So good to have each one of you here this morning, and it's our desire this morning that each one of us return to Christ, that we really recognize the reality of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. And it's my prayer leading up to this day and even now that God would be greatly at work in each one of our lives. Brother Bert read for us the text after The text we're going to look at this morning. So we've gotten a little bit familiar with 1 Corinthians 15 already this morning. And now we'll read verses 1 through 11 of 1 Corinthians 15, our text for this morning. If you'll follow along as I read. Now, I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preach to you, which also you received and which also you stand. by which also you are saved if you hold fast the word which I preach to you, unless you believe in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time. Most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. And last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me also, for I am the least of the apostles, not fit 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 did not prove vain, but I labored even more than all of them. Yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach. And so you believed. Father, we thank you that we can look at your word this morning. Thank you that we're celebrating the resurrection of Christ, that we're not without a compass, without truth to direct us of what that means. Thank you that we're not simply celebrating newness or spring or anything else like that. We're celebrating the fact that the Son of God came, became a man to save us from our sins, died in our place and rose again bodily from the grave. And He is in heaven right now, interceding for each one of us who have already trusted in Him. And I pray that this morning, The presence of Christ might be known among us, for this is his church. He is the head of the church. And your word says he walks among the church. I pray that we might know his presence in a powerful way as we consider his work, his resurrection, we ask in Christ's name. Amen. What would it be like to be missing something essential in your life? You probably all are familiar with the term a lynchpin. Most of the time we use it in a kind of an abstract way. But what is a linchpin? Many of you might be able to tell me technically what it is. Well, I had to look it up a little bit. Cars, small cars and trucks don't need those for the axle. But let me read a little bit of a description of a linchpin that I found online. A linchpin is a piece of metal used to keep a wheel securely on its axle. It's inserted clockwise directly through the axle's end where it sits securely in place until it's manually removed. Due to its shape, it could easily glide into place without a large amount of force. The linchpin is not pointed like a typical straight pin or pushpin. It's a flat on the end and rounded on the sides. It comes in a variety of thicknesses to make it able to fit different types of wheels. The end of the pin that does not go into the axle usually has a loop of metal similar to a key ring so that the pin is easy to pull out. And the whole point of a linchpin is to keep the wheel on the axle, right? So it keeps everything together. Now, you can have a nice big wheel and a very well made axle, but if it's designed to have a linchpin in it, it's not going to work, is it? Merriam Webster Dictionary says this about linchpins is because we use this word not simply as the literal linchpin, but meaning something that's essential. It's something that serves to hold together parts or elements that exist or function as a unit. And without that linchpin, the unit won't work. You've got to have the linchpin that will hold things together. What would it be like to live your life not knowing what the linchpin of life is? Or what would it be like to live the Christian life forgetting what the linchpin of Christianity is? What would it be like to live your life totally ignorant of the central reality of this world? Or what would it be like to forget what is central to following Jesus Christ? Well, at various levels of life, there are linchpins, aren't there? Maybe you've recognized, you've really never recognized the linchpin of your life. Maybe you've forgotten what is designed to hold together your whole life and give meaning and purpose to everything you do. Well, that's the case. You're like a wheel and an axle without a linchpin that's designed to hold everything together. Romans 11, 36, speaking of God, says this from for from him and through him and to him are all things to him be glory forever. Amen. That is the linchpin of life. Everything is from Him, everything is through Him, and everything is for Him or to Him. It's all about God. That's what life is about. God's Word says that you are made by God. Colossians 1 says this specifically, that you are made through Christ and for Christ. This whole creation is what God planned for Him to make through His Son, for His Son. And every one of us as human beings are made for the Son of God, Jesus Christ. That's the linchpin that's necessary for all of us to grasp in our lives what we're here for. And that's reality. We can choose to live as if that's not true. We can choose to live as if we made ourselves and that we can live for anything or anyone or ourselves that we want to live for. But this is reality. That is a fantasy. This is reality. We were made by God and for God. And if we try to live our lives in any other way, we are not integrated with reality. That is reality. To live in the other way is to live in a fantasy world, which the world itself loves to construct. The story of scripture is this, that we were made by God and for God, but we chose to rebel against God as human beings. And in God's grace, he enacted an eternal plan of redemption, whereby he would bring us back to himself and make us back into people that actually could live for what we were made for. As it were, in Adam, humanity took the linchpin out. And ever since, we have been rolling along without what is reality. Each one of us were born into this world as people who, by nature, were born with the linchpin out and by choice, we kept it out living for ourselves. But God and his love and his grace and his son to redeem people like us that willfully have rebelled against our maker for whom we were made. The story of Scripture, this story of redemption through Jesus Christ, This story of rebels and enemies becoming sons and daughters and friends of God