The Christian message is not just another worldview. Nor is the Christian message a way to earn God's favor. Nor is the Christian message about how to find success in your job, or how to find fulfillment in your marriage, or how to have self-esteem. Nor is the Christian message a way to get God to do for you what you want Him to do for you. No, the Christian message is about something that the Lord Jesus Christ did for sinners. It is good news of what God has done through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to save sinners. It is a message to be received with faith. There's probably no passage in Scripture that states this as clearly as the text that we are coming to this morning. We are studying through the book of 1 Corinthians. This is the way that we usually study the scriptures as a church, is we pick a book of the Bible, and we go through that book, paragraph by paragraph, to understand what God has said. And we're going through the book of 1 Corinthians, and now we are beginning chapter 15, where we have this text before us. This is probably one of the most fundamental passages in all of the Bible. And so if you are new to the Bible, you are new to Christianity, understand this is a great starting place. A good place in the Bible to study. And then to branch out from there to reading one of the Gospels, then to read the book of Genesis, then to read the book of Ephesians, and then the rest of the Bible. This is a very, very fundamental passage in Scripture. No matter where you stand spiritually today, you need to understand this passage. I'm going to read to us 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 1 through 11. Please stand in honor of the Word of God. 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, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 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. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach, and so you believed." This is God's Holy Word. Please be seated. We come here to the next major section in this epistle. The last major section was chapters 12-14, which dealt primarily with spiritual gifts. And now we come to the next section, which is the 15th chapter. Again, the apostle is correcting a problem in the Corinthian church. Paul had planted the church in Corinth, this church to which he is writing. He had planted this some years earlier, when he had gone to Corinth with a major city in Greece. When he had gone there with the gospel, and he proclaimed the gospel of Christ. And sinners were saved by the grace of God. And Paul formed a church with those who believed and then he left them to the care of the Lord Jesus Christ as he went on to plant and care for other churches. But he has not left them in his heart. He has continued to pray for the church in Corinth. He has continued to send people to Corinth to minister to this young church. And he has continued to receive reports from this church of how the church is doing. And he's heard various things that concern him. Various problems in the church that need to be addressed. And we have seen how he's been addressing problem after problem throughout this letter. And it's no different here in this next section, the 15th chapter. The apostle is correcting a problem in the Corinthian church. Look at verse 12. Now, if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? There was a doctrinal problem in the church. Some of the members of the church were saying that there is no resurrection of the dead. Now, they were not denying Christ's resurrection. If they were denying Christ's resurrection, they would not be a part of the church. What they were denying was a future resurrection of believers and unbelievers. This denial was probably made under the influence of Greek philosophy. As we have seen, there is far too much of the world in the church at Corinth. They were still very influenced by the world around them, including the philosophy of the day. In this chapter, Paul first establishes the truth of Christ's resurrection and its centrality in verses 1-11. And then he teaches that Christ's resurrection secures the resurrection of all who are in Him. We'll see that in verses 12-34. that Christ's resurrection and the resurrection of believers stand or fall together. And the remainder of the chapter will largely be about the resurrection of believers. With what sort of body will the believer be raised and so forth. So as Paul does throughout this epistle, he counters problems in the church by teaching doctrine. Paul's starting point in this chapter is the message of Christ's death and resurrection. His starting point is the Gospel. The good news of Jesus' atoning death and his triumphant resurrection. We will see in our text the centrality of the Gospel. We will see the content of the Gospel. And we will see the herald of the Gospel. And in all of this, we will see the supreme importance of Christ's resurrection. First of all, the centrality of the Gospel. Look with me closely at verse 1. Now, I would remind you, brothers, of the Gospel. That word, Gospel, means good news. And the Gospel is the central message of the Bible. In Romans chapter 1 verse 1 it is called the Gospel of God. It is called the Gospel of God because it is a message from God. More specifically, it is a message about something that was purposed by God from all eternity. A message about something that was promised by God in the Old Testament. A message about something that was brought about by God. A message that was then proclaimed by God's heralds. The Apostle tells the Corinthian believers here four things about the Gospel. Observe first in verse 1 that the Apostle Paul preached the Gospel to the Corinthians. He announced this good news to them. He proclaimed this message to them. Second, observe in verse 1, that the Corinthians received the gospel. They received it with faith. That's the implication here. They received it with faith. They believed that gospel message. Third, observe in verse 1, that the Corinthian believers stand in the gospel. They have stood firm in their adherence to it, though they have been persecuted for it, though they have been tempted