Daily Bread 2010 - 1 Corinthians 15
The Resurrection of Christ
1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures
Paul finishes his letter to the Corinthians by reminding them of the “main thing”. While there are many issues he addressed in the church at Corinth, none is more important than the proclamation of the “gospel”. Before one can talk about behaviors one has to start with beliefs. Paul realized that unless a person was fundamentally changed through their belief in the gospel that all else was in vain.
Martin Luther took a similar stand in the 16th century, as a gospel of works righteousness was permeating the church. Luther said something akin to Paul when he uttered the words, “Here I stand, unless I can be convinced by God’s Word and pure reason my conscience is bound to the Word of God.”
In today’s church there is also a temptation to get caught in issues that though they may be important, are not of paramount importance like message of the gospel. Sometimes in the church, we are worried about so many other things than the pure preaching of the gospel.
The word for preach is the same word as “proclaim”. In a world that is filled with all kinds of other gospels that revolve around some kind of self justification, we need to be bold in our proclamation that through Christ alone are we saved. And this must be of first importance in the church. If we get this wrong, everything else we do is useless. Am I being melodramatic? I don’t think so.
I know in my life the only reason I am doing what I do is because someone cared enough to clearly convey to me the life changing message of Jesus Christ. As I believed that Jesus died for my sins, I was saved and one day I too will be raised from the dead because of what Jesus did for me on the cross through his own death and subsequent resurrection.
Take some time today to remember that which is of first and ultimate importance. Thank God for saving you through His Son, and then be about proclaiming this message to a world badly in need of redemption. You don’t have to be a preacher to proclaim the gospel, only someone who has freely received and then freely gives.
Jesus thank you for saving us by Your grace. Thank you for those who were faithful to proclaim Your amazing grace to us. Give us boldness to make a similar proclamation to all who would listen. In Your name, Amen.
1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures
Paul finishes his letter to the Corinthians by reminding them of the “main thing”. While there are many issues he addressed in the church at Corinth, none is more important than the proclamation of the “gospel”. Before one can talk about behaviors one has to start with beliefs. Paul realized that unless a person was fundamentally changed through their belief in the gospel that all else was in vain.
Martin Luther took a similar stand in the 16th century, as a gospel of works righteousness was permeating the church. Luther said something akin to Paul when he uttered the words, “Here I stand, unless I can be convinced by God’s Word and pure reason my conscience is bound to the Word of God.”
In today’s church there is also a temptation to get caught in issues that though they may be important, are not of paramount importance like message of the gospel. Sometimes in the church, we are worried about so many other things than the pure preaching of the gospel.
The word for preach is the same word as “proclaim”. In a world that is filled with all kinds of other gospels that revolve around some kind of self justification, we need to be bold in our proclamation that through Christ alone are we saved. And this must be of first importance in the church. If we get this wrong, everything else we do is useless. Am I being melodramatic? I don’t think so.
I know in my life the only reason I am doing what I do is because someone cared enough to clearly convey to me the life changing message of Jesus Christ. As I believed that Jesus died for my sins, I was saved and one day I too will be raised from the dead because of what Jesus did for me on the cross through his own death and subsequent resurrection.
Take some time today to remember that which is of first and ultimate importance. Thank God for saving you through His Son, and then be about proclaiming this message to a world badly in need of redemption. You don’t have to be a preacher to proclaim the gospel, only someone who has freely received and then freely gives.
Jesus thank you for saving us by Your grace. Thank you for those who were faithful to proclaim Your amazing grace to us. Give us boldness to make a similar proclamation to all who would listen. In Your name, Amen.
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