In accordance with the Scriptures

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve - 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

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Reflecting on 1 Corinthians 15:1-9, focus verses 3-4, and St Paul's statement on what was of first importance: that Christ had died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He had truly died, was buried and raised on the 3rd Day in accordance with scriptures (with over 500 eye witness accounts). 

It greatly encourages me that the Gospel I believe in is not some fantasy nor fiction imagined in the minds of the gospel writers, but also aligns with Jewish Laws in Jesus' time on earth where credible witnessing can only be ascertained by the testimonies of 2-3 witnesses. An example from Deuteronomy 19:15 which states: "One witness shall not arise against a man for any sin or guilt that he may commit; according to two witnesses or according to three witnesses a matter shall stand." And this is why many of the apostles chose death than to deny their faith, because they believed that Jesus is the fulfilment of what they had always believed and hoped for: that a Messiah shall come from the House of David. By sharing in His death through martyrdom, they too looked forward to the resurrection glory of our LORD Jesus Christ. This includes St. Stephen, the first martyr in the New Testament, who only moments before his death by stoning, boldly declared to the angry religious crowd who simply blocked their ears and hearts to the freely given witnessing of Christ's first martyr.

In Acts 7:55-56 we read: "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

How about us, as New Testament disciples? How many of us are willing to lay down our earthly treasures, be it our jobs, family or personal commitments? All for the sake of proclaiming Jesus is LORD to a world groping around in spiritual darkness, filled with terror of death, rumours of war, pestilence. How may we too live as people of eternal hope, whose power come from Christ and Christ alone? 

I'll close my short sharing with this beautiful hymn:  "Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me" by CityAlight 

Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me – CityAlight 

Verse 1 

What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer 

There is no more for heaven now to give

 He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom 

My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace.

Refrain 1 

To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus 

For my life is wholly bound to his 

Oh how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine! 

Yet not I, but through Christ in me 

Verse 2

The night is dark but I am not forsaken

 For by my side, the Saviour He will stay 

I labour on in weakness and rejoicing 

For in my need, His power is displayed

Refrain 2 

To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend me 

Through the deepest valley He will lead 

Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome! 

Yet not I, but through Christ in me 

Verse 3 

No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven 

The future sure, the price it has been paid 

For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon 

And He was raised to overthrow the grave 

Refrain 3 

To this I hold, my sin has been defeated

 Jesus now and ever is my plea

Oh the chains are released, I can sing: I am free! 

et not I, but through Christ in me 

Verse 4 

With every breath I long to follow Jesus

 For He has said that He will bring me home 

And day by day I know He will renew me 

Until I stand with joy before the throne 

Refrain 4 

To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus

 All the glory evermore to Him 

When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat: 

Yet not I, but through Christ in me! 

Tag 

When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat: 

Yet not I, but through Christ in me! 

Yet not I, but through Christ in me! 

Yet not I, but through Christ in me! 

Youtube: https://youtu.be/ZOYsSKhSQbg?si=2WcfZtlZAaoy_M8U
Provided to YouTube by Absolute Label Services
Title: Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me ·
Artist: CityAlight
Published: ℗ 2018 CityAlight, exclusively distributed by Wings Music Group
CCLI: 7121852
Released on: 2018-11-11

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 15:1-9 by Chris Tan

All in Christ | Omnes in Christo

Every rule and every authority and power will pass away. But who stays with Christ has an everlasting life - 1 Cor 15:22.

Are we not alive? Of course we are. However, the Apostle Paul speaks of a deeper spiritual life in Christ. While we believe that all things are sustained through Him, not everyone yet acknowledges or understands this truth. It is a reality that defines our existence here on earth, just as it defines our hope for eternal life in heaven.

In December, we celebrated the mystery of the Nativity; soon, in the Lenten season, we will commemorate the mystery of Christ's death. As Christians, we know that life is stronger than death, yet the struggle between light and darkness, peace and war, continues. Because of this, we reaffirm our devotion to Christ and choose the path of eternal life. We seek neither to live in darkness nor to face death without Him.

Every worldly authority and power will eventually pass away, but those who remain in Christ possess everlasting life. Through Him, we are called to place all things under God’s feet, ensuring the Lord returns to the very center of our lives—above all else and everyone else.

By God’s grace, we are delivered from perpetual fear. We need seek nothing more than the gift of eternal salvation, made possible through Jesus Christ our Lord. Through His grace, we are raised above our sins and weaknesses. Let us, therefore, remain thankful and put our full trust in the Lord. Amen.

Bible Reflection on 1 Cor 15: 20-34 by Fr. Jozef Trzebuniak SVD.

(Listen to podcast here)

Love abides | Caritas manet

And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love – 1 Cor 13:13.

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Dear friends in Christ Jesus, in today’s reflection let us focus on one of the greatest attributes given to God and that is love. St. Paul is teaching the Corinthians to love one another because he has convinced himself that God is love. St. Paul encountered God's love when he had the encounter of Jesus on the way to Damascus. Since then he was carried away by the love of God. He changed life forever. Instead of persecuting the followers of Christ he helped to increase the followers of Christ.  St. Paul says that love is patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not arrogant or rude, rejoices in the truth, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things and love never ends.

It is not only just the experience of Paul that God is love even the other disciples of Jesus. In the first letter of John 4:16 we read “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” It is also the personal experience of each one of us as believers in Jesus. God the Father sending his Son Jesus to save the world was a great act of love. If God doesn’t love us he would not have sent Jesus for us.

Day by day all of us called to grow in God's love. We could grow in God’s love by knowing him better through reading of the Scripture. Love is always expressed in word and in deed. Even the small things that we do in our daily life with great love for God and neighbor will make us better human beings. Let us have faith in God, let us hope in God and let us abide in the love of God. Amen.

Bible Reflection on 1 Cor 13: 1-13 by Fr. George Joseph SVD.