to turn from it, though false teachers have tried to deceive them, they have stood firm in the gospel. And fourth, observe in verse 2, that the believers are being saved by the gospel. Remember what the angel Gabriel said to Joseph in Matthew 1 verse 21, when he said what Joseph was to name the baby who would be born of the Virgin Mary. In Matthew 1 verse 21, the angel said to Joseph, She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. That's why He was given the name Jesus. That's the significance of His name. That He would save His people from their sins. From the very beginning, even before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, it was declared by God that Jesus was coming to save His people from their sins. Here in our text, the Apostle says, you are being saved by the Gospel. By the Gospel, you are being saved. By the Gospel, believers have been saved from sin's penalty and power. They are being saved from sin's practice. And they will be saved from sin's presence. You see, sin offends God and brings His judgment. But the Gospel brings salvation from sin. The apostle says in verse 2, you are being saved if you hold fast to the word I preached to you. If you hold fast to the gospel. If God is truly saving you, you will hold fast to the gospel for the rest of your days. If God is truly saving you, you will persevere in the faith. Further, the apostle says in verse 2, you are being saved unless you believed in vain. Now, how could that be? Believed in vain? Look at verse 14. Verse 14, and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. Now, Christ has been raised, so our faith is not in vain, but if Christ had not been raised, then our faith would be in vain. We would have believed in vain. Now we're going to unpack that when we get to verse 14 in a future study. For now, understand from verses 1 through 2 that salvation and the gospel are inseparable. There is no salvation apart from the gospel. Salvation is by the gospel. Those who are being saved are those who hear the gospel, receive the gospel, stand in the gospel, and hold fast to the gospel. Now all of this begs the question, what is the Gospel message? What is this good news? And the next section of our text tells us. For in the next section we see the content of the Gospel. Look closely with me at verse 3. For I delivered to you, as of first importance, what I also received. He says, I deliver to you as of first importance. You see, some truths are more important than others for us to understand and believe because our salvation depends upon them. What Paul is about to remind us of is of the most importance, the highest importance. This good news is a message that the Apostle Paul received. And he makes it clear whom he received the gospel from in the book of Galatians chapter 1. And so I want you to turn with me, just to the right, a couple books of the book of Galatians. Galatians 1. When Paul writes Galatians, he writes it to a group of churches that had false teachers among them. Who were denying the truths of the gospel. They were teaching a false gospel. And so Paul has to defend the gospel that he proclaimed. And in Galatians chapter 1 verses 11 through 12, he tells us from where or from whom he received the gospel that he proclaimed. Galatians chapter 1 verse 11, For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. So, man didn't come up with this. Man didn't put it together. Man is not the source of the gospel. I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. He received the gospel directly from Jesus Christ who appointed him to declare it. That's what Paul has in mind if you come back to 1 Corinthians 15, verse 3. What is the good news that Christ entrusted to the Apostle Paul to proclaim on his behalf? Well, let's continue in verse 3. that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried." Stop right there. He speaks of Christ's burial, because Christ's burial testifies to His death. But His death, Paul says, was unlike the death of any other man. For Paul says here that Christ died for our sins. The word are here refers to believers. Christ died for our sins. He died as a sacrifice for our sins. He died in our place. You see, Romans 6.23 says, for the wages of sin is death. And by His sacrificial death, Christ paid the penalty due us for our sins. I deserve to die for my sins. You deserve to die for your sins. But Christ died for our sins. He died in our place. He died as a sacrifice for our sins. By His sacrificial death, Christ paid the penalty due us for our sins. 1 John chapter 3 verse 4 says sin is lawlessness. In other words, sin is breaking God's law. And our sin, our breaking of God's law, made us guilty before God and deserving of death. And the good news is that Christ paid our penalty at the cross. Paul says this was in accordance with the Scriptures. In other words, this was in accordance with the Old Testament Scriptures. That Christ died for our sins. You see, the Old Testament as a whole pointed forward to Christ's death for our sins. The Bible has two main divisions, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament as a whole pointed forward to Christ's death for our sins, and in fact prophesied it in detail. And then the New Testament records Christ's coming, His atoning death, His triumphant resurrection, His ascension. And then how He proclaimed His word through His apostles after His ascension, and through His word formed the church, and began to grow the church, and so forth. The Old Testament as a whole pointed forward to Christ's death for our sins, and in fact prophesied it in detail. Psalm 22, we're not going to take a look at it right now, but Psalm 22 prophesied that Christ would be crucified and some of the details. Psalm 22 is written by David about a thousand years before Christ's crucifixion. Before there ever was a Roman Empire that used crucifixion. Christ's crucifixion was prophesied in detail in Psalm 22. Isaiah 53 prophesied that Christ's death would be for our sins. Turn back to Isaiah 52 and 53. The prophet Isaiah, written 700 years before the coming of Christ. We're going to start in Isaiah 52 at verse 13. In chapter 52 