Today’s Devotion
Topic: We Live Because He Lives; Let Us Work Harder Than All!
Text: 1 Corinthians 15: 3- 10
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. Amen
The Lord Jesus died by crucifixion one friday afternoon and was laid in a tomb that very day. But death could not hold Him captive. He overcame death and AROSE ON THE THIRD DAY.
After His resurrection, He revealed Himself to several hundreds of people and even ate with some to prove He was not a ghost. Thomas, the disciple with many doubts, got the privilege to touch His wounds and confirms He is alive indeed.
However, as the apostle Paul explains in His first letter to the Corinthians, the greatest evidence of His resurrection is the fact that He revealed Himself to us while we were yet sinners and gave us a chance to salvation. And now, He lives within our hearts.
He, by His death, purchased our redemption and offers salvation free of charge everyday to whosoever chooses to believe. Not by their deeds of righteousness but by faith through grace.
We must not take the work of the cross for granted therefore. Apostle Paul realised He didn’t deserve the gift of God’s grace and decided this grace recieved was not going to go waste without good effect. He said ” I Worked Harder Than Them All, Yet Not I, But The Grace Of God That Was With Me”.
What about you Beloved? What has been the effect after the resurrection of Christ brought grace upon your life? How have you worked harder than all to prove your love and gratitude for the excellent work done on Calvary on your behalf?
Arise therefore and allow the Spirit that rose Jesus from the dead to quicken you for the excellent work of spreading the love of Christ to all mankind; especially those who are lost in sin like we were before grace found us. His suffering, death and resurrection must not be in vain.
Jesus laid down His life to bring us salvation by grace through faith. Paul, considered it an undeserved privileged extended to the sinner that he was. He therefore worked harder than all as a token of His love and gratitude for the free gift of salvation gifted to Him by grace. What about you?
Christ is risen today! How grateful are you for the salvation this resurrection imparts through grace? What will be the effect of such grace upon your life. Reflect on these and begin to pray.
Ask for forgiveness, especially for not doing much to prove your love for the gift of salvation. Pray that the Holy Spirit strengthens you to work harder than all. Helping others know about Christ and the salvation He offers to all who believe.
Always remember that if God could save the such as us, then He will save all if they would receive Him. For we were the “chiefest of sinners” till grace found us. Now is the time to labour harder than all to let others know and love Him. This grace must not be in vain. See you at church.
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