Easter Sunday: Epistle, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11                          

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Today’s title tells a two-pronged tale. And tale in the best sense of the word. First, “Masterful” with the correct spelling points to the simple beauty of St. Paul’s declaration regarding the resurrection of His Master and ours. The gospel, the good news, is that Christ, the Lord has destroyed sin, death, and the devil for His Christians. There is really little to add except perhaps to empty our lungs with the shout, “All Glory to God!” And the second prong, if you will, is “Master-full” just how it is written above. And that I took to heart this morning to focus our attention, yours and mine, on the fact that you and I are nowhere to be found in this declaration save as receivers of all its benefits. You and I factor in not at all when it comes to our salvation. All we can do is open our unworthy hands and receive what has been won and offered. “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.” Paul goes on to declare that even the fruit of the gospel in his life was by “the grace of God that is with me.”

We bring nothing to the “tale.” Because the declaration of the truth is already full. Master-full.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen, indeed! Alleluia!