Scripture to Read: 1 Corinthians 15:3
As God led Paul to write, He led Paul to share the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in 1 Corinthians 15. We read in 1 Corinthians 15:3, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” God had Paul remind them that Paul had delivered to them the most important message of all, that Jesus was and is the Christ and that He came and died to pay the penalty for their sin and for the sin of all mankind. The first recorded instance of Paul preaching the gospel is found in Acts 13:16–41. We know, according to Philippians 3:5, that Paul was “of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee.” As a Pharisee, Paul would have been familiar with the Old Testament prophecies of Christ’s coming. Paul quoted many of those prophecies in Acts 13:16–41 as he shared the gospel of our Lord. More than likely, Paul preached a similar message to the people of Corinth when he was with them. As Christians, we must continue to deliver the message of our Lord Jesus Christ to this lost and dying world. People need to know that Christ died for them so that they could be set free from the power and penalty of their sins by surrendering to Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We have received Jesus as our Messiah, and we must never lose sight of what He’s done for us nor of what He’s commanded us to do.
Challenge & Application
Why is the gospel considered “as of first importance” when sharing with others?
How are you making sure that the gospel remains “as of first importance” in your life?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!