also has a linchpin. If the linchpin of your existence is that you were made by God and for God, the linchpin of the story of redemption is something that we're going to be considering today. Do you know what the linchpin to the gospel is? Do you know what the linchpin to the gospel is? Well, this morning, We're considering first Corinthians 15, 1 through 11. We're going to get a reminder or a refresher on the gospel. Now, in order for us to understand what's going on in this text, I need to just give you some orienting facts about this context. Paul is writing by the inspiration of the Spirit, such that this is God's word, the one who made us and who we're made for. This is God's word. And he's writing to a church that is pretty much If you want to talk about exhibit A of carnality and sinfulness, this is the sinful church that's highlighted in the New Testament, though all churches are sinful. And that's why we all need Christ, right? This one has some obvious issues. It was struggling, compromised, and yet by God's grace at the beginning of the book, it could save this. Paul is writing to the saints at Corinth because Christians are saints, not because they are saintly in and of themselves. But because Christ died for them and granted his righteousness to them such that they are saints in Christ. And in this letter, there are various questions raised by Corinthians, the Corinthians answers given by the Apostle Paul as God breathed out those answers through him as he wrote this to this church. Various issues are raised and questions are raised and various issues are addressed. And when you get to chapter 15, which is a very long chapter, 58 verses has been divided up. It's all about one major issue, and that issue is the resurrection. But actually, you may not totally get why he's talking about this. Why is he talking about the resurrection here? Paul is writing to the believers at Corinth and they've been and they've actually been influenced to deny the fact that one day they as believers will bodily rise again. They're confused about that. They are not questioning that Christ rose from the dead. They're questioning that they're going to rise from the dead. OK. Now, Scripture teaches that if a born again person dies before Christ returns, their spirit immediately goes where? Right to heaven, nothing in between. If they're in Christ, right to heaven. And their body goes in the ground. But when Christ returns, that body is going to be raised and transformed into a glorified body, a new body, and that body and that spirit will be united eternally forever in the presence of God. That's what Scripture teaches. That's the scriptures teaching about future bodily resurrection for all true believers who die before Christ returns. By the way, unbelievers will be resurrected as well, but to judgment. But the Corinthians were questioning this doctrine and were generally confused about it. And so God has Paul write 58 verses about this issue of resurrection. Now, how do we know that the Corinthians were questioning their own future bodily resurrection and how do we know The connection between that and Christ's resurrection. We'll look at verse 12 of this chapter. Right after our text this morning, Paul says this really as the climax or the conclusion of his argument that we're going to see this morning. Now, if Christ is preached that he has been what? Raised from the dead. How do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? Paul is saying this. You're questioning the resurrection of the dead, but if Christ is raised from the dead, how can you deny that? So what you have happening here is actually foundational to future bodily resurrection of believers is whose resurrection? Christ's resurrection. So Paul's going to deal with them and say, look, you believe that Christ rose from the dead. Therefore, you must believe one day you will rise. from the dead. If you deny your future resurrection, then to be consistent, you must deny his resurrection, Christ's resurrection. If Jesus didn't rise, then you won't either. But if Jesus did rise, then you will one day. Do you see how the resurrection, specifically the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is a linchpin? It's essential. Without the resurrection, then the Christian faith is vain, empty, pointless. With the resurrection, everything holds together. Without the resurrection, you do not have to listen to one word Jesus said or anything in the Bible. You can just reject it and walk away and find whatever else this world will give you. Because Jesus and all of Scripture says the Messiah would rise again. And if He didn't rise again, why in the world would you trust anything this book says? I would encourage you, if He didn't rise again, not to trust this Bible. But, if He did rise again, I don't just have to encourage you to, you must trust the Bible. Right? Not only that, you must believe everything He says, Jesus. And Jesus affirms all of Scripture. You must believe everything Scripture says. If Jesus Christ rose from the dead. So Paul is dealing with believers in Corinth that are confused about the nature of their own future resurrection. And he explains to them that their own resurrection is tied to the resurrection of Christ. But before he makes that point, he explains and reminds to them the nature of the gospel. He does that so that he can talk to them about how foundational the resurrection of Christ is to their future resurrection. Now, what's interesting is how Paul introduces this. Look at verse one. He does not say this. Now, I make known to you, brethren, the resurrection of Christ. And then he says, therefore, you've got to believe in your own future resurrection. He doesn't say that. He says this. Now, I make known to you, brethren, the what? The gospel. All right. So what's going on there? Well, because the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of Jesus Christ cannot be separated. He's going to explain how foundational the resurrection of Christ is to their future resurrection. But he does so by reminding them of the gospel, because resurrection of Christ and gospel go together. Resurrection is the linchpin of the gospel. Now, I've given this extended introduction this morning to help us really understand what's going on in these 11 verses, but I don't let me orient you a little bit to these verses. First thing you need to notice is this. You need to understand who Paul's talking to. Look at verse one. Now I make known to you. Paul's talking to who? The Corinthians. And look at