GOSPEL IMPORTANCE

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

Now, brothers and sisters, 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 Word of God is the sure testimony of the reliability of the gospel message of salvation, for the Word of God is steadfast and sure. The Word of God stands fast for ever and ever and God has placed His Word above His Holy Name. And yet, every aspect of this three-fold witness of the death, burial, and resurrection of the incarnate God, the man Christ Jesus, has been under attack from the very beginning.

The Jesus we believe in is not one who is dead in the grave. He has risen from the dead, and because He is risen, He has overcome the power of sin over our lives and has given us a new life. This new life comes from God and is a life that is connected to God. As such, in our everyday lives, we can experience God's presence. The greatest peace and joy that Christians have is that God is with us.

Hence, the important question is not about our circumstances, but whether we have the presence of God in our lives just as the worship song goes,

With the Lord's presence it is heaven, although we may be in darkness, there is light. In the midst of disappointment and set-backs, we have hope and courage. In times of trouble, we are comforted. Even when we face death, we know we have eternal life.

Unfortunately, many times we are like the disciples and women during Jesus' time. We try to find Jesus in the grave. We are familiar with the truth of the resurrection, and we know about God's promise to be with us. However, this truth has not been sinking into our hearts. Every Sunday when we come before God, we love to hear the worship team sing and listen to the pastor's sermon, but when we go home, as we face our circumstances on our own, we forget God's promises.

May God have mercy on us and help us really understand what the Bible says. Help us to truly believe that Jesus lives and that He can bring us the power to be victorious. The story of the gospel is simple. The grace of the gospel is glorious. The sacrifice of the gospel is incomprehensible. The victory of the gospel is eternal. The core of the gospel is Christ. Let us hold fast to the uncomplicated truth that God the Son, in the Person of Jesus Christ, died for our sins according to the scriptures, He was buried, and He was raised on the third day according to the scripture. To Him be all praise and glory for ever and ever!!!

Father, thank You for this day and the amazing grace it holds for us. Lord, let Your abundant blessings flow from heaven over my friends and family today. Father, thank You that we have been saved by believing on the death, burial, and resurrection of Your only begotten Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Lord, we thank You because our faith is alive and based on Your resurrection. Lord, we praise You and adore You. Lord may the power of Your resurrection fill us, so we can overcome the attacks from our Evil One and experience Your faithfulness today. Lord, use my friends to be someone's blessing today.

Father, we love You. Amen.