1 Corinthians 15.3-11 says...
Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 15:3-11, which read,
v.3-8 - For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.
Many believe that this section of Scripture may have been a congregational reading about the gospel because of its short segments and creed type format. Each phrase is so important about Jesus and also about the reliability to verify what is being said.
v.3-8 - For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.
Many believe that this section of Scripture may have been a congregational reading about the gospel because of its short segments and creed type format. Each phrase is so important about Jesus and also about the reliability to verify what is being said.
This
was of first importance of Paul to tell the Christians in the church in
Corinth about Jesus. What he is telling them is not originating from him. The reoccurring phrase is "according to the Scriptures."
Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the third day...He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve...He appeared to more than 500 hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now...He appeared to James, then to all the apostles...He appeared to me.
Paul is not standing on his own testimony only. He stands on Scripture. He stands on the eyewitnesses of Jesus. He stands on the continued live witnesses of those who were with Jesus in the risen state. He stands on the fact that he wishes that we would have been born again prior to Jesus' death and resurrection to actually have been physically with Jesus during His earthly ministry.
v.9-11 - For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
Paul doesn't come to the Christians in Corinth as one of the first apostles or with the attitude of him being a great apostle but rather in a humble state that he is amazed that God would call him to such a task. His history has him first opposed vehemently against the gospel and anyone who preached it. God's grace turned him around to be used by God in a far reaching way beyond what the first apostles were able to do before their deaths for the gospel. It doesn't matter to Paul if they heard the message from him or from one of the others. What does matter is that they heard that gospel and believed.
The point to stress this morning is the question, "What is the gospel?" Paul lays that ground work for the discussion that will start with tomorrow's devotional. The gospel is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that He was buried and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. You fill in the story but these are the bones that you work with when you share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"Lord, may we make sure to share the gospel with others. We share a lot of good things from the Scriptures but may we not neglect the telling of the gospel, that event that is of first importance to the world. You came and You died and You rose again and You appeared to verify You are the God who saves us from our sins. Amen."
Pastor Adam
Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the third day...He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve...He appeared to more than 500 hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now...He appeared to James, then to all the apostles...He appeared to me.
Paul is not standing on his own testimony only. He stands on Scripture. He stands on the eyewitnesses of Jesus. He stands on the continued live witnesses of those who were with Jesus in the risen state. He stands on the fact that he wishes that we would have been born again prior to Jesus' death and resurrection to actually have been physically with Jesus during His earthly ministry.
v.9-11 - For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
Paul doesn't come to the Christians in Corinth as one of the first apostles or with the attitude of him being a great apostle but rather in a humble state that he is amazed that God would call him to such a task. His history has him first opposed vehemently against the gospel and anyone who preached it. God's grace turned him around to be used by God in a far reaching way beyond what the first apostles were able to do before their deaths for the gospel. It doesn't matter to Paul if they heard the message from him or from one of the others. What does matter is that they heard that gospel and believed.
The point to stress this morning is the question, "What is the gospel?" Paul lays that ground work for the discussion that will start with tomorrow's devotional. The gospel is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that He was buried and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. You fill in the story but these are the bones that you work with when you share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"Lord, may we make sure to share the gospel with others. We share a lot of good things from the Scriptures but may we not neglect the telling of the gospel, that event that is of first importance to the world. You came and You died and You rose again and You appeared to verify You are the God who saves us from our sins. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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