God's Mission
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
The Resurrection of Christ
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.
Pondering Point
Jesus often taught to counter the perception that spiritually elite people are superior in the eyes of God. His Gospel teachings open the door for all to come into God’s kingdom. Of course, regardless of whether one might be deemed spiritually poor or spiritually rich, neither can come in without the person and work of Jesus reconciling them to God the Father. Being spiritually poor in and of itself does not guarantee you are a part of the kingdom (nor does being spiritually rich preclude you). Many poor-in-spirit people will be left outside the kingdom because they have refused to acknowledge Jesus as Lord.
The good news is not so much that the poor in spirit enter the kingdom, although this is indeed great news. The truly good news (an apt translation for the word “gospel”) is that those of meager spiritual condition can enter like anyone else; they’re not eliminated from consideration due to a lack of something. This aligns perfectly with the grace-filled Gospel we see in the Bible: We are saved by grace – through faith – and not of ourselves; it is God’s gift that makes it happen, not our works (see Ephesians 4:8-9).
Ephesians 4:8-10
8 This is why it says:
“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”
9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
2 Corinthians 8:9
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
Prayer
In light of 2 Corinthians 8:9 You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you, through his poverty, might become rich. Thank You Jesus! Thank You!
What Does "Blessed" Mean? (Beatitudes, part 1)
What does Jesus mean when He calls people “blessed”? The Greek word translated as blessed is makarios, and its Hebrew equivalent is ashrey, which means the good life. But there’s another Hebrew word for blessing, barukh, which refers to blessings from God. Listen in.
https://bibleproject.com/podcast/what-does-blessed-mean-beatitudes-pt-1/
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 119: Immersed in the Word of God
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 119:57-64 8th letter: Heth (ח)
- You are my portion, Lord;
I have promised to obey your words. - I have sought your face with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise. - I have considered my ways
and have turned my steps to your statutes. - I will hasten and not delay
to obey your commands. - Though the wicked bind me with ropes,
I will not forget your law. - At midnight I rise to give you thanks
for your righteous laws. - I am a friend to all who fear you,
to all who follow your precepts. - The earth is filled with your love, Lord;
teach me your decrees.
Read the versus of the Psalm.
Mark the words or phrases that catch your attention.
Meditate: talk (or better, write) with God about those words. Ask him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect responses.
Teaching or Command of God
1 Chronicles 16:10-11
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.
The Promise
Romans 3:24
All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Pondering Point
Think of a portion in v. 57 as an allotment or inheritance. So often we look for things from God when He Himself is the greatest portion we can ever have. Amen!