the next word. Brethren. OK, so he's talking to who? Believers. He's talking to believers. If you're here this morning and you are not born again, you have not trusted in Christ alone for your salvation. That when he says us or you, or he's talking about you receiving the gospel, when I say we or us or our, you cannot include yourself in that. This is addressed to believers. If you're not a child of God, you cannot include yourself in that. But you could today if you will trust in Christ. You could be a part of what he's saying here based on the message that he's proclaiming here of the gospel. The second orienting fact I want to give is this. Paul is refreshing or reminding the believers at Corinth about the fact of the gospel, which necessarily means the fact of Christ's resurrection. Look what it says, verse one, Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel. Now I make known. Now, is this Paul telling the gospel for the first time? We say I make known to you, right? Well, we know it can't mean this is the first time because, look, I made known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which you receive, which you're standing in, which is your salvation. So Paul isn't telling them the gospel for the first time. Paul is reminding or refreshing their understanding of that gospel of Jesus Christ. So this morning, we're going to get a refresher on the gospel. We're going to be reminded about the gospel. And in reality, we must be reminded of that gospel daily as children of God. If you're a child of God, you can't ever move past the gospel. The gospel is how you live daily by faith in Christ. And if we don't have clarity on the gospel, we will be confused about other doctrines that flow out of the gospel, just like the Corinthians were. First thing you want to see from this this morning is in verses one and two. We need to be reminded about our personal relationship to the gospel. We need to be reminded about our personal relationship to the gospel. There are six things that we're going to take through here about our personal relationship to the gospel. First, this gospel was preached by the apostles. This gospel was preached by the apostles. Now, I broadened that out. I could say this gospel was preached by Paul, because that's the specific point here. Look at verse one. Now, I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preach to you. OK, but Paul preached this to them, but we could broaden it out and we need to in our understanding as well that the apostles preached this gospel. But specifically here, Paul brought the gospel first to what town, what city? Corinth. And there's a book in your Bible that gives the background to the epistles of the letters of the New Testament. That's the book of Acts. Turn to Acts chapter 18 if you can. Acts chapter 18. And we're going to read this when Paul first brought the gospel to the Corinthians. And we'll dip back in and see something else later that we read here now. Acts chapter 18 verses 1 through 11. After these things, he left Athens and went to Corinth and he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working for by trade. They were tent makers and he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. Where was he doing this? In Corinth, in the synagogue, right? In Corinth. But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the Word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Promised One. But when they resisted and blasphemed, he took out his garments and said to them, your blood be on your heads. I am clean for now on. I will go to the Gentiles. Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justice, a worshiper of God. whose house was next to the synagogue. Christmas, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians were then, when they heard, were believing and being baptized. And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking. Where? Where is he speaking? Corinth, right? And do not be silent, for I am with you and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in the city. What city? Corinth. I have many people, meaning many people will respond to the gospel. They're the ones that the father had given to the son. They will respond to the gospel when it's preached to them. Now turn back to First Corinthians 15. So Paul reminded the Corinthians that he had proclaimed or preached this gospel to them, that he's about to explain again to them and refresh their memory on. And we're reminded that God in his grace has given us a knowledge of the gospel through the apostles as well. The reason we have a full knowledge of the gospel is the New Testament and the writings of the apostle. But secondly, this gospel is what we received at salvation. Verse one. Now, I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preach to you, which also you receive, meaning they are true children of God, right? They received this gospel. If you'll remember, when we read those verses, we heard of people believing and being baptized, right? They had received that gospel. And if you're a child of God, Then you know there was a point in your time, you may not know the exact date on the calendar, you may not know exact time, but you know that once you were lost, but now you have been found once you didn't even you didn't truly submit to Christ, though you may have known the name of Christ. But now you do. You receive the true gospel. And it's that gospel that you receive that you and I must not forget. And any time we forget the gospel that we receive, we introduce confusion in our walk with God and we open ourselves up to all kinds of error about reality. God's reality has revealed the word, the reality of this world. So don't forget what you've received. Next, this gospel is what we stand in. This gospel is what we stand in. I make known to you, brethren, verse one, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and which also you stand." So this gospel that was preached to the Corinthians, they received, but that is what they're standing in right then when Paul is writing to them. What does it mean that they were standing in the gospel? What does that mean? Well, turn to Romans chapter 5 if you're able to do so. Romans chapter 5. There's a very important cross reference that explains to us what this means. Paul says in First Corinthians 15, they are standing in the gospel, Paul says over here by the spirit in Romans five, there's another there's another standing that explains this, this truth of standing in the gospel, therefore, having been justified by faith. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand. This grace is the fact that we are, if you've trusted Christ, righteous before God in Christ, justified, you have peace with God. If you've trusted Christ, you have this standing of unmerited favor before God, of grace. Why? Because you've trusted in Christ alone. OK, I turn back to First Corinthians 15. Paul says this gospel, which he preached to them, which they initially received, They are right in standing in. They are their whole spiritual life and privileges are because of that gospel. It is their standing of grace. Therefore, the gospel that we have received is the gospel in which we stand as born again children of God as well. The fifth thing that Paul reminds the Corinthians about Our relationship to the gospel is this, the gospel is the means of our salvation. The gospel is the means of our salvation. Look at verse one, verse two, by which, speaking of that same gospel, by which also you are saved, by means of which you are saved. This gospel, Paul says, I preach to you, which you receive, which you're standing in, right, is the means of your salvation. Salvation from sin, why do people need to be saved? We need to be saved from the sin that has alienated us from God. Every one of us are born alienated from God. Enemies of God needing to be, our sins need to be atoned for. We need to trust in Christ, that atonement of Christ needs to be applied to our account. We need to be saved. It's interesting to note here, he says, by which you also you are saved. That's a present. I think the point will be this, that which you are being saved. This is a this is a current thing, right? Salvation is you're saved once for all, but you are being saved and you will come into your salvation one day by God's grace, by the standing that you have in the gospel. Now, In just a few moments, we'll be considering the content of this gospel that Paul says is the means of our salvation. So what if someone holds to a gospel, OK, a gospel that actually is not the gospel that's revealed here? Well, then we're not holding to a gospel that will save us, right? We've got to hold to the gospel that will save us by means of salvation. This is the only means we have to hold to the specific gospel that Paul proclaims here. The last two points explain two important facts about this gospel. First, first of all, this this gospel must be held fast to. All right. Now, I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preach to you, which also you received and which also you stand, but which also you are saved if you hold fast the word which I preach to you. The gospel must be held fast to. Now, the implication in this text is that the Corinthians, what do you think, were or were not holding fast to it? They were. OK, he's assuming they are. They've received it. They are OK. So Paul is going to use that to drive his point. You're holding fast to this gospel. Now, let me tell you what this gospel teaches. It teaches that Jesus rose from the dead. Therefore, you one day will rise from the dead. Now, what does it mean to hold fast to the gospel? Maybe you're familiar with this parable of the soils in the gospels where Jesus speaks of four different kinds of soils. And one of them, one of which is good, the seed of the word is cast, and this one soil, the seeds of that good soil, listen to this, but the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart and hold it fast and bear fruit with perseverance. In other words, that's the only soil that represents a regenerated, new life heart. It held fast that word which was given, the gospel. Now, all true believers, the scripture teaches, will hold fast to the gospel to the end. If you're a true child of God, you will persevere to the end. The Bible also teaches if you're a true child of God, you must persevere to the end. And Scripture calls us for that in places like Hebrews, Hebrews 3, 6. But Christ was found faithful as a son over his house, whose house we are if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. Hebrews 3, 14, for we have become partakers of Christ if we hold fast the blessing of the beginning of our assurance firm until the end. Hebrews 10, 23, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Paul is reminding the Corinthians about this gospel, and he's reminding us as well. It's a gospel preached by the apostles. It's a gospel received at salvation. It's a gospel that we stand in. It's the means of our salvation. And it is it must be held fast to. But here's one more point that we want to notice and really an important point to examine. This gospel can be believed in vainly. It can be believed in vainly. Look what he says at the end there. If you hold fast the word, the gospel which I preach to you, unless you believe in vain. What's the point there? Paul's saying you received this. It's the true gospel. You got to hold fast to it. You are. Unless you believed in vain, meaning unless you actually didn't really truly believe. Now, it might be that Paul is speaking ironically here, unless, of course, you believed in vain, meaning that unless, of course, Jesus didn't rise from the dead, therefore it's vain. He does make that point later. But I think in this context, he's saying unless, in fact, you haven't truly believed. It's a different word that's used later for the word vain. So it seems that Paul is saying that this gospel is the means of their salvation if they truly believe. Did you know you can believe but not believe? There are millions of people in this world, maybe billions of people that believe in Jesus, but don't believe in Him. They don't believe the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus said this about some that believe but didn't believe. Now, when he was in Jerusalem, John 2, 23 to 25, this is told about Jesus and what he did at the Passover. He was at the Passover during the feast. Many believed in his name. observing his signs, which he was doing. But Jesus, on his part, was not entrusting himself to them, for he knew all men and because he did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for he himself knew what was in man. So there were people that believed in Jesus, but Jesus didn't entrust himself to them. Why? Because they didn't really believe in him. They didn't personally trust in Christ alone for their salvation. To believe, but not to truly believe in Jesus, is to believe in vain. If you have come to Christ for any other reason than for this, that you needed your sins atoned for, and you knew there was no way