The Gospel

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• Preparing for next week’s celebration of the greatest event in human history; the resurrection of Jesus, last week we took time to examine why Jesus said He came to the world.

• The reason for Jesus’ coming was not about eradicating poverty, disease, or the injustices in the world, He came proclaim the good news, or the Gospel!

• Today we are going to continue in our preparation our celebration of Easter by taking time to examine what the good news is and how it can be a blessing.

• Since Jesus has ascended into heaven, He is not out there preaching the gospel, that job is left up to us, so we need to know what we are called to share with others.

• If you are a follower of Jesus, it is important for you to know what Jesus wants shared with a lost world.

• We can use all the marketing, psychology, and social media we want to attract people, but ultimately when it gets to the time to bring them to Jesus, we simply need to share the gospel with them.

• The book of 1 Corinthians was written about 25 years after the resurrection of Jesus.

• The resurrection had been the central theme of the preaching of the church since the event happened.

• As we look at our text today we do need to remember that it was written while many who saw the resurrected Jesus were still alive.

• Let’s begin by looking at verses 3-4 of chapter 15

• SLIDE #2

• 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (HCSB) 3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: 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,

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. WHAT IS THE GOSPEL? V 1,3-4

• The Good news, glad announcement

• The word “gospel” literally means, “good news”, “glad announcement”.

• SLIDE #4

• Isaiah 52:7 (HCSB) 7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the herald, who proclaims peace, who brings news of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

• As this passage begins we are told that Paul passed on to them as most important what he received.

• What is contained in 1 Corinthians 15 is not the entire gospel but that which is most important, it is the foundation of the gospel.

• It is the part of the gospel from which the rest of our faith most spring forth.

• If there is no resurrection from the dead as Paul says later in 1 Corinthians 15, we really have no foundation for our faith.

• IF we do not believe in the most important part of the gospel, then why would one believe any of it?

• Because there was philosophical skepticism about the whole foundation of the gospel message Paul is going to “pass on” to them what they had already accepted as truth in the past, the gospel!

• They had apparently forgotten what they what they had initially believed. We do not know what caused this wavering.

• This passage is a gentle rebuke for their lack of trust in the truth.

• The Gospel literally is the good news about what Jesus has done for us.

• The Gospel contains facts to be believed (like the resurrection), commands to be obeyed (like love other people), and promises to be received and enjoyed (peace, joy, eternal life).

• As I stated earlier, in this brief overview of the gospel, Paul does not give us all the elements of the good news, but instead he gives us the foundation of the gospel.

• What is that foundation? What is the “good news” of the Gospel?

• Jesus died

• There are those who said He did not die, but that does not fit the record we have.

• When the soldiers reported what happened on Resurrection Sunday, the religious leaders paid the guards to say they were asleep at their post. (Matthew 28:11-15)

• His own followers thought He was dead. (John 20:19)

• Jesus died, but why? According to the Gospel, it was for our sins! (1 John 2:2, 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 8, Isaiah 53.

• Attest to by the Old Testament. The Old Testament Scriptures tell us that the Messiah would die for the sins of the people.

• SLIDE #5

• 1 Peter 1:10–12 (HCSB) 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that would come to you searched and carefully investigated. 11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when He testified in advance to the messianic sufferings and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Angels desire to look into these things.