Paul wrote to the church at Corinth about the gospel. Gospel means “good news.” What is the good news he tells them?
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
1 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. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 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. 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. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
Reflections
This is the essence of our faith: Jesus died, was buried, and on the third day rose again. And by his grace, we are what we are: forgiven sinners on a mission to reach the world with this same gospel. How does this good news of Jesus figure into your life?
Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God, in the Easter mystery you have established the new covenant of reconciliation. Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s body may show in their lives what they profess by their faith, that we would have integrity before you and before people, that they may also know and believe the truth, in Jesus’s name. Amen.
