The Best is Yet to Come

1 Corinthians 15

by Rev Jackie Stoneman

I have a friend who has just been told that she may only have three months to live. She is a committed Christian and we were talking about how she was managing the news of her possible death. She said to me ‘Jackie the big problem for me is that I have never died before! This is a totally new experience.’

Some of you may have attended the funeral of Norma Dumbrell and been encouraged by Norma’s long life of service and devotion to the Lord. I know someone who visited her in the last few days of her life, and she said to them ‘The next time I see you will be in heaven.’

We have, as Christians, the certainty of being in heaven with the Lord when we die and yet there is also so much we don’t know about death. I must admit that while I am absolutely certain of being with the Lord when I die, I do not like the process of dying. I have told the Lord that I would much rather He come back than go through death. I don’t think the Father is going to organise Christ’s return around my preference not to experience death!!!

In the second half of 1 Corinthians 15 Paul assures the Corinthians that death is certainly not the end for the person who trusts in Jesus. We will not be some sort of ghost floating around on clouds. We will have a body that will be amazing. V42 describes our new body as imperishable, raised in glory and power and is raised a spiritual body.

While my friend is right that none of us have had the experience dying, we know that Jesus has. His death not only won for us forgiveness but through His death and resurrection he has conquered death. We don’t come through death to return to life in a broken world. Death is the way through to the complete fulfilment of all of God’s promises. We will be experiencing the Kingdom of Heaven in all its fullness. It really is true that the best is yet to come for us. What is particularly wonderful is that it is a gift. In verse 57 Paul says “But thanks be to God! He GIVES us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Perhaps we are still frightened of the process of dying and that’s perfectly understandable. Remember Jesus has promised never to leave us or forsake us. He will be with us in our fears. We need have no fear of death itself if we have trusted in Jesus. It has no power over us. God has been victorious, and we share in that victory because of what Jesus has done. We can look forward with confidence to our resurrection bodies and being with Jesus forever.

Paul finishes this chapter with a practical application.

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. (NIV)

In all the uncertainty of life we can stand firm. No matter what life seems to throw at us Paul says we need to decide that nothing is to move us from trusting in Jesus and His promises. We may be shaking and feeling uncertain, but we need to deliberately cling to Jesus. The one who has conquered death can hold us through any storm – including death. We are also to continue to find meaning and purpose in life through serving the Lord. Paul reminds us that doing that is never in vain. We know that serving the Lord doesn’t earn us a place in the Kingdom of Heaven. Only accepting God’s free gift in Jesus can do that. The Kingdom of Heaven has already begun because the King has come.

So, to serve Him and His Kingdom now is participating in the building of His Kingdom that will last forever. What a wonderful privilege that is.

May we all make some time to reflect again on these truths and finish 2024 with renewed hope and focus on the promises of God fulfilled in Jesus Christ.