What Matters Most

The Gospel of Christ is of First Importance

Introduction

If I asked you what is the most important thing in your life what would your answer be? What is the most important thing you know?

If I asked you what is the most important thing in the church, what would you say?

In one survey when people were asked what they look for in a church, 80 percent of the answers fell into these categories in this order:

1. Friendliness

2. Children’s/Youth Programs

3. Worship Music

4. Sermons

5. Pastors

Another survey gave similar results:

Quality of sermon (notice it is not content)

Feeling welcomed by the leaders

Style of service

Location

Education for kids

Having family/friends in the congregation

Availability of volunteering opportunities

While these things are important, and some of the categories could probably be clarified some, I think they miss what is most important in the church as a whole and in our lives individually. As we take a look at , want us to notice what Scripture says is most important.

Lets go to God’s Word.

Congregational Reading

1 Corinthians 15:1–11 HCSB

Now brothers, I want to clarify for you the gospel I proclaimed to you; you received it and have taken your stand on it. You are also saved by it, if you hold to the message I proclaimed to you—unless you believed for no purpose. For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then He appeared to over 500 brothers at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one abnormally born, He also appeared to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by God’s grace I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not ineffective. However, I worked more than any of them, yet not I, but God’s grace that was with me. Therefore, whether it is I or they, so we proclaim and so you have believed.

Paul’s Purpose in Writing

Paul is writing to the church in Corinth to “make clear” for them the gospel. It seems that they had forgotten the key message that had been proclaimed to them in the beginning. I believe this is made clear in their behavior. What we believe, what we really believe, will effect how we live!

In this letter, we see Paul begin by addressing some glaring sins that had crept into the church and were being tolerated by the church.

Way back in chapter one, he addresses division in the church. The church at Corinth had become cliquish, forming different factions within itself and identifying with different leaders. Paul says it should not be like that among you, and he grounds his argument in the cross (i.e. “is Christ divided?”).

He addresses sexual immorality in chapter five. Immorality that, not only, has made its way into the church, but is being tolerated, even applauded, by the church! Again, he says this cannot be, and again, he grounds his argument on an aspect of the cross; God’s impending judgement on sinners.

While he addresses a specific example here, the principle can be applied to any sin (e.g. lying, gossip, neglect of worship, etc.) . We must not tolerate sin within the church; Don’t you know that “a little leaven, leavens the whole batch of dough”?

For those who claim Christianity and are members of the church, we must hold one another accountable and practice biblical church discipline. This is for the purity of the church and the sanctification of the believer; it’s for our good and God’s glory!

For those outside the church, we must be truthful about the inevitable consequence of sin: death and eternity in Hell; but also the hope and eternal life that is only found in Christ Jesus!

Paul goes on to address various other issues such as pride, greed, idolatry, and some specific issues that the church had written about to him. Every time he addresses something he keeps returning to the cross!

That theme is continued through the closing chapters of the letter and our text. He wants to “make clear” the gospel. He says it’s of “most importance”.

This is from the Greek Protos, meaning: something preceding all others in time, space, or degree. What he’s saying to this Corinthian church, and what we need to hear today, is that this gospel message is the first thing we need to hear and believe, and that there is nothing greater, or more important than this gospel!

He’s saying that the message of Christ and the cross is the foundation of, and more important than, all the other things he has addressed.

It is the foundation of, and more important than, Christian liberty, than spiritual gifts, than church structure, than church order, than church programs, than church leadership.

The gospel is the headwaters, or source, from which all these other things flow! Church, we must get the gospel right and it must be our primary focus, individually and collectively.

Paul’s Purpose in Preaching

That brings us to Paul’s purpose in preaching. Since this gospel is most important, that is the message that he has delivered to Corinth and the message that he is seeking to making clear now.

Notice he says that he has passed on what he received. This message did not originate with the Corinthian church and it did not originate with the Apostle Paul.

No, the gospel has been revealed to us by God Himself! This is good news for us! Since this message originates from the God who is Truth, then the message is also true.

Like Paul, this is the message we have received and this is the message we proclaim! In the words of Voddie Bauchum, “I don’t write the mail, I just deliver it”.

The gospel is most important, so it is the message Paul preaches; we see this throughout all of his letters. It is the power of the Holy Spirit, through the proclamation of the gospel that caused the Corinthian church to come about. There is no church without the a body of believers who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ!

Romans 10:14 HCSB

But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher?

Paul desires to see people come to saving faith, so he preaches the gospel. Church, is that our desire? If so, are we proclaiming this gospel?

We see from this verse in Romans and from our text today that the gospel must be preached, or proclaimed, and it must be received. To be saved, you must hear the gospel and you must receive, or believe, the gospel.

This message of salvation has been entrusted to the church to be proclaimed to all the world, but it is only the Holy Spirit who enables one to truly believe this message.

So, let us pray for the Spirit to open the eyes, ears, and hearts of the lost to receive this message as He empowers us to faithful in proclaiming it!