verse 13 we read, So God is speaking here, and He is speaking of His servant whom He will send in the future. And His servant is Christ. It's a prophecy of Christ. Behold, My servant shall act wisely. He shall be high and lifted up and shall be exalted as many were astonished at you. His appearance was so marred beyond human semblance, and His form beyond that of children of mankind, so shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of Him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand. Who has believed what He has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He had no former majesty that we should look at Him. You see, when Christ came into this world, He didn't come in glory, like He will come at His second coming. He came as a humble servant. Think about the manger. Think about being born in a stable. He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And as one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we, that's Israel, esteemed Him not. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions." Here's prophecy of Christ's death. He would be wounded for the transgressions of God's people. But He was wounded for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. Upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace. And with His stripes we are healed. That is healed from sin. Healed from God's judgment that is due sin. Oh, we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. That would happen at the cross. At the cross, God the Father would lay the iniquity, the sins of God's people on Christ. And Christ would suffer for our iniquity there. Verse 7, He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth. So, He would voluntarily go to the cross. He wouldn't resist what would be done to Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth, like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silenced, so He opened not His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away. And as for His generation who considered, that He was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of My people. And they made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth." Prophecy that Christ would die for our sins, and then that He would be buried. We read, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities. The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was stricken for the transgression of My people. The Gospel declares that just as God promised in the Old Testament, including in Isaiah 53, Christ has died for our sins. Hallelujah! Oh, what a most blessed truth! That Christ, the incarnate Son of God, died for my sins. That He died for your sins. That He died for our sins there upon the cross. Do you acknowledge your need for such a Savior? Romans chapter 3 verse 10 repeats what the Old Testament says, as it is written, none is righteous, no not one. Very clear. None of us are righteous. Righteousness is what God requires of us. Jesus said, "...unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." Righteousness is what God requires of us. But as it is written, none is righteous. No, not one. Romans 3.23 says, "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." God warns in Revelation 21.8, In the second to last chapter in the Bible. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, that is those who do not keep their word, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. And that's not an exhaustive list of the sins that send someone to hell. That's just a brief representative list. Have you lied? That makes you guilty before God. And that makes you a liar in God's sight. All liars will be cast into the lake of fire. All sinners will be cast into the lake of fire. That's what we deserve for breaking God's law. Now, even if you have denied this with your lips, you know deep down in your soul that this is true. That you are a sinner against the Holy God. You know deep down in your soul, whether you've ever acknowledged it with your lips or not, you know deep in your soul that you deserve God's judgment. Acknowledge now, my friend, your need for the Saviour who is the subject of the good news of the gospel. We have the best news in all the world. And it's for sinners. Acknowledge your need for the Saviour. The Apostle's summary of the gospel continues here. You can come back to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. His summary of the gospel continues in verse 4. We read that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. Christ's body was buried on Friday, it was in the grave all day Saturday, and it was raised on Sunday, the third day. Christ was raised by another. He was raised by God the Father. But the Father did not simply bring Christ back to life like Christ had done with several people who had died. You know, Jesus brought Lazarus back to life. He brought back to life the son of the widow of Nain and so forth. But God the Father did not simply bring Christ back to life. Christ has been raised never to die again. Lazarus died again. That widow's son died again. But Jesus was raised never to die again. He has been raised in victory over the grave. The Apostle says this was in accordance with the Scriptures. I want you to go back to Isaiah 53. I'm going to keep reading there. Because Isaiah 53 does prophesy the resurrection. of the Lord's servant who would bear our sin upon the tree. Let's go back to Isaiah 53 verse 9, which I read just a moment ago. And they made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Would he stay there? Would he stay in the grave? Look at verse 10. