1 Corinthians
First Importance
1 Corinthians 15:1-19
July 13, 2003
Intro:
A. Priorities…
1. [Woman Misses Husband’s Funeral to Attend Ballgame, Citation: Robert Russell, May All Who Come Behind Us Find Us Faithful]
Robert Russell tells this story:
There is a huge rivalry in college basketball between the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky.
The story is told that at one of the games between the two schools, an elderly woman was sitting alone with an empty seat next to her.
Someone approached her and said, "Ma’am, I have rarely seen an empty seat in Rupp Arena, let alone at a game between these two teams. Whose seat is this?"
The woman responded that she and her late husband had been season-ticket holders for 28 years, and the seat had belonged to him.
"Well, couldn’t you find a friend or relative to come to the game with you?" the observer asked.
"Are you kidding?" she replied. "They’re all at my husband’s funeral."
2. [Can It Wait? Citation: Tammy McBee, Normal, IL, Today’s Christian Woman, "Heart to Heart."]
One Wednesday after our children’s club meeting, our family stopped at Dairy Queen.
It was a special evening because my 4-year-old daughter had just asked Jesus into her heart.
My husband, wondering how much she actually understood, asked her, "So you want to go to heaven to see Jesus?"
"Yes," she replied. "But can I finish my Dilly Bar first?"
3. [A Car, a Watch, and an Arm, Citation: Frank Pollard, "Do You Like Where You Live?" Preaching Today, Tape No. 104.]
A young man who was driving his BMW around a curve when he realized the car was out of control and about to plummet over a cliff. The young man jumped out, but his left arm was severed from his body. He stood there looking down at his burning BMW and said, "Oh, no! My car! My car!"
A man, who had stopped to help, said, "Mister, you have just lost your left arm, and you’re crying about your car?"
The young man looked down and said, "Oh no, my Rolex watch!"
4. [Everyone’s Thinking It, Citation: From a cartoon by David B. McGinnis and Scott Becker, Leadership, Vol. 12, no. 3.]
Parishioner to pastor: "All I’m trying to say is that certain people might think that 12:15 is a little late to be getting out of church, that a pastor doesn’t need three weeks of vacation, that your office is offensive, that a guy my age doesn’t need a guy your age telling me how to raise my kids, and that if it weren’t for your crazy Third World projects we could have repaved our parking lot by now. I’m not saying those are MY opinions, of course. I just thought you should know what others might be thinking."
B. Today in 1 Corinthians 15, I want to look at what the apostle Paul has to say about priorities…
I. By this Gospel you are saved
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 (NIV), Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
A. Define “Gospel”
1. “Good news”
2. Paul outlined that good news in these verses.
B. Christ died for our sins
C. Christ was buried
D. Christ was raised on the third day
E. Christ appeared to many
F. We are saved by THIS gospel.
II. If you hold firmly
1 Corinthians 15:9-11 (NIV), For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve 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 to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
A. Paul formerly believed in God, but he wasn’t saved until he believed THIS gospel!
B. Many in Corinth didn’t believe the whole gospel; they didn’t believe in the resurrection.
(See vss12-14)
C. In order to be saved, we must HOLD FIRMLY to the word Paul preached.
1. Holding firmly means believing this gospel.
2. Holding firmly means believing the WHOLE gospel.
3. Holding firmly means life-changing belief.
4. Holding firmly means persevering belief.
III. Otherwise, you have believed in vain
1 Corinthians 15:12-19 (NIV), But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
A. Paul said not believing part of the gospel is useless and futile belief.
1. (See verses 14 & 17)
2. That belief cannot save us.
3. Paul said not believing part of the gospel cannot save—we are still in our sin.
4. Romans 4:25 (NIV), He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
5. Therefore, if Christ was crucified for our sins and resurrected for our justification, and if there is no resurrection, then we are still in our sins.
6. Belief in God that doesn’t believe in the resurrection cannot save.
B. There is belief that cannot save!
1. Belief that doesn’t include the whole gospel cannot save (like the Corinthians).
2. Belief in God, but no belief in Christ cannot save (like Paul).
3. Belief that is not life-changing cannot save--James 2:17-20 (NIV), In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder. 20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
4. Belief that does not persevere cannot save--Hebrews 3:14 (NIV), We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
Conclusion:
A. First Importance
1. Paul passed on to the Corinthians (and everyone else) this gospel message as of FIRST IMPORTANCE.
2. The gospel was of FIRST IMPORTANCE to Paul.
3. Is the gospel of first importance in our lives?
B. Is the gospel of first importance in our own lives?
1. Is the gospel changing our lives?
2. Are we studying and applying the Scriptures to our lives as a matter of FIRST IMPORTANCE?
3. Are we living in the power of the resurrection?
C. Is the gospel of first importance in the lives of others?
1. Are we earnestly seeking to make the passing on of the gospel to our loved ones of FIRST IMPORTANCE?
2. Are we as a church seeking to make the passing on of the gospel to our community of FIRST IMPORTANCE?
D. Have you received the gift of grace that God has offered you in the gospel message?
1. Do you know today that you are saved?
2. Do you need to take the first step towards saving faith by accepting this free gift of grace?