for you to do it, that Christ alone is the answer, if you came to Jesus for any other reason than that, you believed in vain. The only people that believe truly and trust in him have come to him because he's their only hope for their sin problem. And they personally trust in him by faith. So let me ask you, what is your personal relationship with the gospel of Jesus Christ? Paul was speaking to people who had believed the gospel, right? Refreshing them. But maybe there's some here this morning that have not ever truly believed. What's your personal relationship with the gospel? We need to really listen to this next point to figure out what the true gospel is and see if you would trust in the gospel of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Second thing we need to be reminded about is this, we need to be reminded about what the gospel is, what the gospel is. Here, Paul gives us four facts about the gospel, what it is. There's only one true gospel and it is definable. And if it's not defined in your heart or you understand what the gospel is, then you don't know Christ. There is a gospel that must be clear to you that you have trusted in that Christ and that gospel. First of all, the gospel's nature is delivered truth. We'll get to the content in a minute, but let's just talk about the nature of it. Delivered truth. Look what he says in verse three. For I delivered to you as of first importance what also I received. Paul delivered what to them? The gospel, which he had what? Received. OK, so the nature of the gospel is delivered truth. Paul's point is this. Who's he saying didn't come up with the gospel? He didn't come up with that gospel. He delivered what he received. This is not Paul's construction of religiosity or his idea. This is God's master plan of redemption. He makes this point in Galatians 1. For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached to me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor as I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of who? Jesus Christ, this is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Later on in Galatians, Paul says that he went to meet the other apostles in Jerusalem and they compared and it was the same gospel. Huh? Wonder why? Because it came from Christ. Paul speaks of this gospel to Timothy as something which is a deposit or a treasure of sound words that's been given to him that he is to guard. It is a definable thing that was delivered from Jesus Christ to the apostles. Next, the gospel's priority. What is the gospel's priority? Look at verse three. So what importance? Second importance? No, first importance, the gospel's priority, first importance. Now, you could take it to mean this. And there are some translations that translate it this way, which is legitimate to do so in context. I don't think it's right. You could say the first thing Paul told him was about the gospel. No doubt that's true, right? He went right there. But I don't think that's the point. He's showing by his very argument here that the gospel and a right understanding the gospel is of number one priority so that they understand all other gospel, all other biblical truth. So really, the point is the gospel's priority, first importance. You see, if the gospel is not given its proper place in the revelation of God, then the Bible simply becomes a moral handbook. Like many, many professing Christians have used this book over the years. And they don't even know Christ. Because they look at this as like a map to live for God. And that's all they look at it as. If you look at this as a map to live for God, and that's all you look at it as, you're going to hell one day. And if that's all I looked at it like is, I would go there too. Because that means the hope is in me, in the living. But central to the importance of the Bible is the gospel. Yeah, this Bible does teach us how to live for God, doesn't it? But it doesn't do so so that we can earn our way to God. It does so so that we can live out who we are in Jesus Christ, who earned our salvation and paid for our sin debt and gifted our salvation to us. If the gospel isn't primary and in the right place, then the church simply becomes a place to make us feel good about our standing before God. And we simply get excited about certain days of the year rather than rejoicing in Christ every day of the year and knowing that it is our delight to worship him together with his people and individually every day of the year. If the gospel is not given priority, we will subtly start to inculcate the world's philosophies, like many mainline denominations have, and using terminology like resurrection and gospel and all these things, but actually be using very different meanings with those words. Because the gospel lost its priority. The gospel must be given priority. If the gospel is not given first place in our individual lives, in the life of this church, there will be devastating results. In fact, over time, even if a church loses the primacy of the gospel and even if there are still true believers there, those true believers will be deformed spiritually because they are not getting what matters most. I would submit to you, every single one of us, the fight of our life is to keep the Gospel's priority every day. The Gospel must be prioritized in relationship to your obedience. The Gospel must have first place in your heart in relationship to when you fail and sin. The Gospel must have first place in your life in how you respond to those who sin against you. The gospel must be first. How do you view your past? If you don't prioritize the gospel, then you're going to have problems with your past or your present. Or what about the future? The gospel must have first importance. Now, Paul finally comes to the content of this gospel. We've all read good novels or watched something that kind of baited you along and didn't give you what it was yet, right? you know, left some details out, so it made you want to keep reading to find out. Well, Paul's done that here. I've been talking about being reminded about the gospel, right? What they receive, what it does for them. But he hasn't yet said what it is. Right. So now we get to that and we get to see what the gospel's content is. Look at verses three and four. