1 Corinthians 15:1-19, Believe And Preach The Whole Gospel
1. The Whole Gospel Consists Of Three Simple Facts (v1-4)
2. The Whole Gospel Is Confirmed By Eye Witnesses (v5-8)
3. The Apostles All Preached The Same Gospel (v9-11)
4. Removing One Part Invalidates The Whole Gospel (v12-19)
As we look at First Corinthians chapter 15 tonight, I've titled The Message Believe and preach the whole gospel. Believe and preach the whole gospel as Paul is about to wind down his letter. He writes the longest chapter of them all here in First Corinthians chapter 15, really dealing in depth with an important subject, the subject of. Resurrection and Paul spends the whole chapter and we're not going to cover the whole chapter, but he's going to go on beyond the verses we'll see tonight to continue to drive home the point of how important the idea the concepts, the, the truth of the resurrection is the fact that Jesus Christ. Has risen from the dead as well as the promise to us his followers. Those who believe in him that we also will be resurrected just as he was. Now on Sunday we talked about, I mentioned briefly the questions that the Corinthians had and Paul's letter here in first Corinthians was answering a lot of those questions about husbands and wives and marriage and remarriage asking about meet sacrifice to idols, and when it's OK to eat those kinds of things. And what really is the deal with spiritual gifts? And we talked about that a little bit on Sunday and so much of First Corinthians is Paul answering their questions that they had sent over to him and he's responding back. But also, as Paul is writing this letter, he's not just directly answering questions that they had asked, but he's also taking the opportunity to share some concerns for them. And so here's a new list for you of the different chapters where Paul is highlighting something and saying, hey, by the way, I heard about this and I know this is happening. And so he deals with divisions and contentions. They're in those first few chapters that. Was a great concern to him in chapter five. He deals with the issue of sin that was ongoing within the church and the the church was tolerating and celebrating and Paul is saying this isn't right. You need to address this in chapter six. He deals with lawsuits among believers how they were taking each other to court and really misrepresenting. Christ to the world around them, in the process. In Chapter 11 he addresses the issue of the Lord's Supper and the way that they were practicing that and partaking of that really wasn't the Lord's Supper at all and was not appropriate for their gathering together as believers. Chapter 14, along with the spiritual gifts he's addressing the issue of disorder and the chaos that would happen within their church services and then now in Chapter 15, it's the final thing, the final concern for the apostle Paul is the false teaching that had risen up within the church about resurrection. And so this chapter is devoted to this. It's the longest chapter. Of first Corinthians. It's a long portion where Paul is saying, look, you need to understand. The value of the importance of the truth of the resurrection, and so as we look at the first part of his argument to them and his correction for them about the resurrection, we're going to see a glimpse of that, and again hopefully be refreshed in our belief and understanding of the whole gospel. And be prepared to preach and to deliver that same message to others around us. And so we're going to walk through four points here in verses one through 19 point. Number one starts in verses one through 4. Here's point #1. The whole gospel can. Cysts of three simple facts. Here in these first few verses, the the apostle Paul lays out in you might say it's simplest form what the gospel message is, that word, gospel, which means good news, the the message that he preached, the message that the apostles preached. It consists, at its core of three simple facts. Let's look at verses one through 4, it says. Moreover, Brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preach to you, which also you received and in which you stand. By which also you are saved if you hold fast that word which I preach to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that. Which I also received. That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And that he was buried. And that he rose again the 3rd day according. To the scriptures. Paul says Corinthians. I need to remind you of the message that I shared with you. I need to take a moment and write down here as I'm writing this letter, the same message that I preached to you at the beginning, I declared to you the Gospel which I preach to you. Let me remind you of those beginning truths, those essential truths that I shared when I first. Him into your city and began to announce the work of Jesus Christ in your midst. And and he's reminding you this message that I gave to you. You received. You heard me share this message. You heard the gospel, you heard the good news and you received it. You accepted it. You believed it. And so he's saying not just this is the message I preach to you, but sometimes we need to be reminded we believed this message. We we at this point are some point in our. Waves heard the gospel. We heard the truth and we believed it. We brought it unto ourselves. We accepted