1 Corinthians 15:53–57 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

A few days ago I shared some thoughts on Victory and Defeat. I’ve done some more thinking about that. I remember growing up that I would watch a program on Saturday afternoons entitled “ABC’s Wide World of Sports.” The host Jim McKay would say during the program intro “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”

Lately I’ve been watching lot of college basketball. A recent game between Texas A&M and Ole Miss saw my team, the Aggies, behind the entire game. However, with less than 15 seconds to go, a player who is not normally a starter and who is not known for shooting the long shot made a 3 point basket, giving them the lead, their first lead of the game, and they went on to win. Unfortunately, in their next game, the Aggies lost a game they had led the whole way in the same fashion. The other team beat them with a last second shot!

The cross reminds us that Christ has obtained victory through what the world considered to be a defeat. Jesus was put to death. How can that be a victory? What we have here is Victory in Defeat. I don’t mean Jesus hit a buzzer beating shot. It is much better than that. It does not make sense from a worldly point of view.

You and I know that the cross was a defeat. Although, things are not always as they appear. The defeat is not of Jesus, not a defeat of God – it was His defeat of sin and death and the devil. By the cross, Jesus made payment for sins in order to bring us life. Jesus won the victory through what the world sees as Him being defeated.

The Duke of Wellington led the English forces against Napoleon at Waterloo. News of the history making battle came by sailing vessels to the southern coast of England. It made its way across land toward London by semaphore. Atop Winchester Cathedral, the semaphore began to spell out the eagerly awaited news. A dense fog settled in just as the words “Wellington defeated” were spelled out. The semaphore was no longer visible, and the heartbreaking news of his defeat spread throughout London. Before long, the fog lifted, and again the semaphore atop the cathedral was visible. This time the entire message was spelled out. “Wellington defeated the enemy.”

That is how it is when you first look at the cross It may have appeared that Christ had lost when he died, but the entire message needs to be heard. Jesus defeated the enemy. His death paid for sin. But He did not remain dead. He rose again from the dead to let us know that His victory is for all people. Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness and life everlasting. So we proclaim Christ crucified, the most important truth that people need to hear: God has in Christ reconciled the world to Himself. Jesus won the victory. And that victory is given to all who believe that He is their Savior.

Without faith in Jesus all that awaits us is the agony of defeat. With faith in Him, the thrill of victory is ours. Death swallowed up in victory. Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.