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day, according to the scriptures. That is the content of the gospel. These three facts of the gospel are historical realities. You see, you cannot write Christianity off as a fable if you have not yet dealt with the fact that the claims of Christianity are historical claims. There are many religious thoughts and books that are making claims that aren't historical. These things can be verified. These things can be challenged. These things happen in space and time. The Son of God, the Creator of all, entered time and space in this earth as a human being, lived here, died here, rose again as a human being in history. In this world, it's a historical reality. And until you're absolutely sure that this did not happen, you cannot write Christianity off as a fable. The claim of Christianity is that these things happen historically. What are these historical facts? First of all, Christ's substitutionary death, Christ's substitutionary death. Paul says, I delivered to you as a first importance, which I also received that gospel, that Christ died. But it doesn't just say that Christ died, does it? Christ died for what? For our sins, Christ died for us. And that's why I say Christ's substitutionary death. The significance of Christ's death on the cross isn't simply that he died on a cross. Did anybody else die on crosses? Many, many people did. Two people did that very day with him. But their death didn't do anything for anybody. So the gospel and the significance of the cross goes way beyond just the brutality of the cross. And by the way, let me just point this out, that movies that focus simply on the brutality of the cross or books that focus on that miss the point. Many people have died brutally, right? Unfortunately. But Jesus died for those reasons. For sin like that. To redeem us from our sins. He died in the place of us, in our stead to face the righteous wrath against our sin. You recognize this, the just God from whom all justice comes had to be just in the way he would accept a sinner like you or me and has to be just in the way that he accepts us for all eternity. His justice. Again, from which all true justice comes from, has to be satisfied if we are to be accepted before God. And on the cross, God's justice was satisfied. The Father poured out His wrath against our sin in His own Son, and His Son propitiated, or made the satisfaction of the wrath of God on Christ for our sins. Jesus, the Son of God, died for our sins. Second Corinthians 521. He made him who knew no sin to be sent on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. The second historical fact is this. Christ's verified death. His verified death. It says this, Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried. Why does it need to say that? Of course he was buried, right? He died and he rose again. Why does it need to say that? Well, it's just really emphasizing this, that he really what? He really died. Therefore, he really, really rose again when it speaks of the resurrection. Christ's verified death. He actually did die. He was not swooning. He was dead. He was heavily guarded. The tomb was sealed. He was in there for parts of three days. He was buried in an actual tomb where everybody knew where it was. He wasn't lost. They knew where he had been placed. But the third fact is this. Christ's bodily resurrection. Bodily resurrection. Key word bodily. Christ didn't rise in his spirit. He rose bodily. Actual resurrection. He was raised on the third day, referring to the fact that Jesus was buried on Friday, part of one day there. Saturday he was in the tomb and part of Sunday before he rose, he was in the tomb. Third day. The emphasis is on the fact that the Father raised him from the dead. Look what it says. And he was raised on the third day. Why is that important? Well, Christ's sacrifice was before God for our sins. So if the father rose the son, raised the son from the grave, do you think the father accepted his payment for our sins? Yeah, that was a verification of yes, this is done. My son said it's finished and it is the atonement has been accepted. And now all who would trust in Christ, my son would be cleansed from their sin. Do you believe in this gospel that Jesus was no mere human being, but the Son of God who became a man, lived in your place, the life you have not lived and now cannot live on your own, died for the sins of that life that you're living, rose again, declaring that his payment for your sin has satisfied the justice of God against your sin? You might say, well, Is there any verification for these things? Paul is giving gospel verification here. He's giving it to believers to strengthen them about what the point he's going to make. But maybe you're here this morning and you say, I'd like some more verification about these truths. Well, listen to what Paul says here. The gospel's verification, first of all, through the scriptures, through the scriptures. There's this phrase that's come up twice. Do you know what it is? He was, he died for our sins according to the, and he was buried and he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. That word scripture is a technical term for the Old Testament. That means that the claim here by Paul is that this gospel we're talking about, and especially as well the resurrection, is one of the facts of the gospel, is according to the scriptures. Now, think about this, that portion of the Bible that was written years before Christ ever came said this would happen. In fact, Isaiah 53, written seven centuries before Christ was ever on this earth, said this, he would be pierced through for our transgressions. He would be bruised for our iniquities and the chastising and the chastening for our well-being fell upon him. And by his scourging, we are filled. All of us like sheep have gone astray. Each of us have turned away. But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. Who's him? Jesus. That was prophesied before it ever took place. But also we're told of the resurrection. We won't turn there. We actually sang this psalm in the 9 o'clock service. But in Psalm 16 it says this, For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, meaning the grave, nor will you allow your Holy One to go under decay. You will make known to me the path of life, and your presence is the fullness of joy at your right hand. There are pleasures for evermore. And the apostles apply that prophetically to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And Isaiah 53, after it speaks of the death of the Messiah, it speaks of his future posterity that he will see. Now, dead people don't see their future descendants, do they? That means that chapter in Scripture prophesied the resurrection. The second verification is through witnesses, through