Return To The Gospel Pt. 17 (Spanish)

Good afternoon Church! Today we continue with Pt. 17 of our series Return to the Gospel. Now last week, as we unpacked the first 8 verses in chapter 15 of Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians we closed our sermon by asking a very real question—what do we do when doubt creeps in? And the answer we saw in the text was clear: we trust the gospel. Not because we feel it, but because the Gospel is grounded in reality.

However, in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul doesn’t just tell us to trust the gospel—he proceeds to provide the reasons why the message of the Gospel can be trusted. And He does this by pointing to the evidence behind the events of the resurrection.

In V5-7 Paul walked us through what we could call a series of testimonies—eyewitness accounts of the risen Christ. He begins with Peter, then the twelve, then more than five hundred and then James. And as Paul is laying out the evidence of all of these witnesses, all of them affirm one central truth: Jesus Christ is not dead—He is risen.

And this matters, it matters because throughout human history, the testimony of credible eyewitnesses has always carried weight. In a court of law, if you can present multiple credible witnesses—people who saw, who heard, who experienced something firsthand their testimony has the power to establish a verdict.

Some of you (older) might remember the movie The Client. The entire story revolves around a young boy who unintentionally becomes a key witness. He hears information about a crime—specifically, the location of a dead body—and suddenly his testimony becomes the center of everything.

Why? Again because in a court of law, a credible witness can change everything. Lawyers build their cases around it. Authorities pursue it. The outcome of the case can rest on it. And here’s the point: the power of that testimony doesn’t come from how the witness feels… it comes from what the witness has seen or heard.

In the same way, when Paul writes 1 Corinthians 15, he’s not appealing to emotion—he’s presenting witnesses as evidence. People who saw the risen Christ. People who heard Him. People who experienced Him firsthand. And just like in a courtroom, their testimony demands a response.

A well-known lawyer named, Sir Edward Clarke, said that after examining the resurrection, he had won cases in court on evidence far weaker than the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection. In other words, what Paul presents here in Ch15 would stand even under legal scrutiny.

And that’s exactly what Paul is doing—he is building a case. He is saying, this is not a myth, this is not religious imagination this is history. However Paul then proceeds to do something interesting. In V8 He calls himself to the witness stand. He moves from the testimony of others to his own testimony as he says, “Last of all… He appeared to me.”

So today, as we look at verses 8 through 11, we’re going to see the following: The gospel doesn’t just save us—the gospel transforms us. And we’re going to see how that transformation unfolds in the life of the Apostle Paul. With this in mind we will look at four ways the Gospel transforms our lives:

I. El Evangelio Nos Encuentra en Nuestra Condición Pecaminosa (V8-9)

1 Corinthians 15:8–9 NBLA

Y al último de todos, como a uno nacido fuera de tiempo, se me apareció también a mí. 9 Porque yo soy el más insignificante de los apóstoles, que no soy digno de ser llamado apóstol, pues perseguí a la iglesia de Dios.

Beloved, as we established a moment ago, Paul is now making a shift.

1. En el V8, Pablo pasa de presentar el testimonio de otros como evidencia a colocarse él mismo en el estrado de los testigos.

(Two things that make Paul a special witness)

He begins to testify about what he himself has seen.

He writes, “And last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.”

Now what’s important for us to see here is that this statement makes Paul a unique witness—a specially appointed witness of the risen Christ. And there are a couple of reasons for that. First, all the other witnesses Paul mentions—Peter, James, the Twelve, the more than 500—they all saw the risen Christ before the ascension.

However Paul encounters the risen Christ after the ascension.

If you go back to the beginning of Acts, chapter 1, we’re told that after the resurrection, Jesus remained with His disciples, giving them instructions. He commissions them, He restores Peter, He prepares them for the mission—and then He ascends into heaven. But when we arrive at chapter 9… we encounter something different.

And the Bible tells us that “Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord…” is on his way to Damascus.

That word “breathing” carries the idea of what gives life. In other words, this wasn’t casual opposition—this was Paul’s very purpose. This was what drove him. He goes to the high priest, asks for the authority, in order to set out and arrest anyone who belongs to the Way—men or women—so he can bring them back in chains.

But then… everything changes. As he is traveling, a light from heaven flashes around him. He falls to the ground and hears a voice: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he says, “Who are You, Lord?”

And the answer comes: “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”

That’s the moment Paul is referring to when he says, “He appeared to me also.” So, this is not theory. This is not secondhand testimony.

