“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures… For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy 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. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed…
“And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-4a, 9-11,14-20a
Paul’s life and ministry testify to the inestimable power of God’s grace. Because it was the DNA of his pursuing Savior, he, a persecutor of Christians unworthy of favor, received it in life-changing abundance. The gospel of grace worked to transform, motivate, and empower him from that moment on. Not one drop of his Redeemer’s blood was in vain. Therefore, he would not live the rest of his days in vain, but only to preach Christ risen and glorified. (Acts 9:1-18)
When the message of the gospel penetrates our world, we are changed. He opens to us the depravity of our sin, the finished work of the cross, and the hope of life eternal. What matters to Him becomes important to us. Because Christ was raised in resurrection power, we can grow to understand its ramifications for mindset, faith, purpose, and boldness, and live in it daily. (Romans 8:11-13; Ephesians 1:16-20)
Are we? How has the gospel transformed our preferences and pursuits? Has it come to us in vain? Do we go about our days living without use or result, or taking to account and investing the rich privileges of knowing and serving Christ? What specific action does the gospel of grace compel?
How are we regularly experiencing resurrection power over fear, shame, sin habits? Where is it evidenced in attitude, relational interactions, ministry opportunities? How are we encouraging its effectiveness in others? How will we exhibit the potency of faith today?
Lord, let me never take Your grace for granted, but welcome its purifying and power for purposeful days that glorify You.
As the rain and snow 