The Gospel is the most wonderful news in all the world! In this passage, the apostle Paul gives an extended teaching on both the Content and the Power of the Gospel.

Teaching Notes:

The Gospel Of Grace

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Intro:

• It is interesting how many times in 1 Corinthians we are given the most extensive teaching on various topics in the NT: Ch. 5 – Church Discipline; Ch. 6 – Lawsuits Among Believers; Ch. 7 – Marriage, Divorce and Singleness; Ch. 8-10 The Proper Use of Rights; Ch. 11 – Head Coverings & Lord’s Supper; Ch. 12-14 Spiritual Gifts; Ch. 13 – Love; Ch. 14 – Tongues; Ch. 15 – Resurrection.
• Chapter 15 introduces a new section of this letter (notice “Now brethren). Just as 1 Cor.13 is called the “Love Chapter”, this chapter is called “The Resurrection Chapter.”
• This chapter was precipitated by some amongst the Corinthians who were teaching that believers would not be raised from the dead. They probably believed that their souls would come to life with Christ after death, but there would be no bodily resurrection, which was the prevailing Greek thought of the day (matter is evil – spirit is good) 1Cor.15:12.
• In this section (15:1-11) Paul zeroes in on the Gospel. He gives us the Content of the gospel in 15:3-8, and then describes the Power of the gospel in the life of the believer in 15:1-2, and in his own life in 15:9-11.

1. The Content Of The Gospel: 15:3-8

Vs.1: The gospel which I preached to you

Vs.2: The word which I preached to you

Vs.3-8: Here Paul describes this gospel, this word he had preached to them. The gospel is summarized in 2 parts: Christ’s death and Resurrection (notice after mentioning each it is stated “according to the Scriptures.” Christ’s burial and visible appearances are brought in only to prove His death and resurrection. Christ’s burial proves He died. Christ’s appearances prove He was raised. So, if you wanted to boil down the Gospel to its irreducible minimum, it would consist of the Good News about Christ’s death and resurrection.

A. The Death Of Christ:

For Our: Substitutionary Atonement: That little phrase tells us so much. Jesus didn’t die as a martyr or as an example. He died as a substitute. The righteous was substituted in the place of the unrighteous. Just as the High Priest laid his hands on the goat and confessed the sins of the people and then killed that innocent victim and brought its blood into the holy of holies to sprinkle it on the ark of the covenant on the Day of Atonement, so Jesus was the perfectly holy sacrifice offered up to God to atone for all our sins!

Sins: Penal: What does “penal” refer to? A penalty that must be inflicted on the one who deserves punishment. We deserved the punishment of eternal hellfire. But Jesus voluntarily took upon Himself the punishment we deserved. What was that punishment? The wrath of God. That’s why His death is sometimes referred to as a propitiation: a wrath-averting sacrifice.

According To The Scriptures: This was very important to Paul. Whatever doctrine he laid down, he wanted to base it squarely on the Scriptures. What Scriptures taught that Christ would die for our sins? Is.53:5-6

B. The Resurrection Of Christ:

Raised on the third day: this is important for Paul, because he wants to establish the truth of Jesus’ resurrection as a pattern for the believer’s resurrection. What kind of resurrection is Paul talking about? Is it the “spiritual” resurrection of the ancient Greeks, or the Jehovah Witnesses of today? No, because Paul mentions the fact that he was buried. There is no reason to mention that fact, unless the resurrection is bodily. Christ truly died, and He truly rose bodily from the grave. What is the significance of His resurrection? Rom.4:25. The resurrection of Christ is the Father’s proof that He has accepted His sacrifice as payment for our sins.

According to the Scriptures: what Scriptures? Ps.16:10; Jonah 1:17 – Mt.12:40; Heb.11:17-19.

Appeared: 15:5-8 mention the various appearances of Christ after His resurrection. Why does Paul mention these? They are proofs He really did rise from the dead. They are listed chronologically.

• Cephas: is the Aramaic word for Peter. This refers to the day Christ arose when Peter and John went to the tomb.
• The 12: this is just a nickname for the disciples. Actually there were 11 of them now that Judas had defected.
• 500+: when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians it had been about 23 years since Christ rose from the dead. That’s why most of those who Christ appeared to were still alive. The point? If you don’t believe, just go ask them!
• James: this would be the Lord’s half-brother. Jn.7:5 says that he did not believe in Christ during His earthly ministry. After His resurrection and ascension Jesus’ whole family was in the Upper Room praying (Acts 1:14). What happened? They had been converted. How? Jesus appeared to them. I expect that if Jesus appeared to me, I would change from a doubter to a believer real quick!
• All the apostles: this may include others like Mathias, James, Adronicus and Junias, and the 70 He had sent out.
• Paul: this verse literally reads, “last of all, as to an abortion, He appeared also to me.” Either Paul is merely saying that He was born too late to be one of the original 12 apostles. OR, he is saying that in comparison with the other 12, he was no better than a dead fetus when Christ called him. This makes better sense of the succeeding context (15:9-11).