it as the reality we received the message that God has delivered in the gospel. And Paul goes on to say it's the same message in which you stand. So you started out hearing this message believing it, and it's this message in which you stand. This is the gospel. It's the foundation upon which you stand. It's the gospel, he says in verse 2, by which also you are saved, and so you can see Paul here is just showing from every angle. It's the message that was preached. It's the message you received. It's the message that you stand upon. It's the message by which you are saved. But he throws the condition in there if you hold fast that word which I preach to you. And the necessity there to hold fast and not now deviate. From that gospel message you started out hearing that message as I preached it. You believed it. You stand on it, you're saved by it. But you also need to remember you have to hold fast to that gospel message. You can't start. Manipulating the gospel message and changing it. And and believing different things. You need to hold fast to these essential truths, to the to the good news that has been provided for you. He says in verse three I delivered to you first of all that which I also received. And so Paul reminds them, I didn't make this up. I didn't generate this. This was given to me. This was delivered unto me by the Lord. So here is the message, and here and and the remainder of verse three and four, he breaks it down. The three facts of the gospel message. Fact number one, Christ died for our sins according. To the scriptures. Fact #2. He was buried. Fact #3 he rose again the 3rd day according. To the scriptures. And so here Paul lays out these three facts. Of the gospel. And it's important to recognize this. What, what Paul is addressing here is events that happened in history. He's not saying the gospel message is a philosophy about life. It's a message about how we ought to love one another. And it's a message about how we ought to treat one another and do unto others as we want them to do unto us right. Like there are those messages in the scriptures. But the gospel message, the good news centers around real events that actually transpired. Three historical facts. Jesus died for our sins. He died upon the cross. He was crucified. But it's not just that he died. But he died for our sins. There is this. Important truth here. It speaks very clearly of our need for a savior. It speaks very clearly that we had an issue of sin that had to be dealt with and that could not be dealt with by us. Making up for our sins or paying back for our sins, or trying to compensate the Lord for our failures and sins. But Christ died for our sins. That the one who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. And as Jesus was there in the garden right before the cross, praying to the father, if there's any other way, if there's any other way for the sin issue to be dealt with. He said. Nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done, Father. That was the only way for Jesus to go to the cross. To experience that excruciating death, that word, excruciating. It comes from the same word that crucifixion comes from. It's that. Intense crazy amount of pain, but it wasn't just the physical pain that the Lord endured. He died for our sins. Having our sins laid upon him, being the substitute in our place, receiving the penalty for sin that we deserved. And so Christ died for our sins. Essential part. Clear fact. Is what has happened and then he was buried. He was taken off of the cross. Joseph of Arimathea, A wealthy man, had a tomb nearby. He requested the body of Jesus. He recovered it off of the cross and lead his body. Within the tomb embalmed him, so he's wrapped up. He's laid him down with. Many pounds of spices and ointments, and all of those kinds of things, and so he was buried there in that garden tomb. The fact that he was buried. Reiterates the fact that he died. That he wasn't buried alive. These were not, you know, amateurs. Fooled by an unconscious Jesus, you know? And no, he he was dead. The Roman soldiers verified it. The people removing the body of Jesus would recognize it as they treat the body and lay it for the burial. It it was clear he was. Completely dead. Buried in the tomb. But it wasn't the end of the story, because fact #3 he rose again the 3rd day according. To the scriptures. He didn't resuscitate. He rose again. He was resurrected on the third day. Just as he promised, just as the Scriptures declared, he rose again and and the resurrection, as Paul will go on to. Demonstrate throughout the chapter it it puts the seal on the Ministry of Jesus. Solidifies the reality that everything that he said, everything that he claimed to be, everything that he said about himself and salvation and the father. It's all true proven. His resurrection from the dead. This is the Gospel, Paul says. I want to take a. Moment here and. Remind you of the gospel? It's not super complicated. There are incredibly deep things that we can dive into in the things of the Lord. But the gospel message, the core of it. Is not complex. It's not hard to understand. 3 facts. Our little niece, Isabel, 2 1/2 years old, almost three. She can count to 3. 