Of First Importance
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Introduction
Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Paul point is to remind them of the gospel.
I preached
Your received
The gospel on which you make your stand
The gospel by which you are saved!
Paul says two things about this gospel first that “hold firmly”
Secondly he says it’s of “first importance”
Perhaps it’s two ways of saying the same thing.
Gospel means “Good News” and that is what I want to preach to you today, the Gospel. And I want to do so by addressing the resurrection of Jesus.
This idea of resurrection is worth serious consideration. There are doubters. In fact that seems to be the purpose of this section of Scripture. 1 Corinthians 15:12
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
Now I will say this, Paul does give his readers an options, as we will see, to fact check his claim but proof is not really the point. Writing to the church he is making the assumption that you believe in the resurrection. (However now a days that’s an assumption that can not be made.) He is however, making the claim the the resurrection of Jesus is central to the gospel that has been preached.
1. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
1. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
This is first and foremost a message about Jesus, what he has done for us.
There is a temptation to make the gospel about us but we must never do that. We benefit from the gospel but it must remember it’s about how Christ has affected us.
[Dietrich Bonhoeffer] Our salvation is “from outside ourselves.” I find salvation not in my life story, but only in the story of Jesus Christ. Only those who allow themselves to be found in Jesus Christ—in the incarnation, cross, and resurrection—are with God and God with them
Can we be sure that Jesus died?
READ “CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS FROM A DOCTOR”
How do we understand this clause “according to the Scriptures”? Paul uses in twice.
Jesus indicated to his disciples that all the events of his life should be known to them.
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
But do not overlook the very important clause, “for our sins.”
This culmination of everything sense Genesis 3.
In Leviticus 16 God establishes a Day of Atonement. A ceremony is implemented to atone for the sins of Israel. It is a ceremony that requires blood.
Why blood? Leviticus 17:11
For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.
Jesus’ death for sin is the final and ultimate atonement for sin
2. Christ was buried.
2. Christ was buried.
What kind of burial are we talking about here? Carved out of tone, huge stone, and sealed
All 4 gospels give us an account of His body being taken down and bruied.
He was there for 3 days.
Thus according to Jewish tradition, “three days and three nights” need mean no more than “three days” or the combination of any part of three separate days.
D. A. Carson
Scriptural references Hosea 6:2
After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.
Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
3. Christ rose on the third day according to the Scriptures.
3. Christ rose on the third day according to the Scriptures.
If he had just died and stayed in the tomb we would not be here today doing what we are doing.
This is the miracle of all miracles.
I want a sign from God.
But the resurrection does something else. It points us to creation restored.
The First Letter to the Corinthians V. The Resurrection and Consummation, 15:1–58
In proclaiming the resurrection of Christ, the apostles proclaimed also the resurrection of mankind in Christ; and in proclaiming the resurrection of mankind, they proclaimed the renewal of all creation with him. The resurrection of Christ in isolation from mankind would not be a gospel message.
Paul spends a good amount of time in this chapter talking about our resurrection. By our I mean the resurrection of those who are in Christ Jesus.
FINALLY
4. Christ appeared to the apostles and other eyewitnesses.
4. Christ appeared to the apostles and other eyewitnesses.
Cephas (Peter)
The 12
More than 500 of the brothers and sisters (at the same time)
James (Jesus brother)
All the apostles
Paul himself
Why is this important?
These men and women died for what they witnessed, not what they believed in.
Peter-crucified upside down
Andrew-crucified
Thomas-pierced through with a spear
Bartholomew-Flayed alive
Philip-killed by Rome
Matthew-stabbed to death
James-stoned and clubbed to death
Matthias-burned to death
2. James jumps out because he was a major skeptic.
3. Women mentioned as eyewitnesses.
4. Paul was a not a friend Christians before his conversion.
So let’s wrap this up in a nice little package and put a bow on it. But I don’t need to say anything that hasn’t already been said by Paul
1 Corinthians 15:12–27 (NIV)
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he “has put everything under his feet.”
INVITATION