2. The Power Of The Gospel: 15:1-2; 9-11

A. In The Believer’s Life: they received it, stood in it, & were being saved by it.

In which you stand: this speaks of their perfect standing before God through faith in Christ’s perfect work. It represents their justification, their perfect ongoing acceptance with God. Ps.1:5; 130:3; Rom.5:2. When we believe the gospel, all our sins are atoned for, and the perfect obedience of Christ is imputed to us.

By which you are saved: because this verb is in the present tense, it should be rendered “you are being saved.” This refers to sanctification. Salvation has 3 tenses: past, present, future. We have been saved (justification) from the penalty of sin; we are being saved (sanctification) from the power of sin; we will be saved (glorification) from the presence of sin. Not only does faith in the gospel forgive you of all your sins, but it also renews and transforms your life so that you gain power over your sin! Is the gospel having this effect in your life?

If you hold fast the word…unless you believed in vain: this is not saying that you will become saved if you persevere. Rather, your perseverance is proof you are already saved. Jn.8:32. Here we see the mystery between human perseverance and divine preservation. It is true that God preserves His people (Jn.10:27-29). It is also true that we must persevere. The error comes in when we reject either one of these twin truths. If we reject human perseverance we get easy-believism. If we reject divine preservation we works-based Arminianism.

B. In Paul’s Life: (notice the change from “gospel” in 15:1-2 to “grace” in 15:10. Why the change? Has Paul switched subjects? No. For Paul, the gospel was a gospel of grace (Acts 20:24). Paul is declaring the power of the gospel of grace in his own life.

I am the least of the apostles: The longer Paul knew Christ, the more humble he became. “Least of the apostles” (53 A.D.); “least of all saints” (60 A.D.); “foremost of sinners (63 A.D.).” This should be true of all of us. The greater knowledge of God we have, the more humble we should become because we see Him as infinitely holy.

I am not fit to be called an apostle: Paul was intent on stamping out the early church. He breathed out threats and slaughter against the believers. He imprisoned some, and had others executed. Now he looks back with shame and remorse. 1Tim.1:12-16.

By the grace of God I am what I am: this is true of all of us. Whatever position, gifts, influence, goodness, abilities, or service we are able to render, it is only because of God’s grace. Thus, He gets the credit and all the glory. When we get to heaven, we will take off our crowns and throw them at His feet, because our crowns were received by grace!

His grace toward me did not prove vain: the great persecutor of the church of God was transformed into a tireless laborer for the church of God. 2Cor.11:21-29. The one who tirelessly tried to destroy the church, now tirelessly is seeking to build up the church. Why? The gospel of grace has transformed him! The lion has become a lamb. Has the gospel transformed your life? Have you done a 180 since believing the gospel? We ought to be as different as night and day after receiving the gospel!

Life Application:

1. The Gospel is not just for the beginning of the Christian life: I used to think of the gospel as the door into God’s house. I now see that the gospel is the door and the house! It’s not just the ABCs of the Christian life, it is the A to Z of the Christian life. Notice that Paul is reminding the Corinthian believers of the gospel. They had already received it. Why remind them of it? Because we not only start the Christian life through the gospel, but we continue and end our lives through it. That’s why Paul exhorts believers in the areas of giving and marriage by pointing them to the gospel. Whatever your need, your solution is in the gospel of grace!

2. The Gospel is of first importance: There are a lot of secondary issues in the Bible, but the gospel is not one of them! Eschatology, spiritual gifts, church government, head coverings, are all important, but secondary. We can be wrong about them and still be saved, but we can’t be wrong about the gospel and still be saved. If we are going to unite around anything, let us unite around the gospel! How willy to make a person’s brand of eschatology a test for fellowship!

3. The Gospel is not about what we do, but what Christ has done: notice it is all about His death and resurrection, not your works or performance. If it was, it would not be a gospel of grace. If it was, we could never rest. The words of the old hymn Rock of Ages say it best: “Not the labors of my hands can fulfill Thy law’s demands; could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone; Thou must save and Thou alone. Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling. Naked come to Thee for dress; helpless look to Thee for grace. Foul I to the fountain fly, wash me Savior, or I die.”

4. The Gospel Transforms Lives: Rom.1:16. It is the power of God. The gospel of grace doesn’t cause a person to sit back, relax, and contemplate their naval. It doesn’t result in inactivity. Rather it results in service, Christian labor, witness, transformation. It causes us to dream of ways we can glorify our Savior! Serving Christ and His church is not a “have to.” Rather it is a “get to”! Oh, give yourselves afresh to serving Jesus Christ in gratitude and thankfulness!

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