Received and Delivered First
“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,” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV)
Paul doesn’t have much else to preach to the Corinthian church, or to anyone for that matter. It is the gospel, the good news of Christ, first of all and only. That Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead, all promised and foreshadowed in Scripture.
We miss the point when we make other things of first importance. It is even interesting how we attempt to bring other things to the table to tie this gospel. But they are all a secondary or pointless without the gospel. It was what Paul received from Christ himself and it is what he delivers to us. And now, following his model, we make it of first importance.
The thing is, I don’t always live or preach this way. I run after other distractions, some good, some evil, when the gospel is enough. I make my righteousness or ability first. I make my reputation first. I make my meal first… you name it, there is so much that competes for first.
Here is the good news, we can come back to the thing of first importance and Jesus is pleased. He has grace for our wandering, and grace for our return. Let’s determine to set him and his news first. Let us pray that he makes himself first in our lives. And let us deliver what we have received.
Paul doesn’t have much else to preach to the Corinthian church, or to anyone for that matter. It is the gospel, the good news of Christ, first of all and only. That Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead, all promised and foreshadowed in Scripture.
We miss the point when we make other things of first importance. It is even interesting how we attempt to bring other things to the table to tie this gospel. But they are all a secondary or pointless without the gospel. It was what Paul received from Christ himself and it is what he delivers to us. And now, following his model, we make it of first importance.
The thing is, I don’t always live or preach this way. I run after other distractions, some good, some evil, when the gospel is enough. I make my righteousness or ability first. I make my reputation first. I make my meal first… you name it, there is so much that competes for first.
Here is the good news, we can come back to the thing of first importance and Jesus is pleased. He has grace for our wandering, and grace for our return. Let’s determine to set him and his news first. Let us pray that he makes himself first in our lives. And let us deliver what we have received.
Thank you for the reminder, Jonathan.
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