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him. He has put him to grief. When his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring. He shall prolong his days. The will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. That can only be speaking of resurrection. He will die for our sins. Then his days will be prolonged, so he will be raised from the dead. Verse 11, Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoiled with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors, yet he bore the sin of many and makes intercession for the transgressors." Verse 12 says he's going to be rewarded for what he did. He's not going to stay in the grave. The Father will raise him and reward and exalt the Son. Exalt that servant. Having died for our sins, He would then live in victory. Now, turn back to Psalm 22. Psalm 22, I mentioned it earlier. I said it prophesied the crucifixion in detail. But it doesn't only prophesy the crucifixion, it also prophesies the resurrection. Look at the beginning of Psalm 22. To the Choir Master according to the Doe of the Donna Psalm of David. Keep in mind that God promised David a descendant. A special descendant. Who would be Christ. The Anointed One. And so sometimes when David writes in the Psalms. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He writes about that future son, about the Christ who is going to come forth from His line. So this is the psalm of David. First verse, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? That should be really familiar if you've read the Gospels. Because Jesus says those very words from the cross. There's a prophecy of what Jesus would say on the cross. On the cross He would say, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? That's the only time where Jesus ever referred to the Father or addressed the Father this way. My God, my God. Normally He addressed Him as Father. But when Jesus would be upon the cross, the Father in a sense would forsake Him. Temporarily forsake Him. Turn His back on the Son. The Father would chastise the Son for our iniquities. And so the Son, bearing the weight of our sin, the Son bearing the wrath of God upon our sin, would say, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me from the words of my groaning? Oh my God, I cry by day but you do not answer, and by night but I find no rest. Go down to verse 6. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me. They make mouths at me. They wag their heads. He trusts in the Lord. Let Him deliver him. Let Him rescue him for He delights in Him." Why does that sound familiar? Have you read the Gospels? Because that's exactly what people said at the foot of the cross. Mocking Jesus is a prophecy of how He would be mocked when He would be upon the cross. Verse 9. Yet you are he who took me from the womb, who made me trust you at my mother's breasts. On you was I cast for my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. Go down to verse 14. Verse 14, I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, it is melted within my breast. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws. You lay me in the dust of death. Remember how Jesus would say on the cross, I thirst. Verse 16, For dogs encompass me, a company of evildoers encircles me. They have pierced my hands and feet. His enemies would pierce his hands and feet. A clear prophecy of death by crucifixion. Even though crucifixion was not widely practiced at the time that this prophecy is written. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones, because not a one of them was broken. I can count all my bones, they stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. Exactly as you see in the Gospels happened when Jesus was crucified. Now will crucifixion be the end? No. Go down to verse 22. I will tell of your name to my brothers." So, I will be crucified. I will be put to death. But that's not going to be the end. After that, I will tell of your name to my brothers. My brothers is believers. Christ will be raised. And He will speak to His disciples. I will tell of your name to my brothers. In the midst of the congregation, I will praise you. You who fear the Lord, praise Him. All you offspring of Jacob, glorify Him and stand in awe of Him. All you offspring of Israel, for He has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted. And He has not hidden His face from Him, but has heard when He cried to Him by raising Him from the dead. Having been crucified, Christ would then live. Now turn back to Psalm 16. Psalm 16, also by David. Psalm 16, the inscription at the top, a victim of David. Go down to verse 9. Verse 9, Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices. My flesh also dwells secure. My flesh dwells secure. My body dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol. Sheol is the grave. You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your Holy One see corruption. Now this was not true of David. He died and he was buried. And his body in a decomposed state is still there. So who's David speaking of? He's speaking of His Son, the greater Son of David, the Messiah, Christ. That though Christ's body would be put in the grave, He wouldn't be abandoned there. His body would not see corruption, because on the third day it would be raised in victory, never to die again. It's a prophecy of the resurrection of Jesus, made a thousand years before He ever came into this world. And understand that the resurrection is implied when you bring together prophecies of Christ's death, like Psalm 22, like Isaiah 53, and prophecies of His kingly reign in the distant future, such as Daniel 7, 13 and 14. Turn to Daniel 7. Daniel 7. The prophet Daniel. Look at verses 13 and 14. Daniel writes, I saw in the night visions. So God gives him a vision of what is going to happen in the future. I saw in the night visions and behold, With the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man." So he looks like a man. He looks like a human being. And behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man. And he came to the Ancient of Days, and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away. And his kingdom, one that shall not be destroyed. Now take on the one hand Psalm 22, they would pierce His hands and His feet, they would crucify Him. And also take with it Isaiah 53, that He would die for the sins of His people. And combine that with this, that Christ who is man, but also God, that He is going to rule and reign forever and ever over all peoples and nations and languages. So what has to happen in between? If He's crucified, but He's going to reign, you have to have a resurrection in between. Throughout the Old Testament, as we put it together, we see a clear prophecy of the fact that the coming Christ not