Death Has No Sting: Jesus Gives Fearless Hope
Daily Scripture
Hebrews 2:14-15, 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, Revelation 21:3-5
Hebrews 2
14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he also shared the same things in the same way. He did this to destroy the one who holds the power over death—the devil—by dying. 15 He set free those who were held in slavery their entire lives by their fear of death.
1 Corinthians 15
51 Listen, I’m telling you a secret: All of us won’t die, but we will all be changed— 52 in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the final trumpet. The trumpet will blast, and the dead will be raised with bodies that won’t decay, and we will be changed. 53 It’s necessary for this rotting body to be clothed with what can’t decay, and for the body that is dying to be clothed in what can’t die. 54 And when the rotting body has been clothed in what can’t decay, and the dying body has been clothed in what can’t die, then this statement in scripture will happen:
Death has been swallowed up by a victory. [Isaiah 25:8]
55 Where is your victory, Death?
Where is your sting, Death? [Hosea 13:14]
(56 Death’s sting is sin, and the power of sin is the Law.) 57 Thanks be to God, who gives us this victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Revelation 21
3 I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “Look! God’s dwelling is here with humankind. He will dwell with them, and they will be his peoples. God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more. There will be no mourning, crying, or pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look! I’m making all things new.” He also said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Daily Reflection & Prayer
The most extreme threat has always been, “I will kill you.” Roman officials puzzled over how little that threat terrified Jesus’ followers. By dying and rising again, Jesus had set them free from even the fear of death. In 1 Corinthians 15, the apostle Paul boldly asserted a divine victory so sweeping that death would be “swallowed up.” John Wesley quoted Paul and said, “Let this especially fortify us against the fear of death: It is now disarmed, and can do us no hurt.” * The Bible ended with Revelation’s vision of a splendid world in which “death will be no more.”
- Jesus faced evil and death at their very worst—just read about his trial and crucifixion in any of the four gospels. Jesus defeated evil and death at their very worst—read on to the Easter story in any of those gospels. Early Christians staked their lives on the truth of Jesus’ victory over death. How can Jesus’ resurrection give you peace as you await God’s eternity, where “death will be no more”?
- Every Easter at Resurrection, you can count on hearing Pastor Hamilton say, “Each Easter sermon I’ve preached for the last thirty-five years—and most of the funeral services—end in the same way: People ask me, ‘Adam, you seem intelligent. Do you really believe this stuff? That Jesus rose from the dead? That we live after death with God in heaven?’ My answer is always the same: ‘I not only believe it, I’m counting on it.’” ** Does the idea of death cause you fear and anxiety? How can Jesus’ death and resurrection set you free from that fear?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you went where most of us most dread going—the realm of death—and emerged victorious! You offer me the choice to join you in that victory. I accept your offer of a life that lies beyond the power of death. Thanks be to God! Amen.
GPS Insights
Darren Lippe
Darren Lippe, who serves as a Couples Small Group co-leader and Men's Group Leader, while volunteering in a variety of other capacities at Resurrection, wrote today’s Insights. He and his wife, Doris, first met in a Resurrection Single Adult Sunday School class in 1997 and were married in what is now the Student Center. They are empty nesters with 2 college-aged sons, Matthew and Jacob.
As we consider today’s passage, I thought it would be helpful to visit with Mr. Bartholomew M. Deep, President of the Morticians of America.
DL: Mr. Deep, thank you for your time.
Barry M. Deep: Our organization isn’t that formal, please call me Barry. This morning, we had a logistically challenging funeral service for a magician’s longtime assistant. First funeral I’ve ever facilitated that required 2 coffins for 1 person.
DL: Well, not every magic trick goes perfectly. That funeral was probably pretty expensive.
Barry M. Deep: Actually, it was 50% off.
DL: You had mentioned that you recently had a conversation regarding today’s passage, “Death, where is thy sting?”
Barry M. Deep: Oh yes. I had been called to visit a client in an Assisted Living facility. He knew his time was short & he wanted to iron out all the details of his Celebration of Life to spare his surviving family any stress. We walked through his favorite hymns, which suit he wanted to wear, & designation for any gifts/donations.
Then he wanted to visit about his favorite Bible verses. He had a lot of them. But he mentioned that he had recently focused on 1 Corinthians: “Death, where is thy sting?” He said that he had just realized he had been reading this verse incorrectly his whole life. It isn’t just a calm statement of fact. He suggested that it is supposed to be shouted & accompanied with mocking & laughter. Like, “Really, Evil? This is all you’ve got? Death is supposed to be your ultimate weapon? I’ve spent 88-years being terrified of this? Oooh! How scary! Instead of a door slamming shut, the grave is a revolving door that will be opened by the Man who loved me (me!) so much that He gave His life for me? I get to see all my loved ones? My body has no more aches & pains & my mind is made whole? Sign me up!” *
DL: Huh. So, I suppose the Grim Reaper is now the Grin Reaper.
Barry M. Deep: He also added that he wasn’t in a rush. This realization that death wasn’t this awful nightmare, actually helped him to be at peace & encouraged him to savor the home-made waffles his daughter-in-law made for him, to linger over re-reading his favorite poems, & to be a blessing to everyone he encountered.
He shared that a “young girl” came in every morning to check his vitals. (She smiled & corrected him, saying, “I’m actually 35.” He replied, “Goodness. That is young.”) He complained that it wasn’t fair–she asked him every morning, “How he was doing & how was he feeling,” yet, no one asked her how she was doing. She said it would take too long, but he encouraged her, saying, ‘I’m the perfect audience. I’ve got nowhere to go & I won’t remember a thing you said.” So, they laughed & cried as she shared her story.
He told me that he then realized that this is why he needed to stay around as long as he could. Even though he was well past his prime, he could still be a servant for God & make a difference for His Kingdom. Meanwhile, he’ll excitedly, yet patiently, wait for his ultimate homecoming celebration.
DL: So death is definitely nothing to fear, just like the 1978 movie, I guess, “Heaven can Wait.”
Barry M. Deepe: Um. Yes. Now if you’ll excuse me, our group is gathering for a social & a movie.
DL: Thank you for your time. What movie are you seeing?
Barry M. Deepe: Tombstone.
* Editor’s note: Darren’s imagined individual agrees with Bible scholars. The Hebrew form of Hosea 13:14, the source Paul quoted in 1 Corinthians 15, is one many scholars identify as a “taunt song,” used to mock a defeated foe.
© 2026 Resurrection: A United Methodist Church. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* From https://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-137-on-the-resurrection-of-the-dead/.
* Hamilton, Adam, Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times (p. 221). Harmony/Rodale/Convergent. Kindle Edition.
