What Is The Gospel? (Part 3) Series

Scripture

The text we have been considering for our 2023 Passion Week is 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.

Let us read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11:

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.

Introduction

Jesus is arguably the most significant person in all of human history. He is the central figure of Christianity.

But what exactly are the core beliefs of Christianity? What is the essence of Christianity?

Paul wrote in verses 1-2a, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved.” According to Paul, the core of Christianity—the essence of Christianity—is the gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 teaches us what is the gospel.

The Greek word for “gospel” (euangelion) means “good news.” In ancient times, a messenger would go into the town square and shout important news for the people to hear.

After a battle was won by the Greeks, a messenger would be sent to announce in the town square, “We triumph! There has been a victory that has saved us from slavery!” That was euangelion. That was gospel. That was “good news.”

Paul used the word “gospel,” as did the other Biblical writers, to announce the core Christian message.

In essence, the good news—the gospel—is that a battle has been fought and won, and now we are free from slavery. And that battle has been fought and won by Jesus Christ.

The core of Christianity is the good news that something has happened in history. It is by that historical action that a person is saved.

There are four parts to the gospel. Let’s use the following outline:

1. The Gospel Is about Christ (15:3a)

2. The Gospel Is about Sin (15:3b)

3. The Gospel Is about the Resurrection (15:4-8)

4. The Gospel Is about Grace (15:10)

Review

Earlier in this Passion Week, we examined the first two parts. Let’s review them very briefly today. And then we shall look at the final two parts of the gospel.

I. The Gospel Is about Christ (15:3a)

First, the gospel is about Christ.

Paul wrote in verse 3a, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ....”

For Paul, the gospel was summed up in Christ. Everything in the text explains Christ. It points to Christ. It is found in Christ.

On that first Good Friday, Christ died to pay the penalty for sin. Three days later, on Easter Sunday morning, he was raised back to life by the Father.

It is in this sense that Christianity is different from every other religion in the world. Every religion in the world—and I mean every religion—teaches that you must do something to earn salvation. Every religion teaches what you must do to be saved.

Christianity is completely different. It says that Christ has done what you and I cannot do.

Only Christianity teaches that Christ has won salvation for his people.

That is the good news of the gospel.

But what is it that Christ has done for our salvation?

II. The Gospel Is about Sin (15:3b)

Second, the gospel is about sin.

Paul wrote in verse 3b, “… that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.”

We live in a world of brokenness and pain and suffering. All that is wrong in the world is because of sin.

Sin causes a barrier between God and us. God will not fellowship with us because we are alienated from him because of our sins.