2. Pablo vio al Cristo resucitado y glorificado después de la ascensión.

But here’s the second reason that makes Paul a special witness—and this is where it gets even more powerful. What makes

3. Lo que hace que el testimonio de Pablo sea tan convincente no es solo que vio a Jesús después de Su ascensión, sino quién era él cuando tuvo ese encuentro con Él.

Because unlike the others, Paul was not originally a follower of Christ. He wasn’t seeking Jesus. He wasn’t curious about Jesus. He wasn’t even neutral toward Jesus. He was an enemy of Jesus.

In fact, just one chapter earlier in Acts, chapter 8, Paul stands in approval of the execution of Stephen. And now in chapter 9, he is actively pursuing the destruction of the church. Paul himself confirms this in verse 9 of 1 Cor 15: “I persecuted the church of God.”

And don’t miss this—if he is persecuting the church, he is persecuting Christ Himself.

For that reason this changes everything about his testimony. Because now we’re not just dealing with a witness who believes… we’re dealing with a witness who was violently opposed to the risen Christ. (This makes his testimony special)

And yet—when we hear from him in 1 Corinthians 15—he is completely transformed. Which means something happened to Paul.

And the question we must answer now is this:

4. ¿Qué pudo tomar a un hombre que vivía de esa manera—un hombre hambriento, incluso sediento de violencia—y transformarlo en el hombre que vemos en 1 Corintios?

What could cause him to write about love the way he does in chapter 13? What happened to Paul?

Well Church Scripture tells us exactly what happened.

5. En el camino a Damasco, se encontró cara a cara con el Cristo resucitado.

And when a man comes face to face with his Creator, he cannot remain the same.

Later, Paul reflects on that very moment in Galatians 1:13–16. He says, “You have heard of my former manner of life… how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it…” But then he adds, “But when God… was pleased to reveal His Son in me…” Don’t miss that.

“But when God…” Paul is making something crystal clear—this didn’t start with me.

I wasn’t searching.

I wasn’t pursuing.

I wasn’t moving toward God…

I was running the opposite direction.

But God intervened. God revealed. God acted. And then Paul gives us even more insight in regards to this encounter in 1 Timothy 1. He says: “Even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor… yet I was shown mercy.”

And then he adds: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost.”

Oh beloved, think about what this means.

6. Pablo no se arregló a sí mismo antes de que Cristo lo encontrara.

Christ met him as a blasphemer. As a persecutor. As a violent man. Which means that the gospel meets us at our worst—not after it.

And that’s huge for us this morning. Because some of you might be thinking my sin is too great. That what you’ve done is beyond forgiveness. That certain people are too far gone—too hardened—too broken to ever change.

But Paul stands as living proof that no one is beyond the reach of the gospel. The gospel is powerful enough to take a man who hated Christ and turn him into a man who lived for Christ. Powerful enough to take a persecutor and make him a preacher. Powerful enough to transform not just what we believe—but who we are.

So hear this clearly:

7. El evangelio no nos encuentra en nuestro mejor momento, nos encuentra en nuestro pecado.

It meets us not as seekers, but as rebels.

Not as neutral, but as enemies.

Not as people running toward God—but as people running away from Him.

And that’s exactly where it met Paul. And if we’re honest… that’s exactly where it meets us too. And here’s the good news— the gospel doesn’t just meet us there… and leave us there. No, beloved

II. El Evangelio Redefine Nuestra Identidad (V10a)

1 Corinthians 15:10 NBLA

Pero por la gracia de Dios soy lo que soy, y Su gracia para conmigo no resultó vana. Antes bien he trabajado mucho más que todos ellos, aunque no yo, sino la gracia de Dios en mí.

Beloved, don’t miss the shift. In verse 9, Paul says, “I am not worthy to be called an apostle…” But in verse 10, he says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am…” That’s the power of the gospel.

He’s not saying I was… and now I fixed myself

He’s saying I was… and now God has met me in my brokenness and through Him I am what I am.

So we will look at three manifestations of the transforming power of the Gospel in the life of Paul:

8. Primero, Pablo fue transformado de perseguidor a Apóstol.

Paul says in verse 9, “I persecuted the church of God.” In other words this is who I was. But now listen to how he speaks in:

1 Corinthians 1:1 NBLA

Pablo, llamado a ser apóstol de Jesucristo por la voluntad de Dios,

Do you see the shift? The man who once hunted the church has now been sent to bring the message of the church. From persecutor to apostle.

9. Segundo, Pablo fue transformado de enemigo a instrumento.

Paul wasn’t just distant from Christ—he was opposed to Christ. However listen to what the Lord speaks about His purpose for Him in:

Acts 9:15 NBLA

Pero el Señor le dijo: Ve, porque él es Mi instrumento escogido, para llevar Mi nombre en presencia de los gentiles, de los reyes y de los israelitas;

Don’t miss that. The one who opposed the name of Christ is now chosen to carry the name of Christ. From enemy… to instrument in the hands of God.