only would die for our sins, but He would be raised. And Paul says that at the heart of the Gospel is this truth. You can come back to 1 Corinthians 15. Paul says that at the heart of the Gospel is this truth, in verse 4. that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. Now, how do we know the truth of this most glorious statement that Jesus of Nazareth has been raised? How do we know the truth of it? Look at verse 5. And that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. The Apostle begins here a list of some of the appearances that Christ made to his disciples after his resurrection. Showing them that he had truly been raised from the dead. Now, the apostle does not list here in 1 Corinthians 15 all the appearances of the risen Christ. We read in the gospel that his first appearances were to women. And those appearances are not mentioned here. We don't have an exhaustive list here of all the appearances of the risen Christ. But Paul lists some of them. And each appearance is one more testimony to the truth of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Verse 5 says that Christ appeared to Cephas. Cephas is another name for Simon Peter, one of Christ's apostles. I want you to turn to the Gospel of Luke, Luke chapter 24, to see what Luke said about this appearance to Peter. Luke 24, we will begin at verse 33. When we come to verse 33, this is the day of Christ's resurrection. He was raised in the morning, pretty much at sunrise. On Sunday, He has appeared to two disciples who were walking on the road to Emmaus. These two disciples are not part of the twelve, they're not apostles, they're other disciples. Jesus has appeared to them. Now in verse 33 it says that these two disciples to whom Jesus appeared on the road, and they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven, that would be the eleven apostles, and those who were with them gathered together, saying, The Lord has risen indeed and has appeared to Simon. So get it here. Two disciples. They've been on the road to Emmaus. Jesus appeared to them. They go back. They have to tell the apostles that they've seen the risen Christ. And they come to them. And then when they arrive, what do the apostles tell these two disciples? They say, the Lord has risen indeed and has appeared to Simon. One of us has seen the risen Christ. Simon has seen Him. But joy filled that room. Peter was the first apostle to see the risen Christ. Verse 34, saying, But Peter was the first apostle to see the risen Christ. As an apostle, Peter was an official representative of Christ and witness to the resurrection. And that appearance is recorded for us here in our text in 1 Corinthians 15, 5. Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 15, 5, "...and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve." The twelve, that's a term for Christ's apostles. Because Christ called twelve as apostles. Now, there were not twelve at this time when Jesus appeared to them. For one of them, Judas, had defected and killed himself. Now it seems that this appearance to the twelve, the twelve being just used as a term for the twelve apostles, it seems that this appearance was on the evening after Christ's resurrection when the apostles were gathered in a room. Turn over to Luke, or actually we'll just look further here. In Luke 24, let's look at verse 36. As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them. So you have Christ's apostles in the room, you have some other disciples, you have the two who saw Jesus on the road, they're together. As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, peace to you. But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, why are you troubled? And while your doubts arise in your hearts, see My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. You see, there was still the scars, the nail prints from the crucifixion in His hands and His feet. See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have. And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet, And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, He said to them, have you anything here to eat? They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate before them." Why would He do that? Was He hungry? No. He didn't need to eat. He did it to show that He had been bodily raised from the dead. He proved His resurrection. to a group that Paul refers to in our text as the twelve. Now the apostle Thomas was not present there. So you had ten apostles apparently who were present. Judas had defected, Thomas was not there, probably had ten. Thomas was not present. However, Jesus appeared again to his apostles a week later when Thomas was with them. And this possibly may also be in Paul's mind when he tells us that Jesus appeared to the twelve. Turn over to John chapter 20 to see this appearance eight days afterwards to the twelve. John chapter 20 beginning at verse 24. Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them, Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe. Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you. Then he said to Thomas, put your finger here and see my hands, and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe. Thomas answered him, my Lord and my God. Thomas believed and he gave an even clearer profession of faith than any of the other disciples are recorded to have given in scripture. Thomas answered him, my Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed. So Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, that Christ appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, and he goes on in verse 6, Then He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, even though some have fallen asleep. This appearance that Paul tells us about seems to be Christ's appearance in Galilee that was announced beforehand. Turn over to Matthew chapter 26. The Gospel of Matthew chapter 26. There are four Gospels. They each give an independent record of Jesus' life, ministry, death, and resurrection. They harmonize together. Matthew 26, I'm going to begin reading at verse 30. This is before Jesus' death. This is the night beforehand. It says, "...and when they had sung a