Problems Plaguing a Local Church, Part 27
In our sermon, THE BEST NEWS EVER (1 Cor. 15:1-11), Paul defines the Gospel which is the most important message in all of the Bible. “Gospel” means good news and truly it is THE BEST NEWS EVER! (1 Cor. 15:1, 3-4, etc.). Jesus is the hero (the Messiah) of the story as He rescues humanity from a plight we could not deliver ourselves from (Gen. 2:17; Rom. 6:23; 8:8; 2 Cor. 5:21; John 3:16, etc.).
This was what Paul preached when he came to Corinth and lived there for a year and a half starting and establishing the church (Acts 18:11; 1 Cor. 1:23; 2:1-2; 15:1, etc.). The “gospel” is the message they had been saved by (i.e. justification), but IT IS ALSO the message by which they were being “saved” by in a present-day sense (1 Cor. 15:2). That is, understanding the grace of God deeper sanctifies us and makes us more like Christ (1 Cor. 1:30; 15:10, etc.). It also helps us to grow up and be who God wants us to be (1 Cor. 13:11; 14:20; 15:58, etc.). And it is in this “gospel” that we “stand,” making us able to occupy for Jesus in the spiritual battle we are in (1 Cor. 15:1; Eph. 6:10, 13-14; 2 Tim. 2:1-7, etc.).
God wants us, as His children, to live worthy of His kingdom (1 Cor. 3:13-15; 1 Thes. 2:11; Phil. 1:27; 2 Thes. 1:11-12; Eph. 4:1, etc.). The Corinthians believers had already been saved when they trusted Jesus as “Lord… and believe[d] in [their] heart[s] that God has raised Him from the dead,” but now Paul wanted them revel in this grace and set their minds “fully upon” all that God would do for them when He comes (1 Cor. 15:3-11; Rom. 10:9; 1 Pet. 1:13, etc.). This includes departing from the culture in their day which mocked the resurrection of the dead (i.e. Acts 17:32; 26:24-25; 1 Cor. 15:58; 1 John 2:3, etc.). The Corinthians needed to not only believe Jesus was physically raised from the dead and would return bodily one day for them, but that they too would be raised/transformed with glorified bodies one day! (1 Cor. 15:3-4; Acts 4:12; Rom. 8:30; 1 John 3:2, etc.). Jesus came to permanently reverse ALL of the effects from the Fall of Adam long ago in Genesis 3, and this includes the salvation of our physical bodies when they are glorified one day and death is swallowed up in life (1 Cor. 15:54-57).
The name Jesus means “Savior,” and that is exactly what He will do for all who place their faith and trust in Him alone (Gen. 3:15; Matt. 1:21; Rom. 16:20; 1 Cor. 15:26, etc.). He will save us to the uttermost (1 Cor. 15:3-4; Acts 4:12; Rom. 8:30; 1 John 3:2, etc.). The gospel is truly THE BEST NEWS EVER! (1 Cor. 2:9-10; John 3:16; Rom. 8:31-39, etc.). *For more details on the Scripture here, please watch SBFC’s sermon above.