123. It's that simple and and and it's that simple intentionally because God intends for it to be available and accessible to all people. Can you imagine if we were designing the gospel? I mean some of. Us would come. Up with 27 facts that you have to know and you have to be able to say it just right. We would come up with all kinds of intricate things. Or we would come up with something that was completely unfair, unbiased, not unbiased. It would be biased, unfair, biased. You know something completely twisted and unavailable, and so the majority of people would not be able to receive it. But God has designed the gospel to be accessible. It it's these three things, believing in Jesus Christ. That he, although being God, became man to die for our sins and he was buried, and he rose again the 3rd day. It's simple. It's not shallow and and twice here, Paul says according. To the scriptures. Now, if you don't have a understanding of or you don't believe the scriptures, of course you kind of have to back up and start there. Jesus, here in his crucifixion and his resurrection was not just some random event, but these things were spoken about, prophesied about documented hundreds and thousands of years before they occurred, sealed up in the Old Testament, before Jesus was ever born. So that as he walked through life and experienced these things and then died upon the cross and was buried, and then rose again, he's fulfilling all of these prophecies and promises that that he couldn't have manipulated, that nobody could have manipulated except for God. Who spoke them through the prophets and fulfilled them through Jesus. Psalm chapter 16. Verse 10 and 11 says for you will not leave my soul in shield, nor will you allow your holy one. To see corruption. You will show me the path of life, and your presence is fullness of joy at your right hand are pleasures forever more. And this is also quoted in acts Chapter 2. Applying it to Jesus, recognizing he didn't stay in the tomb. The father did not allow the holy one to see corruption, but he resurrected him. He was resurrected. And so now he's on the path of life. In the fullness of joy. At the right hand of the father, with pleasures forever more. That's just a. Quick example. Of course there's many more that. We could give. Jesus himself prophesied about the three days in Matthew chapter 12. As the people were asking for a sign that he is the Messiah that promised savior that had been promised by the Lord in the Old Testament, he said. I'll give you the sign of the Prophet Jonah. As Jonah was. Three nights in the belly of the well or the great fish. Son of men will be 3 days and three nights in the heart of the Earth. And on the third day, he resurrected. There's other examples and things that we could consider, but moving on Jesus also gave that direct prophecy. Over and over and. Over to his disciples and Matthew, 1621. It tells us from that time Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things from the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised. On the third day. And so this aspect of the resurrection of Jesus was something he told them about. The crucifixion of Jesus was something that was prophesied about the burial of Jesus was something that was recorded in the scriptures. These things again are simple but not shallow. They have much depth. There's much meat, there's much to mine there for us to understand. But it can be simplified and summarized in just three simple facts. Jesus Christ died for our sins. He was buried. And he rose again. On the third day, according to the Scriptures, 3 simple facts that we must know that we must believe that must be the core. Of our faith and our message to others around us. Notice again going back to verses one and two, Paul says. This is the gospel I preached. This is the gospel you received. This is the gospel that you stand in. This is the gospel that you are saved by and so hold fast to this gospel. Don't let it go. Don't change it up. Don't loosen your. Grip on it. Hold fast. To these truths. We're moving on. To point #2 looking at versus 5 through 8. The whole gospel is confirmed by eyewitnesses. So first he takes them back. Hey, remember when I was first there, I preached the gospel and here is the gospel message. Very simple but, but also because he's addressing an issue about their belief and resurrection at this time. He's going to now emphasize and focus on that aspect of the gospel message. Verses 5 through 8, he walks through some eyewitnesses and verse 5. He says that he was seen by Cephus. That's another name for Peter. Then by the 12, that is the 12 apostles verse six. After that he was seen by over 500 brethren at once. Of whom? The greater part remained to the present, but some have fallen asleep after that. He was seen by James, then by all the Apostles. Then last of all, he was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. And so the resurrection of Jesus for the Corinthians is in question. And Paul is saying hold on. The resurrection of Jesus is essential to the gospel. That's point #1. Now the resurrection of Jesus is also confirmed. This this aspect of the gospel message. It's confirmed. By in multitude of eyewitnesses. This wasn't something that someone heard a rumor about something, and someone else believed it, and then all of a sudden everybody accepted it as true. It was not an urban legend. You know, the story goes around, the story goes around, the story goes around, you know, someones