1 Corinthians 15
July 5, 2022
“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, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.” (v3-6)
Paul doesn’t say, ‘God raised Jesus from the dead… and you should believe it.’ No, Paul says, ‘God raised Jesus from the dead, and He appeared to His disciples, appeared to James, appeared to me and a few hundred other people – many of whom are still alive” – which is code for: ‘Go fact-check my claim!’ In other words, Paul doesn’t present his case for Christianity by appealing to how God answers prayer or how God makes us feel. Paul says the case for Christianity hinges on the resurrection of Jesus. Paul even admits, “If Christ didn’t rise from the dead – our faith is useless” (v17). On the other hand, if God DID raise Jesus from the dead, it means God’s offer of relationship, forgiveness and a glorious inheritance in His Kingdom is real. And that means there is peace, joy, and hope in Christ now!
God, I praise You for the gospel: Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. You’ve given us a faith that does not rest on philosophy or feelings, but historical facts. Thank You for stepping into time and space - to not only die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, but to rise from the dead - as proof and preview that You are the King and Your Kingdom is coming. Hallelujah! You are the Victor over the grave! Just as Paul refers to this good news as a matter of “first importance” (v3), I pray that the gospel might always be a front-burner matter in my mind and in my ministry.
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
