February 10, 2020 - Legend In My Own Mind

Well I’m back at it in the THEREFORE series of devotions… last week I shard that the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ has rocked my world and should have rocked yours. This message is what demands a response… i.e. because of this truth, it demands a response from us… for salvation (positionally) and for discipleship (practically)…

It has obviously been over 2000 years since these Gospel events took place… and typically stories can get very exaggerated over time…

As an example, I tend to be a much better athlete in my memory than I was in reality… I jump higher… I shoot better… I played through more pain… etc.; kind of a “legend in my own mind." The best way to get to the truth would be game film and/or eyewitnesses… yet even the eyewitnesses are iffy based upon if they like me vs. if they don’t like me, as that tends to color the memories a bit.

The church in Corinth was dealing with folks that were questioning the death and resurrection of Christ. So, the Apostle Paul decided to get some credence to the validity of these events… and thus the THEREFORE that should result from it.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 gives us the reminder that the death and resurrection of Christ were of first importance and that they were prophesied “according to the Scriptures.” (Which is miraculous in and of itself.) And due to the naysayers, he gave some proofs.

How did he prove Jesus died? He reminded them that Jesus was “buried.” In that day, the burial process alone removed all doubts of His death; even a man that had not been crucified could not live through a burial…

How did he prove Jesus resurrected? Paul went to the eyewitness defense. He starts with the inner circle, a group of guys that were so rocked by the truth that they were willing to die for it! He goes on to say that “over 500 brethren at once” saw the resurrected Jesus, and that most of them were still alive; in other words, “go ask them!” (See verses 5-8)

In verse 11, the beginning word is THEREFORE, and Paul says basically, “that is our story… which you believed… which should rock your world!”

We live in a world that is always debating who the greatest in a sport is/was… I’m here to tell you the greatest in life is hands down Jesus! He overcame death and offers new life! There is truly no question of the validity of the claims of the Gospel… they are claims that would hold up in any court of law… think about it, over 500 eyewitnesses telling the same story… a group of disciples that were willing to die over that story…

And we are left with a positional question of salvation by believing on Christ… most that are reading this have done that… make sure you are trusting in what He has done for you (not what you can do for Him)!

Yet the other THEREFORE (Cause/Effect) is that this message should practically be of first importance in our lives. It should rock our world to the point of pouring into and supporting the Great Commission to preach the Gospel (Mark 16:15) and to disciple with God’s Playbook (Matthew 28:19-20.)

Please consider how you will allow the truth to transform your life… we at InBounds are in the game to Go MAD (Make A Difference)!!!