THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

by Darren C. Cariño

Resurrection Sunday, April 12, 2020

Scripture Read Before the Sermon: I Corinthians 15:1-8.

Solo Sung Before the Sermon: Risen

The Apostle Paul says, in verse one that he is declaring, or making known, the gospel
which he had previously preached to the church at Corinth. The word gospel simply
means "the good news." What he said to the church at Corinth, he also says to us. This
is the "good news" about Christ. He says, at the end of verse one, that they had
received this good news and stand in it. Then he says, in verse two, "By which also ye
are saved."
We are saved by believing in Jesus. We hear the good news of the gospel - that He
died for our sins, and that He rose from the dead. Then we believe in Him, and He
saves us from sin, death and Hell.

Then Paul says, "By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory [hold fast] what I
preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." Some people may have a shallow
faith. They may only have believed the words of the gospel without actually trusting
Christ. You can be convinced that the gospel is true without being born again. The
demons believed these doctrines about Christ, but were not converted (cf. Luke 4:33-
34). Then Paul gives the truths of the gospel, the facts concerning the good news
about Christ.

I. First, Christ died for our sins.

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died
for our sins according to the scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:3).

Dr. J. Vernon McGee reminds us that

Dr. Machen says…Christianity does not rest on a set of ideas or creeds, but on
facts. The gospel is not the Ten Commandments or the Sermon on the Mount. The
gospel is a series of facts concerning a Person. And that Person is Jesus Christ.

We are told in verse three that "Christ died for our sins." This means that Christ bore
the punishment for our sins. He died on the Cross to pay the penalty for your sins. A
holy and righteous God cannot overlook sin. Sin has to be punished. Either you will
be punished for your sins in Hell, or you believe on Jesus, and His death on the Cross
pays for your sins. It's one or the other. Which will it be for you? The Bible says,
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31). If you trust
the Son of God, His death on the Cross saves you from God's punishment for your
sins in Hell.

But verse three continues, "Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures." What Scriptures did the Apostle Paul have in mind? He was undoubtedly
thinking about such Old Testament prophecies as Isaiah 53:1-12. Peter and Paul
referred to the prophecy of Christ dying to pay for our sins in Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53:5
says,
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

In times like this, it is important to know when Jesus carried our sins, He also carried
our diseases. The Cross pronounced a complete cure for the ills of mankind. The price
has been paid for your healing. Sickness can no longer rule over you unless you allow
it.

The first point of the gospel is the good news that Christ died to pay for your
sins.

II. Second, Christ rose from the dead.

Verse four tells us,

"And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the
scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:4).

We are told that He was buried. That is important because it shows that He was
actually dead. The Muslims don't believe He really died on the Cross. They say that
God rescued Him before He died. The Koran says that. But they are wrong. God
allowed Him to die to pay for your sins. The fact that He really did die is shown by
the fact that He was buried - for part of three days. Christ's body was buried in a
sealed tomb for part of Friday, all of Saturday, and for a short period on Sunday.

Then verse four says, "he arose again the third day." Christ did not die and then
remain buried like other people who die. His body rose from the dead after three days.
The tomb that He was buried in was found empty. Even the unbelieving Romans and
Jews had to admit that Christ's tomb was empty. He was not there because He had
risen from the dead on Easter Sunday morning! That is an historical fact. And because
He arose from the dead we know that He is the Son of God, the Second Person of the
Trinity. We know that He is who He claimed to be because He rose from the dead.
And because He rose from the dead, we can be sure that He has the power to raise us
from the dead also.
That is why His resurrection is so important. If He had remained dead, our faith would
be vain [or worthless], as we are told in verse 14,

"And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain"
(I Corinthians 15:14).

Then, in verse four, we are told, "that he rose again the third day according to the
scriptures." Paul undoubtedly had in mind such Old Testament prophecies of His
resurrection as Psalm 16:10,

"For  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell  [the  grave];  neither  wilt  thou 
suffer  [allow]  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption" (Psalm 16:10).

This verse was quoted by Peter and Paul as a prophecy of His resurrection. The
second point of the good news of the gospel is that Christ rose from the dead.
Here we enter into what the Bible calls "a mystery". Our resurrected bodies will be
like Christ's (cf. I John 3:2). Then we are told, in I Corinthians 15:51,

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed" (I Corinthians 15:51).

All true Christians will "be changed." That verse in I Corinthians 15:51 tells us so. We
will "be changed." Our present bodies will be raised like Christ's resurrected body.
How that is done is not fully revealed in the Bible. It remains a "mystery" until the
day of the rapture, when our bodies will be made like His glorious resurrected body.

The second point of the good news of the gospel is that Christ rose in a physical
resurrected body. And Jesus said:

"Because I live, ye shall live also" (John 14:19).

That is a wonderful promise, made to every truly converted person by Christ Himself!
These, then, are the two main points of the gospel: Christ died to pay the penalty for
our sins, and Christ rose bodily from the dead. But there are other points in this
passage of Scripture that we should think about tonight.

III. Third, the risen Christ was seen by many people.

Look at I Corinthians 15:5-7,

"And that he was seen of Cephas [Peter], then of the twelve [disciples]: After that, he
was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain
unto this present, but some are fallen asleep [a phrase used to describe some who had
died since they saw the risen Christ]. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the
apostles" (I Corinthians 15:5-7).

The greatest proof that Jesus rose from the dead is that so many saw Him after the
resurrection. And hundreds of these people were willing to die rather than deny that
they had seen the risen Lord. And many of them were tortured and did die for
proclaiming to everyone who would listen that they had seen Christ after He rose from
the dead. He did not appear to these people in a vision or a dream. They actually saw
His risen body. If anyone doubted what Paul was telling them about Christ's
resurrection, they could go and talk to hundreds of eye-witnesses. The resurrection of
Christ is a proven fact of history. In all the history of the world there has never been a
more important event than Christ's resurrection.

In this time of crisis, let us each do our part to share the love of Jesus Christ. Let us
also remember to live fearlessly, freely sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, the true hope for every person in this world and the next.

IV. Fourth, the risen Christ has been seen through faith by many others.

Look at verse eight. Paul says:

"And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time" (I Corinthians
15:8).
Only after Jesus ascended back to Heaven did He appear to the Apostle Paul. That's
why Paul said, "last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time."
Paul was born again by encountering the resurrected Christ after He left the earth and
ascended back to Heaven.

Another great proof of Christ's resurrection is that countless millions of people have
themselves been confronted with the reality of the resurrected Christ - through living
faith in Him. Do you know Christ? Is He real to you? When Christ becomes a reality
to you it is the greatest proof of all that He has risen from the dead. The message in
today’s crisis is God alone is our hope. God alone is the source of healing. God alone
can save.

Do you know the resurrection power of Jesus Christ? Have you personally accepted
His finished work on Calvary as payment for your sin? If you were to die, do you
know for sure where you would spend eternity? You can know it today! The invitation
this morning is for you to come and receive Christ, will you come?

Perhaps I am speaking to some today who have known the power of the resurrection
in their lives, but have not walked with Christ for some time now.

Something happened, but no matter the reason or the situation, you can get back in a
right fellowship with Christ today! Will you come and humble yourself before God?
He will forgive you and restore unto you the joy of your salvation.

Maybe there is one here today who is ready to surrender their life to serving the Lord
Jesus Christ in some manner of full-time service. Come today. If the Lord is dealing
with your heart about anything, the invitation is for you!

(END OF SERMON)