Turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15. We're going to make six observations on the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. From 1 Corinthians 15 verses 1 to 11. The specific context.
There were some who had plagued the church in Corinth with the denial of the resurrection, the future bodily resurrection of the dead. So the Apostle Paul is going to deal with that doctrine, that there does lie in the future, for God's people, a resurrection from the dead. Well, the foundation of his rebuttal and the foundation of his argument is the gospel concerning the life, the ministry, the death, and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. That's the first section, 1 Corinthians 15, 1-11.
Based on that foundation, he then argues for a future resurrection of God's people. For our time this morning, with reference to our meditation, our thoughts relative to the Lord's Supper, we can make six observations on the Gospel itself from 1 Corinthians 15, 1 to 11. I'll just pick up reading in verse 1. Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the Gospel which I preach to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preach to you. unless you believed in vain.
For I delivered to you, first of all, that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the Twelve. After that, He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remained to the present, but some had fallen asleep. After that he was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all he was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all. Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach, and so you believe.
Amen. Let us pray. Father, we thank you for the Holy Scriptures, and we pray now that you would just fill us with your Spirit, give us an appreciation, a fresh appreciation for the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. We thank you for our Redeemer.
We thank you for our Savior. We thank you for the Lord, who has washed us and cleansed us, and who has made us fit for heaven. And we pray in Jesus' most precious name, Amen.
The Gospel Rooted in History
The gospel is rooted in history. The word gospel represents good news. Well, it's good news concerning a historical message. Gospel isn't simply something that promotes a warm feeling or promotes an emotional response.
When we concern ourselves to study the gospel, we are studying a historical event that is rooted in the life the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice that the apostle says in verse 3, I deliver to you first of all that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins. Well, Christ's death presupposes Christ's life. You cannot have a saving interest in the gospel of Jesus Christ while you are negligent of the facts contained in the gospel.
The Apostle Peter describes it in language that is very vivid, very full of expression, when he says in 2 Peter 1, verses 16-18, For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. for he received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain." It's not cunningly devised fables. It's not some mystery religion.
It's not some esoteric philosophy. It is a message rooted in the person and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. To hear some Christians today, you would think that the gospel is nothing more than a good feeling that is held on to by certain people. That is not the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In 1 John 1, he says, that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled concerning the word of life. The life was manifested and we have seen and bear witness and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us. The gospel is rooted in history. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, all record historical facts concerning the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The historical prophets before them were foretelling a day when this Jesus would come, born of a woman according to Isaiah. born under law according to the apostle, and he would come to redeem those who were under the law. This is not disconnected from historical data. It is rooted in history.
The Gospel Revealed by God
The second observation that flows from 1 Corinthians 15 is that the gospel is revealed by God. The Gospel is revealed by God. Notice in verses 3 and 4. For I deliver to you, first of all, that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
There are two types of revelation. There is general revelation, God revealing himself through the created order. The psalmist speaks of this, or celebrates this, in Psalm 19. Paul speaks of this in Romans chapter 1.
He says, that which may be known of God is manifest to them, for God has made it evident within them. The created order declares the deity, the Godhead, the glory, the power and the righteousness of our God, but the created order does not reveal to us blood atonement. The created order does not reveal to us the life and the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is general revelation, there is special revelation.
And God has revealed himself in the Gospel. And notice that Paul says that this is according to the Scriptures. Now, I know that you know that when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 15, the entirety of the New Testament canon was not in place. The Scriptures that he is referring to are the Old Testament Scriptures.
What scriptures actually foretold the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus? Well, hopefully your minds are immediately going to Isaiah 52 and 53, where the servant of the Lord will suffer, where God will lay upon Him the chastisement for our peace, where all we like sheep have gone astray, that God has laid the iniquity of us all upon His dear Son. Isaiah 53 is gospel. It is all about Christ and His death.
