Following The Footsteps Of Jesus

FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS

OF JESUS

1COR 15 VS 1-20

1 Corinthians 15:1-20 (NKJV)

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,

2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.

6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.

7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.

8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy 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; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.

14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up--if in fact the dead do not rise.

16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.

17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

**JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE!**

IF HE IS ALIVE THEN HE IS WORTHY TO BE OUR HERO, ONE WHO WE SHOULD HAVE ASPIRATIONS TO FOLLOW!

I. THE MESSAGE:

1. THE MESSAGE IS REPENTANCE- JESUS MESSAGE TO THE FOLKS HE MINISTERED TO WAS THE SAME MESSAGE THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST PREACHED, AND THAT IS THE MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE:

Matthew 4:12-17 (NKJV)

12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.

13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:

16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned."

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

**THE WORD REPENT MEANS SIMPLY TO HAVE A CHANGE OF MIND, WHICH LEADS TO THE CHANGE OF HEART, WHICH LEADS TO A CHANGE OF DIRECTION! *

**WHY REPENT?? 2 REASONS

a. WE ARE SINNERS:

ICOR 15:3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,-

b. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND:

MATT 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

**WE ARE NOT BAD BECAUSE WE SIN, WE SIN BECAUSE WE ARE BAD:

(HAVE THE SIN NATURE)

**THE EARLY CHURCH FOLLOWED THIS EXAMPLE AS THE SAME MESSAGE WAS PROCLAIMED:

Acts 2:36-39 (NKJV)

36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.