What's Most Important?

I Pass on to You

Mom passed on to me as most important!

1 Corinthians 15:3–5 NLT

3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.

Who passed on what is most important to you?

Paul after finishing up his argument for unity in the body of Christ, turns to remind the church at Corinth and us, this morning about the gospel that unites us as one body of Christ.

This is the rock solid foundation we as a church must stand on. This is what is most important.

In our passage today Paul reminds the Corinthians of the simple gospel that he preached to them, that they recieved, through which they are being saved. Paul passed on to them, what was also passed on to him as most important. Paul gives an account of his own encounter with the risen Christ and how it has transformed him. Today as the body of Christ we are called to remember the basics of the gospel, by which we are and are being saved. We are called to remember that this message has been passed down to us, we have a responsibility to keep the message going. Finally we are called to remember our encounter with the risen Christ and how it has transformed us.

What was also passed on to me.

A Reminder of the gospel.

Why was it needed? Some began to argue that there wasn’t a ressurrection of the dead.

All of chapter 15 confronts that argument. 1 Corinthians 15:12

After spending 3 chapters exhorting unity in the church, Paul reminds them of the simple gospel that unites them.

This was an early creed of the church. Without this confession, without truly believing this then the church at Corinth is still dead in their sin. 1 Corinthians 15:17

Christ died for our sins

Romans 5:6 NLT

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

Was buried

Rose from the dead on the third day

Appeared

The credal statement ended with and he appeared to the 12 but Paul went on to emphasize the point of the physical bodily resurrection of Christ. He adds that Jesus appeared to 500 people all at once, some who are still alive to bear witness. Paul then tells of his own encounter with the risen LORD.

Acts 9:1–9 NLT

1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.

Through Paul’s encounter we see Christ meeting Paul where he is. The resurrected Christ appears to Saul on his way to persecute the early church. The resurrected Christ appears to Saul who in chapter 8 of acts stood by and watched in approval the stoning of Stephen. Paul’s encounter with the risen Christ tells us that there is no one Christ won’t meet where ever they are in life. The grace of God extends to everyone who will receive it.

This is essential belief for any Christian church.

Believing this transforms and is transforming us. Because we believe this we are different people by the grace of God.

This is the gospel of our risen Lord Jesus Christ. How has it transformed and how is it continuing to transform you? How has your encounter with our risen LORD changed you by his grace? It is by sharing our own experiences and encounters that we can pass on what was also passed on to us as most important.

Passing it on

Brothers and sisters today we heard from the prophet Isaiah recounting his encounter with God. This encounter completely transformed him. God gave him a message to pass on.

The message of the gospel was passed on to Paul, who passed it on to the church at Corinth. That message was also passed on to us. We have a responsibility to pass the message on. As we remember the simple gospel that saves us, how the risen Christ has appeared to us, may the grace of God continue to transform us through it, and may we be like Isaiah, here I am, send me, when God asks us to pass on to someone else, what was also passed on to you as most important.