put off mortality and put on immortality. We have got to put off corruption and put on incorruption, for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God and so Paul says all death is is a pick-up service.
That’s all you are in fact death, I’ve heard about you. I’ve heard about you from a fella by the name of David and in fact he said that you have been reduced to a shadow. You recall he said that you are just the shadow of death. And all of us here right now know the shadow of a gun can’t shoot you. The shadow of a car can’t hit you. The shadow of a dog can’t bite you. The shadow of a fist can’t knock you down. He says to death you are half the man that you used to be. You have been reduced to just a shadow. You can’t eat off the shadow of a plate. You can’t sit on the shadow of a pew. You can’t grasp the shadow of a cup. You can’t climb the shadow of a ladder. And in order to have a shadow there must be some light somewhere.
Tell the truth death you ain’t so bad, where is your sting? Tell the truth death; all you are is a pick-up and delivery service used by God to bring man to His home. So Paul says here with clarity and assurance, I know you death. You’ve lost your edge. You may hiss but you can’t hurt. Here Paul is picking a fight with death and you just don’t do that – if you’re sane. Death is too real, it’s too risky, it’s too resolute to play with but Paul had something on his side. You see Paul had the assurance of the resurrection of Jesus the Christ.
It is in the verses that precede this passage that he says to them there in Corinth it is because Jesus got up and became the 1st fruits of them that sleep – one morning I’ll get up too. He says because Jesus died and was buried and early Sunday morning got up with all power in heaven and in earth. It is because of that that I can now stand face to face with death and tell death – “you ain’t that bad!” He asked death “where is your sting?” He has a blessed assurance that if Jesus the Christ had gotten up from the grave; if and when he died, if he was in Christ, he would get up from the grave and spend eternity with the Lord.
You know death was pretty mad for you have to admit that death hadn’t lost many battles. In the old testament in Genesis 5:1-32 over and over again it records “and he died.” Death was still mad because he had missed two in the Old Testament – you Enoch he just walked on away. Elijah caught a chariot of fire back to heaven. Death was still sulking over the three that he almost missed. As a matter of fact God had to back up death off of Hezekiah and say get back, I have to give him a few more years; I’ll call you when I get ready. I said that he was mad about the three that he almost missed in the New Testament.
It was Jairus’ daughter, you remember him don’t you? Death stepped in but it was not until Jesus showed up that death could not even get that girl out of the house. Death said alright if you let me get one out of the house I declare to you I’ll take care of him. Jesus said I tell you what, you go on and take that widow the Nain’s son; and He allowed death to get him to the outskirts of the gate. Jesus stopped by and said get back death – I’m not calling for you, I’m nmot ready for you so get on back!
Death said ok, you wouldn’t let me get one out of the house; you let me get one out the house; but if you let me get one in the grave, I can handle that one. Jesus said well I’m gonna be on an evangelistic mission in a few days and I’m gonna wait around three days as a matter of fact so that everything that you need to do you can do. Call your cousin the grave, you all get together. I’ll be over here on this evangelistic mission and somebody said Lazarus died! Jesus stayed where he was 3 long days and then got the fellas together and said let’s go take care of him. Somebody said “he sleepeth, he sleepeth; he doeth well.” Jesus said he’s actually dead! And I am going that I might get him up and with one shout “Lazarus!” Hallelujah. “Come forth!” And one rolled the stone away. He put death in his place.
Death was temporarily put out of business but death wouldn’t give up, he simply chose another time and another place for all three. For death is no respecter of persons, he does get young and old, rich and poor, weak and strong, good fellas and bad fellas. That’s the story of the aged Scotsman who lay dying on his deathbed when asked what he thought about dying; he said “it doesn’t really make me any difference if I live or die; if I die I’ll go to be with Jesus and if I live Jesus will be with me. And anyway it goes, it’s alright with me.”