The gospel was preached, it was received, and the church stands on it. The gospel is the foundation of the church! It is the basis of our belief. It is what gives us our identity in Christ as adopted sons and daughters of God.

We stand on this gospel, we proclaim this gospel, and we defend this gospel. In , Paul says to Timothy,

2 Timothy 1:13–14 HCSB

Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who lives in us, that good thing entrusted to you.

2 tim

These are some of Paul’s final words as he was awaiting execution; hold on to and guard the gospel! Church, this is our commission; stand on and defend this gospel with your very life!

For it is the message of salvation, IF you hold fast to it and do not believe in vain. Here we see there is true belief and false belief. We see the dichotomy between those who believe and are saved and those who do not and are justly condemned in their sin.

False belief is intellectual assent, you have head knowledge. James tells us that even the demons have that. They know who Jesus is and what he did on the cross, but that is not saving faith.

False belief is an emotional response, again James tells that the demons shudder at their knowledge of Christ. They have an emotional response, but that is not saving faith

True belief is knowing, believing, and trusting with all that you are in Jesus alone as the basis for your salvation.

What is this Gospel?

But God, in His grace, has sent His only Son to take the punishment of my sin on Himself and offer His righteousness to me, so, I believe God’s Word and lean solely on Christ as the object of my faith and the purchaser of my salvation.

What is this Gospel?

So, if this gospel is so important, if it is the only means of salvation, then what is it.

It is simply this, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. That is the gospel message!

This gospel is Christological, it is all about Jesus! There is nothing in us or about us that deserves salvation.

Romans 3:10–18 HCSB

as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become useless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they deceive with their tongues. Vipers’ venom is under their lips. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and wretchedness are in their paths, and the path of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Because of our sin, we are deserving of nothing but eternity in Hell suffering the righteous judgement of God! It is nothing but the grace of God that He has made a way of salvation for us!

Ephesians 2:8–9 HCSB

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.

Jesus lived the sinless life of obedience that we could not, and willingly gave his life in place of ours so that we might receive his righteousness!

The gospel is Christological and it was Prophetically Predicted. There are some 400+ prophecies, allusions, or foreshadows of Jesus in the Old Testament. The Old Testament that was completed some 400 years before the birth of Christ! Here are but a few:

Psalm 69:4 HCSB

Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head; my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me, are powerful. Though I did not steal, I must repay.

Psalm 41:9 HCSB

Even my friend in whom I trusted, one who ate my bread, has raised his heel against me.

Psalm 69:21 HCSB

Instead, they gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Psalm 69:2 HCSB

I have sunk in deep mud, and there is no footing; I have come into deep waters, and a flood sweeps over me.

isaiah

Isaiah 53:4 HCSB

Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.

isaiah

Isaiah 53:7 HCSB

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, He did not open His mouth.

The gospel is biblically attested. We have the account of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection in the gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. All of which were first hand, eyewitness accounts.

The gospel is historically verifiable. The Bible has more historical evidence verifying its authenticity and its historical accounts than any other book known to man.

Jesus’s resurrection was verified by numerous eyewitnesses, including over 500 people at one time! Some of which were alive when Paul wrote this letter.

The gospel is effectual. It accomplishes its purpose and it produces change. Paul says, “but by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain”. You see, Paul was a persecutor of the church, having Christians put to death. But God’s grace was sufficient for him, and it is sufficient for you too.

Romans 5:20–21 HCSB

The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is no sin that puts you out of the reach of God’s grace! If you would but repent and look, in faith, to Christ for you salvation.

Romans 10:13 HCSB

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

And it produces work. Paul says that because of God’s grace toward him and God’s grace in him, he works.

James 2:18 HCSB

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.

Saving faith will always be accompanied by the fruit of the Spirit and good works. We don’t work to produce saving faith, rather saving faith produces good works.

So, if we truly believe, let us work, let us proclaim, so that, by the grace of God some may believe!

Conclusion

The Gospel of Christ is of First importance!

Friends, this is what is most important, the gospel. This is where it all starts, this is our foundation.

Mark Dever says it like this, “This news is either right or wrong. Either we are sinful (as the Bible claims) or we are not sinful. Either God does or does not exist. Either he is or he is not who the Bible says he is. Either Jesus did die on the cross and rise from the dead or he did not.”

The gospel is not, “I’m OK, you’re OK”; “Whatever you think of as love is God”; “Jesus is your friend”; “You should live right and do the best you can”; No, true belief in the gospel is this:

acknowledging that I am a sinner (as God’s Word says I am), I am deserving of nothing but condemnation, I have no hope on my own.

But God, in His grace, has sent His only Son to take the punishment of my sin on Himself and offer His righteousness to me, so, I believe God’s Word and lean solely on Christ as the object of my faith and the purchaser of my salvation.

Friend, do you believe this? Is your hope in Jesus and nothing else?

Church, do you stand on and defend this gospel? Do you proclaim it?