1 Cor 15:1-23

1 Corinthians 15:1–2 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

Intro:

Believing something doesn’t make it true.

I mean.. I’m sincere.. I believe it deep down in my bones..

Every dog, is born, and even as a puppy.

They open their little eyes.. looking to nurse..

And immediately, at that point, they are endowed with the ability to speak French.

I believe it..

And you may look on, and admire my conviction..

No matter how strong our conviction, we can’t create the existence of a truth that didn’t previously exist.

But tell me..

Even though I am a passionate believer..

We can’t make 2 + 2 = 7 -No matter how strongly you believe in it… there is a solid mathematical principle that cannot be changed..

I believe dogs speak French..

Does my belief.. still make it true?

For, if we change this simple equation from: 2+2=4… TO 2+2=7… then we change everything about math.

Absolutely not.

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Why?

Every rule… every formula… every principle… all out the window..

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If maybe you muster up some public sentiment...

If you get some politicians and some media folk at your back...

If you can create a victim for your cause…

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Then yes… maybe you will be affirmed. Maybe you can proudly proclaim that 2+2=7

Many will proclaim it with you.

To oppose it might become socially unacceptable..

It might become a new moral issue...

And if you still insist on 2+2=4… then you are a bad person… a bigot… a hater… a racist… an additionaphobe.

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And yet… no matter how sentimenally we become about a belief.

No matter how much we turn it into a new moral issue...

Belief… . in and of itself..

Has nothing to do with truth.

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Belief does not bring a reality into being. Belief does not contradict established

We do not create truth..

We might discover it..

We might dig it up.. and realize it..

But truth is not dependent upon us.. ++

It exists.. completely and totally.. independent.. of you and me.. ++

The apostle Paul.. has been addressing this issue..

The people in Corinth.. have been forming their own philosophies.. their own practices.. their own ideas..

The people in Corinth..

Were developing new thought..

On carnal liberty

.. .. on fellowship

.. on “what is / is not acceptable”concerning the practice of the gifts.. ++

On the practice of the gifts..

And Paul has been bringing them back in line..

They had ideas and beliefs..

They were forming their own kind of thing..

But it wasn’t truth..

Truth continued to be the same..

It’s an unmoving and consistent thing..

And it’s to this solid foundation..

That Paul continued to bring them back to.. ++

As we move now into chapter 15..

we will see.. that there is a greater matter to be reconciled..

Paul had shared with them.. the gospel..

That gospel message.. was the avenue through which they discovered and received..

… salvation.. ++

That gospel message.. has some vital aspects to it..

There are parts of the gospel message..

That.. if they were removed..

The whole thing.. would fall apart..

It would be rendered useless.. and moot. ++

Let’s consider .. three of those vital elements.. ++

FIRST:

Jesus.. is one with God! – He is the same!

He is of divine nature, and He humbled Himself from that glorious estate..

To become a man..

Yes.. in the flesh.. He was for a season.. human..

But in the spirit..

He has always been, and will always be..

God!

THIS IS A VITAL ELEMENT OF THE GOSPEL.

w/o it.. according to the scriptures.. there is not salvation. ++

SECOND:

Jesus.. received God’s wrath for the sins of mankind..

And thus, paid the eternal debt that we all owe God..

We owe Him.. according to the purpose of our creation..

Man was made to fellowship w/and to worship God.

Since man is fallen.. sinful.

He cannot give God what he owes..

But Jesus paid the debt..

And through Him, and Him only..

We can now have fellowship with God.

Essentially.. Jesus died for our sins..

THIS IS A VITAL ELEMENT.. OF THE GOSPEL

w/o it.. there is no salvation.. ++

THIRD:

After receiving this wrath.. and dying in our place..

Three days later..

He proved it.

How could He conquer death for us,

if He couldn’t conquer death for Himself???

How could He promise a new life forever for us..

If He Himself, didn’t go on living???

So, on day three..

What happened?

He rose from the dead.

The resurrection..

THIS IS A VITAL ELEMENT.. OF THE GOSPEL

w/o it.. there is no salvation. ++

This is what the scriptures teach..

and if we cannot use the scriptures, as a standard for truth and righteousness..

we have no standard for truth and righteousness.. ++

And then what happens?

Without a standard… we, like the Corinthians.. will want to take these vital elements of truth..

