1 Corinthians 15:3-4
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
The big idea
In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul is arguing for the historical reality of Christ’s resurrection. Paul says that the resurrection is not only a miracle and historical reality, it is the very basis for the gospel. The gospel is rooted in a person-Jesus; it is rooted in history-Christ really lived, died and rose from the dead; and it is rooted in theology-Christ’s death and resurrection means that we can be forgiven for our sins! This is why Paul describes this gospel truth as that which is “first importance”. The most important thing for anyone to understand is that because Jesus lived, died and rose again they can be forgiven for their sins and reconciled to God. This is the gospel!
Personal take away
Have you received the gospel and personally believed in Christ as the One who can forgive your sins? This is a question that everyone must ask themselves if they are going to experience a personal relationship with God.
A second question is, “Do I prioritize the gospel as first importance in my life?” In other words, do you see the gospel as more important than anything else? Paul said that this message was of “first importance” compared to everything else he could communicate from the Bible.
A third question for all of us to consider is this: “Am I passing on to others the first importance message of the gospel?” Paul passed on the message of the gospel to the Corinthian audience. It was Paul’s habit and custom to share Jesus with others. The Christian life is all about knowing Christ and making Him known. How can you share the gospel with others today?