Daniel chapter 9, that prophecy concerning the 70 weeks, a lot of eschatological debate focuses on that chapter. We ought not to miss the clear passage, or the clear statement, though, that he would be cut off, that he would die, that he would render up his life in atonement for sin. Prophet Micah spoke that one would be born out of Bethlehem, Africa. See, the whole of the Scriptures testify concerning God's work of redemption, God's grace in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 16 testified to the resurrection of our Lord. Remember, Psalm 16 was that place that Peter went to, or Peter appealed to, on the day of Pentecost. He says David was not writing about himself here. David, however, being a prophet, foretold the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, that his soul would not undergo decay, that the Lord God would indeed raise his son from the dead.
That's why this gospel, this revelation by God, is absolutely crucial for us as God's people to understand, and for us to testify to others. You see, we need to understand what it is the Lord has revealed so that we may call sinners to repentance and faith. If we don't understand this message, if we don't know this truth, we are ineffective in terms of witness for the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Gospel Is Christ-Centered
Thirdly, the Gospel is Christ-centered. The Gospel is Christ-centered. Notice. died, Christ was buried, Christ rose again. You trace through the sermons in the book of Acts, and you will see this emphasis on Jesus Christ the Lord.
In Acts 2, oftentimes people see this as a celebration of the Spirit, and His person, and His work. And while I'm not here to suggest that we ought to downplay the role of the Spirit in His work, the primary focus in Acts 2 is upon Jesus. When Peter says, this Jesus poured out that which you now see and hear. This Jesus God has made both Lord and Christ and calls all men everywhere to believe in and to repent from their sins. before the Sanhedrin, Philip to the Ethiopian, to the household of Cornelius, in Pisidian Antioch, to the Philippian jailer, in Athens, at Corinth, in Ephesus, the summary statement to the elders from Ephesus, in Jerusalem, Paul before Felix, Paul before Agrippa, Paul to the Jews in Rome, his primary message And that which he explains here is, first of all, is upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
We must make much of Christ. We mustn't ever forget that He is the main thing with reference to our status before God and our message to a watching world. The Gospel is Christocentric, Christ-centered.
The Gospel Received by Faith
Fourthly, the gospel is received by faith. So we hear these facts, we hear these truths, what are we supposed to do? We're supposed to believe that. We're supposed to believe the truth.
Notice Paul's emphasis in verse 1. Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand. How do we receive it? By faith.
Remember Paul to the Philippian jailer, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. This is how we receive Christ. It's by believing the truth about Christ. That is clear in verse two.
By which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. You see, faith is the means by which we come into saving connection with our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is the instrument by which God justifies. He doesn't save us on account of our faith, but He saves us through our faith.
It is the instrument by which the sinner rests upon, receives, and relies wholly upon Jesus Christ to save him from his sins. And then notice in verse 11, Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach, and so you believe. If you have happened in here this morning and you don't know Jesus Christ, the Bible does not tell you to go out now and live a better life. The Bible does not tell you to try and earn your way into heaven.
The Bible's word is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Those of us who have believed are going to eat bread and drink wine this morning, not because we're being rewarded for something we have done meritorious, but because this bread and this wine points us back to Jesus. That's the function. That's the purpose for these elements.
That is why we have been given the Lord's Supper, so that we will never rest in our sufficiency, we will never rest in our ability, we will never rest in what we've accomplished, but we will continually be pointed back to what Christ has accomplished. The Gospel is received by faith.
The Gospel Is Essential
A fifth observation from the passage is that the Gospel is essential. The gospel is essential. This isn't one of those doctrines that you can sort of take or leave. This isn't one of those doctrines where good men differ.
This is one of those doctrines that if you don't believe it, you're going to go to hell. Notice what Paul says. Verse 2. If you hold fast that word which I preached to you, I'm sorry, verse 2, by which also you are saved, So what's the inference, or what's the implication?
If you don't believe this truth, you're not saved. If you don't believe this truth, you're lost. If you don't believe this truth, you are damned. If you don't believe this truth, you are condemned.
You see, the Bible is crystal clear. Make no mistake. God is a holy God. God is a righteous God.