And convert them to fit our fancies.. ++

Then what.. do we have to stand on? ++

Our world lays its claim to relativism.

If we apply this philosophy to the Word of God..

… we are essentially.. setting ourselves adrift. ++

No rope.. no anchor.. no sail.. no rudder.. no compass.. no map.. no route

Just a floating chunk of wood on the ocean..

And if you’re on that floating chunk of wood..

Where are you going? ++

No where! ++

IN some translations… chapter 15 starts with this word “Moreover”

A word that sets a distinction..

It’s also translated.. “now!” ++

There’s a heightened importance to the words that are to follow..

He’s re-establishing their attention..

Now.. I would remind you, brothers… of the gospel I already preached to you… and which you received. ++

Take note of what Paul has already given them…

…many many corrections on how to live their Christian lives…

These are important.. for spiritual health

But this one.. this issue concerning the Gospel... is a matter of life and death. ++

Be selfish in church…

Be inconsiderate to your weaker brother..

Go ahead and have disorderly church services..

For in these things.. you may not be profitable..

But, you can still live forever.. ++

But now.. there are some..

Who have stepped off of the foundation of truth..

And they are claiming..

“there is no resurrection” ++

The other issue, the ones focused on loving one another, and being considerate and orderly… ..

They were not VITAL ELEMENTS OF THE GOSPEL..

But.. as Paul is about to share w/them..

This one.. “is”. ++

SLIDE 3

1 Corinthians 15:1–3 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word 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 in accordance with the Scriptures,

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SLIDE 4

1 Corinthians 15:4–6 ESV

4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

1 COR 15.

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SLIDE 5

1 Corinthians 15:7–11 ESV

7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

1 COR 15.

++

The ideal plan.. the best intentions.. the detailed program of events..

.. We establish them / set our minds on them / We determine, in the beginning..

That this is what we are going to do.. ++

But really.. how often do these ideal plans remain uncompromised?

Inevitably.. over time.. as these plans face the reality of “being carried out”

The compromises and the alternative ideas become more and more attractive. ++

Paul is showing the church at Corinth..

That many of them.. have compromised.. ++

They have embraced an alternative idea.

In vs. 1 / (15) – Paul has already told them..

That He preached the ideal plan..

They received the ideal plan..

But apparently.. not all have held fast.. or “held on tightly” to the ideal plan.. ++

“held on tightly” to the ideal plan..

Verse two, is defined by the verses that follow..

in vs. 2/ concerning the gospel, Paul said:

… by which you are being saved, if you hold fast that word I preached to you – unless you believed in vain…

.. literally.. unless your belief.. was w/o purpose. ++

Some have compromised the gospel..

Some have denied the resurrection..

And in this.. “their own version of the gospel”

…they are placing their faith… for eternal hope. ++

Their faith is not in the plan that God offered them..

No.. their faith, is in a belief that they’ve created themselves..

For once you remove a vital element from the gospel..

You are creating something new.. something different.. ++

And though this new belief might be based on Christianity..

It’s completely different.. - there are still numbers in the equation… you have a two… you have a

plus sign… you have another 2… and you have an ‘equals’ sign. It all looks so similar...

But… the answer to you is now 7… and not 4..

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Which means… you’ve turned these other numbers and these symbols into something else all together.

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Things look similar… the equation is laid out the same...

The same terms are used… it bears the resemblance of the other equation…

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But it’s not the same… The whole thing has changed....

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There are prominent religions that are based on our Bible and on our God...

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But, maybe they don’t believe in the same Jesus that we believe in…

maybe they think He is Michael the archangel… and maybe He has already returned to earth.

The folks across the street believe these things… they believe in a God who might return at any moment

to bring wrath down upon anyone who, in that moment, isn’t doing what they are supposed to be doing.

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Because of this fear… their believers are motivated to recruit and to attend meetings and to knock on doors…

For if they miss a day… or miss a meeting… what if that’s the day God returns? Oh what dread…

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Maybe they believe in one God… but only in terms of this one planet… and all who live on this one planet are that God’s spiritual children.

And maybe that God had a son who is the same as Michael the Archangel…

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Different God… different Jesus… but on Thursday I heard two of their missionaries talking to a young lady

using terms that sounded right… but the meaning behind those terms was completely different.

