In 1863, the very first Watchnight service took place. The Emancipation Proclamation had just been signed into law, declaring that slavery was abolished. But in Texas, that word hadn’t reached the people yet. They were still living in bondage because they hadn’t heard the word. It wasn’t until 1865, two years later, that the word finally arrived. When it did, it changed the future for generations to come.

Paul makes a similar point in 1 Corinthians when he reminds the church in Corinth of the Gospel message he passed on. The message is simple but powerful: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Our sin separates us from God, and that’s why Jesus came—leaving heaven, taking our place, and dying on the cross so that we could be reconciled to Him.

Here’s the danger: many of us spend our lives comparing our sins to everyone else’s. If we’re not careful, we end up running on a treadmill of comparison that takes us nowhere. The truth is, all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Yet, Christ died sacrificially and substitutionally. He was perfect and without sin, but He took our place. His blood covers us, so that when God looks at us, He sees His Son.

After His death, Jesus was buried, just as the prophets foretold. A stone sealed the tomb, guarded by soldiers, but there is nothing too big for God to handle. No problem you face, even death itself, is greater than His power. The heart of Christianity is not just that Jesus died or that He was buried. The true power lies in this: on the third day, He rose from the dead. That resurrection is what gives Him victory over sin and death. Every other religious leader has died and stayed dead. But Jesus did not. He lives.

That is the hope we must carry forward. Just like the word of freedom eventually reached Texas, we must pass on the word of life so it will reach all who will listen. It is our calling, our Christian duty, to share the Gospel: that Christ died, was buried, and was raised on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

Getting Started

1. What’s the best news that you’ve ever been the first to share with someone?
2. If you had to share the Gospel with a friend in one sentence, how would you put it?

Let’s Get Personal

1. Do you ever find yourself comparing your life or sins to others? How can you shift your mind back to Christ?
2. Jesus’ resurrection showed that nothing is too big for God to handle. What “stone” or obstacle in your life feels too heavy right now, and how can you trust God with it?
3. The resurrection is the core of our hope as Christians. How does the reality that Jesus is alive shape the way you approach your everyday challenges?

Take the Next Step

1. Who in your life might God be prompting you to share the hope of Christ with, and what’s holding you back from doing so?
2. Pray and ask God to remind you daily of the resurrection and to show you who He wants you to pass on the Good News to this week.
3. Want to dig deeper? Take a look at the following passages: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 6:23;  Romans 3:23; Romans 12:1; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 9:22; Hebrews 10:10-12; Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57, 62-65; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 15:55.

Renew Your Mind

‘For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ‘

1 Corinthians 15:3-4