10. Tercero, Pablo fue transformado de destructor a edificador.

Paul tried to tear the church down. He says in:

Galatians 1:13 NBLA

Porque ustedes han oído acerca de mi antigua manera de vivir en el judaísmo, de cuán desmedidamente perseguía yo a la iglesia de Dios y trataba de destruirla.

But now listen to how he describes his life in:

1 Corinthians 3:10 NBLA

Conforme a la gracia de Dios que me fue dada, yo, como sabio arquitecto, puse el fundamento, y otro edifica sobre él. Pero cada uno tenga cuidado cómo edifica encima.

In other words the same man who once sought to destroy the church is now laying the foundation of it. From destroyer… to builder.

So, What made the difference? Paul has already told us:

“By the grace of God I am what I am.”

The grace of God is.

God’s unmerited favor upon us.

It is God moving toward us when we were running from Him.

God’s love being poured out on us

Romans 5:8 NBLA

Pero Dios demuestra su amor para con nosotros, en que siendo aún pecadores, Cristo murió por nosotros.

He didn’t deserve God’s grace.

He could never earn God’s grace.

He wasn’t even pursuing God’s grace.

God gave it freely. This is crucial.

11. La gracia no es solo perdón—la gracia es transformación.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NBLA

De modo que si alguno está en Cristo, nueva criatura es; las cosas viejas pasaron, ahora han sido hechas nuevas.

We are not just forgiven… We are made new.

So hear this, beloved:

You are not your past.

You are not your worst mistake.

You are not your sin.

If you are in Christ— you are a new creation. And the same grace that took Paul

from persecutor to apostle…

from enemy to instrument…

from destroyer to builder…

is the same grace at work in us.

And this is our hope. We don’t just trust the gospel because it is true— we trust it because it transforms. Because the resurrection is not just an event to believe—it is a power that changes us.

It changes who we are.

It changes how we live.

It changes what we love.

And it changes our purpose, our direction, our identity.

Which brings us to the third way the Gospel transforms our lives:

III. El Evangelio Produce una Vida de Labor con Propósito (v. 10b)

1 Corinthians 15:10 NBLA

Pero por la gracia de Dios soy lo que soy, y Su gracia para conmigo no resultó vana. Antes bien he trabajado mucho más que todos ellos, aunque no yo, sino la gracia de Dios en mí.

Now, do you see what Paul is doing here? Here in the second part of V10 Paul moves from identity to purpose. “By the grace of God I am what I am,” and then he adds “I labor because of the grace of God with me.”

Not only who he is…

but his purpose for living.

12. El evangelio no solo redefine quiénes somos, también le da dirección a cómo vivimos.

Because the reality is, many people live this life aimlessly. No direction. No meaning. No purpose. But when the gospel takes hold of your life—it gives you purpose. So, Paul states that the grace of God not only saved him by giving him a new identity but it also empowers him to live his life for the glory of God. And we actually saw that earlier.

When God calls Paul in Acts 9:15, He says that: “He (Paul) is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles…”

So Paul wasn’t just saved he was given a purpose. He wasn’t just transformed he was commissioned.

And now in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is reflecting on that reality: As he states “I labored…”

Paul’s life now has direction. His life has purpose. Even this letter—is part of his labor.

He is pouring himself out for the sake of the church. And don’t miss the transformation here. The one who was a persecutor became persecuted. The one who once sought to destroy the church now gives his life to build it. The one who once hunted believers now suffers for believers. That’s not behavior modification. That’s gospel transformation.

But here’s where the tension comes in—and this is crucial.

Paul says:

“I labored even more than all of them…” Who labored? Paul did.

That’s real effort.

That’s real discipline.

That’s real sacrifice.

But then he immediately corrects it:

“…yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”

Ok so who labored? Paul works hard but he knows the source of his work. He knows that he owe’s everything to God’s grace.

And this is exactly what we see in Philippians 2:12–13

Philippians 2:12–13 NBLA

Así que, amados míos, tal como siempre han obedecido, no solo en mi presencia, sino ahora mucho más en mi ausencia, ocúpense en su salvación con temor y temblor. (V13) Porque Dios es quien obra en ustedes tanto el querer como el hacer, para Su buena intención.

Now here’s the question: Which one is it? Do we work or does God work? Because Paul says, “work out your salvation…” That sounds like our responsibility. But then he says, “for it is God who is at work in you…” That sounds like God’s responsibility.

