#DailyDevotion We Know God’s Will Towards Us In Jesus
1 Cor. 1:1-3 PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST JESUS, called by God’s will, and Sosthenes, my fellow Christian, 2to God’s church in Corinth, made holy by Christ Jesus and called to be holy, with all who anywhere call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours —3may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Paul was an apostle of Christ Jesus. That is to say, he was had seen the Lord Jesus Christ risen from the dead. He was taught by Jesus Christ in the wilderness after receiving his sight back from the Lord. He was sent by Christ Jesus to preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the Jew first and then the Gentiles. He was called by God’s will to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. It wasn’t Paul’s will. When Paul was still Saul he persecuted the Church of God and with such fervor even chased it down to Antioch which chains in order to jail the disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus though had other plans. God had other plans. Have you ever thought you were doing God’s will only to end us having God change your plans and set you on a completely different course? Well now Paul has the full authority of an Apostle of Jesus to teach with power and authority, with signs and wonders.
Paul is not alone. Sosthenes his fellow Christ is with him. He was the ruler of the synagogue in Corinth when Paul first starting preaching there. The Jews who would not believe Paul beat Sosthenes in front of the tribunal in Corinth after Gallieo the governor there refused to do anything to Paul. He too had suffered for the name of Christ Jesus.
Now what Paul writes to the Corinthians he also writes to you. They were made holy by Christ Jesus and were called to be holy with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is their Lord and he is our Lord. They were made holy by the preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus of Nazareth and by baptism into that name. It is the word, the gospel, the good news that God justifies the ungodly, saves sinner, makes his enemies his friends through faith in what Jesus Christ of Nazareth did for them on the cross, by his death and resurrection and by being joined to him in his life death and resurrection in baptism that made them holy.
To those whom Christ Jesus has made holy by his blood Paul blesses them with grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes we have God’s favor for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. His favor has come to us by the gospel, the proclamation of the Father’s acceptance of us on account of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Lord Jesus Christ bestows his grace and favor on us through his apostles and all he sends to preach him as the crucified Lord of Glory. We have peace with God the Father through the violence visited upon Jesus in his trial, crucifixion and death. God is no longer angry with us. He is not counting our trespasses against his will and our consciences. We have access to him through the blood of Jesus and know his great love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Heavenly Father, continually bring us your servants who proclaim grace and peace to us through Jesus Christ by his innocent suffering and death and who make us holy by his appointed means of grace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.