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Once we change the rules…

Then eternal life becomes dependent upon our fabricated idea. ..

Rather than God’s idea. ++

My car needs several things..

Three of the most vital elements are..

Fuel / oil / coolant. ++

If there’s no fuel.. there’s nothing to create combustion with.

If there’s no oil.. the engine will cease up..

If there’s no coolant..

The engine will overheat.. ++

I’d be an idiot to claim..

.. that I feel like my car will run just fine without the oil..

I can understand the fuel and the coolant..

But the oil part’s not necessary. ++

I have a computer..

It’s a very meticulous device..

And when I see the insides..

I’m amazed.. ++

There’s some incredible stuff going on in there..

But… if I feel like this little part, or that little part is not vital..

And I cut it out, or unplug it..

The end result..

Is going to be.. a computer that doesn’t work.. ++

We all, logically say..

That a car w/o oil will not profit us for travel

That a computer w/o a processor will not profit us for functionality..

But faith.. when it comes to that thing which connects us to the eternal...

When it comes to the reality that exists for all eternity, long after our cars and our computers have been burned away…

Well… we human seem to be completely ok with the manipulation of faith…

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The gospel? Hey.. it’s different than a ride to the grocery store..

It’s different than a little word processing..

It’s different.. ++

The Gospel is about life eternal!

And I don’t know about you..

But life eternal seems to me, like it’s a pretty important thing..

It seems to me, like it might shadow in comparison.. any other thing that stands up to it..

And yet..

We are so prone to take liberties with it. ++

For us.. it could be.. the deity of X.. the authority of the scriptures.. the miraculous.. the creation.. the exclusivity of salvation’s plan..

For some in Corinth.. it was: resurrection.

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SLIDE 6

(NKJV)

1 Peter 1:20–21 ESV

20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

20 dHe indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was 8manifest ein these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, fwho raised Him from the dead and ggave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

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[1]

SLIDE 7

(NKJV)

Romans 10:9 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

9 that iif you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. [2]

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There were some.. in Corinth.. who were leaving out.. this vital aspect of the gospel..

Jesus rose from the dead!

They didn’t hold fast to the ideal plan / the gospel that Paul originally presented to them..

They said..

We believe in Jesus.. we are going to be Christians..

But.. we can’t buy this stuff about our promised resurrection!!! ++

Paul claimed.. that the resurrection of Christ was attested to..

By Peter, by the 12, by 500 at once, James, all the apostles, and..

Paul says, “I saw Him too.” ++

A great majority of those who saw Christ..

Were given an opportunity.. to escape a martyr’s death..

All’s they had to do, was deny Jesus..

But they couldn’t deny Jesus..

Why?

Because they had seen Him.. resurrected. ++

The first generation of believers didn’t have the opportunity to be indoctrinated and brainwashed by some longstanding religious system..

They believed..

Because they saw and experienced.. Jesus Christ..

The resurrection.. has to be real..

And here.. is Paul’s logical argument. If Christ is risen, we will also be..

if we will not be risen.. then Christ wasn’t risen..

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SLIDE 8

1 Corinthians 15:12–14 ESV

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

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SLIDE 9

1 Corinthians 15:15–19 ESV

15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

1 COR 15.

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I’m not sure that the people in Corinth weren’t directly denying the resurrection of Jesus..

but, they were denying the resurrection of man..

and here, Paul lays out a train of thought..

that shows them..

Yes, indeed, if you deny the rez of man..

You deny the rez of Jesus..

.. and by doing so..

You create a faith.. that is futile..

And useless! ++

If Jesus is not risen..

The preaching / literally.. the communication of the good news..

.. is empty!

If Jesus is not risen..

Our faith.. is empty!

And if our faith is empty..

How pitiful are we.. That we are devoting ourselves to this belief..

That we are devoting ourselves to this belief..

And we are giving up so much that this world has to offer. ++

Many in Corinth, had to give up their professions..

The society itself was so based upon a pluralistic form of worship..

That many of the businesses in the town..

Were established to supply and supplement the needs of these religions.. ++

They gave up jobs..

They gave up friends..

They gave up family..

For what? ++

How pitiful they were.. if indeed, they gave it all up for an empty faith.