driving towards you and their lights are off. You should never, you know, tell them. Hey, your lights are off, cause then they'll turn around and kill you all. You know, that kind of thing. Like urban legends, right? Tragedies happens and. Things happens, but but there's all these urban legends. Maybe have elements of truth here and there, but we know they're not. They're not really true. They're not based in reality. That's not the resurrection. The resurrection. Is a reliable. Event that we can look at historically again that's why. Freezed it that way in the first point the the facts because these are historical facts. Not historical fantasies, not historical wishes. Not, you know, historical fairy tales. These are historical facts. And it's confirmed by eyewitnesses in our own court system. This is one of the most reliable ways to establish facts is to hear the testimony of eyewitnesses. And if you ever get the privilege of serving in jury duty, you'll be reminded about this. The whole time that that is what you're supposed to do, you are charged with listening to the eyewitnesses. And determining the facts based on their accounts. Of what took place. And so Paul lists some of these eyewitnesses here. Now this this is not even a complete list of the eyewitnesses. Of the resurrected Jesus. I have a different list. I don't know if it's all the way complete. I'm pretty sure it's not all the way complete, right? But when Jesus resurrected, he wasn't just there for a moment and then gone. He walked the earth after he resurrected for 40 days. 40 days. He was showing up saying hi to people, talking to them, establishing. For them, the truth and the reality that he really had risen from the dead. So this list here is a collection of all of the different passages where we know that Jesus appeared to people attempting a little bit without, you know, 100% authority to say in the order in which Jesus appeared to them. But Mary Magdalene was first there in John Chapter 20. Jesus appeared to her right outside the tomb. Then he appeared to some of the other ladies Mary Salome and Joanna and Matthew. Chapter 28. It talks about that. We don't have a record of what actually happened and how the conversation went, but Luke 24, verse 34 tells us that Jesus appeared to Peter. That took place kind of separate. Private meeting with Peter, that happened. Jesus also met 2 disciples on the road to Emeus in Luke 24, and that's where. We learned about. That Jesus had also met with Peter. Then Jesus shows up in the midst of the disciples as they're gathered together. The 11 disciples, except for Thomas wasn't there. This is all happening on the day that he resurrected. That's just the first day. But then after that, Jesus was still around, cause he was really alive. He had really resurrected from the dead. And so one week later, he appears to the 11 disciples with Thomas. Recorded for us in John Chapter 20. And then some time passes on later. Now the disciples are back in Galilee, where Jesus was crucified there in Jerusalem, and those initial sightings were there in Jerusalem. But later on, the disciples are backing Galilee on the Sea of Galilee, and John Chapter 21 records for us. Seven of the disciples that say, hey, let's go fishing, go back to our trade for a little bit, just have a good night. And seeing what we can catch, and Jesus appears after a long night of not catching anything, he appears to them on the shore. Has them cast the net on the other side, they catch a ton, they come in and they have a breakfast meal with the Lord. So that happens a few weeks after the resurrection. The 500 Brethren that Paul makes reference to here in First Corinthians chapter 15, verse six. We don't have that recorded as far as like what the details about that were. Like what? What transpired? How did that? Happen, but there was some instance where Paul says 500 people were gathered together. And all of us at the same time. So you know, it's not just like one person and maybe you just saw. Something weird, right? You ever see something weird and then you're looking for somebody around you to verify, like value. Like, did you see? Am I just seeing things you know? Am I hallucinating something? But when you find someone that says no, I could see that person too. Then you're like, OK, I'm not hallucinating that person. I didn't just imagine that. That's not something crazy in my head that's real cause I know other someone else sees it also. Right. Well, expand that to now 500 people now, 500 people see the same thing that you're seeing. It's established it is the truth. 