God is a God who must punish sin. He has taught this throughout the scriptures. See, oftentimes, unbelievers and many Christians say, oh, that's hard to take in. It's hard to take in when God would rain hell out of heaven onto Sodom and Gomorrah for their simple expression of an alternate lifestyle.
Covenant-breaking, God-hating rebels against His majesty wreak hell. That's the clear testimony of scripture. Even prior to that time, when God rained hell out of heaven, there was another instance where he rained rain out of heaven. And he flooded the entirety of the earth except for eight people.
You see, sinners, and unfortunately, some believers say, well, that just seems like a little bit of overkill. That's because we don't understand sin. We really don't. See, we like to take the Bible and put it under the microscope and vote for what is and what isn't acceptable and pleasing to us.
What do we read in Psalm 135? Our God is in the heavens. He does whatever He pleases. Consistent with His righteousness, consistent with His holiness, consistent with His wisdom, consistent with His justice.
The Gospel is essential. by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preach to you, unless you believe in vain. It is essential, as taught by our Lord Jesus Christ. I love it when people will throw a bone to Christ and say, well, yes, he was a good teacher. Yes, he was a noble man.
Yes, he was a great moral example. Well, that good teacher That great example said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through me. See, it isn't Christians, it isn't the Christian church that is somehow bigoted, that is somehow exclusive, that is somehow prejudicial. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who has said very clearly, there's only one of two places to be.
You're either with me or you're against me. Now, just think about that for a moment right here, right now, because it's easy to think about the heathen. It's easy to think about the Arminian. It's easy to think about less than consistent Christians.
It's easy to think about everything else but ourselves. Right here, right now, do you have a saving interest in Christ? Right here, right now, are you looking to him alone to save you from your sins? If the answer is no, then believe the gospel.
If the answer is no, then come, Jesus says, unto me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The answer is yes, praise God. Praise God. I know there's a stanza by Watts in 271 that I think we do well to reflect on often.
Why was I made to hear thy voice, and enter while there's room, when thousands make a wretched choice, and rather starve than come? But the same Himrath said, pity the nations who are not, constrain the earth to come, send thy victorious word abroad, and bring the strangers home. See, the essential character of the gospel ought not to promote Christian bigots. Because while we insist on one way of salvation, that way is gracious, that way is magnificent, that way is glorious, that way is through Christ. who came into this world, who so identified with his creation, that he was born of a virgin.
He was born in humility. That he was able to say in his earthly ministry that the birds have their nests and the foxes have their holes. The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. So while we're exclusive, we're not bigoted.
We are preaching a full and a glorious Christ. We are praying to God, pity the nations of our God, and constrain the earth to come. You say, well, that'll never happen. Should we pray it?
Should we beseech the Lord? Should we call upon Him that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven, that His name be hallowed, that His kingdom come in power and in glory? So I think as Calvinists, we fall prey to results-based stuff just as much as Arminians. Arminians are always looking for the results.
Well, how many people did you get in the altar call? We as Calvinists, we've got this predestination unto, you know, there's only going to be a handful of us. So why bother praying? Why bother beseeching?
Why bother evangelizing? That's not biblical Calvinism. Jesus was a Calvinist. Paul was a Calvinist, Isaiah was a Calvinist, I'm using that language as a theological identifier.
They affirm the absolute sovereignty of God. But affirming the absolute sovereignty of God means affirming the absolute glory of Calvary, the beauty and the majesty of the cross. That Christ is a real Savior for real sinners. I love what Paul says prior in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 at verse 9.
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. It's good for us to condemn sodomy.
It's good for us to condemn murder. It's good for us to condemn abortion. It's good for us to condemn all these heinous acts of rebellion and sin. But it's good for us to affirm a real Savior for such real sinners.
