1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-8 – Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.”
THEME OF THE DAY: PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO OURSELVES. Today’s scripture is the most complete and thorough definition of the Gospel. It is also a great place to affirm the authority of the scripture. Two things stand out in the Apostle Paul’s writing to the church at Corinth describing the Gospel.
First, he is reminding believers, not unbelievers of the gospel – Now I remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you. He would do the same to the believers in Rome – I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome (Romans 1:14-15). Jerry Bridges, in his excellent book The Gospel for Real Life wrote, “All of us regardless of how long we have known Christ, need to bathe ourselves in the Gospel every day.” Why? The gospel of the Lord Jesus is the only way to silence an accusing devil – And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God” (Revelation 12:10) and a condemning conscience – By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything (1 John 3:19-20).
A second truth that stands out about the gospel is its importance – For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. Obviously, the gospel is of first importance when it comes to our salvation, but it is of first importance to maintain first love for Jesus. If we recall, that was the indictment Jesus made against the church at Ephesus; a good church drifting away from the most important aspect of the church –To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first (Revelation 2:1-4). How do we maintain fervent first love? The Gospel. The Gospel must be in the forefront of our thinking if we are to live the Christian life with power and influence. It is the source and fuel of first love for Jesus.
The Gospel. Let’s not forget it goes beyond salvation. It is for the believer as well as the unbeliever.
PRAYER: “Father, draw my heart ever near the cross and empty tomb of Your Son to keep aflame first love for Him.”
QUOTE: “The Gospel must be in the forefront of our thinking if we are to live the Christian life with power and influence.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim