For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
You may have seen an athlete point to heaven after an important win or a great play for a touchdown. Or maybe a performer taking multiple curtain calls drinking in the adulation for themselves. I have heard people complain about both types. The athlete should just rejoice in a good play and get on with it, some say. The performer needs their comeuppance. I am still trying to work out the meaning of that word. Paul would more resemble the athlete. This makes sense because he used athletic imagery to speak of his training and readiness for gospel teaching. Even there, he spoke not of himself but Jesus Christ.
May we do the same today. May preachers wish their congregations would leave church saying how great a Savior Jesus is, not how great a preacher the pastor is. May our leaders be servants and slaves to one another instead of lords and masters over everyone. Jesus was the only one who deserved accolades but instead he endured mocking and spitting while hanging on the cross. How much more should we humble ourselves like Paul before the Lord. We did not discover salvation, we received it as revelation. We received it from God, not a superior teacher who told you he was superior. May we preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, not the gospel of how I changed my life and now I am a good person. Next time you are tempted to do that, take a page from the athlete’s book and…
Point to heaven.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church