Paul says, and such were some of you in the Corinthian church. People that have been redeemed by the power of the blood of Jesus Christ. Those who have been fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homo, homosexuals, sodomites, thieves, thavages, drunkards, revilers, extortioners. He says, in such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
And that brings us to consider, sixthly, that gospel is powerful for the worse. sinners the gospel is rooted in history it's revealed by God it's Christo century received by faith it's essential and
The Gospel Powerful for Sinners
sixly it is powerful for the worst of sinners I like this one I like the other five too but I really like this look at Paul verse 9 for I am the least of the Apostles who have not worthy to be called an apostle Because I persecuted the Church of God. Read the Book of Acts, brethren. Says I'm not worthy. I persecuted.
He stood by there when Stephen was being stoned to death. Remember that scene? Stephen testifying before the godless Sanhedrin? His face shone like an angel.
He had wisdom. The Spirit of God was upon him. He traces Israel's redemptive history, and how it focuses in and centers in on the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Stephen brings a sermon to bear on his hearers, and he says, you always resist the Holy Spirit.
Just like your fathers. What did it do to them? It stuck their ears and mashed their teeth. take this man, take him out of the Holy City. Don't make any mistake, brethren, they thought they were following God's law.
They didn't want to spill his unholy, ungodly, unsanctified blood within the city. Funny how just a few years before they claimed and realized that they had no authority under Rome to execute capital offenders. But in this instance, we'll go ahead and make a concession. What does the text say concerning Saul of Tarsus?
They took their robes off and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul of Tarsus, who stood by in agreement, consented. Same word Paul uses in Romans 1.32. He gets bored out of his own experience. Remember what Romans 1.32?
I mean, it's bad, Paul says, to be a sinner. But it's doubly black to consent, to agree, to nod your head when others are sinning that sin. Calvin calls Romans 1.32 the summit of evil. The summit of evil.
I don't think it's any accident that Paul uses that word. Because that's precisely what he did when Stephen was being stoned to death. He was agreeing. He was consenting.
He was giving his heartfelt approval for that spectacle. What about his conversion? What was Paul doing? Was he on his way to Bible study?
Was he going to Sunday school? Was he going to study the confession of faith? Well, he had paper, all right, but it was extradition orders. Go to Damascus.
Find anybody that are trapped in this sect of the Nazarene and bring them back to Jerusalem so that we can try them and execute them. That's what Paul was about. And it's on the road to Damascus that Jesus comes to him and says, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. You may be here this morning thinking that you have sinned in such a way that there's no hope for you.
It is a blessing and a privilege to be able to tell you there is hope for you. Paul said, I am the least of the apostles who am not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am. Not by his performance, not by his wisdom, not by, you know, he now has seen things in their proper light, but by the grace of God, I am what I am.
Galatians chapter one in verse 13, he highlights his role, or he highlights his place prior to his conversion. For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure, and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers." It's pretty bad when you're going to kill a man over the traditions of your father. who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles. I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus." There's that revelation again.
Gospel is revealed by God to the apostle Paul. In Ephesians chapter 2, Ephesians chapter 2, and you He made alive, who are dead in trespasses and sins, in which ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh." Paul includes himself in this list. Paul includes himself in this depiction of man apart. from the gospel of salvation. He does the same thing in Titus chapter 3.
Titus chapter 3 verse 3. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. Paul includes himself in this list or in this portrayal of what men apart from the gospel look like. He says, But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
And, of course, the one you're all familiar with in 1 Timothy chapter 1. 1 Timothy chapter 1. Beginning in verse 12. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly and unbelief. and the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtain mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, To God, who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
So the gospel is powerful for the worst of sinners. Let us close in prayer and praise God for this reality.
Closing Prayer
Our Father, we give you praise and thanksgiving for your mercy to us. We give you glory and adoration for the gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that you are sovereign, that you are good, We know as well, Father, that you have orchestrated the salvation of a great multitude which no man can number. I just pray for any and all who may be here that do not know you, we pray that you would convict them.
We pray that you would show them their sin and show them the blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the one in whom is all power and all ability in the saving of sinners. We thank you that Paul was able to continue in Ephesians 2.4, but God, who is rich in mercy. and who has great love has saved us, has delivered us. Father, we give you praise and adoration and we give you glory and we do so through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.