Christ Risen, Living In His Grace

1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.


Many people saw Jesus after He'd been raised from the dead. There is NO doubt He was killed, murdered on the cross, no doubt. Jesus had become quite a sensation for stirring up the people. Miracles performed as never a man had performed them before. Some were in awe of Him others in fear of Him, some were angry with Him and that anger turned into hatred and they sought to have Him killed. With no doubt of His death, no contesting the fact He was dead at all, Jesus was buried in a tomb. The problem had been solved, the relief of those who hated Him and wanted Him dead had to be tremendous. But Jesus didn't stay dead, he rose again! Just as there was no doubt of His death there was no doubt of His rising again... 500 people saw Him at once! He didn't just appear to a few chosen few. There was NO DOUBT of His rising from the dead, no doubt.


1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1Co 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
1Co 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.


1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.


By the grace of God I am what I am. Grace is a REAL thing, not just something to mutter in prayer. Paul said- His grace whish was bestowed upon me was NOT in vain. Given this gift of grace, freed from sin, forgiven by the Lord, Paul used this miracle as we all should as God directs us. Paul said- but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me. Paul laboured for Christ, but knows it wasn't of himself but by the grace of God with Him. Left to His own devices Paul would have continued to persecute Christ's followers. He knew this. By the grace of God bestowed on Him he lived and laboured. We can all have the grace of God given to us. Do we labour with the grace we receive to bring Christ to others? Can the grace bestowed upon us be in vain? God forbid.


May we receive the grace of God and by that grace live in Him, for Him, always.


Amen.