The Mega Message - 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Yesterday morning we had the pleasure of launching into 1 Corinthians 15, a powerful chapter detailing Jesus’ resurrection and the future resurrection of the saints. Since there were some in Corinth who challenged the resurrection, Paul saw fit to address their objections and affirm the Biblical account.


The Magnitude Of The Gospel (1-2)

The gospel - or good news - is the message of Jesus’ death for our sins, burial, and resurrection, a message Paul had previously preached to the Corinthian unbelievers while actually in Corinth (Acts 18). In 1 Corinthians 15:1-2, however, Paul made a decision to declare the gospel message - via letter - to those same folks, folks who were now believers.

I find it fascinating that Paul continually taught and expounded on the gospel message to believers. Not content to merely preach to non-believers, major portions of Paul’s letters were devoted to the newfound standing of those who’d believed on Jesus Christ - His death for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection from the dead. Romans 1-8, Galatians, and Ephesians 1-3 are examples of passages dedicated to a deeper explanation of the results of the cross.

Since the gospel message produces such amazing results - in the past, in the future, but even presently - we must know it and consume it.


The Message Of The Gospel (3-4)

The gospel message is simple enough. It can be boiled down to this: Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead. All of this was according to the Scriptures. This is God’s remedy for our sin - sin that had separated us from Him. Now we must believe in this gospel message.

Jesus really did die. Some might challenge this, but Jesus was killed after a brutal scourging and ruthless beating by professional Roman killers. He died publicly on Mt. Calvary. His executioners thrust a spear into His side to verify His death. Even His worst enemies confessed His death by asking Pilate to guard His tomb.

Jesus really was buried. Wrapped in approximately 100 pounds of burial spices and linens, Jesus was buried in the luxurious tomb of a public figure, Joseph of Arimathea. His tomb was not only public, but closed by a heavy stone, sealed with a Roman seal, and guarded by professional Roman guards who could lose their lives if they lost His body.

Jesus really did rise. To emphasize this point, Paul pointed to eyewitness accounts.


The Messengers Of The Gospel (5-7)

Peter: His life was radically changed after seeing the resurrected Christ during the weeks leading up to His ascension. Mark 16:7, Luke 24:34, and John 21:15-17 all detail or hint at the appearances of the resurrected Jesus to His man Peter. Before Jesus’ resurrection Peter was a man who fell asleep at every prayer meeting he was invited to, rebuked Jesus for saying He would die, sank when he saw the wind and wave, and denied Jesus when interrogated by little girls. After he saw Jesus risen from the dead Peter led prayer meetings, preached at Pentecost, healed the disabled, stood up to religious leaders, rejoiced to be beaten, called out hypocrisy in the church, and - according to history - was ultimately crucified upside down.

Critics maintain the disciples fabricated the story of Jesus’ resurrection for their own personal gain. The problem with that argument is that the disciples never gained personally for preaching the resurrection. They were beaten, rejected, shamed, impoverished, and persecuted to the point of death for preaching this message. Modern critics, however, have benefitted nicely from their public disbelief in Jesus’ resurrection. Book deals, social acceptance, fame, and fortune tend to follow those who deny Jesus’ resurrection today. I choose to believe the eyewitness accounts of good men who lost everything for this message over critiques some 2,000 years later from men who gain much for challenging the resurrection.

500: Jesus also appeared in Galillee to over 500 at one time. This was a highly anticipated meeting. This meeting was no secret to Paul or his readership. Most of these folks were still alive when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians.

James: Commonly believed to be the brother of Jesus, James had every opportunity to dispel the idea that Jesus was sinless. As Jesus’ half-brother he didn’t want to believe, but did believe once he saw the resurrected Jesus. He knew of his brother’s sinless perfection. This man who had at one time doubted was forced to believe when he saw Jesus.


The Man Of The Gospel (8-11)

Paul listed himself as the final witness. If there was anyone who would never come to Christ unless he knew it to be true beyond the shadow of a doubt it was Paul. As a Pharisee Paul would lose his entire life if he converted to Christ. Still, as one born out of due time, Paul saw the risen Lord (Acts 9). He believed immediately.

Paul considered himself the least of the apostles because of his past as a persecutor of the church, but he knew God’s grace had made him the most productive as he labored intensely for the gospel. Regardless, it didn’t matter to him who had preached, only that the Corinthians had believed in the true gospel message.