WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:04.240 Open your Bibles to First Corinthians chapter fifteen. 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:26.960 If you'll notice in First Corinthians chapter fifteen and verse one, we read, Paul says, Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:32.159 Paul ends this letter to Corinth with a reminder. 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:39.840 Something they were already familiar with, but something he desired to remind them of once again. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:42.399 A reminder of the gospel. 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:50.719 For the Christian, the gospel is what refreshes and rejuvenates weary souls. 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:55.520 It draws wandering hearts back to Jesus. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:00.079 It stirs our love and affections for God. 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:07.439 The gospel produces an unending amount of praise and worship. 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:33.439 John Newton, the writer of the famous hymn, Amazing Grace, tried to capture this response to the gospel in the fourth stanza when he wrote, When we've been there ten thousand years, bright, shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we'd first begun. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:47.120 For these reasons, it is vitally important that the gospel never fades to the background in our minds, in our hearts, and in our lives. 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:59.760 If you yourself this morning find that your heart is growing cold to the Lord, or it grows cold to the things of the Lord, go to the gospel. 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:02.079 Go to the gospel. 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:06.560 And it is to the gospel that we go this morning. 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:08.240 Father, we thank you for today. 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:11.599 We're thankful for this opportunity now to open up your word. 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:15.599 We acknowledge that what we're reading this morning, it is your word. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:21.520 Every syllable, every letter, every word is from you. 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:25.599 So, Father, this morning we come to the Word with respect. 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:35.120 We come this morning with a desire to hear from you, knowing that you have something for us today, that you have something to say. 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:41.919 I pray this morning that we would listen, that our hearts would be open, that we would be receptive. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:49.520 And Father, I pray that in this message of the gospel, this gospel reminder this morning, you would refresh, rejuvenate. 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:53.360 For any hearts this morning that have grown cold, warm them to you. 00:02:53.520 --> 00:03:03.919 And for those that don't know you, I pray that they this morning would hear how they can be made right with you and have the hope that the gospel brings. 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:05.919 It's in Jesus' name I pray. 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:06.879 Amen. 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:14.960 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 1, Paul tells us that he is going to give a remainder of the gospel. 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:20.560 But before we can get into that, the very first question we need to ask this morning, what is the gospel? 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:22.159 What is the gospel? 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:24.479 In the Greek, the word is youangalion. 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:28.000 It is literally translated good news. 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:29.280 Good news. 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:34.319 It was in fact used in secular Greek to refer to military victories. 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:41.360 It referred to the messengers who brought the good news, the good report of the successful battle. 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:52.240 Jesus and the New Testament authors later utilized this word to refer to the good news or the good report of what Jesus had come to accomplish. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:54.719 What Jesus had come to do. 00:03:55.039 --> 00:04:00.800 And what Jesus came to earth to do is very good mess, a very good message. 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:05.199 It's very good news for you and for me this morning. 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:20.399 Before Paul reminds us of what this good news is, he explains how one must respond to this message for it to become, what he says in verse 2, the means by which you are saved. 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:24.959 The gospel is good news because it explains how you can be saved. 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:37.360 And here Paul is going to use several different words, three different verbs, to explain how someone must respond to this gospel in order to be saved. 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:44.560 Several years ago, Liz and I had entered into a contest to win tickets to a Michigan basketball game. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:53.759 This is something I never do, but I was in the car and listening to sports radio, and they announced this drawing that was going to take place. 00:04:53.839 --> 00:04:58.720 And all you had to do was call into the radio, and you had to be the seventh caller, and you'd be entering into the drawing. 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:02.399 And I thought, I'd never do this, but I don't know why I kind of want to give it a try. 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:07.920 So I called up on the on the radio, called, and lo and behold, they answered and said, You're the seventh caller. 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:09.439 I thought, no way. 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:11.279 This is incredible. 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:20.319 So I so I uh asked they told me, okay, listen in at this time, on this date, on this Friday, and we will announce who the who the grand prize winner is. 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:27.199 And I'll never forget because it was the very first year that Liz and I attended the winter retreat with the youth group here. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:28.959 And we were on our way to church. 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:31.759 In fact, Jose, we were turning right next to your house. