The Significance of The Faith Pt. 2

Introduction

Take your Bibles and find 1 Corinthians 15...

We are answering the question, what is “the faith”? - Jude 3 tells us to earnestly contend for “the faith”...

Now, last week, we looked at verses 1 and 2 on “The Introduction of The Faith...”

We saw how that our faith has been preached faithfully, our faith has been received personally, and our faith has been verified previously.

Tonight, we are going to continue this thought talking about “The Significance of The Faith” and look at “The Ingredients of The Faith”...

Just as food required certain ingredients for the final outcome to be tasteful, so Christianity required certain ingredients for the end result to be genuine.

These ingredients we are going to look at tonight make up the faith that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Look in your Bibles...

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 KJV 1900

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

In these verses from the Word of God, we are given the necessary ingredients of the faith…If you don’t have these ingredients, then you do not have the faith.

People today have faith in many things, but THE faith is the only way you will get to Heaven. You can go out into eternity believing anything you want, but anything, except THE faith will set your eternal destination for hell.

Let’s take a look at these ingredients...

I-Christ’s Substitutionary Death

1 Corinthians 15:3 (KJV 1900)

3 ...how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

The fact that Jesus Christ came to die as our substitute is the starting point for the faith...

“Christ died for our sins” is the theological explanation of the historical facts. Many people were crucified by the Romans, but only one “victim” ever died for the sins of the world.

Jesus Christ is the key ingredient of the faith. Without His death on the cross, the faith would be subject to our own payment for sins - a payment that would mean eternal death for each of us.

Romans 6:23 KJV 1900

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:8–10 (KJV 1900)

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

When Paul wrote “according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3) he was referring to the Old Testament Scriptures.

His death was foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures in chapters like Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53.

The sacrifices of the Jews pointed to the Lord. From the lamb without blemish being sacrificed for sins, to the brazen serpent on the pole that brought healing if they looked upon it, they pointed to Jesus Christ.

Don’t miss it, Christs’s Substitutionary Death is the first ingredient for the faith!

II-Christ’s Secured Burial

1 Corinthians 15:4 (KJV 1900)

4 And that he was buried...

We don’t often think of the burial of Jesus as part of the gospel, but it is. It’s proof positive that He really died, because you don’t bury someone unless they are really dead, and Jesus’ death was confirmed at the cross before He was taken down to be buried...

When Jesus’ body was taken from the cross and placed in the tomb, the chief priests and Pharisees asked Pilate to place soldiers as guards for the tomb. They knew Jesus had prophesied His own resurrection, and they feared that Christ’s death on the cross would indeed not be the end.

Matthew 27:62–66 KJV 1900

62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, 63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. 64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. 65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. 66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

The chief priest and Pharisees were saying that, “In light of what He had said and the fact that He is dead, it would be good that guards be put at His tomb.” They requested that Pilate send guards to the tomb to guard it until the third day. Their unrenewed and un-redeemed minds concocted that the disciples might come and steal the body, and then spread a lie that would cause even more damage.

The disciples could not have come up with this plan. They were hiding out for fear of their lives. The One they loved and followed had died, and their hope had been diminished.

Was it guilt that prompted the chief priest and Pharisees to do this? Was it hatred? Was it fear that prompted them to go to great links to put an end to Christianity?

They brought the request to Pilate and they brought a reason for the request. Pilate did not want a national uprising, just as the chief priest and Pharisees didn’t want a national uprising.

I’m sure Pilate was surprised to hear that it wasn’t over. The deal hadn’t been finalized. Even though He was dead, there were still rumors of further disturbance in the air.

The Pharisees were thinking, “We can’t let these folks outwit us and cause any other commotion over this deceiver.”

The Pharisees requested the guards because the Roman soldiers were the best-trained and most vicious warriors. To their thinking, nothing could get by these soldiers. They went to the best there was, but the best was no match for our Lord!

III-Christ’s Sure Resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:4 (KJV 1900)

4 ...that he rose again the third day...

Paul not only states that Jesus resurrected from the grave, he actually points to three unquestionable proofs to the resurrection:

1. The resurrection was prophesied by the Scriptures…Notice in verses 3 and 4...

2. The risen Christ was seen by hundreds of eyewitnesses, many of whom were still alive to testify of their experience...

3. Jesus Christ had appeared to him, personally...

1 Corinthians 15:5–8 KJV 1900

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

After Christ arose, He was first seen by Peter. We do not know the exact time and place this happened. Even though Peter had forsaken the Lord, Christ did not forsake him. It is possible the Lord appeared to Peter first because he needed to see the Lord the most because of his denial.

Jesus was also seen by the other disciples and then by 500 other believers. We do not know the identity of these folks. There were adequate witnesses to His resurrection that continued to live almost twenty years after the resurrection when 1 Corinthians was written. Some of these believers, however, had gone home to be with the Lord which is expressed by the term “asleep.” The use of this metaphor for death refers to the body, not to the soul of the believer. It pictures for us a condition of rest, and implies that the Christian goes on living even when his body lies in the cemetery. Just as bodily sleep is a living, temporary condition, so is death itself.

Jesus was also seen by James, which is believed to be the half-brother of the Lord who originally was a skeptic, but eventually trusted in Christ. James became a key leader in the church at Jerusalem and was also the author of the wonderful epistle of James.

Paul was one of the last of the apostles to see Christ several years after His resurrection and ascension.

One of the greatest witnesses of the Resurrection was Paul himself, for as an unbeliever he was soundly convinced that Jesus was dead. The radical change in his life—a change which brought him persecution and suffering—is certainly evidence that the Lord had indeed been raised from the dead. Paul made it clear that his salvation was purely an act of God’s grace; but that grace worked in and through him as he served the Lord.

Conclusion

That phrase “first of all” in verse 3 means “of first importance.” - The Gospel is the most important message that the church ever proclaims.

“Christ died … He was buried … He rose again … He was seen” are the basic historical facts on which the Gospel stands...

Christ came as a man, truly human, and experienced all that we experienced, except that He never sinned. If there is no resurrection, then Christ was not raised. If He was not raised, there is no Gospel to preach. If there is no Gospel, then you have believed in vain and you are still in your sins! If there is no resurrection, then believers who have died have no hope. We shall never see them again!

The conclusion is obvious: Why be a Christian if we have only suffering in this life and no future glory to anticipate?

The Resurrection is not just important; it is “of first importance,” because all that we believe hinges on it.

The ingredients of the faith…What do you believe tonight?

“Christ died … He was buried … He rose again … He was seen”