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December 3rd

Today's Bible reading is in 1 Corinthians 15 & 16.

The Apostle Paul finished up his first letter to the young church at Corinth by emphasizing the seriousness and weightiness of the gospel message. There is no other message given under heaven whereby one may be saved from their sins. Therefore, we might struggle with the meanings of the spiritual gifts. We may even debate the best forms of church worship. We can even get sideways with each other over the different views and applications of Biblical church leadership. But we must all agree on the gospel message that saves. That was true in Paul’s mind and it must be true in ours today.

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you..."

Paul preached the good news of God’s forgiveness and adoption and redemption in and through God the Son, Jesus Christ. It wasn't Paul’s gospel. It was God’s...the saving gospel of Jesus Christ.

"which you received," Which many in Corinth received and believed...“in which you stand,”

I'm reminded of a time in my childhood...when my little sister and I stood in mama’s clean kitchen. We were soaking wet. We had been playing in the rain. “Look at you”, mama said with a shy grin and sparkle in her eye. “You're making a puddle on my clean kitchen floor.”

Yes, we were and we were stomping our feet in it and splashing each other with it. We were completely drenched with the water of the rain.

And in Christ, we are completely drenched with the gracious water of the word of God’s gospel of salvation...” in which we stand”....playfully and joyfully and gratefully.

“and by which you are being saved”...from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light in Christ...unless...you believed in vain.”

Sadly, there are so many, even in church, who have changed their minds about religion, but who have never truly desired Jesus from their hearts...

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:1-2‬

Paul said...“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,”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:3-4‬

I preached the “gospel” to you when Silas and I came over to Macedonia and Acaiah in my second missionary journey.

That message of the life and work of Jesus Christ on our eternal behalf was of first and of foremost importance. Jesus was God in the flesh...the Messiah sent from heaven...to save his people from their sins.

And how did he do that? Through his sacrificial death on the cross for our sins...paying the sin debt we owed with his own bloody death on the cross...followed by the triumphant resurrection from the dead...from the tomb.

“Tetelestai”...it is finished he cried...it is paid and a home in heaven is purchased for those who believe him...Jesus. Jesus did what he came to do...at the cross....and its glory was highlighted by His rising from the dead...awesome

I can't help but remember one of my favorite hymns....” Blessed Redeemer” by Avis Christiansen, 1920, a member of Moody Church Chicago, in 1920...2nd verse...

Father forgive them, thus did he pray...en’ while His lifeblood flowed fast away...praying for sinners while in such wow...no one but Jesus ever loved so.

Blessed Redeemer, precious redeemer seems now I see him on calvary’s tree...wounded and bleeding for sinners pleading...blind and unheeding, dying for me.

The gospel....awesome...thanks Jesus...for everything!

Have a great day