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:44.399 We were driving right by Jose's house, and all of a sudden and so on the radio we're listening, and the announcer says, It's time to announce the winner of the two tickets to the Michigan, Iowa basketball game on Valentine's Day. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:48.879 And I was sitting, I was driving, my hands were on the wheel, and I was like, Oh, here we go. 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:56.000 And it's silence in the car, and Liz and I are just waiting, and they said, and the grand winner is dramatic pause. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:58.560 Jonathan Fuller. 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:06.000 And Liz and I were like, Whoa! We're going crazy in the car, we're driving, we won the tickets. 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:07.199 I never win anything. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:09.519 I won the tickets, but you know what they said? 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:17.519 They said, if you want the prize, you must call back and claim it. 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:20.720 In other words, you have to receive the gifts. 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:27.920 And we had to go in, Liz had to go, and she had to get the tickets along with the$100 gift card to Nothing Bunt Cakes. 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:31.439 And by the way, we enjoyed a lot of cakes as well. 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:33.680 But you see what I'm saying here. 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:35.439 We had to respond. 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:37.439 It was good news, it was great news. 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:47.199 We were excited, but we there was a response required on our part in order for the blessings, the benefits to be applied to our accounts. 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:59.360 Paul is saying, this is good news, this is great news, this is amazing news, but you must respond to it in a specific way to receive the benefits of what that good message is. 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:04.720 Notice the three verbs he utilizes in the text in chapter 15, beginning in verse 1. 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:16.079 He says, I preached it to you, I told you, I shared with you the message, he says in verse 1, which you received, which you received, the first word here is received. 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:19.279 This is a past tense verb. 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:26.800 Paul is saying, at a previous point in time, I came to you with this message of the gospel, this amazing news. 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:30.240 And when you heard it, you received it. 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:35.600 You acknowledged it, you believed it, and you trusted in it. 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:36.639 You received it. 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:46.480 There was a specific point in time in your life when you heard this message and you said, I believe that, and I receive it and accept it. 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:54.480 But notice he goes on and he says, It's not only which you received in verse 1, but he says, in which you stand. 00:07:55.040 --> 00:08:05.199 This verb is present tense, current, meaning that Paul is saying, not only did you believe this message at a previous point in time, he's saying, you believe it now. 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:12.720 You are currently standing in it, you are believing it right now, you're trusting in this message of the gospel currently, presently. 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:28.560 But notice finally, he says in verse 2, he says, after by which you are being saved, he says, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain, which means this is our third verb and it's future tense. 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:31.600 You notice past, present, and future tense receptions of the gospel. 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:32.559 And what does he say? 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:43.759 In which you are holding fast, meaning you will you will grasp onto, hold on to this gospel, not only in the past, not only in the present, but it's something that you will continue to do going into the future. 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:56.879 As you continue to live, you will continually hold fast to the gospel, meaning that for the believer, these verbs indicate what genuine gospel reception looks like for you. 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:12.720 If you want the benefits and blessings of what the message is, the good things the message proclaims, there must be a point in time in your life where you personally receive it, where you hear what the message is and you say, I believe that, I trust that, I receive that and accept it. 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:15.360 It must be something that you still believe. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:26.799 It's not, in other words, it's not something where you just say a prayer to uh to get a get out of hell free card when you're seven years old and then forget it and live your life however you want the rest of your life. 00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:30.559 Paul's saying it's in which you stand now, you believe it now. 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:33.200 And you will continue to believe it. 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:35.039 You'll continue to hold fast to it. 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:37.440 This is what we refer to as perseverance. 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:39.279 Perseverance. 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:45.279 Now, what this doesn't mean is that you can lose the benefits of the gospel. 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:48.159 That's not what Paul is trying to indicate here. 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:56.240 In other words, you can believe, and then if you stop believing, you lose it, and then you can rebelieve and get it back again, and then stop believing, and that's not Paul's point. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:09.200 Paul's point is genuine gospel reception is evidenced by a life that believes in the gospel and continues to believe the gospel into the future. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:17.519 This is what indicates, this is what shows that your belief is real, that your belief is genuine. 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:23.440 It's through these through these three verbs that Paul describes how you are called to respond to the gospel. 00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:26.159 This is how you are called to respond to it. 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:32.879 There are a lot of false teachers and false gospels in the world today that teach a different means of salvation. 