Devotion for January 22, 2014: For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! -1 Corinthians 9:16 It is always interesting to see how many people within the church boast. We boast about how great our church is. We brag about our church to other Christians and even to non-Christians. We talk about how great our choir, or Sunday School, or random program is. It is so easy for us, as Christians, to find things to boast about. And though we may have great programs… why are we boasting about them? Sure we may have an outstanding Sunday School, but if it were not for Christ what would be the point? Sure we may have a beautiful and immaculate church, but if it were not for Christ, what would be the purpose of the building? Sure we may have a stunning choir, but if they are not singing to the glory of God, what are they doing? So often we find things to brag about when it comes to our church… but when was the last time you bragged about how great it is that the pastor knew his catechism? When was the last time you bragged at how great it was that everyone in the church knew that there was only one way to heaven and that way is Jesus Christ? When was the last time you boasted that everyone in your church could recite from memory the Apostles’ Creed and that they actually meant it? We find things to brag about for our churches, but so often it is not the gospel. And Paul tells us in this text tonight that if we are preaching the gospel… well we have nothing to boast of. If we are preaching the gospel we are not boasting about the great turnout we had the previous week, we are not boasting about the new addition that we are putting on our church, we are not boasting about the Sunday School and how nice the teachers are. If we are preaching the gospel that is the only thing that we ‘could’ boast about. When we are preaching and hearing that Jesus Christ came into this world to live a perfect life for us. When we are preaching that Jesus Christ came into this world to suffer and die for us. When we are preaching that three days later Christ rose from the dead to proclaim that He has won the victory and we now share in it through faith. When we are preaching the gospel… we have nothing to boast about. We have nothing to boast about because it is not about us. When we are preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified, we know that we have nothing to add to that. Not great Sunday Schools, not great choirs, not great buildings… nothing. All of those things are nice, but if we are preaching the gospel, if people are hearing that Jesus Christ lived and died for their sins, if people are hearing that heaven is theirs through faith in Jesus Christ… then we have no room to boast. We only have room to rely on Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us. And if we are preaching the gospel, just as Paul says, “woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.” Woe to us if we are bragging about anything that is not Jesus Christ and Him crucified. However, thanks be to God that when we fall into that earthly trap… Jesus Christ died for that sin also. Thank God, that though I am not perfect, Jesus was in my place and I now have heaven because of my Savior… Thank you God for the gospel that only You could give to us. Soli Deo Gloria!
Posted on: Thu, 23 Jan 2014 01:45:50 +0000
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