I place a degree of faith, in my car to get me home..

and I know.. that there is: fuel, coolant and oil in that car..

it needs them all.. ++

I place a degree of faith, in my computer, to retrieve my email.. to process my notes.. and to bring up important information..

And I know.. that I haven’t removed or unplugged any of the parts..

It needs them all.. ++

But folks..

I’m placing all my faith.. for eternity.

In the promise of the gospel..

Not in a gospel that I have changed.. according to my feelings and my opinions..

NOT A GOSPEL… that my society opposes, because it has changed the meaning of morality.

Not a Gospel, that bows to temporary… momentary sympathetic trends of society and politics…

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But, according to a gospel that is w/o compromise.

The “pick and choose” faith really baffles me..

For is it really, a confidence in eternal life that people are seeking in that religion..

Or.. is it just a psychological practice to calm some sense of inward guilt???..

Is it something people do... to appease traditions.. to fulfill some obligation??? ++

Here today.. we are a people who believe in gospel..

And if we have placed our faith in it..

We will say, w/confidence..

Yes, I know.. that I have eternal life. Yes, I am in a restored relationship w/God.. and I will live forever with Him.. ++

Yet, if you would interview those who are coming out of churches today..

… churches that have a more flexible and free way of interpreting the Word..

If we asked them..

They will most likely answer:

“I hope I get to live forever.”

I think so.

I’ve been good, so I should be able to go to heaven.. ++

Or.. they might say:

I don’t know.. we’ll have to wait and see. ++

Why the lack of confidence?

Because they subscribe to a religion.. that is lacking absolutes.

A religious system, that is based on scripture..

But changed and transformed by man’s opinion.. ++

The argument of many people..

.. is that: the Bible has been translated so many times over the years.

It’s current form, barely resembles it’s original form..

/The people who say this are simply paroting someone else who said it, and no one can really

give a solid explanation for their claim… ++

Such arguments look at scripture as if it was some piece of gossip that floated around from house to house..

When in fact.. the translations and the duplications of the Word..

From the beginning..

Were done with great care.. ++

They are not completely w/o grammatical error..

But they are close..

And it’s obvious, to those of us who study it..

It’s obvious..

That a tiny change may exist here and there, grammatically.. ++

But the intricate machine that scripture is..

The balance.. the harmony.. the checks.. the ties.. the intricately supportive themes..

Are still in tact. ++

They like to say..

that today’s Bible is far different than the original..

This is a masquerade of an idea.. that exists for one purpose..

For… If the bible has lost it’s original message, then they have a right to pick and choose.. ++

The Corinthians had received the message.. first hand..

And yet.. they still changed it..

They still compromised it..

It doesn’t matter if the truth comes as being old or new..

If we don’t like it..

We’ll find a way around it..

++

SLIDE 10

1 Corinthians 15:20–23 ESV

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

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Adam is spoken of here.. to reference the fate of natural man..

The natural man, who remains under the curse of sin..

w/o redemption.. will experience death..

But.. take note of the contrast..

In X.. we have a resurrection..

In X… all shall be made alive.. ++

Today, we’ve useD the word.. gospel.. several times..

it’s a word that simply means.. “good news”

To us.. it’s a message of eternal life..

The good news.. is this..

Jesus, being of divine nature..

Paid the ultimate price.. for our sins..

And sealed the deal..

By rising up, from the dead.. 3 days later.. ++

What do we have to do..

To experience it?

First off.. it’s a belief that is bestowed upon us by the H.S.

For it’s His job, to convict us.. ++

If you’re feeling the tug.. the pull.. the need to surrender to this call..

It’s because God’s Spirit is speaking to your heart.. ++

He might not be answering all your questions..

He might not be explaining everything to you..

But He is convincing you of one thing..

You need salvation. ++

What do you do with that realization?

One of two things..

Reject it..

Or.. respond to it.. in faith. ++

Scripture says..

“confess/ Lord Jesus / believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead / you’ll be saved..

Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord.. will be saved.. ..

What does it mean to call upon Him?

To believe.. He is the Son of God..

To believe.. that He paid the price for your soul..

To believe.. that He is alive..

To believe.. that He is freely offering this gift of eternal life to you..

Right now..

INVITATION…

COMMUNION.

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[1] The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Thomas Nelson: Nashville

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[2] The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Thomas Nelson: Nashville