Death will come right to your house and won’t even knock on your door and just walk right on in. He’s big, he’s bad, but thank God he ain’t boss! He even came after Jesus on a couple of times. You remember when he was born? …tried to work with Pilate in a scheme to stop Jesus but heaven got busy; told death to step aside for a while. Jesus told death I’ll call you whenever I get ready. That’s what He was talking about when he talked to Pilate that day John 19:10-11. Pilate said unto Him you don’t even know who you talking to; knowest you not that I have the POWER to crucify Thee and I’ve got the power to release you. Jesus said YOU can’t do anything, you don’t even have that kind of power except that which has been given to you by my Father.
John 10:17-18 Jesus says no man take my life, I just lay it down for my friends. I got power to lay it down, I got power to pick it up again this commandment have I receive of my Father. You see Jesus says to death, get back! I’ve got history to right, I’ve got souls to save, hearts to mend, minds to regulate, lives to change, victories to win, sicknesses to heal, I’ve got mankind to redeem.
Thank God that power over death is in the hand of God. Jesus tells death, I’ll call you when I get ready for you. I just started 3 years of ministry and it’s really not time yet. On another occasion the people in one city got mad at Jesus and they decided that they were going to throw him down a hill. Jesus was not disturbed, He just walked through the crowd.
But it was on Friday that death was there waiting on Jesus. Jesus said alright now, I told that I’d call you when I wanted you. It was there on that cross that He spoke loud enough for mankind to hear, sinners and saved when he uttered it’s finished. Notice that He didn’t say that I am finished, He said IT is finished. And there is a great difference between I AM FINISHED and IT’S FINISHED. And then the writer said he put His head in the locks of His shoulder. Another version says He pillowed His head in the locks of His shoulder. He had already told the world “I’ll see you in three days!”
Because he said as Jonah was in the belly of the whale, so must the Son of Man be in the earth. He had already testified tear this temple down, three days I’ll build it up again. And then to prove that death had no power over Him the writer said “He gave up (you read that before haven’t you?) He gave up the ghost. And then cried out with one last acclamation Father into Thy hands I (I’ve got power over this) I commend My spirit.
And so because of that Paul could day to death “O death where is your sting, O grave where is your victory?” The writer says “O death where is Thy sting?” Well in verse 56 we notice the sting of death is sin, and we already know that the wages of sin is death but thank God that we get the word that the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. And the writer says and the strength of sin is in the law. And all the law was was a school master to bring us unto Christ. And so Paul could say here “O death where is thy sting, and O grave where is thy victory?” What an ostentatious attitude; to fight death and then turn around and slap its cousin the grave. But he could do that because he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that death had lost its sting and the grave had lost its victory.
It all started when death and the grave began to brag about how they got everybody, we’ve never lost anybody. Now death and the grave at the death of Jesus they decided that they would go on the outskirts of the city and throw a party. They decided that they would allow themselves because here was their most powerful, popular, and sought-after subject and they got Him. But never had they met anybody like Jesus. When they put Jesus in Joseph’s new tomb they sent out notices that there would no more preaching, no more Good News, no more Gospel. That Jesus fella we finally got Him.
They were living it up! But while they were absent temporarily from their post they thought that He was in the grave. Somebody said that he was in the underworld; He was in the underworld preaching and while He was amassing power in the underworld; His Father was amassing power in heaven. Paul said God was amassing mighty power because God has two kinds of power. It is in Ephesians 2:19 & 20 it talks about God’s mighty power. But God some just ordinary power. You know He woke me up this morning with just some ordinary power. Started me on my way this morning with just some ordinary power. Activity of my limb, the movement of my limbs He did that you know with just some ordinary power.
Early this morning started me out on a new day’s journey and brought a new day into existence that’s just some ordinary power. That’s just some everyday run of the mill power. But the writer says in Ephesians 2:19 & 20 “it took mighty power to get Jesus up from the grave. So it is this ordinary and this mighty power while Jesus was in the underworld He was preaching but thank God that wasn’t all he was doing; while He was down there He was telling heart-ache put your power right there…
Dark days and lonely nights… Sickness and sadness… Sorrow and persecution… Tribulation and distress… Death and the grave… and then early on that Sunday morning when He stood up He could declare all power in heaven and earth is in my hands. I tell you He did have all power; the Father amassing power in heaven and Jesus the Christ amassing in the earth. Early that Sunday morning stood out there and declared all power in heaven and earth is in my hands.
