Tillie Maker Memorial Service

1 Corinthians 15:51–57 NKJV

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1. Victory Through Truth

V.51

Mystery

Μυστηρίον

“hidden truth”

Refers to secret thoughts and plans of God

Hidden from human reason and logic

Hidden from any other mind other than God’s

Must be revealed to those for whom they are intended

Classified information

“Need to know” basis

God revealed this to Paul

As messenger, Paul needed to know

Paul wrote this to us

Revealing the secret thought and plan of God

What is the mystery?

We shall not all sleep

Although some of us shall

We shall all be changed

Context

Paul was writing to believers in Jesus Christ

Every believer in Jesus Christ will be changed

Co 3:3 “3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

We have died

Our lives are hidden with Christ

We may not understand exactly how that works

We trust the Lord to accomplish it

Because He said that He would

We may not understand why

May be a mystery

What is not a mystery

Jesus

He is Way, Truth, and Life

He loves us

He alone remains the constant in our lives

Now there is no more mystery for Tillie

No more hidden truth or plans

No more shadows and guessing what is making the shadows

All has been revealed now

2. Victory Through Change

Vv. 51-52

We shall be changed

Future passive indicative

Ἀλλάσσω

“cause a difference by altering the character or nature”

“we shall all be exchanged”

“to exchange”

What is referenced

Corrupted body

Mortal

Exchanged for uncorrupted body

Immortal

Now service has been exchanged into rewards

He 12:1-2 “1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

“Well done”

3. Victory Through Jesus Christ

Death is the foe we all must face

Foe strong enough to cause the wisest, richest man in the world to despair

Solomon

All is vanity

Paul was able to look at death and “call it out”

V.55

“Where is your sting?”

“Where is your victory?”

Why?

He knew which team he was on

He knew his team’s game plan

Vv. 51-54

Why he could say,

“Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ”

V.57

Gives

Present active participle

Δίδωμι

“One who is giving”

God is giving us the victory right now

Through

Means victory is only possible when Jesus Himself brings it about

You and I cannot work with Jesus for a victory

We cannot live such a life

Only Jesus can bring about victory for us to enjoy

Therefore, only when we place our lives under Jesus’ control can we achieve victory

Tillie experienced that victory when she believed in Jesus Christ to give her everlasting life

Jn 3:16

From that day on, she has experienced victory

Regardless how difficult life became

Tillie was able to live in victory

Through Christ Jesus