Experiencing the Core of the Gospel
1 Corinthians
15:1-11
Paul addresses
many problems of the Church of Corinth. In chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians , Paul
addresses the Core of the Gospel. He looks at what the Gospel is and its
reality and result.
Outline
I. The Reminder
of the Core of the Gospel
II. The Reality
of the Core of the Gospel
lll. The Result
of the Core of the Gospel
I. The Reminder
of the Core of the Gospel
1 Corinthians
15:1-2 ESV
[1] Now I would
remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in
which you stand, [2] and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the
word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
Without the
Core of the Gospel , everything done in the church is done in vain. Paul then
shows what is the most important point of the Gospel. Jesus Christ died on the
cross for our sins.
1 Corinthians
15:3 ESV
[3] For I
delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died
for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
II. The Reality
of the Core of the Gospel
The second core
was that he was buried and was raised from the dead after three days.
1 Corinthians
15:4 ESV
[4] that he was
buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the
Scriptures,
John 12:24 ESV
[24] Truly,
truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it
remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Unless we
understand what it means to die and actually die to self, we cannot grow.
1 Corinthians
15:14-15
ESV
[14] And if
Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in
vain. [15] We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified
about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the
dead are not raised.
1. Scriptural
witness
Psalm 16:10 ESV
[10] For you
will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.
Acts 2:31 ESV
[31] he foresaw
and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to
Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.
2. Apostolic
witness
Acts 2:32 ESV
[32] This Jesus
God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.
1 John 1:1 ESV
[1] That which was from the beginning, which we
have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have
touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—
3. Global
Witness
1 Corinthians
15:6 ESV
[6] Then he
appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still
alive, though some have fallen asleep.
[8] Last of
all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
lll. The Result
of the Core of the Gospel
1 Corinthians
15:9 ESV
[9] For I am
the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I
persecuted the church of God.
Paul knows who
he is because of the Gospel
1 Corinthians
15:10 ESV
[10] But by the
grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the
contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace
of God that is with me.
Gods
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense
Ephesians
1:7 ESV
[7] In him we
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according
to the riches of his grace,
The Twofold
Dimensions of Grace
1. Saving Grace
for Salvation through the death of Burial of Christ.
2. Empowerment Grace
for Service through the Resurrection of Christ
Salvation
Graces saves you whereas Empowerment Grace gives you the strength to serve.
