THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Key Verses: 15:3-4 – “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: 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.”

As we come to this Easter message, the apostle Paul directs our attention to the most important truth in all of human history: the gospel of Jesus Christ. In a world filled with countless messages, opinions, and philosophies, Paul boldly declares that there is one message that stands above all others. It is not merely helpful advice. It is not a religious option among many. It is “of first importance.” It is the message that determines life and death, eternity and destiny.

The Corinthian church had many problems. They struggled with division, immorality, pride, and confusion. Yet Paul does not begin by correcting behavior. Instead, he brings them back to the foundation: the gospel. This teaches us something deeply important. When our lives become unstable, when our faith is shaken, when confusion fills our hearts, the solution is not to search for something new, but to return to what is essential. We must go back to the gospel again and again. May the Holy Spirit help us to remember and stand firmly on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen.

1. The Gospel (1-4)
Read vs.1-2: “Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.”
Paul begins with a simple but profound statement: “I want to remind you.” This is striking because the Corinthians already knew the gospel. They had heard it. They had believed it. They had received it. Yet Paul still reminds them. Why? Because we forget. Not necessarily in our minds, but in our hearts and daily lives. We may know the gospel intellectually, but we can drift from it practically. We begin to rely on our own strength, our achievements, or our circumstances. Slowly, without realizing it, we move away from the foundation of grace/faith.
Martin Luther once said, “We need to hear the gospel every day because we forget it every day.” This is the reality of the Christian life. The gospel must not only be heard once, it must be remembered continually. Paul describes three relationships believers have with the gospel:

First, they received it. The gospel is a gift that must be personally accepted. It is not inherited, not assumed, but received by faith.
Second, they have taken their stand on it. The gospel is the foundation of the believer’s life. Just as a building stands on a solid base, so the Christian must stand on Christ. If we stand on anything else, success, knowledge, morality, or feelings, we will eventually fall.
Third, they are being saved by it. Salvation is not only a past event; it is an ongoing reality. The gospel continues to work in us daily, transforming our hearts, renewing our minds, and strengthening our faith.

Paul adds a serious warning: “if you hold firmly… otherwise, you have believed in vain.” This does not mean that salvation depends on human effort, but it shows that genuine faith clings to the gospel. True faith holds on. It does not let go when challenged by hardship, distraction, or false teaching. In our world today, many things compete for our attention. Entertainment, work, responsibilities, and even good things can distract us from the gospel. If we do not intentionally hold firmly to it, we may slowly drift away. The Corinthians’ problems came because they were not holding firmly to the gospel. In the same way, when we drift from the gospel, confusion and weakness enter our lives. Therefore, we must remember it, stand on it, and hold firmly to it.

Christ Died for Our Sins (3)
Look at verse 3: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” Paul emphasizes that this message is “of first importance.” Not second. Not optional. We need to give our attention to the gospel. He also says he received it and passed it on. This shows that the gospel is not man-made. It is not Paul’s invention. It is God’s revelation, faithfully passed on. We also have a duty to learn and share with others this important gospel of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.

The first great truth of the gospel is this: Christ died for our sins. This simple statement addresses the deepest problem of humanity: sin. The Bible teaches that all have sinned. And sin separates us from God, corrupts our hearts, and leads to death. It is not just outward behavior, sin is a condition of the heart that opposes God. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Sin is the assassin of the soul.” It destroys from within and leaves one spiritually dead. No human effort can solve this problem. Good deeds cannot erase sin. Religion cannot remove guilt. We are helpless on our own. But God, in His love, provided the solution. Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, died for our sins. We sinned, we deserved death as reward for sin, but Jesus died in our place. Whoever believes this becomes saved. It is the work of God. He gives you a new life when you believe the gospel. John Stott wrote, “The essence of sin is man substituting himself for God… the essence of salvation is God substituting Himself for man.” On the cross, Jesus took our place. He bore the punishment we deserved, now we are saved and free from eternal death. As one song says, “Amazing love, how can it be, that You my King, should die for me?” This is the wonder of the gospel. Halleluyah. Paul adds, “according to the Scriptures.” This means it was God’s plan from the beginning. The entire Bible points to Christ. The cross is not an accident, it is the fulfillment of God’s promise. We will benefit a lot when we devote ourselves to study and trust the scriptures. Amen.

Christ Was Buried and Raised (4)
vs.4: “that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” The gospel does not end with death. It continues with resurrection. The burial account of Jesus confirms that Jesus truly died. His death was real, not symbolic. He fully entered into human suffering and death. And the Jewish community is aware of this. Then comes the glorious truth:
He was raised on the third day. This one they want to deny. But therein is the power of God that saves both Jesus and us from the power of sin. Paul later rejoiced emotionally, saying; O death, where is your victory?! O death, where is your sting?!!! Thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Halleluyah! This message of the resurrection is the heart of Easter. Jesus did not remain in the grave. Death could not hold Him. He arose!! He arose!! Hallelujah Christ arose!!! (twice) Christ’s resurrection means that; sin is defeated, death conquered, and Jesus is alive forever! This is the eternal life that Jesus gives to everyone who believes. This good news stops all our greatest fears. 1 Peter 1:3-4 tells us that through the resurrection, we are born again into a living hope, an inheritance that will never perish. Through Christ, we receive that new life of Christ, no longer bound by sin, or distracted by the power of death. We are forgiven! We are saved! Amen!

