Some notes:
- This is the gospel in a nutshell (15:1).
- Notice that it is of first importance. This is the foundation of faith (15:3).
- In fact, if you lose sight of it, it shows that your faith was never real (15:2).
- The gospel encompasses the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (15:3-4).
- The resurrection shows us that He wasn’t just a deluded man. He was, in fact, God incarnate (15:4-5).
- The diversity and number of those He appeared to shows the reality of the resurrection (15:5-8).
- Paul himself saw Jesus, long after the ascension (15:8).
- Paul’s sees that as a marvelous sign of God’s mercy and grace (15:9-10).
- Paul’s gratitude shows in his work for the gospel, even though he recognizes that any success he’s had is because God is working through him (15:10).
- Factions in the church are shortsighted. The teachers all brought the same message, and the Corinthians believed that message (15:11)!
I think that Paul’s humility here should be emulated. If we are honest with ourselves, we can probably detail ways that we are the least of believers. When we truly understand that, we get an even greater insight into the grace that God has given to us!
For worship: https://youtu.be/viAjoOl7Wk4