What did you learn from last week’s sermon?
Q1: Chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians deals with what doctrine?
Q2: Which Apostle did Paul learn the Gospel from?
Q3: Acts tells us that Paul was blinded on the road to……..what city?
Q4: What is the hope of the Gospel that Paul was trying to teach us in chapter 15?
Q5: What is the key theme in all of Scripture?
Sermon Summary & Answers
I don’t know about you, but I’m going to miss our old friend Nehemiah. What a courageous and determined fellow. I’ll definitely be pulling his book out when I am feeling weak and in need of inspiration. However, God has determined that we should move forward. So, Pastor Wilson reminded us of where we left off before the Covid interruption in early 2020. We were in 1 Corinthians and just finishing up chapter 14, where Paul deals with the church’s pride, division, immorality, etc. This was ironically combined with our congregation choosing our own seats, having our second no-mask Sunday, and an assembly with a strong voice. Paul’s theme (in 1 Corinthians) of oneness or unity really could be felt at Grace this past Sunday.
We begin with Chapter 15:1-34. This is a doctrinal letter that deals with the second coming of Christ. Paul reminds the church of its first importance, the Gospel that he received from Christ and preached to them, a saving gospel. He tells them that if they have held fast to that faith, it wasn’t in vain.
“In other words – – to let go of Christ is to reveal you had no hold on Him in the first place.”
Pastor Steve Wilson
It’s important to remember that Paul was a Christian hunter and killer. God literally had to blind him to get his attention on the road to Damascus one day and convert his evil heart. He immediately began to preach Christ and became a target for murder himself. Eventually, Paul had to go sit at Peter’s feet to learn more (an internship) because he wasn’t there, in Christ’s life, to have a first-hand account like the Apostles. Then he was off to preach in Arabia. Yes, he preached the Gospel (died, buried, raised), but he made it clear that it was no different from the Old Testament’s story of the events. Paul’s testimony carried weight. He was a very educated Jew (a Pharisee) and Roman citizen of high standing.
In verses 5-8, Paul lays out the undeniable proofs of the Gospel where Jesus appears to people directly after he rises from the dead. This affirms the Gospel. In verses 9-11, Paul humbly counts himself among the Apostles, giving God all of the glory because he was such a rotten guy on his own. The rest of the 15th chapter is where Paul drills down on the HOPE OF THE GOSPEL, where every believer will one day be resurrected (each in his own order) just like Christ, who died and was raised first. Then it’s our turn – the resurrection of the saints. This new Kingdom ushered in is simply the foundation of our faith. It is the key theme in all of Scripture.
1 Corinthians 15:20–24
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
Suppose you’d like to go back and recap the lessons that Pastor Wilson began in 1 Corinthians. In that case, you can go to Sermon Audio or review the blog posts written. The series is called To the Church of God: A Letter.
Did you find this quiz and sermon summary helpful? Log on to gccbg.com/blog each week for the latest sermon study guide. Jessica will send the link out in the Midweek church emails. I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Please email me at thepew@gccbg.com.
Answers:
- The second coming of Christ
- Cephas (aka “Peter”)
- Damascus
- The hope of the Gospel is that one day we will be resurrected just like Christ.
- The King and His new Kingdom