Isn’t that Good News, that He does have all power? Isn’t that Good News when your back is up against the wall? Isn’t that Good News when tears are falling from your eyes? Isn’t that Good News when your children are giving you trouble? Isn’t that Good News that He has all power?
All power not some power but all of the power is in His hands and there are going to come some times in your life when you’re going to need him to show that He has all power in His hands. There will be times in your life when you are going to be glad that He has all power…
But I’m satisfied with death’s defeat. I’m satisfied that it’s already past tense - been defeated and sooner or later it shall be destroyed. Let it go on and brag about getting Adam and Eve, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Let it go on and brag about getting Joseph and Methuselah, Noah and Rahab; let death go on and brag… About Solomon, Ester, David and Saul; let it go on and brag about Jezebel, Judas Iscariot, Micah, Paul and Silas. Let it go on and brag about getting Barnabas, Peter, James and John, Ananias and Saphira. Let it go on and brag getting daddy, grandmomma, and grand-daddy but soon one morning it shall be destroyed.
It got all of the prophets, got the seers and the priests, got some preachers, got some people you know. But one morning, early one morning; just like Jesus got up, I’ll get up from the grave too. Death has caused earth’s wheels to roll and tears to flow but it’s been swallowed up in victory and so with Paul it’s a foregone conclusion that death ain’t that bad. And his cousin the grave has been rendered helpless because of what Jesus did on Calvary. He arrested the poisonous venom of death. The power of sin is in the law but the curse of the even though it’s the wages of sin is death.
We have a wonderful redeemer that gives us the gift of God which is eternal life; in other words sin as been deprived of its sting and it lost all of its strength. Paul says I know the sting of death is sin but I’ve been forgiven. And I know the strength of sin is in the law but I’ve been pardoned. And so now he can shout out with great joy “but thanks be unto God which has given us the victory!” The feudalist they say when you’re dead you’re dung but I don’t agree with the feudalist I believe that one morning we’ll get up from the grave. And that’s why Paul could say thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
You know I have victory over the penalty of sin, and I have victory over the power of sin, and one of these old days I’ll have victory over the presence of sin. And what confidence and what assurance Paul has as he says “he gives us the victory.” And you ought to be happy today that you have victory and you have it in Jesus the Christ. You ought to be happy today that Jesus came to put death to death and then one morning it shall be destroyed. You ought to be happy today that death ain’t as bad as it seems. And so Paul could say therefore based on the fact that death is without a sting and the grave is without victory… He says therefore my beloved brethren be ye steadfast. And not only should you be steadfast you ought to be unmovable and you ought to be always abounding in the work of the Lord.
Oh, my brother and my sisters that’s what Paul was talking about the other day in Romans 14:8 & 9 – for whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord. And whether we live therefore or we die we are the Lord’s. For this in Christ both died and rose again and revived that He might be Lord both of the dead and the living.
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
I heard Paul say I between a rock and a hard place, I don’t know whether to live and I don’t know whether to die. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my labor yet what I shall choose, I wot not. I’m in a strait between the two, I wanna stay here but I want to go on to glory. I’m between a rock and a hard place but while I’m here, I got victory in Jesus.
I’m troubled on every side, but I’m not distressed; I’m perplexed, but not in despair; I’m persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but I haven’t been destroyed! I want to tell you today, if my earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, I’ve got another building not made with hands eternal in the sky. Anybody body here made preparations for that hour when somebody has to roll you down the aisle and somebody has to say something over your lifeless body. And they lay your body in a cold grave and say ashes to ashes and dust to dust earth to earth… Have you made preparations? Sooner or later your hour will come and when your hour comes will you really be ready? You ought to talk to me and say when He calls, I’ll surely answer.
Somebody here right now, you’ve made preparations that if you die tonight, you’re on your way; you’re like the old folks you got your ticket in your hand!