Theme: The dead and the resurrection of Christ is the gospel.

1. Introduction
2. The gospel is not a new revelation (v. 1,3a).
3. The three primary truths of the gospel (v.3b,4).
4. The two witnesses of the gospel (3b – 8).
5. Summary
6. Conclusion

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�Introduction.�

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• There are about 4,000 religions in the world.
• The major ones are – Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and Christianity.
• All world religious founders experienced death and corruption except the founder of Christianity – Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
• He died, was buried and rose again on the third day.

The death and resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of Christianity.

• It stands at the core of Christianity and Christian living.
• Remove it and all our hopes for eternity vanishes.
• All true Christians through out history believed in this testimony.
• The apostles believed it and were martyred in this faith.
• The early Christians by holding firmly to this truth stood in the day of trial and were killed.
• They believed and convinced the risen Jesus was/is The way, The truth and The life.
• A person can deny Jesus, lie about Him, and say that He didn’t exist.
• But the truth is the grave is empty.
• Jesus is risen! He is alive!

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Theme: The death and the resurrection of Christ is the gospel.

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1. The gospel is not a new revelation (v. 1 – 3a).

“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel...”

• Paul’s desire was to remind the Corinthian believers of the gospel.
• Other translations use “make known, clarify or make clear”.
• As humans we have a tendency to forget things.
• Thus, it is crucial to be reminded again and again of the gospel.
• Also, because of false teachings and error it is good to clarify the gospel.
• “Remind” indicates that the gospel was not new or a new revelation.

1. The gospel was what the apostle Paul was constantly preaching.

“...I preached to you...”

• The gospel was what the apostle Paul had been preaching to them.
• It was not a new gospel.
• He did not change it or swayed from it.
• The apostle Paul was reminding them of the gospel he had preached to them before.
• Acts 18: 11 “So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God”.

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b. The gospel was what they received.

“...which you received...”

• The gospel you welcomed or accepted when you heard it.
• The gospel you took to their side or received with favour.

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c. The gospel was what they stood on.

“...and on which you have taken your stand...”

• The gospel was what established the church.
• The church stands on the gospel.
• The gospel is the foundation of the church.
• Remove the gospel and the church sinks.
• The gospel was/is what Christians believed and their faith hinge on.

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d. The gospel alone was what gives hope for salvation.

“By this gospel you are saved...”

• The Corinthian believers were saved through the gospel.
• Through the gospel believers are saved even today.

The gospel alone is able to save a sinner:

1. from the penalty of sin – eternal death.
2. from the power of sin – to live pure and holy lives.
3. from the presence of sin – to live with Christ in eternity.

• We need the gospel today as much as we needed it the day we were first saved.
• There is no salvation apart from the resurrected Christ.
• We are saved through the gospel
• If you are lost the gospel of Christ is able to save you today.

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Here the apostle adds a condition

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“...If, you hold firmly to the gospel...”

• “If” is first class condition.
• Our faith must be anchored in the gospel alone.
• It is holding fast to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• Continually trusting the death and resurrection of Christ for our salvation.

• 2 These 2: 15 “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter”.

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• Let nothing move us from our faith in the gospel of Christ.
• Our faith must be firmly rooted in the dead and resurrection of Christ.

“Otherwise, you have believed in vain”.

What is “believing in vain”?

• Believing in vain means a believe that is not genuine, thus, fruitless.
• A fake conformity to Christianity without the gospel truly penetrated into the heart to transform that person’s life.
• An emotional or intellectual superficial human faith that accepts the words of the gospel as a kind of insurance policy against going to hell.

• James 2: 19 “You believe that there is one God, Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder”.
• This verse highlights the difference between mere intellectual belief and genuine faith.
• The demons believe God is one, but it doesn’t affect their behaviour. They still rebel against God. Their faith does nothing for them.
• A head knowledge belief is not the same as a saving faith.
• If a person truly meets the resurrected Christ his/her life is changed.
• That person has new desires and passion for God and things to grow in the Christian faith.
• Those who genuinely saved are those who hold fast to the gospel.

e. The gospel is unique and special.

v. 3a “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance...”

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• The apostle Paul (Saul) once a persecutor of the church.
• He did not believe in the gospel - death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• After he met the resurrected Christ, his life completely changed – Road to Damascus.

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• The gospel that Paul received and declared was not a human tradition but a sacred one.
• The apostle Paul did not get it from the other apostles but by revelation from the resurrected Christ.
• The gospel was of special importance.
• It is special and unique in the way that the apostle Paul received it but also in its entirety.

