The Message Of The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

“The Message of The Gospel Of Jesus Christ”

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

The Following link will take you to an MP3 recording of this message: http://chirb.it/neD5K0

INTRODUCTION:

1.) This morning as we look to the Word of God, I want us to look at the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

2.) When we speak of the Gospel, many would agree that it is basically translated as “Good news”.

A.) Yet beyond that description, there are many definitions that people will give as to what the Gospel actually is.

aa.) Some have defined the Gospel as merely the N.T. Scriptures.

aaa.) While it is true that Scripture contains the Gospel it is not of itself the gospel.

ab.) There are other definitions but we are blessed in that Scripture itself defines the gospel for us.

aba.) 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

I. THE GOSPEL HAS THREE FACTS TO BE BELIEVED.

1.) Jesus died for our sins.

A.) I Cor. 15:3-4

B.) He who knew no sin died for our sins.

ba.) Jesus was not a sinner --- Yet, He died! Why?

baa.) The answer to that question is to reconcile us to God.

bab.) 2 Corinthians 5:19, 21

bac.) 1 Peter 1:18-21

bad.) 1 Pet. 3:18

2.) Jesus was buried.

A.) Acts 2:22 –24

aa.) The burial is an important fact because it is one the proofs of his death.

3.) Jesus rose again from the grave.

A.) I Cor. 15:4

B.) After the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus there were likely people who had gone to Joseph Of Arimathea’s

tomb peered into its darkness trying to fathom out on Jesus.

ba.) When something like that is declared, people want to verify the facts for themselves.

bb.) Many of the people in Jerusalem were probably asking the question, "What happened to the body?"

bc.) I suspect that many who saw Jesus die on the cross were asking the question “Where is Jesus?”

bca.) Yet God’s Word tell us that on one occasion as many as 500 people saw Jesus one day after his resurrection.

.01) The testimony of 500 witnesses is pretty solid proof to the resurrection of Christ.

C.) Peter answered all the spoken and unspoken questions: when he declared Jesus is risen!

ca.) The Good news of the Gospel is not just that Jesus died, but that he rose again from the dead.

cb.) It is the resurrection that affirms with certainty that Jesus is the Christ of God, and that he accomplished

what he said he would do for the salvation of man.

cba.) Romans 1:4

D.) The apostles believed not in a dead Saviour, but in a living Redeemer, who helped and strengthened them.

da.) Every day, they risked their lives for a resurrected Lord.

db.) When you look at the suffering, and persecution, and ultimately the painful deaths that all but one of the apostles of Christ endured, you can be assured they would not do that if Jesus had remained a defeated corpse in rich man’s grave.

dc.) For men to put themselves through such ordeals, they could only have done it if they had the certainty that Jesus had risen from the dead.

dca.) There is not a sane person on this planet who would live and die as these men had done if Jesus had remained in the grave, and the promises of God had been proven to be false.

dcb.) It was only because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that these men could live and die with the firmness of faith they had in the Lord Jesus Christ.

E.) The message of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the good news that God has given to the world so that the world can experience the grace of God through the blood of Jesus Christ.

ea.) Yet as great as the news and the gift of God is, it is not automatically imparted upon us, but is given as we

choose to surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ.

eb.) Just as the Gospel message contains three facts to believe:

II. THE GOSPEL ALSO HAS THREE COMMANDS THAT MUST BE OBEYED.

1.) We must believe (that is put our faith) in the Lord Jesus Christ.

A.) When it comes to salvation, every Christian would acknowledge man’s need to put his faith in Christ for salvation.

aa.) Certainly this is consistent with the Word of God.

aaa.) Heb. 11:6

B.) There are two portions of scripture dealing with faith, which are perhaps the most commonly quoted or perhaps misquoted verses of the Word of God in regards to salvation.

ba.) The first of these is John 3:16.

bb.) The second portion of Scripture that is often quoted is from Acts 16: 30-31.

bba.) Both of these are beautiful passages of Scripture, in regards to God’s plan of salvation, for we must come to believe or have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in order to come to salvation.