500 people are not hallucinating and imagining the same thing. They're seeing the resurrected Lord. Well, here we also find from Paul in first Corinthians 15 seven that Jesus appears to James. That must have been a fun one. Because James is. The brother of Jesus. And so you know, showing up to the sibling I told you, you know. I told you I was the Messiah. He didn't believe. It tells us the scriptures tell us that his brothers didn't believe. Until after Jesus had been resurrected, and so probably at that point is when James begins to believe in Jesus. When Jesus appeared to him and then Jesus appeared to the disciples on the Mount of Olives, this was at the end of his forty day time with him. After the resurrection, Matthew 28, as he gives him that Great Commission, and then ascends up into. And then Saul, lastly here at First Corinthians 15-8, also recorded for us in acts Chapter 9, as Saul is on the way to Damascus, the Lord Jesus appears to him and calls him to repentance, and he turns to believe in Jesus and to follow him. And so here is a quick rundown of the resurrection appearances. Making the point the whole gospel is confirmed by eyewitnesses. It's confirmed there is testimony after testimony after testimony after testimony that. Confirm the reality that this is not just a fairy tale, not an urban. And and and a really important point to understand about this is that while Paul is writing this letter to the Corinthians. The majority of these witnesses are still alive. If there is any question in any dispute, any one of these Corinthians could just jump on a boat, head over to Jerusalem. And find out for themselves. Paul said this is what happened. Paul said this is. Who was there and who saw Jesus resurrected? Can I talk to that person? Can I go talk to Mary the? Mother of Jesus. Can I go talk to Peter? Can I go talk to Mary Magdalene? Can I go talk to James and? Hear his story and how Jesus appeared to him. He says in verse 6. After that he was seen by over 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater part remained to the present. That gathering of 500 at the time of Paul's writing. 495 of them were still alive. I just made-up a number, right? He says, hey, some of them have. Fallen asleep? There's. A few who have died in that. Time that has passed, but the majority of. Them are still alive. How could that be? Well, think about the timeline for. A little bit here. Probably around 32 AD is the conclusion of Jesus's ministry. His death, burial, resurrection and ascension to the father all took place around 32AD. Paul converted. As Jesus appeared to him a few years later, 36 AD. He takes his first missionary journey in 48 AD, acts Chapter 13 and 14. Writes a few letters in 51 AD on his second missionary journey. 54 AD is right about where we are. Writing first and 2nd Corinthians. It's during his third missionary journey recorded for us in acts Chapter 19 through 21. So from 3280 to 5480. The apostle Paul. Is about 22 years out. From the resurrection of Jesus. So he says 22 years ago. There were all these different people. And they were there. They saw Jesus. Think about that. 22 years ago. I met Kim. And you can go back and talk to people if you want to. You can find Pastor Tom on Facebook and say, hey, Tom, do you remember the the time did you? Can you confirm the reality? Of what? What? Jerry shares. That he met Kim on a Wednesday. Night here at the church. You know Joanna. I I hear Jerry tell you that or say the story that he introduced Kim to Joanna. Hey, Mario, I know you're not around living water anymore, but can. You confirm 22 years ago. Jerry's telling us that he met Kim. And introduced her to some people. And he's, you know, really handsome. And that's why she stuck around the. Church, can you confirm that? 22 years ago, there's people alive today that can confirm that story. You know, it also happened 22 years ago. This will be maybe be a little bit more clear. September 11, the Twin towers. There's still people today. You can go. Hear their story running from the scene. Emergency responders rushing into the scene. The story is still real and dramatic, and people will be brought to tears instantly as they relive those moments and relive those days. For those who saw the resurrected Lord, it was just that powerful. They were there. They thought they had lost him at the crucifixion. Their lives were turned upside down. Just what a horrible tragedy. And then on the third day, he rose again and they would be able to. Recount those stories recount that what they experienced and the emotions that they had and and how it changed them. They they would be able to. Clearly testify to the truth. The gospel is true. We saw Jesus on the cross. We were there, we helped put him into the tomb. And then we saw him. He rose again on the third day. The whole gospel is confirmed by eyewitnesses. And what's interesting is not just of his followers. I always like to consider Matthew Chapter 27. The religious leaders who hated Jesus and were the ones who put him up for crucifixion as they put him in the tomb. It tells us in Matthew 2762. On the next day, which followed the day of preparation, the chief priest and Pharisees gathered together to pilot, saying, Sir, we remember that while he was still alive, how that Deceiver said, talking about Jesus. After three days, I will rise. Isn't that interesting? The religious leaders heard the message of Jesus that he would be put to death and that he would rise on the third day. The religious leaders knew that message. The disciples forgot that message and the emotion of the moment as Jesus is being crucified. The idea that he would rise again on the third day. That was way out. They couldn't hear that because all they could feel was pain from their loss of their savior. But the religious leaders didn't have that emotional attachment. They knew they were like. We heard that guy say he would rise on the third day. And that is why there was the guard at the tomb, verse 64 here in Matthew 27. Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say to the people he has risen from the dead. So the last deception will be worse than the 1st. And so pilot. Says here's a guard. Go make it. As secure as you know how. And so they foresaw this opportunity. Now it's interesting that many who would deny the crucifix or the resurrection today. We'll say. Well, the disciples probably just stole. The body of Jesus. The religious leaders foresaw that threat. Not believing Jesus, not believing he would actually rise from the dead, thinking that, well, maybe they'll try to, you know, perpetrate a scam on everybody. Let's protect it. They didn't protect it with, you know, hey, let's put a couple of Grammas there to just sit in a rocking chair and watch the tomb. Let's put a Roman guard there. A Roman guard that will be put to death if they fall asleep on the job. A Roman guard that will be held accountable and responsible. Let's seal the tomb. The rock, the boulder that sealed the tomb. There was 3 ladies who were going there on Sunday morning and they were like, how are we going to move the stone? Even if there's a few of us, we can't do it. We there's not enough. It takes four or five guys to move this stone. We're not able to do it ourselves, guarded. By a Roman guard. The religious leaders knew that Jesus had prophesied. And they've tried to prevent any kind of deception. So that we can know these eyewitnesses. They really did see Jesus. They saw him. He was alive. Because he is. The Lord. The author of the Gospel of Luke. Is also the author. Of the book of acts. And he. Was a doctor, but his accounts are a little bit different than the other gospel accounts because Luke wasn't one of the disciples, Matthew, he was a disciple Mark. He was there nearby. He was with the disciples and probably records for us the the message or the the Gospel and the the teachings of Peter. John, he was a disciple. He was an apostle. But Luke, he wasn't around. He came on the scene later. And so he records in his writings. That he investigated these things. Acts chapter one. Luke writes to his benefactor, Theophilus. He says, hey, the former account, the. Gospel of Luke. I wrote of all the things that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up after he threw the Holy Spirit, was had given commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen. To whom he also presented himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs being seen by them 40 days. And Speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, Luke says I've investigated all these things. I wrote down the first part there, and the Gospel of Luke. I'm writing down now the continuing on of this and and it was by many infallible. These eyewitnesses saw Jesus, it was proven. Over and over and over again. That he really was alive. He really did resurrect from the dead. And so the whole gospel, it's confirmed. By eyewitnesses, it's reliable. It is historical fact. It really did happen. Jesus died upon the cross, was buried in the tomb. And rose again on the third day. Moving on to verses 9 through 11 for point #3, the Apostles all preached the same gospel. The apostles all preached the same gospel as read verses 9 through 11. For I am the least of the apostles, Paul says, who have not worthy 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, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I. But the grace of God, which was with me. Therefore, whether it is I or they, so we preach. And so you believed. Now Paul here is alluding to a little bit of his story and and highlighting the fact that he was separate from the disciples. He wasn't one of the 12 disciples. Just like Luke wasn't one of the 12 disciples and he had to investigate those things and and learn and discover them for themselves in a similar way, Paul saying I'm I'm an apostle, but I'm not like those guys because I didn't walk with Jesus during his life. I didn't believe in Jesus. I was against Jesus. In fact, after Jesus had resurrected and ascended. To the father. Paul had become a great persecutor of the church. He attacked the church, he tried to get people to renounce the name of Christ. He was the church. 'S greatest enemy. By the grace of God. God's goodness to me that I didn't deserve. He appeared to me, gave me the opportunity to be forgiven. He turned my life around and by the grace of God I am. What I am? And so I am an apostle. But not like the others. I'm like one who is born out of due time. I'm like, you know, the adopted kid out of a, you know, a bunch of siblings. The one that's different, the one that came later on the one that. Wasn't part of the original group. But what's interesting is you have these independent groups. You have the disciples and apostles who were with Jesus. They were all friends. They knew each other for. Years and walked with each other for those times of ministry. Paul came on the scene later. But but they preached the same message. It says therefore in verse 11, whether it was I or they, so we preach. And so you believed. The apostles that walked with Jesus. Saw Jesus work. Learn from Jesus. We're taught to pray, we're taught. How to bring the message to? All of the world. The apostles who saw Jesus ascend up into heaven and were given the Great Commission, they all preached the same gospel. That Paul preached. And so, Paul says it doesn't matter who brought you the gospel, whether it was me. Or them. Now you remember