witnesses. Now, once again, the claims of Christianity are historical claims. And keep in mind, when the New Testament was written, it was basically challenging anyone to prove it wrong. It was very, very few years removed from the actual happenings. Go and ask some people that make these claims that they said they saw this. It's a challenge to them almost. If you think about this, how do you explain the fact that the claims that are made are historical claims that can be falsified, but never have been? And can't be if the body of Jesus was simply found, Christianity would have been snuffed out. It's all built on the fact that he said he was going to rise and then he did. If he did, if they produced his body, do you think this would go on very long? No. Many false teachings go on because they're not falsifiable. You can't really prove them right or wrong. But this is clearly able to be proved wrong if his body had been found. But it has not been. And Paul points us to that reality that there are five different people or groups that Jesus appeared to. There were, of course, others, most notably one that we read about earlier in a nine o'clock service. The first witnesses to the resurrection were none other than women. And in that culture, their testimony in court was not allowed or was not was not valued. It wasn't legally viable before the court. Now, that wasn't right, was it? But that's just reality of that culture. OK, so the last thing you would do if you're writing a fable to build up a false religion is say the first people that saw the risen Savior were women. That would be like a death note to your whole story. The only reason you would say that is if it actually what? If it actually happened. And that's why it's said here. But let's look at the particular people, the witnesses that Paul points out. First of all, Christ appeared to who? Verse five. to Cephas, you know, Cephas. That's Peter. That's the Aramaic word for Peter. We're not sure exactly when this happened, sometime between Mary and the time of the Emmaus road, the disciples. But he appeared to Peter. Peter would become a chief spokesman in the early church when he spoke at Pentecost. And then in Acts 10, when he was used by God to open the door of the gospel to the Gentiles. Next, Christ appeared to the twelve. Now, the 12 is really a formal way of just referring to Christ's original disciples, because who was no longer part of the 12 and never really truly was a disciple? Judas. In fact, Thomas wasn't here when he first appeared to the 12. So this is just a formal way of saying to the disciples of Christ, probably this happened in Luke chapter 24. Verse 36, listen as I read, while they were telling these things, he himself stood in their midst and said to them, peace be to you. But they were startled and frightened and thought that he was seeing they were seeing a spirit. And he said to them, why are you troubled and why do you doubt? Why do doubts arise in your heart? See my hands, my feet, that it is myself. Touch me and see for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have. Jesus is saying I rose bodily. And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, he said to them, have you anything here to eat? They gave him a piece of boiled fish and he took it and ate it before them. This is also referred to in John 20. He appeared to the 12. Next, Christ appeared to more than how many people? 500. So now we're given a big number. The disciples, Peter, the 12 disciples, big number, 500 people. We're not told exactly when this happened either, but probably it happened at the same time of the Great Commission being given in Matthew 28. There, Jesus told his 11 disciples, it says 11 there, to go to a particular place to meet him. And they go there. And there are others there that are doubting pretty clear that it's not his true disciples at that point. OK, so it means there's other people there and there's a meeting place, which means there would have been other people who heard about this. These other disciples of Jesus Christ. All right. More than 500 people saw who risen from the dead. Jesus. Now, notice what it says here in our text. Really important. More than 500 brethren at one time. OK, so why is that important? Well, you can talk to one person that said they saw him, and then you can talk to another person, 500 people that individually saw him. That'd be important, right? But what if you talk to a whole group of people that said they saw him at the same time? That means this wasn't a mirage. This wasn't some kind of epiphany they had. This wasn't some kind of a thing they had because they really wanted to see him. It wasn't some kind of psychological phenomenon. 500 people saw him. Okay? Most of whom remain until now, meaning what? They're alive again. Go talk to them. They're alive. They saw the risen savior. That's a good way to verify the same. All right. They would be able to provide this verification. But some do sleep, he says. What does he mean by sleep? Some of them are dead, but listen to that word sleep. Why do you think it says sleep? Because of their children of God, they will be raised, their bodies will be raised one day. Sleep isn't really a euphemism for the real nature of the death of believers. Next, Christ's appearance to James. Who is this James? I think it is the half brother of Jesus. There were two other of the twelve disciples named James, but they're included in the twelve as well as all the apostles in a minute we're going to see. So I think probably that's what's going on here is this half brother of Jesus. Half brother because Jesus did not have a father, did he? Born of the Virgin Mary, did not have a human father. But Mary was married to Joseph and they did have other children. Now, did these brothers of his, specifically James, did James believe in Jesus during his earthly ministry? No. We're told very clearly, John 7, his brothers did not believe. But then in Acts 1, they're actually believing and worshiping. What happened? Jesus appeared, the resurrected Savior. Resurrected half-brother showed up to James. And guess who believed? James believed. Next, all the apostles. This is probably emphasizing the fact that all the apostles witnessed earlier, the twelve. Now, all of them, because Thomas was missing at that time. All the apostles witnessed Jesus alive after his death. But finally, Christ appeared to who? Look at verse eight. And last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me. Who's speaking? The apostle Paul. He appeared to me. When did he do that? He appeared to him on the road to Damascus. When Paul was going to persecute the church, Jesus appeared to him, saved him, called him, transformed him, and commissioned him as an apostle. He says, as to one untimely born, the point seems to be this, that he just recognizes he's the one that wasn't with Jesus during his earthly ministry. He was born again, but untimely, later, right? But of course, it was according to God's timetable that he became an apostle. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must be reminded of our relationship to that gospel, and we must be reminded about the reality of what that gospel is. And this passage, verses 1 through 11, is one unit of thought. We're not going to work our way carefully through verses 9 through 11 this morning, but I just want to look at these verses as a final concluding fact about the gospel as well. If you were to apply these verses In terms of what the gospel does for someone and what we need to be reminded about the gospel for what it does, you could put it this way. Finally, this morning, we need to be reminded about what the gospel does for the undeserving, what the gospel does for the undeserving. First of all, the gospel of Jesus Christ saves the undeserving. Exhibit of A is who in this passage? Who's the one that saw him last? Paul, he says, look what it says, verse eight, last of all, as the one untimely born, he appeared to me also for I am the least of the apostles. Now, obviously, Paul, there's not a ranking here. He's just saying in his own his own awareness of things, he views himself the least because he knows how simple he is. and not fit to be called an apostle. Well, of course, he's an apostle. Christ called him an apostle. He says he's an apostle, but he's viewing himself in relationship to who he is, apart from God's grace, not fit, not adequate to be an apostle. All right. Paul's pretty clear. Jesus saved an undeserving man, right? An undeserving man who was persecuting the church. Certainly undeserving. And the gospel, think about this. It's the gospel that can save you as an undeserving person. Do you know you are undeserving? If you think you're deserving, you'll never be saved. But if you know you're undeserving, then Christ can save you, an undeserving person. Next, the gospel of Jesus Christ transforms the undeserving. Look at verse 10. But by the grace of God, I am what I am. Unfit to be who I am, but by the grace of God, I am what I am. The gospel of Jesus Christ transforms the undeserving by God's grace. He went from a Christ rejecter and a church persecutor to a Christ lover and a church builder and a gospel proclaimer. And you can go from a Christ rejecter to a Christ believer as well. Nick, the gospel of Jesus Christ uses the undeserving. Normally, we don't like that. We don't like people using us, right? We don't want to be used, right? Well, if you come to know who Jesus is, you want to be used. Because when Jesus uses undeserving people, it's for their good and his glory. He labored for the gospel more than them all. God's grace toward him, he says, was not in vain, meaning he was living for who? He was living for Christ. So Paul went from a Christ rejecter persecuting the church to someone who gave his life for the purposes of Jesus Christ. The gospel uses people. Maybe you're here this morning and you are a child of God. You needed this refresher because you forgot how the God of this universe can use you for his purposes in Jesus Christ. He will use the undeserving. You were made by God and for God. So was I. That's the linchpin of your existence, of reality. But the only way you're going to be able to live for what you were made for is if you get the linchpin of the gospel. You got to know the gospel and you got to know the linchpin. The gospel is that Jesus died for you. He really died and he rose again. Everything he says about you and eternity, your sin and God's holiness is true. Jesus rose from the grave. He had the victory over sin and death. His sacrifice was accepted before the Father for your sins. Do you believe that? Through the resurrection, Jesus was displayed for who he really is, the Son of God, though he had been rejected as being not the Son of God. And he did so, dying in your place that you might be accepted before God. Dear friend, listen to these closing verses from Romans 10. If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, He is Lord. You can't change that by not believing. But if you'll confess that he's Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. You will be saved. For with the heart, a person believes, resulting in righteousness. Doesn't work resulting in righteousness, believes resulting in righteousness. And with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation. That is the gospel. And many of us here this morning need to be refreshed and reminded about it. We already know the gospel, but we need to live by that gospel. We need to exalt in the Christ of the gospel. Some this morning need to accept this gospel and receive it like the Corinthians did. And one day, Your own debt will be reversed and you'll be raised and given a new body and you'll be in God's presence forever. That is the wonderful reality of the future of those who have trusted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you'll bow your head this morning, I would just invite you to respond to this gospel. I ask you to bow your heads and ask that no one look around here. And I just want to ask if you If you know you need to be saved, but you have not trusted Christ, but you want to today, would you just simply raise your hand? I'm not I want to pray with you and I would love for you to come and talk to me afterwards so I can take you to the scriptures. If you have that desire, that desire came from God. Nobody can give you that desire except for God. If that's your desire today, would you raise your hand and I would love to speak with you afterwards after this service. Is there anyone like that this morning? Well, if there is anyone, I would love to speak to you and you can speak to another person that knows the true gospel and be pointed to our savior, Jesus Christ. Let's pray. Father, thank you so much. for the gospel of Christ Jesus. Thank you that Jesus rose again and that he's coming again and that we can trust in him completely. I pray for anyone here this morning that has not yet fully trusted in Christ Jesus alone, that you would draw them sovereignly to yourself by your grace. I pray these things in Jesus name. Amen.