“The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says; that he presented himself alive to Peter, then to his closest followers, and later to more than five hundred of his followers all at the same time, most of them still around (although a few have since died); that he then spent time with James and the rest of those he commissioned to represent him; and that he finally presented himself alive to me. It was fitting that I bring up the rear. I don’t deserve to be included in that inner circle, as you well know, having spent all those early years trying my best to stamp God’s church right out of existence.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-9, The Message
Paul introduced this first letter to the Corinthians by introducing himself as a “called apostle,” an authorized leader in the early church and complemented the Corinthians on how he saw them growing in faith. He then answered questions people had given him about what the journey of faith looks like and the different issues the people in the church were facing. Now in chapter 15 he starts to wind down to the end of the letter. He gives the Corinthians a summary of his beliefs. It may sound a bit wordy but again we remember that there was no New Testament scriptures to be researched and be taught from. So what do we see in this long sentence?
First I see that Paul wants me to know that Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecy. He did not just pop up on the stage of history but was anticipated for centuries. The Bible is a story that grows and becomes fuller and richer through time. The individual events contain lessons but there is a bigger revelation unfolding.
Secondly Paul documents that people, lots of people witnessed the life of Jesus. He is not just a popular folk tale but a genuine incarnated human – God being. Paul humbly self identifies as someone who did not believe and who persecuted early Christians but then came to believe and became a follower of Jesus.
So how would you summarize your story of faith? What might be the important facts that ties your journey into the unfolding of history of humanity? My daughter likes to hear our story of President Moi of Kenya visiting the school campus right after her birth. As he walked in to eat, he paused and point his “rugs”, authority stick, at her and said, “Some day she too will go to this school.” And she did. Perhaps someone said, “You’re just like your …..”. Our lives are part of history. Where do you fit in and what contribution would you like to make? Pray about it. Blessings.
On the Way to Wonder 