hymn..." That's Jesus with His 11 apostles. "...when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, You will all fall away, because of Me this night." For it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." Very important. Jesus foretold His resurrection before He died, and He told His disciples that after He would rise, He would go before them to Galilee. So it's implied that you are to go there. To meet me there in Galilee. Now, go forward to chapter 28, which we read earlier in the service. Chapter 28, beginning at verse 5. But the angel said to the women, so Christ has now been raised, the women come to the tomb thinking that they're going to find Jesus' body there. They want to anoint His body, show honor there at the tomb, but the tomb is empty. And there's an angel there. And the angel said in verse 5, to the women, do not be afraid. For I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead. And behold, He is going before you to Galilee. There you will see Him. See, I have told you. So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, Greetings. And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, that's to the ladies, Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. And there they will see Me." So the angels gave this instruction to the women to go tell Christ's disciples that He was going before them to Galilee. They are to go to Galilee and meet Him there. Jesus Himself speaks to the women and tells them the same thing. So there's a lot being said about this future meeting in Galilee. This is a formally appointed meeting of the risen Christ with His disciples in Galilee. This meeting would have been made known ahead of time as extensively as possible to Christ's followers. So that as many of Christ's followers as possible could be there to see Christ when He would appear to them in Galilee. And He had significantly more followers in Galilee than in the Jerusalem area. Many of whom would come to that place in Galilee, that mountain in Galilee. Later on we're going to see 120 disciples in Jerusalem waiting for the Holy Spirit. But there were more disciples of Jesus in Galilee. Now go down in this chapter to verse 16. Now the 11 disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. It doesn't mean no one else did. It seems like there's a large number with them of disciples. Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age." Jesus gives the Great Commission to a large gathered group of His disciples who see Him, the risen Christ, This appears to be what Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 6, when he says, Then Christ appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Meaning, some have died. But they're believers, so their body is going to be raised in the resurrection, so just as they have fallen asleep. Paul is saying here, in chapter 15 verse 6, that these nearly 500 disciples, who at one time saw the risen Christ, who are still alive, that they can be asked to give their testimony to the resurrection of Christ. They saw the resurrected Christ. He appeared to them in a convincing way. And any of them can be asked to give testimony to the truth of the resurrection of Jesus. By appearing to this large group of disciples, Christ provided overwhelming proof of His resurrection. In the Old Testament law, a matter could be established by two or three witnesses in court. But Christ appeared to over 500 individuals at once. Making over 500 witnesses to His resurrection. Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 7, What James is this? There are multiple Jameses in the New Testament. It seems that this is James the brother of Jesus. The half-brother of Jesus. The Bible tells us that Jesus had half-brothers who were born after him. Born to Mary and Joseph. Jesus was born of the Virgin. Joseph had no relations with Mary before Jesus was born. But after he was born, because they were husband and wife, they did have relations and they had other children. And so they were half-brothers and half-sisters of Jesus. Now this James seems to be James the brother of Jesus, who was the most prominent leader of the church in Jerusalem, after the apostles expanded their ministry beyond Jerusalem. When Paul wrote this to the Corinthians, this James was the most prominent James in the church at Jerusalem, and could give, I'm sorry, he was the most prominent James period, and he could give testimony to the resurrection. Because Jesus appeared to him as well. And an appearance of the resurrected Christ to James the brother of Jesus would explain how James the brother of Jesus became a believer. Because you see in the Gospels that when Jesus had his earthly ministry, his brothers did not believe in him. James did not believe. And at the foot of the cross, to whom does Jesus entrust the care of his mother Mary? Not to any of his brothers, but to John. When Jesus dies, there's no indication that Jesus' brothers had yet believed. But, you see in Acts chapter 1, after the ascension, when the disciples are waiting in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit, who is with the apostles, and with Mary, and with the other disciples, the brothers of Jesus are there, as those who are looking forward to the promise of the Holy Spirit. So sometime after the death of Christ, Jesus' brothers believed prior to Pentecost. How did that happen? Well this would be the best explanation. Jesus appeared to his brother James. So Paul tells us in verse 7, Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. In verse 7, all the apostles is not a different group from the 12 that was mentioned earlier. There were multiple times that Jesus appeared to His apostles. But this is the last appearance that Paul lists before he lists the appearance to Paul. This appearance to all the apostles. This may be the appearance that we already read about in John when Thomas was there. Or, I think this is more likely, it could be the one before Jesus' ascension in Acts chapter 1. So turn to Acts chapter 1. To see the last appearance that Christ made before His ascension. Acts chapter 1. We will start in verse 3. Verse 3, He presented Himself alive to them, that's to His disciples, after His suffering, by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them, He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which He said, You heard from Me. For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight, And while they were gazing into heaven, as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes and said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven." So Jesus is not going to continue to appear to you again and again and again. He has appeared to you and now He is going to heaven. But there is coming a day when He will return. This was the last appearance that Christ made before His ascension. Paul uses the term apostles here. That Christ then appeared to all the apostles. Because of what Paul will say in 1 Corinthians 15 verses 8 and 9. About Christ appearing to him and calling him as His apostle. Turn back to 1 Corinthians 15. Let's see this. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 8. As Paul continues his list of these appearances of the risen Christ, we read in verse 8, This was years after Christ's resurrection. He appeared to Saul of Tarsus. He appeared to Paul. and made Paul an official witness to his resurrection. When Christ appeared to Paul, he turned Paul from a fierce enemy of Christ into a believer and an apostle of Christ. Because Paul was called by Christ so much later than the other apostles, he says here in our text that Christ appeared to him as to one untimely born. Paul was a very unusual case. Being called by Christ so much later than the other apostles. Even being called after the ascension. Let's turn over to Acts chapter 26 and see this appearance of the risen Christ to Paul. Acts 26. In Acts 26, we'll begin in verse 6. Here, Paul has been arrested and he's standing before Agrippa, the ruler. Verse 6, Paul says, And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king. Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blasphemed. And in raging fury against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities." This is how Paul treated Christ's disciples after the Ascension. He persecuted the Church of God. In this connection, I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me, in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? is it hard for you to kick against the goats?" And I said, who are you, Lord? The Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. So, Paul saw a brilliant light shine out of heaven. He didn't see Christ in the state that Christ was in before the ascension, when he appeared to his disciples. He saw Christ in His exalted, glorified state, radiating the very glory of God. And he heard the words of Jesus, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? These are hard for you to kick against the goads. I said, who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me. and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." There is Paul's testimony. to how the risen Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus. And Paul says in our text, 1 Corinthians 15, 8, last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. Now in our text, you can come back to 1 Corinthians 15, in our text the apostle spoke of Christ being buried, because his burial testified to the fact of his death. And He has now listed five separate appearances that Christ made after His resurrection. Appearances to all of His apostles, to James and to over 500 disciples. Because these appearances testified to the fact of His resurrection. The heart of the Gospel is good news. The heart of the Gospel is good news of Christ's death for our sins and of His resurrection on the third day. All in accordance with the Old Testament promises. This is the good news which Paul preached, which the Corinthians received, in which they stood, by which they were being saved, provided they held fast to this message. And this is the good news by which you are being saved if you believe. Christ's atoning death and victorious resurrection together are the centerpiece of Christianity. Without Christ's resurrection, there would be no Christianity. It is the basis of our faith, and Christ has given us every reason to believe in it. This is what Paul is driving at. Finally, in the last section of our text, we see the herald of the Gospel. Here in 1 Corinthians 15, verses 9-11, we have seen so far the centrality of the Gospel, we have seen the content of the Gospel, and now the herald of the Gospel. In verses 9 and 10, Paul expands upon what he said in verse 8. Look at verse 9. He says, Here in these verses, Paul expands upon what he said in verse 8. He says here, by the grace of God, Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ. Left to himself, he would have continued as a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent opponent. As Paul says in 1 Timothy 1.13 that he formerly was. He was owing entirely to God's grace that he was an apostle. Preaching the faith that he once sought to destroy. God's grace toward Paul was not in vain. Not without God's full intended effect. Just the opposite. God's grace produced extraordinary results. Paul says he worked harder than any of the other apostles. Think of the great distances that Paul traveled to proclaim the Gospel. Think of the great number of churches that Paul established. Think of all the suffering that Paul endured for the sake of the gospel. Think of how Paul sometimes worked as a tent maker while carrying out his work as an apostle. Working night and day. Think of the great number of epistles that Paul wrote. Think of the great care that Paul showed to the churches. He worked harder than any of the other apostles. And he says, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me." He takes no credit for his work. He ascribes it all to the powerful grace of God. He is not proud, but he humbly gives all the credit to the grace of God. Paul is validating the Gospel message that he proclaimed to the Corinthians. He's validating the message that he heralded of Christ's atoning death and triumphant resurrection. He proclaimed that message as an official representative of Christ and witness to His resurrection. But Paul cannot speak