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:39.519 They would seek to show you in verse one, or excuse me, in verse two, the means by which you can be saved. 00:10:40.879 --> 00:11:00.320 They teach means of salvation by personal righteousness, personal merit, doing good works, being a good person, saying a prayer, going to church, being a spiritual person, taking the Eucharist as the means by which you can be made right with God and saved. 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:03.200 But let me be perfectly clear this morning. 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:11.840 It is belief in the content of the message of the gospel that is the only means of salvation. 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:14.960 It is by grace and it is through faith. 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:20.159 It is by you personally trusting in Jesus and in the message of the gospel. 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:30.559 That is the only means by which you can be made right with God, saved from your sin, and know that you will have eternal life with God forever. 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:31.519 This is it. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:32.879 This is it, people. 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:34.480 This is the only way. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:42.480 So then, if that is true this morning, then we would all have to agree that it's pretty important to know what is the message of the gospel? 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:44.240 What am I confronted with? 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:51.600 What truths am I confronted with that I must respond to in belief in order to be saved from my sin? 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:57.279 And Paul says, let me remind you, let me remind you of the message of the gospel. 00:11:57.440 --> 00:11:59.840 We see the message of the gospel in verse 3. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:05.519 And if you're ever wondering, how do I explain the gospel in the most succinct way possible? 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:13.360 If I could boil it all down and say it, maybe you're here saying, I know I need to share the gospel with people, but I stumble over my words, I have a hard time explaining it. 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:14.879 Go to this verse. 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:22.000 Because in the most simple way possible, Paul explains what the message of the gospel is. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:24.399 And notice what he says in verse 3. 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:31.120 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received. 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:43.759 That Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:46.320 This is the gospel. 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:53.840 He says in verse 3 that he delivered this message of the gospel when he calls the gospel in verse 3 of first importance. 00:12:54.320 --> 00:13:00.480 He says the gospel is first in priority and in importance. 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:11.360 One of the most famous coaches in football, one of the most famous coaches to have ever coached, and the most famous coach for the Green Bay Packers was a coach by the name of Vince Lombardi. 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:20.080 And if you know anything about football, you know that the championship trophy is named after this very famous special coach of the Green Bay Packers. 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:25.679 And it was a very famous, legendary story when Vince first came to the Packers, they were no good. 00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:27.200 They were a terrible football team. 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:38.960 And Vince stood up in front of that room and he and he was prepared to give his opening remarks of how he was going to transform this historic team into a great team once again. 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:45.840 And he stood up in front of the room and he held up a football and he said, Men, this is a football. 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:53.360 And the story goes on that he then teaches the team and they become a great championship-winning team again. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:55.200 But notice where he started. 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:58.080 He said, Men, this is a football. 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:00.559 And you may be thinking, these are all football players. 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:02.320 Surely they already know. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:04.799 They're familiar with what the shape of the ball is. 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:06.080 They know that this is a football. 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:07.840 So what was Vince Lombardi's point? 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:09.039 What was he trying to communicate? 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:22.320 His point was that it doesn't matter how complex the plays are, it doesn't matter how good the defensive or offensive system is, it doesn't matter how good of a coach he is, it doesn't matter how talented the players are. 00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:34.320 If they wanted to be successful in football, they had to nail down the fundamentals, the basics, the most fundamental things about football. 00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:38.799 Learning, this is a football, this is how you become better at football. 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:41.120 He started with the basics, the foundation. 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:44.879 In other words, nothing else would matter if they didn't get that part. 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:53.919 And Paul's point by saying the gospel is of first importance is to say, nothing else matters if you don't get the gospel. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:56.639 The gospel is of first priority. 00:14:56.799 --> 00:14:58.399 It is of first importance. 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:11.919 We could apply this to a church setting and say, it doesn't matter how knowledgeable we are of the scriptures, it doesn't matter how smart we are, it doesn't matter how doctrinally precise we are, what positions we take on these fringe interpretive challenges in scripture. 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:16.559 None of that matters if you don't have clarity on the gospel. 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:27.679 If you don't know and are intimately familiar with the gospel, we could take that and broaden it out to all of life and to say it doesn't, nothing else matters. 