going back to the beginning, the Corinthians were fighting over. Hey, I like Paul's ministry. The best. I like Peter's ministry the best. I like Apollo's. Ministry the best. And so Paul is kind of bringing back that thought as well and saying it doesn't matter. All of us are delivering the same message, whether it's Peter or Apollos or Paul. The the gospel. It's the same message no matter. Who was preaching it? The Apostle Paul also. Writes about this to the churches of Galatia and Galatians. Chapter one and two. You can kind of walk through his retelling of that. He tells the Galatians. There I I want you to know. This gospel is not according to man. I didn't receive it from somebody. Nobody told me the gospel. I received it from Jesus himself. I was taught. By revelation from Jesus. This gospel message. I didn't receive it from Peter. I didn't get it from James or John. The Lord Jesus appeared to me and gave me this gospel message. That's what he says in Galatians chapter one, verse 11 and 12. He kind of furthers that point in Galatians chapter one verses 15 through 18. Saying when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's woman, called me through his grace to reveal his son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles. I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who are apostles before me. But I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and remained with him 15 days. Paul is making the point here. I didn't receive this from somebody. I had this encounter with the Lord. And I didn't confer with flesh and blood. Because I knew the truth, the Lord had just revealed it to me. I went out to the desert for three years in the desert. Reeducating himself by the Ministry of the Lord about. What the scriptures teach? He says it wasn't until three years later that I went to Jerusalem and met up with Peter and some of the Apostles. Paul goes on some missionary journeys and such right Galatians chapter two. He records after 14 years of doing all this. Ministry all over the. World, that's when I went back to Jerusalem again. And communicated to them the gospel that I was preaching. And confirmed we have the same gospel. But Paul didn't get it from them. Paul got it directly from the Lord. So therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so. You believed it's. The same gospel. It's the same message. Now there's those who would present some kind of message that says you have to. Hear this guy? You have to hear our take. You have to hear what we say and you know that's how many cults and cult type ministries and philosophies operate that there is this like special channel in which to receive what you want to receive or need to receive. Umm. God. But that is not the way that the gospel is presented. All the apostles. As well as Paul as well as Luke. They had the same message, the same gospel. The truth and the reality that Jesus died for our sins. He was buried and he rose again the third day. Finally, point #4 looking at these final verses 12 through 19, but let's just read verses 12 through 14 first. Now if Christ is preached. That he has been raised from the dead. How do some among you see that there is no resurrection? Of the dead. But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Point #4 removing one part. Invalidates the whole gospel. The Corinthians now were. In a place where they. We're not so sure about the resurrection. False teachers had crept in. Perhaps some of their roots had kind of. Come back up. Traditionally, the Greek culture, they didn't believe in it, afterlife, they didn't believe. In a resurrection. Unlike the Jewish culture where they believed in life after death, the the Greek culture had no such. Understanding or or outlook. And so you could imagine them having a hard time struggling with it, but also you can imagine false teachers coming in, making up weird and strange doctrines for whatever reasons. And so. The gospel message is being challenged in the church at Corinth. And what Paul is doing here in these verses verses 12 through 19 is saying look if you. Start to compromise and try to blend the gospel with. These other ideas, these other doctrines, these other cultural things, you start to blend the gospel with those things, just compromising one part of it invalidates the whole thing. It's not like, OK, you know, if you compromise on that a little bit, you know, at least you get still 95% of the gospel and all the benefits of the gospel. That's not how it works, Paul says. So there is this. The statement that there is no such thing as resurrection. Paul says how can you be believing this? How can you be allowing this to be taught and and going on within the church because. Verse 12 if crisis preach that he's been raised from the dead. Like, that's part of the gospel. Remember those 3 facts? Fact #3 Jesus Rose again the third day. If you take that out. You've changed the gospel. You start to mess with that. Well, I I want to believe the. Other things you. Know and I want to believe in forgiveness, but I don't know if I can believe in resurrection. You take out resurrection. It's not the gospel anymore and it's not, you know, 75% of the way. It doesn't count or I guess 66% of the weight cause two out of three, right? So 66% of the weight that doesn't count, it doesn't work. Because Paul says if there is no