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3.The three primary truths of the gospel (3b).

• 3b “... That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day”

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What is the gospel?

• “...That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures”.

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1. “...That Christ died for our sins...”

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• The death of Jesus was a substitutionary death.
• He died in our place.
• Jesus paid the high price for our sins.
• At the cross Christ bore in his body our sins and its consequence.
• He took our place, died our death and bore our judgment.

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• “We believe and affirm the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ, that is, Christ’s death was the propitiation (appeasing of God’s wrath), as well as the expiation (dealing with man’s sin and guilt) for the sins of mankind”.

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• The dead of Christ is good news for what it accomplished for us.
• It delivered us from the bondage of sin and its penalty.
• It sets us free from the curse of the law.

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1. “… that he was buried…”

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• To prove Jesus was truly died.

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• Only the death can be buried.

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1. “…that he was raised on the third day…”
1. Jesus died a cruel death, buried in a borrowed tomb but rises again.
2. The women arrived at the tomb Sunday early morning but the angel told them “He is not here” He is rise! (Matt 28: 1-6).

What the resurrection of Christ accomplished for us?

1. Rom 10: 9 “If you declare with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believed in your heart that God raised him from the death, you will be saved.

1. Romans 4: 25 “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification”.

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• Christ was delivered over to die for our sins.
• And was raised to life for Our justification
• Justification means God pronounced a believing sinner righteous.

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• 1 Cor 15: 17 “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, you are still in your sins”.

• The good news is not that Jesus lived and died, but that he died and lives.
• The penalty of sin has eternally eliminated because of the resurrection.
• And our position as believers’ changes because Christ rose from the death.

• That is the gospel – good news.

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• The death, burial and the resurrection of Christ is the good news because of what it accomplished for us.

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• Our sins were paid in full and our salvation is secured.

Note: The centrepiece of the gospel is - CHRIST.

3. The two witnesses of the gospel.

Is the dead, burial and resurrection of Jesus reliable?

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The apostle Paul provides two witnesses.

1. The Old Testament (3b)

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• The eye witnesses (v.5 – 9).

1. The Old Testament.

• In this section “…according to the scriptures is mentioned twice…”
• “… That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures…”
• “...that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures...”

• The apostle Paul substantiates the dead and resurrection of Christ with the Old Testament.
• It is as Apostle Paul was saying, if you don’t believe this testimony go back to the Old Testament the original source and you will find that it was foretold that the messiah would die, buried and be resurrected.
• The death and resurrection of Christ was foretold in the Old Testament.
• Therefore, the account is believable and trustworthy because it is the word of God.

b. The eye witnesses (v. 5 – 8)

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• The apostle Paul supported the resurrection by actual eyewitnesses.

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• He provides a list of the eye witnesses:
• Cephas – (Lk 24:34)
• The twelve (Matt 28:16,17, Mrk 16:14)
• 500 plus
• James ((Matt 12: 46-50, Matt 13:55)
• All the apostles
• The apostle Paul – Road to Damascus (Act 9).

• Note: When he pinned this letter, many of those witnesses were still alive and available for investigation (v.6).

• The resurrection of Crist is not a mythology or legend.

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• The resurrection of Christ is a historical fact witnessed by eyewitnesses.

Summary

The gospel is “...That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures”.

The gospel is the very means of a church’s existence. The centre of Christianity. That Christ died for our redemption and resurrected for our justification. Without the gospel, Christianity has nothing much to offer the world. But the fact that Christ died and then rose from the grave, “is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes”. Therefore, believers have rock solid hope and assurance of eternal life because of the dead and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

• The dead, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a historical fact.
• However, knowing about Christ does not equate to salvation.
• Unless intellectual assent or mental agreement is mixed with saving faith.
• Knowing about the Lord Jesus is not the same as trusting him as the only sacrifice for sin.
• There are many people who accept a historical Jesus that lived and was crucified, but they do not trust him as saviour and remained under God’s eternal condemnation.
• Christianity is not facts, head knowledge, ritual or religion.
• Christianity is trusting the resurrected Christ as your saviour, lord and king.
• Trust him for your salvation today.

Song: For he is lord.

For he is Lord. For he is Lord.

He has risen from the death and he is lord.

Every knee shall bow every tongue confess.

That Jesus Christ he is lord.

You’re my Lord, You’re my Lord

You have risen from the death, and you are my lord.

With my knee, I will bow and with my tongue confess

That Jesus Christ you’re my Lord.