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:45.039 It doesn't matter if you have a good family, it doesn't matter if you marry a good person, doesn't matter if you uh you raise good kids, doesn't matter if you have a good job, good money, good house, good car, good life, none of it matters if you don't have the gospel. 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:46.960 The gospel. 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:48.639 Do you know this morning? 00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:50.080 You need the gospel. 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:55.440 Are you aware this morning of your desperate need of the gospel? 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:56.799 I hope you know it. 00:15:56.960 --> 00:16:00.240 Paul says, this is more important than anything else in life. 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:03.200 Nothing else matters if you don't have this. 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:05.039 And what is this? 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:06.639 What is this? 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:09.039 He breaks it down into two parts. 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:13.679 He says, number one, Christ died for your sin. 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:16.720 Christ died for your sin. 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:30.000 He explains here to us this morning that Jesus' death on the cross was purposeful, it was significant, it was done for a reason. 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:38.000 If you go all the way back to the book of Genesis, in Genesis chapter 3, we read that the curse of sin is death. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:44.399 That when Adam and Eve sinned and they turned away in rebellion to their creator, in their sin came death. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:47.360 And death is described in the Bible in a few different ways. 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:52.879 Death is described in a physical way, in which there is a separation between what is material and immaterial. 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:54.080 This is physical death. 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:57.200 This is what we will all face dying one day. 00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:58.720 But the Bible doesn't stop there. 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:01.360 It says there is also something called a spiritual death. 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:03.600 This is a separation between man and God. 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:08.960 And the Bible, it's why in Ephesians chapter 2 we read, that you are dead in your trespasses and sins. 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:10.640 You may say, I'm breathing, I'm living. 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:12.319 There's breath going in my lungs. 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:19.119 You may be alive physically, but you are born dead spiritually, meaning you are born separated from your Creator. 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:21.839 You must be reconciled, you must be made right. 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:30.319 Because the Bible says, if that doesn't happen, then there is coming a day where you will participate in what the Bible says is the second death. 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:31.599 This is eternal. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:36.720 This is eternal separation from God forever, to pay for the penalty for your sin. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:52.000 We also recognize that in Ezekiel chapter 18, the prophet Ezekiel says that the person who sins shall die, meaning there is personal accountability, meaning that you yourself are responsible for your creator. 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:56.079 You will stand before your creator one day, know with nobody else. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:58.240 It'll be you before God. 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:00.960 Can I ask you this morning, are you ready for that day? 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:03.519 Are you ready to give an account that day? 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:14.400 Because the Bible says, you, the person who sins, if you have sinned, if you've rebelled, if you've turned away from God, if you are living in sin, you're accountable. 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:16.160 You're accountable. 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:22.319 We recognize that all wickedness, all unrighteousness must be punished. 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:25.200 And the punishment is death. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:28.240 Why is the gospel good news? 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:33.599 Because Christ died for your sin. 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:40.720 Meaning when Jesus died on the cross, this is what we refer to as a substitutionary sacrifice. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:44.799 Meaning that when Jesus went to the cross, he did so on your behalf. 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:45.839 On your account. 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:48.400 He was perfect, perfectly righteous, perfectly just. 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:50.000 He was the perfect Son of God. 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:53.039 He had no sin to pay for on his own account. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:57.839 Which means that when he went to the cross, he did so on your behalf. 00:18:58.160 --> 00:19:00.480 And it says he died for your sin. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:02.799 Why was death required for Jesus? 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:04.960 Because death is the penalty of sin. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:06.559 Well, Jesus died. 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:12.799 He died, therefore, fulfilling the payment, satisfying God's wrath on sin. 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:14.960 He died for your sin. 00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:26.640 The gospel is good news because it declares that God sent Jesus to come to earth to take your place, to receive his wrath instead of you. 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:30.960 But notice this is only the first half of the gospel message. 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:41.359 If you continue on in the text, we notice in verse 4 that Paul says that Jesus was buried and that he was raised on the third day. 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:49.039 The second half of the gospel, and why this is such good news is because Jesus rose from the dead. 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:50.720 This is the resurrection. 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:53.599 This is what we celebrate next Sunday. 