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 5:3-4]
today as you rise (or if you are reading this later in the day) assess:
what is of first importance to me?
if you believe in Christ, you don’t believe in him because you were smart enough, good enough or were raised in the right family. you are in him because someone delivered, and you received the gospel–Christ orchestrated the entire event–he chose you.
in him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. in him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. [ephesians 1:11-14]
we heard the word of truth, the gospel for our salvation, and believed…we received, and then we believed! we don’t get glory because we received and believed, Christ gets the glory!
are you of first importance to you, or do you spend your day magnifying the glory of Christ? now that we have received, let us be vessels of good works, ready to deliver the good news we received! there are others who need to hear the good news–let us be sent today!
“and i have other sheep that are not of this fold. i must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. so there will be one flock, one shepherd.” [john 10:16]
how then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? and how are they to hear without someone preaching? and how are they to preach unless they are sent? as it is written, “how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” [romans 10:14-15]
~ conor eastman