So which one is it? The answer is: yes. We work—because God is working in us.

We labor—but our labor is empowered by His grace. And Jesus says the same thing in Gospel of John:

John 15:5 NBLA

Yo soy la vid, ustedes los sarmientos; el que permanece en Mí y Yo en él, ese da mucho fruto, porque separados de Mí nada pueden hacer.

Do you see it? We bear fruit—that’s real effort, real obedience, real action. But apart from Him—we can do nothing.

So hear this clearly, church:

Grace does not make us passive.

Grace does not lead to laziness.

Grace does not remove responsibility.

Grace empowers responsibility.

We still work.

We still endure.

We still walk in obedience.

We still step out in faith.

But we do so knowing that God is the power behind it all.

Which means this:

13. No trabajamos para obtener gracia. Trabajamos porque hemos recibido gracia.

We don’t strive to earn grace. We labor because it’s already ours in Christ.

14. Y cuando la gracia de Dios realmente está obrando en nuestras vidas, no solo cambia quiénes somos—dirige cómo vivimos.

It aligns our life with God’s mission.

It moves us toward people—not away from them.

It produces a life that is spent for the glory of God…and not wasted.

So don’t miss this:

15. La misma gracia que transforma nuestra identidad es la misma gracia que nos da propósito.

And we see this result in the life of the Apostle Paul. Look at how the story of his conversion ends in:

Acts 9:20–21 NBLA

Enseguida se puso a predicar de Jesús en las sinagogas, diciendo: “Él es el Hijo de Dios.” (V21) Y todos los que lo escuchaban estaban asombrados y decían: “¿No es este el que en Jerusalén destruía a los que invocaban este nombre, y el que había venido aquí con este propósito: para llevarlos atados ante los principales sacerdotes?”

And that leads us right into our final point:

IV. The Gospel Produces a Unified Message that Leads to Faith (V11)

1 Corinthians 15:11 NBLA

Sin embargo, haya sido yo o ellos, así predicamos y así creyeron ustedes.

Don’t miss what Paul is saying here. Beloved, this is not about competition. This is not about Paul versus Peter… Paul versus Apollos… He already addressed that earlier in the letter—

Paul says, no—that’s not the point. The point is the message. And the message is the same. “Whether it was I or they…” In other words—it doesn’t matter who is preaching. Because we are all proclaiming the same gospel.

And the result? “…so we preach and so you believed.” This means that the outcome is the same: Faith.

Why?

16. Porque el poder no está en el mensajero. El poder está en el mensaje.

That’s why Paul says in:

Romans 1:16 NBLA

Porque no me avergüenzo del evangelio, pues es el poder de Dios para la salvación de todo el que cree.

Do you see it? The gospel itself—is the power of God.

Not the preacher.

Not the platform.

Not the personality.

The gospel. And that means this is our mission.

We may serve in different ways.

We may labor in different places.

It may look different in your life than it does in mine.

I’m a pastor—you may be in a workplace, a home, a school, a community. But the mission is the same: To take the gospel—the power of God—to a lost world. Because that is what brings salvation.

And now Paul gives us a living example of that reality—his own life. He says in:

1 Timothy 1:15 NBLA

Palabra fiel y digna de ser aceptada por todos: Cristo Jesús vino al mundo para salvar a los pecadores, entre los cuales yo soy el primero.

Do you hear it? Paul says—I’m the example.

The one who persecuted the church.

The one who tried to destroy it.

The one who stood as an enemy of Christ…

“I am the foremost.” And then he says:

1 Timothy 1:16 NBLA

Sin embargo, por esto hallé misericordia, para que en mí, como el primero, Jesucristo demostrara toda Su paciencia como un ejemplo para los que habrían de creer en Él para vida eterna.

For what purpose did God poured out His mercy on Paul?

“…as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.”

Paul is saying: Look at my life.

Look at where I was.

Look at how He met me in my sin.

Look at how He changed my identity.

Look at how He gave me purpose.

Look at how He entrusted me with this message.

And if He did it with me—He can do it with you. And how does Paul end? He doesn’t take the credit. He gives glory.

1 Timothy 1:17 NBLA

Por tanto, al Rey eterno, inmortal, invisible, único Dios, a Él sea honor y gloria por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.

That’s the right response. Because at the end of the day: It’s all of grace.

By the grace of God, we are who we are.

By the grace of God, we do what we do.

By the grace of God, lives are changed.

And if the gospel could take a man like Paul—a persecutor… an enemy… a destroyer— and turn him into a preacher, a builder, a servant of Christ… then that same gospel—the power of God—can change your life too.