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:59.119 The fact that Jesus not only died for sin, but he rose. 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:03.920 Jesus' sacrifice for sin was accepted by God. 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:14.319 If Jesus' sacrifice was insufficient or incomplete, or if it wasn't enough, Jesus would remain in the grave. 00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:23.440 But because his sacrifice was enough, it was therefore accepted by God, proven through the resurrection. 00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:26.079 Jesus' sacrifice was accepted. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:30.960 Jesus made an incredible claim, an incredible promise while he was here on earth. 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:35.279 He says, believe in me and you will have eternal life. 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:39.119 Believe in me and you will live forever with God. 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:40.559 Believe in me. 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:50.960 And notice, notice, Jesus, if Jesus was in the tomb today, how confident would you be in his claim to give you eternal life? 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:59.039 If Jesus was in the grave today, how confident would you be to say, I'm gonna place all my faith in a guy who's dead and in the grave? 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:00.640 Would you be confident? 00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:04.000 No, no, no, you wouldn't. 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:08.799 But notice when Jesus rose from the grave, he validated his claims. 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:13.039 Everything Jesus said was validated through the through his resurrection. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:19.279 When Jesus rose from the grave, it proved, it proved he has victory over death. 00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:22.640 He has life in himself. 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:31.359 Therefore, we can know and be confident that if we place our faith and trust in him, we too can have that eternal life. 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:33.279 The resurrection is significant. 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:36.240 We're going to spend more time talking about the resurrection next week. 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:39.759 It's the most significant event in all of human history, the resurrection. 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:41.440 So come back next week. 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:42.880 You don't want to miss it. 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:46.559 Remember what Paul tells us in verses 1 and 2, though. 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:57.119 You must personally receive, stand in, and hold fast to this message this morning, not by simply acknowledging the facts, but by personally trusting in Jesus. 00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:58.640 Jesus says, believe in me. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.599 That's the message. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:08.880 So, are you personally trusting, placing your faith in Jesus for his sacrifice to be applied to your accounts? 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:13.119 It's by faith that this good news is applied to you. 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:19.519 It's by faith that your sins are forgiven through Jesus, and you then have life in Jesus. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:21.279 It's by faith this morning. 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.400 This is the gospel. 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:23.440 This is good news. 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:24.960 Are you with me so far? 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:26.880 Good. 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:29.359 So then, Paul continues on. 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:31.759 He gives us the proof of the gospel. 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.559 The proof. 00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:36.160 In fact, these are parallel statements in the text. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:42.319 He says that Christ died for our sins, and then in verse 4 that he was buried. 00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:47.599 The burial is the validation of the death. 00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:51.359 The burial is the validation of the death. 00:22:51.599 --> 00:23:05.279 There was popular Jewish belief at the time that the soul of a body hovered over the body for three days before it finally departed. 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:09.200 Now, there is no basis for this belief in Scripture. 00:23:09.359 --> 00:23:16.319 However, what this was communicating, the three days in the grave, did communicate that Jesus was truly dead. 00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:20.079 This wasn't a simple fainting. 00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:26.960 This wasn't Jesus just growing weak on the cross and passing out and becoming unconscious for a period of time. 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:28.480 This was genuine. 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:29.200 This was real. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:35.039 He actually, physically, scientifically, biologically, really died. 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:36.480 He died on the cross. 00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:37.839 He was dead as dead. 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:41.200 And the three days in the grave validate this. 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:47.359 This is significant to us today because death was the necessary payment to satisfy God's wrath on sin. 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:52.640 If Jesus didn't really die, then there was no payment offered up to God for sin. 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:53.680 But he did. 00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:56.400 He was buried, put in a tomb for three days. 00:23:56.640 --> 00:24:00.240 Notice the second proof is what Paul spends much more time discussing. 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:08.079 We'll notice later on in 1 Corinthians, Paul spends a lot more time talking about the resurrection because this is what was the challenge point in Corinth. 00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:10.640 This is what they were struggling with understanding and believing. 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:20.880 So Paul now moves on and says that not only do we read that he was raised on the third day in verse 4, but then what was the proof or the validation of the resurrection? 