“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the
gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your
stand. By this gospel you are saved, if
you hold firmly to the word I preached to you.
Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day
according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
The Corinthians knew the gospel. They had heard the gospel preached to them
and had opened their hearts to receive it.
They were not ignorant of the basic truth of the gospel. Yet, Paul reminded them of it to restore the
foundation that was becoming shaky in their lives.
The Corinthians had taken the gospel and
perverted its application to their own selfishness. But the gospel is not founded upon
selfishness. The gospel is about
sacrifice. The basics of the gospel are
in those final hours of Jesus’ life and beyond.
The gospel is founded upon Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Those historical events, to which hundreds of
eyewitnesses have provided their testimony, stand as the greatest demonstration
of God’s love and grace toward us.
They are the means by which God’s mercy is
poured upon our sins, providing forgiveness made possible by the covering of
God’s own blood. They are the means by
which God’s grace is given to us, providing an eternity in God’s presence for
all who embrace the cross and the Christ.
Without the cross and the empty tomb,
Christianity is meaningless. With them, we
find the ultimate meaning for life!
Most of you have probably been Christians for
many years. Be reminded anew of the
basics: the death, burial and
resurrection of Jesus. The truth of
those events brought you to God and it is those basics that will keep you close
to Him, too!
His, by Grace,
Steve
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