of this without making clear that he's not worthy to have done so. But by the grace of God, he did so. By the grace of God, He is an official representative of Christ, chosen to be a witness to His resurrection. And by the grace of God, He preached the gospel to the Corinthians. Paul concludes our text in verse 11. Look at it with me. Whether then it was I or they, whether it was I or the other apostles, so we preach and so you believed. Unlike the Corinthians, Paul is not interested in persons. Remember the rivalry in the Corinthian congregation that Paul earlier rebuked? Women say, I'm of Paul. Women say, I'm of Cephas and so forth. Unlike the Corinthians, Paul is not interested in persons. He says, whether then it was I or they, so we preached and so you believed. Paul says, whether it was Paul or the other Apostles who preached the Gospel to the Corinthians, it doesn't matter. What matters is that the Gospel was preached, and that it continues to be preached, and that it is believed. That's what matters. He says, the message in verses 3-8 of Christ's death for our sins according to the Scriptures, of His burial, of His resurrection on the third day according to the Scriptures, and of His resurrection appearances, is what the Apostles preach, and it's what the Corinthians believed. Today there are many people who have no problem acknowledging that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, but refuse to believe that He rose from the dead, in spite of the historical evidence that's given to us in the Bible of the resurrection. They refuse to believe that He rose, for if He did rise from the dead on the third day, then what He claimed about Himself was true. He has been appointed. To judge mankind at the end of history. All will have to stand before Him as the righteous judge. He requires each of us to turn from our sins and self-righteousness to Him. He requires us to trust completely in His death for sins. He requires us to submit our lives entirely to Him and His Lordship. If He was raised, all of this is true. And these are things that sinful man does not want to do. Unless God's grace is working in him, as it worked in Paul. Before Paul went to Corinth, he went to Athens. In Acts 17, he proclaimed the resurrection of Christ to unbelievers. In Acts 17, verse 32, we read the response of the Athenians to the message of the resurrection. It says, Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, we will hear you again about this. So Paul went out from their midst, but some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Apogeite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. The majority, upon hearing Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, mocked. But some believed. When God's grace is working in you like it worked in Paul, you respond to the gospel of Christ with joy. Joyfully turning from your sin and self-righteousness to Christ. Joyfully trusting completely in Christ's death for your sins. Joyfully submitting your life entirely to Him and His Lordship. My friend, if you have not repented of your sin, and believed in the gospel, I urge you to do so right now. Believe upon Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and He will save you to the uttermost. Beloved brethren, we have seen this morning the centrality of the gospel. We have seen a summary of the gospel. We have seen God's grace in making us heralds of the gospel. Paul is not the only herald of the gospel. God's grace makes every believer a herald of the gospel. Not an official representative, not an apostle, but a herald. So, beloved brethren, Make it your goal to know this gospel more fully each day of your life. We have a summary of it here, but there's more detail throughout the scriptures. We can spend our lives learning more of the gospel. Make it your goal, brothers and sisters, to know this gospel by which we are being saved, to know this gospel more fully each day of your life. Memorize passages that speak of the gospel. These are the matters of first importance. You can't memorize the whole Bible, I don't think. You have to start with the most fundamental passages. Memorize passages that give us the gospel. Praise God daily for the gospel. And pray that you would be able to proclaim the gospel to lost people. Which means praying for opportunities. Lord, give me an opportunity this week. To tell an unbeliever the gospel of Christ. Pray for opportunities. Pray for boldness. Sometimes God gives us opportunities, but we don't have the boldness to take the opportunity. So pray for boldness. Pray for accuracy. We are to represent the gospel faithfully to unbelievers. There are some places where you hear the gospel quite twisted, quite perverted. Pray that you could proclaim the gospel accurately. And pray for a good fruit from the Gospel. You can't change anybody's heart. You can't make anyone believe the Gospel. You can't make anyone repent. So pray. Pray for a good fruit from the Gospel. And when you proclaim the Gospel, make sure that you include the resurrection of Christ. You can speak all you want of the death of Christ for our sins, but if there is no resurrection of Christ in your presentation, you're not proclaiming the gospel. Paul gives us here the heart of the gospel. It's the atoning death of Christ and His resurrection on the third day. If there was no resurrection, we would of all people be most to be pitied. If there was no resurrection, we would still be in our sins. That's what Paul is going to say. The resurrection is at the heart of the gospel. So proclaim the biblical gospel. Proclaim everything that Paul says here. And continue on with what else the scripture tells us of the gospel. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gospel of Christ, for His atoning death. His death for our sins, and His triumphant resurrection on the third day. Oh Lord, we pray that You would grow us in appreciation for the Gospel, and our understanding of the Gospel, and our proclamation of it. And Lord, may You save others. You saved Paul. You saved us. No one is beyond the reach of Your sovereign saving grace. We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.