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:22.799 We read in verse 5. 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:27.519 He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:35.039 Then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:39.119 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:46.720 Last of all, as one, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:53.440 We notice that the second validation, the second proof of the gospel was the eyewitnesses. 00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:54.880 The eyewitnesses. 00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:58.400 Paul names several here in the text, several eyewitnesses. 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:05.759 These include Peter, that's Cephas, the twelve disciples, the 500 followers at one time. 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:12.559 We're not entirely sure what instance this is a reference to, or if it's even included elsewhere in the Gospel accounts. 00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:21.200 It's possible this may have been the gathering of the individuals that were there at the giving of the Great Commission at the end of Matthew chapter 28. 00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:24.240 Some people believe that's a reference to this specific time. 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:26.079 You have a reference to James. 00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:30.480 That wouldn't be the disciple James, that would be a reference to Jesus' half-brother. 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:33.200 And that becomes significant later on as well. 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:35.440 And then a reference to the apostles. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:42.799 So Paul's point in labeling these witnesses is to prove the authenticity of the resurrection. 00:25:43.039 --> 00:25:48.160 According to Jewish law, the most significant cases could only be decided by witnesses. 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:54.319 We're talking cases of trial, cases of murder, could only be decided by witnesses. 00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:56.319 You needed eyewitnesses to make a judgment. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:26:12.480 Cicero, which was one of the most well-respected Roman statesmen who would have lived just prior to the time of Jesus, summarized Greco-Roman philosophy when he said that the testimonies of witnesses were weighty when they are many and they are consistent. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:14.319 This was the philosophy of the time. 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:18.640 Witnesses are weighty when they are many and they are consistent. 00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:23.839 Even today, eyewitness accounts are considered the strongest pieces of evidence. 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:28.319 Caleb is still trying to catch me speeding around town, but he never will. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:30.400 He doesn't have an eyewitness. 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:32.799 He tries to see, he tries to find me. 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:36.000 It's because I always obey the speed limit laws, so good luck. 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:43.200 You need an eyewitness to validate the truth of the claim. 00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:54.720 And there's hundreds here in the text that Paul that Paul says, and by the way, he says some have fallen asleep, meaning a lot of these folks, they're still alive. 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:56.720 In other words, it's almost like the challenge. 00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:00.000 Like, hey, if you're kind of wondering, just go ask them yourself. 00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:01.279 They'll tell you. 00:27:02.079 --> 00:27:03.920 They'll testify, they'll tell you. 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:09.039 For us today, it's like uh you know one of the kids comes and says, My room is clean. 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:10.880 Hmm. 00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:12.880 Really? 00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:15.599 That's questionable. 00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:22.000 But if I have multiple eyewitnesses, it gets if Liz comes and says, Yep, I checked the room, it's clean. 00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:23.200 Okay, what does that say? 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:25.119 That's that validates the claim. 00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:28.960 The claim is validated through the eyewitness, the person that was there. 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:31.759 And this is this is recorded for us here. 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:42.079 These historical documents are recorded for your benefit to say that the resurrection wasn't this isolated event that like one or two people claimed to have seen Jesus resurrected. 00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:47.519 No, tons of people, tons of people saw and testified to it. 00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:55.359 And their record is recorded for us here in the text as a historical verification of the reality of the resurrection. 00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:57.839 Historically verified. 00:27:58.319 --> 00:27:59.920 This isn't fantasy. 00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:02.480 This isn't that one myth among many. 00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:04.799 This isn't one religious claim among many. 00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:06.559 This is unique to Christianity. 00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:08.799 It's unique to the resurrection. 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:16.160 And it's an incredible, incredible witness that we have today to validate that this was seen. 00:28:16.559 --> 00:28:17.519 It's real. 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:20.079 The gospel is real. 00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:22.000 The gospel is real. 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:26.640 So then, we end this morning with the power of the gospel. 00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:27.759 The power of the gospel. 00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:30.160 Paul testifies to the power of the gospel. 00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:34.720 He says, Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:42.079 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 00:28:42.640 --> 00:28:48.400 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. 00:28:48.799 --> 00:28:55.680 On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 00:28:55.920 --> 00:29:00.880 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach, and so you believed. 