Opening Prayer
Lord, give us humility and true faith, so that Your Gospel may save us. Amen.
Text: First Corinthians 15:1-10
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Devotion
Here we have a basic summary of the Gospel, namely that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. Here is medicine for the poor heart, afflicted by sin. Christ took our sins on Himself and died for them in our place, as the whole Old Testament also testifies, from the passage about the Seed of the woman and the story of Abel’s blood to John the Baptizer who points to Jesus and says: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” The death we deserve by our sins has been suffered, the whole Scripture assures us of it. Isn’t this a joyful message, the true Gospel? Our sin and death have been buried and taken away in Jesus’ grave. Jesus died and was placed in the grave; that is well attested. It happened just as the Scriptures prophesied, not just one passage, but all Scripture, for this subject fills the whole Scripture. And it is well attested that He arose, – and this too is in accordance with the prophetic proclamation of the Scriptures. He was seen so clearly and so often, that the unbelieving disciples had to believe; one time He was seen by more than 500, of whom many were still alive when Paul wrote this. The Gospel of your redemption from sin and death, of your Savior’s victorious atonement and atoning victory, of our precious Lord’s resurrection from the dead is not uncertain. It is so sure that you can build on it with the full confidence of your soul. If you do this, then you are saved by this faith. Whoever you were before, or however your heart and life have been, you shall be saved when you believe. For the death of Jesus Christ—a death which His resurrection turned into victory, victory over sin and death and Satan’s kingdom—it is a full redemption for everyone and payment for all possible sins. All who acknowledge their sin have all their sins erased by faith in Him. Paul had been a persecutor, a mocker, a blasphemer, and calls himself “one born out of due time,” yet he received mercy! Do you doubt that Paul received pardon for all his sin? Do you doubt that Paul was saved and that he now lives with our Lord Jesus in heaven? But why was he saved? Because he was a very gifted preacher and eager apostle? Because he worked more than the others? Or because he suffered and tried harder than some for the Gospel? No, he is more glorious in heaven for these things and he became more glorious for his deep humility, “for whoever humbles himself shall be exalted;” but Paul was saved by his heart’s simple faith in the Gospel. A lost sinner, he relied only on the comfort that Jesus took our sins on Himself. The discipline of grace kept him in this humility, and the comfort of grace kept him in this faith to the end. You and I, dear Christian friend, have our hope only in grace for the sake of Jesus’ blood. We too shall be saved, for the Gospel does not fail. Should God’s promises fail anyone who believes them? Never, ever!
Closing Prayer
O God, give us humble, believing hearts for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Hymn
Sing loud Alleluia in jubilant chorus,
Ye nations, O sing to the Lord who reigns o’er us!
His merciful kindness and grace He revealeth,
He pardons our sins, and our sorrows He healeth.
O lift up your voices in strains of thanksgiving!
Let praises ascend to our God ever living!
Now life and salvation from Him we inherit,
In Jesus, His Son, through His death and His merit.
Of mercy and grace God alone is the giver,
And all who believe, He will surely deliver;
His truth standeth fast, and it faileth us never:
His mercy endureth for ever and ever.
All glory and praise to the Father be given,
The Son, and the Spirit, from earth and from heaven;
As was, and is now, be supreme adoration,
And ever shall be, to the God of salvation.
Agricola: Sing loud Alleluia in jubilant chorus L 512:2-4 LHy 19:2-4 tr. C. Døving;
tune: I prægtige Himle (LHy 19); alternate hymn: The Gospel shows the Father’s grace ELH 233:1.6