O Death, Where Is Your Sting?
Leadership, Legacy, and the Power of Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:35–58)**
Death forces clarity.
It strips away titles, applause, and illusion, and leaves one unavoidable question hanging in the air: what remains when the body is gone?
The Apostle Paul addresses this head-on in 1 Corinthians 15:35–58, one of the most profound passages ever written on death, transformation, and eternal legacy. In light of the passing of Jesse Jackson on 17 February 2026, Paul’s words land with fresh weight and urgency.
This is not theology for armchairs.
This is truth for leaders.
The Question Every Generation Asks
Paul opens with a challenge that sounds strikingly modern:
“But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’”
— 1 Corinthians 15:35 (NIV)
In other words: What happens after this?
Does anything we do really last?
Paul’s response is blunt. He compares death to a seed planted in the ground. What goes in looks unimpressive. What comes out is transformed.
Leadership takeaway: what you see now is not the final version.
From Perishable to Powerful
Paul dismantles the idea that death is the end by introducing a radical truth:
- What is sown perishable is raised imperishable
- What is sown in dishonour is raised in glory
- What is sown in weakness is raised in power
(1 Corinthians 15:42–43, NIV)
This is not cosmetic improvement.
It is complete transformation.
For leaders, this reframes how we define success. Legacy is not about how impressive you look while alive. It is about what continues to bear fruit after you are gone.
Jesse Jackson: A Life Beyond the Body
The life of Jesse Louis Jackson Sr. exemplifies this principle.
Born in 1941 in South Carolina, Jackson rose from segregation and systemic injustice to become one of the most influential civil rights leaders of the modern era. A Baptist minister, activist, and political figure, he marched with Dr Martin Luther King Jr., founded Operation PUSH and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and ran historic presidential campaigns that reshaped American political participation.
His leadership was not flawless. It was human.
But it was enduring.
Paul’s teaching helps us understand why. Jackson invested in causes bigger than personal comfort or reputation. He laboured for justice, dignity, and opportunity, knowing that some work only bears fruit beyond the present moment.
That is resurrection thinking.
The Moment That Changes Everything
Paul crescendos with a declaration that has echoed through centuries:
“The trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:52 (NIV)
Then comes the line that silences fear:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.
Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
— 1 Corinthians 15:54–55 (NIV)
Death is not denied.
It is defeated.
For leaders, this changes everything. You no longer lead from fear of loss. You lead from confidence in purpose.
Why This Matters for Leaders Today
Paul doesn’t end with poetry. He ends with instruction:
“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.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)
This is the charge.
Not hustle for applause.
Not grind for recognition.
But work that outlives you.
True leadership is measured by what still stands when your voice goes quiet.
Bosses Made Men 
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