Scripture
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.
Reflection
“For what I received” – Paul received and accepted the message of the Gospel for himself, then he goes on to pass the information forward. This message that he received wasn’t passed on to him by men, as it says:
“I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” Galatians 1:12
In 1 Corinthians 15:2 Paul prefaces today’s passage with a very direct statement:
“By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.”
What is the word he has preached to his audience?
Christ died for our sins. The good news of the gospel is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, His death accomplished something for us. It changed us, it delivered us, it set us free.
He was buried. He truly died. And his death was confirmed, his body buried.
He was raised on the third day. He was resurrected, brought back to life. Such a statement is supported by the Scriptures, confirmation of prophecies of old, and not only that, but there were trustworthy eyewitnesses to His resurrection!
These are straight forward facts that occurred in history that cannot be eliminated or changed when we talk about the Gospel. These facts have changed the history of the world. Our faith does not rest upon mere ideas or philosophies.
Thoughts for the day
- When was the last time you had the chance to share the good news about Jesus to a non-Christian? How was it?
Prayer
Take some time to pray for people who don’t know Christ yet. It can be a family member, a friend, the guests from this Alpha season.
