Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (NIV)
The Resurrection of Christ
15 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.
What do you think it means to “Believe in Vain”?
To believe in vain would mean that I haven’t believed the whole message….and my life would not demonstrate any meaningful change.
Lord, help me to keep me firmly rooted in the gospel message of your amazing grace. Your grace never changes and is available to all who seek you. The miracle of your resurrection to show me that you have overcome death and have provided eternal life for me! How amazing that you proved how you overcame the grave by appearing to those who love and care for you, meeting them at their greatest point of need. Your faithful love ever fails. I rely on your mercies being new every morning giving me the courage to walk in your way. Amen.
Today’s prayer was submitted by Jo Schneider