The Gospel Hope

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 NASB95

1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

Preached and Received

1 Corinthians 15:1 NASB95

1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received…

We all heard the gospel

Which means, we had to be taught, we had to be told. It was preached to us.

We weren’t born with this knowledge, even if we have known and believed from a young age. We had to be told. Think of Romans 10:14

Romans 10:14 NASB95

14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

We have received what was told to us

The Holy Spirit has opened our eyes to the truth and reality of the gospel, and we believed. We received the good news.

Which you Stand

1 Corinthians 15:1 NASB95

1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel … in which also you stand,

We not only heard, not only believed, but now we stand!!

This is where we stand. We are firmly rooted in the gospel.

When we hear, when we believe, then we stand in the gospel, not moving to the left or the right, not going somewhere else to find security, but we now stand in the gospel.

Why do we stand in the Gospel?? Because…

Which you are Saved

1 Corinthians 15:2 NASB95

2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

You are only saved because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You haven’t done anything to deserve salvation, no matter how hard you tried

The gospel, hearing and believing, is the only way. You cannot earn this, you can only accept it, receive it and believe. And you are saved

Believed in Vain??

A belief that is empty, without substance

Consider what we read in 2 Timothy 3:2-5

Many have believed in vain, they have no true hope in the gospel

Also, Romans 10:9-10

Romans 10:9–10 NASB95

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Of First (Most) Importance

1 Corinthians 15:3 NASB95

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

This isn’t a secondary issue… this is the primary issue

Paul has addressed Sexual Sin, He has corrected wrongful tolerance, he has taken head on divisions in the church, he has re-established gifts and their proper use… but of all things, this is the most important

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 NASB95

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

What Does This Mean??

1 Corinthians 15:20–22 NASB95

20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

We will be raised, be resurrected, because Jesus has been raised

This is great news for us and those we counsel.

The Resurrection means we have an eternal hope (life) because of what Jesus has done, not because we have done great or have no issues we are dealing with

The Resurrection means our troubles are temporary. We will not deal with these sinful behaviors, these decaying bodies, we will bear the image of the heavenly (V.49)

The Resurrection means Christ complete victory in every aspect of our lives, even death

1 Corinthians 15:54–57 NASB95

54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Victory over death, Jesus says in John 11:25-26

John 11:25–26 NASB95

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

The Resurrection means we have an eternal hope (life)

The Resurrection means our troubles are temporary.

The Resurrection means Christ complete victory