I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF THE GOSPEL

Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Key verse: 1

NIV

The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel(A) I preached to you,(B) which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved,(C) if you hold firmly(D) to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

3 For what I received(E) I passed on to you(F) as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins(G) according to the Scriptures,(H) 4 that he was buried,(I) that he was raised(J) on the third day(K) according to the Scriptures,(L) 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[b](M) and then to the Twelve.(N) 6 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.(O) 7 Then he appeared to James,(P) then to all the apostles,(Q) 8 and last of all he appeared to me also,(R) as to one abnormally born.

9 For I am the least of the apostles(S) and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted(T) the church of God.(U) 10 But by the grace(V) of God I am what I am, and his grace to me(W) was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them(X)—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.(Y) 11 Whether, then, it is I or they,(Z) this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Corinthians 15:3 Or you at the first
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:5 That is, Peter
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now I would remind you, brothers,[a] of the gospel (A)I preached to you, which you received, (B)in which you stand, 2 and by which (C)you are being saved, if you (D)hold fast to the word I preached to you—(E)unless you believed in vain.

3 For (F)I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died (G)for our sins (H)in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised (I)on the third day (J)in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that (K)he appeared to Cephas, then (L)to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to (M)James, then (N)to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, (O)he appeared also to me. 9 For (P)I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because (Q)I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, (R)I worked harder than any of them, (S)though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Corinthians 15:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 6, 31, 50, 58
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to the struggling church in Corinth. Throughout his letter, Paul addressed many of their issues. Now, towards the end of his letter, he writes to remind them of the gospel and of the resurrection of Jesus in particular. Only Jesus’ death and resurrection can transform and give new life to a struggling people.

It is easy to forget or lose the power that the gospel is meant to give us. We tend to sink into our own ways and end up at odds with others and frustrated with ourselves. Paul says we must hold firmly to the gospel; otherwise, we have believed in vain. The gospel is rather simple: Christ died, was buried, rose from the dead, and lives. All four gospels share this account. It is an amazing account of Jesus, but it is more that he did this for our sake. Jesus died for our sins and rose to give us hope and new life. Paul gives his own testimony of the life-changing power of the gospel to change a persecutor of Christians into an apostle of Christ to the Gentiles. If God’s grace can change a man such as Paul, it can change anyone.

Prayer: Father, thank you for dying for my sins on the cross and rising from the dead to give me hope and courage to live a new life, defined by your grace.

One Word: Remember the gospel