God's People Must Be United and Growing in Holiness
1 Corinthians 15:1-11[1] As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, July 15th, 2012
When I lose something important and begin looking for it, Felicia will inevitably ask, "Where did you have it last?" As I stand biting back the sarcastic, not-helpful-at-all-retort, I acknowledge that she has a good point; I need to retrace my steps to figure out where I left that thing. That's becoming a more common practice these days…
When you read chapter 15 of this first of Paul's two letters to the church in Corinth, you discover that the Corinthian believers were in danger of losing something very significant; their confidence in the physical, bodily resurrection of the saints. When we have troubles with our lives that seem to baffle us, or when we get to looking at this world, or listening to the many lies available, let us go back to the foundation upon which our lives are built.
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,
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.
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.
Let's pray. We're going to look at the non-negotiables of the gospel you received, the testimony of the resurrection, and the negotiables of the gospel you received.
Non-negotiables of gospel you received
It came with apostolic authority. Paul received it from Christ. It is the same gospel all the apostles preached – no exception, no distinction.
It is how you are saved. Only by believing this gospel of Jesus Christ will any man, woman, or child have hope of escaping God's wrath for our sin.
It was the priority of all of life. If the rich young ruler had walked away from this world's riches he would have become tremendously more wealthy with believing and following Christ! It is the central thing of life; it is, as Paul writes, "of first importance" – the critical thing.
It was simple. Christ Jesus died for our sins. He was buried. Christ was raised from the dead on the third day. Paul was, at this point in his letter, keeping things simple; but there are implications here…
Jesus' death was capable of completely paying for all of the sins of all who believe.
Someone had sinned. Someone was in danger and needed saving. Someone provided that salvation, at the expense of His own life.
It was received. As true, as old-life-destroying and new-life-giving true. You hear it, you believe, and receive it as true. John uses the word 'receive' interchangeably with 'believe'. John 1:11-13. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
With these truths there are no 'ifs', 'ands', or 'buts'. Non-negotiable. Never changing. Concrete but much moreso!
Testimony to the Resurrection
Prophesied in the Scriptures. Isaiah 53:10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Ps 16:10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.
Witnessed by Peter and the apostles. Preached it clearly, strongly. Suffered greatly for it – yet with joy, and no thought of denial of it.
Witnessed by over 500 people, many of whom still were alive.
Witnessed by James and the apostles. Those who went out with the apostles might have been counted by Paul here when he says, "then to all the apostles". That is a lot of people to call crazy in any generation.
Witnessed by Paul. As if he was born in the wrong time – the only post-ascension appearing of Jesus was to this apostle.
It is important to see that Paul was making the case for the resurrection, and why he was. We didn't preach this because it sounded good, church – but because it happened, beyond any human explanation or power, by God's power – it happened! THIS is the retracing their gospel faith steps to find what they lost, where they were when they misplaced it. They were standing on the solid truth of the gospel with an emphasis on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, when the lies of the devil began to take root in their thinking, and cause them to question their bodily resurrection.
Negotiables of the gospel you received (actually only one)
It can be believed in vain. There is a faith that looks good but is not saving faith. We have to face the possibility that these two words, 'vain' and 'unless', throw in our face. Let's turn to Matthew 13:4-9 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear."
The seed was good; it was an issue of the soil (hearts) on which it fell. Seed fell on four types of soil.
Along the path. Hard ground. Hard hearts. This was heard, but never understood.
Rocky ground. Started to grow, but didn't have the soil, but didn't outlast the scorching sin. Tribulation or persecution comes on account of the gospel truth, they peel away.
Thorny ground. Received it, but the cares for this world and the deceitfulness of riches choked out the gospel, and it proved unfruitful.
Good soil. They heard the gospel and understood (received, believed), and this faith in Jesus bore fruit in their lives. Change began, transformation, and it became evident in their lives.
Think this through, church; three out of four who professed didn't have genuine, saving faith in Jesus Christ. As Paul put it in verse 2, they "believed in vain." They agreed with the propositional truths of the gospel until pressure hit, or until something that looked better and better right now came along. They held fast until the whispers started, then they loosened their grip.
Their faith was in vain.
Paul, on the other hand, was determined that God's grace in his life would NOT be in vain! "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain." The truth is that there are no 'negotiables' about the gospel, no ifs; only ifs with our faith in this gospel, in this person of Jesus Christ.
Listen church family, friends, and guests…
Do lies whispered in your ear at night in the dark ever take root in your soul?
Have lies shouted, printed, videoed for YouTube, made into books, movies, commercials, games, or ad campaigns ever taken root in your mind?
Instead of looking at this world and thinking, "There must be more", do you look at God's Word, at Christianity and sadly think, "There must be more"?
Do you say you believe but find yourself not really caring that Christ rose from the dead? Do you go through church motions because you prayed some prayer, went through some class or ritual, or joined a church through their required process?
Church, are you in danger of losing your faith in Christ? If so, it's a good day to go back to the foundation, back to where you think you last had it.
Back to the truth.
Christ died for our sins.
Christ was buried.
Christ was raised from the dead on the third day.
Our lives, our salvation, our hope for and promise of eternal life, freedom from bondage to sin, and a better, eternal life in and with Him await us!
So walk back through the house. Go back to the truth of the gospel, where you first heart and believed it, and what truth you saw about yourself that made you cry out to God for the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.
And hold fast. Believe until you die. Follow daily. Love. Rejoice in. Endure. Soak in. Worship because of.
[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.
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