00:29:01.119 --> 00:29:07.119 The last person that Jesus appeared to in person was Paul. 00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:10.960 This is what Paul means when he says that he was untimely born. 00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:15.440 He was converted to Christianity after everybody else. 00:29:15.680 --> 00:29:25.519 And this, of course, is a reference to Saul's former life, which was known as Saul, Hebrew of the Hebrews, a Pharisee, and a great persecutor of the early church. 00:29:25.680 --> 00:29:33.039 And it was in the midst of his efforts to wipe out Christianity that Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus. 00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:37.759 And Saul converted at that point, repented of his sin and believed in the gospel. 00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:47.279 And the great persecutor became the great evangelist, the great church planter Paul, who would go forward and carry this message of the gospel to the nations. 00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:50.640 Paul testifies to his own testimony here. 00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:54.640 And he's truly testifying to the power of the gospel in his life. 00:29:54.880 --> 00:29:56.720 This is powerful stuff. 00:29:56.960 --> 00:30:01.920 In other words, this isn't just some kind of periphery little like component to my life. 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:06.720 There's a lot about me, there's a lot of things I do, and the gospel is just one tiny little component. 00:30:07.039 --> 00:30:14.960 No, what Paul is saying here is that the gospel grabbed a hold of him and completely transformed him. 00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:16.880 It completely changed him. 00:30:17.039 --> 00:30:21.519 It wasn't just a little prayer that he prayed and then went on his merry way and lived his life however he wanted. 00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:29.599 No, the gospel had profound and significant effect on Paul's life to the point where he became a completely new person. 00:30:30.559 --> 00:30:33.920 And Paul says it's all on account of the grace of God. 00:30:34.160 --> 00:30:36.960 It's the grace of God that did this to me. 00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:38.960 And so we're challenged this morning. 00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:43.039 We're reminded to say, is the gospel changing you? 00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:45.279 Is the gospel transforming you? 00:30:45.440 --> 00:30:51.359 Has the gospel grabbed a hold of your life this morning and completely made you into a new person? 00:30:52.000 --> 00:31:01.279 This is the intended effect of the gospel as it's genuinely believed, received, stood in, and held fast to is that it changes you. 00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:03.119 It changes you. 00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:06.000 And notice Paul says, not because of my good effort. 00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:08.880 He says, I did work hard, but what was the ultimate effect? 00:31:09.119 --> 00:31:11.119 How am I a new person today? 00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:13.200 God's grace. 00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:15.119 God's grace did this. 00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:17.359 The gospel transformed me. 00:31:17.519 --> 00:31:19.279 The gospel changed me. 00:31:19.599 --> 00:31:24.559 People, you should understand the resurrection changes everything, doesn't it? 00:31:24.799 --> 00:31:27.440 The resurrection changes everything. 00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:30.160 It's as we read in the book of Acts, they're complaining about it. 00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:33.680 They say this gospel message, it's turning the world upside down. 00:31:33.839 --> 00:31:34.960 We would say, Amen. 00:31:35.440 --> 00:31:36.480 Yes, it does. 00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:38.640 The gospel changes everything. 00:31:38.880 --> 00:31:48.960 If Jesus died for my sin and I can be saved from my sin and made right with God forever and know that I have eternal life in Him, that changes everything. 00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:50.559 It should. 00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:51.920 It should. 00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:54.720 Are you being transformed by the gospel this morning? 00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:55.920 Is it changing your heart? 00:31:56.079 --> 00:31:57.200 Is it changing your priorities? 00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:58.799 Is it changing your mission, your goal? 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:00.880 Is it changing everything about you? 00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:03.440 I hope so. 00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:14.799 Jonathan Edwards, famous American Puritan, perhaps says it best when he says this. 00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:24.720 The work of redemption is not only a work of deliverance from punishment, but a work of restoration to holiness. 00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:30.720 When God saves a soul, he does not leave the nature unchanged. 00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:47.519 He implants a new principle of life, a new disposition of heart, whereby the believer begins to delight in God and to pursue conformity to his will. 00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:50.960 Do you have that new nature this morning? 00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:55.839 Is your heart stirred with affection and love to God? 00:32:57.519 --> 00:33:02.000 Do you delight in him and pursue conformity to his will this morning? 00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:06.160 I'd like to offer two challenges this morning as we come to a close. 00:33:06.640 --> 00:33:11.920 The first is if you have never personally received the gospel, like it's explained here. 00:33:13.519 --> 00:33:26.480 If you've never received the gospel invitation and received and trusted in and believed in Jesus for your forgiveness, don't go to sleep today without doing that. 00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:30.160 Don't leave here today without doing that. 00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:32.960 It's like we said at the beginning, nothing else matters. 00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:37.599 There is nothing else that matters in this life if you don't have the gospel. 00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:39.279 You need Jesus today. 00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:47.119 You need his sacrifice to be applied to your account so you can be made alive and have the assurance of eternal life with God forever. 00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:48.079 You need that this morning. 00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:51.839