2. The Grace of God Changes Lives (5-11)
Read Vs.5-6 – and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Paul goes on to explain that many people witnessed the resurrected Christ, and at the time of writing to the Corinthian Church, many of the witnesses were still alive in case anyone wanted to verify the resurrection account. Paul lists resurrection witnesses: Peter, the Twelve (disciples/apostles), more than five hundred believers, James, all the apostles, and finally himself. Why does he do this? To show that the resurrection is not a myth, it is a historical reality. Many people saw the risen Christ. They spoke with Him, ate with Him, and were transformed by Him. Over five hundred people saw Him at one time. This is powerful evidence. These witnesses were willing to suffer and die for this truth. People may die for something they believe is true, but not for something they know is false.

The resurrection changed everything. The disciples, once fearful, became bold witnesses. Paul himself is the greatest example. He was once a persecutor of the church. But after encountering the risen Jesus, he became an apostle. The resurrection is not only true, it is transformative. In vs.9-10, Paul testifies; “For I am the least of the apostles… But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.” Paul reflects on his past. He remembers that he persecuted the church. He considers himself unworthy of any apostleship recognition, but he did not remain in guilt and self condemnation, rather, he celebrates God’s grace.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am.” This is one of the most powerful statements in Scripture. Grace is God’s undeserved favor. Paul did not earn his position. God gave it. This is also the testimony of every believer. It is by God’s saving grace that we are able to glorify God in all we do. We were once sinners that could not do the work of God, but by the grace of God, we were saved from our sinful nature, and now we can boldly come before the throne of God in worship and serve Him as Believers, Missionaries, Bible Teachers, Music servants, Food servants, etc.

Paul says God’s grace “was not without effect.” Grace is not passive, it transforms. It changes our hearts, our desires, and our direction. Paul worked hard, yet he says, “yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” This teaches us that the Christian life is not about human effort alone. It is about God’s grace working in us and through us. No matter your past, God’s grace can transform you.

I thank God for His saving grace in my life that I should serve His flock as Missionary of the gospel of Jesus Christ to American students and to many souls that God wants to save through my life of service. By the grace of God, I joined UBF in July 2012. I thank God for blessing me with many life changing Bible studies in UBF, and by God’s grace I am a Bible Teacher. This was not me before I received the gospel message. I used to be selfish, ambitious and angry. I also had an inferiority complex because I came from a humble home and did not have some necessary things. But by the grace of God, in my teenage years, my interest in the gospel of Jesus Christ increased, and God began to build me as a servant of the gospel. I began to teach Sunday school Bible studies to my peers in the children department of my home Church. This spiritual responsibility was an important grace that drew me deep into the Bible and to prayer, as I read and memorized scriptures every week (at least one memory verse per week). The gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection was revealed to me according to the scriptures in Isaiah 53:5-6 – But he was pierced for my transgressions, he was crushed for my iniquities; the punishment that brought me peace was upon him, and by his wounds I am healed. I am like sheep gone astray, and turned to my own way; and the LORD has laid on him all my iniquities. The reward for my sins was a gruesome death which Jesus took on my behalf. In those verses, I clearly saw; Jesus suffering in my place, His death and resurrection in order to save me from sin and death, then I made a sincere confession of faith in Jesus Christ. The gospel saved me from my selfish and angry life, and it stopped my inferiority feelings when I realized that I have the best life with God in my life forever. Halleluyah.

Look at verse 11. “Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.” Paul concludes with unity of the gospel. There is only one gospel. Whether preached by Paul or the other apostles, the message is the same. The four gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, were written by different people, but all maintained the same testimony that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and was raised on the third day. This truth remained for the past 2000 years. This gives us confidence that our faith is not based on opinion or emotion, but on a consistent, unchanging truth. The gospel is: Rooted in Scripture, Confirmed by witnesses, and Proven by many transformed lives. Therefore, we can trust it completely.

In Conclusion
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 brings us back to what matters most: That Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and was raised on the third day. This is the gospel. We may receive it personally, stand on and hold onto it forever. This gospel gives us forgiveness, new life, and living hope. It transforms our past from sinful to righteous, and secures our future.

In a world full of distractions, we must not lose our focus on the gospel. We must return again and again to the gospel. Remember it, and boldly teach it to others. Amen.

Key Vs: 15:3-4 – “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: 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.”