resurrection. Then Christ is not risen. And so, Paul says, let's imagine this. Idea that is being presented to you. How terrible would it be if? There was no resurrection. Jesus would still be in the tomb. He's not risen from the dead because if it's true, there is no resurrection, then he could not have resurrected. So he's still in the tube. And your faith is empty, he says. In verse 14, our preaching is empty. Your faith is also empty. And you know, come to think of it, Paul says that means all of us are false witnesses. Those 500 people, Mary Magdalene, Peter, James, all the apostles, myself, we're all false witnesses. We've all been lying and trying to perpetrate some deception upon all of humanity in this declaration of the resurrection of Jesus. If there really is no resurrection. And again, he says in verse 16 for if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen here. Here he's saying, look, you're. You're starting to grab on to something, but. You haven't thought it through all the way. And we don't know exactly what the arguments were, what the doctrine was being presented right, but they were starting to believe it. They're starting to entertain it like that. Sounds really interesting. There's no resurrection. OK. But you haven't thought it through all. The way Paul says. Because if the dead do not rise and Christ. Is not risen. Like you can't. You can't separate those two things. Again, still imagining well, what if that were true that there is no resurrection? Well, he says in verse verse 17. If Christ has not risen, your faith is futile and you're still in your sins. So there you are, still deserving the judgment of God. Because you still have sin because the. Solution for sin has not been accomplished. Jesus dying upon the cross. Doesn't accomplish forgiveness of sins. If he's not resurrected on the third day because that means he lied every time, he said. I'm going to rise again on the third day and he didn't live a perfect life and he wasn't a sinless sacrifice. So if that's true that there is no resurrection, there is no gospel. There is no crucifixion that offers a forgiveness of sins. And then verse 18, he says also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have parish. What a terrible, tragic. Situation to imagine if there is no resurrection Jesus in the tomb faith empty false witnesses abound, Unforgiven, sins, everybody we know who's gone already has perished. So Paul concludes in verse 19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. If Christianity is all about this life. Just pity us. That's a miserable life. If there is no resurrection. Useless. Pointless. What makes this life worth living? Is the reality of everlasting life and forgiveness of sins promised to us by a risen savior. You can't take out any of these three facts. You can't. This is what people do. Mess with the idea of Jesus dying for sins when Jesus died, but you know didn't really cover all the sins and so you have to work for forgiveness. You have to go to purgatory and suffer enough to pay back. You know the issue of sin or you know some other thing, like all false doctrine messes with one of these three things. The fullness of. The sacrifice and the covering of sin. Whether or not Jesus actually died, whether or not he actually rose again, all false doctrine. Messes with one of these things, and once you tamper with one of them, it invalidates the whole thing. It's no longer. The gospel message. These are the three facts of the gospel. You can't remove any part of them. These are the the true realities. And so Paul is going to go on to continue to establish the reality of resurrection. But here as we wrap up for tonight. Looking at verses one through 19, we can believe and preach the whole gospel, recognizing the whole gospel consists of three simple facts. It's not complicated. It's not a bunch of hoops to jump through. The whole gospel is confirmed by eyewitnesses. We can count on it. We can trust it. It is reality. These are historical facts that took place. In addition to that, all the Apostles preached the same gospel. They all agreed. This is the truth. This is what we believe. In order to be saved. And if you mess with any part of it, it invalidates the whole gospel. Hold on to these three going back to verse one and two, Paul says this is what I preach. This is what you received. This is what you stand in. This is how you are saved. So hold fast. And so I encourage you tonight to hold fast believe the truth of the gospel. And died on the cross for sins. He was buried. And he rose again on the third day so that every one of his followers would be able to join him for everlasting life and the forgiveness of sins. Lord, we thank you. For a simple message and Lord, although it's attacked from many ways and there's lots of deception out there, Lord, you bring truth clearly to us. That we can know and receive what you have for us. I pray God that you would solidify our faith and our trust in you and our belief in this gospel. Or may we believe truly this good news so much that our whole life is built upon the reality of your death, burial and resurrection. And so, God, I pray. That you would help us to embrace your truth. And I pray God that you would give us opportunity to turn around and share it with others. By the power of your Holy Spirit, pray this in Jesus name.