November 17, 2025 • 29 mins
What holds when everything you’ve built starts to shake? We open 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 and trace a straight line back to the gospel Paul calls “of first importance,” not as a slogan but as the ground under our feet. Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose on the third day—according to the Scriptures—and that reality changes how we live, lead, and endure.
We walk through the foundation many Christians assume but often sideline, exploring how gospel drift usually begins with distraction, not denial. Pastor Tim unpacks the core of the good news: substitution at the cross, the significance of the burial, and the power of the resurrection. Then we weigh the historical evidence—Cephas, the Twelve, more than five hundred witnesses, James, all the apostles, and Paul himself—to show why Christian hope is anchored in an event, not opinions or trends. If Jesus didn’t rise, faith is empty; because He did, grace is solid, hope is durable, and mission is worth everything.
Finally, we look at how the gospel reshapes a person and a church. Paul’s confession—least of the apostles, unworthy, yet sustained by grace—becomes a model for humility without self-loathing and labor without burnout. From Sunday worship to weekday decisions, we keep returning to the same center: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. That’s how shame loses its grip, performance loses its throne, and fear gives way to forgiveness and new life. If you’ve felt the pull to build on programs, personalities, or relevance, this message invites you to stand again on Christ alone.
If this encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs steady ground, and leave a review so others can find it. What’s functionally at the center of your week right now?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:05):
Pastor Timothy Madd and Providence Church, Orman
Beach, Florida.
Providence Church is a localassembly of followers of Jesus
Christ dedicated to helpingpeople become committed and
mature followers of JesusChrist.
Now, here's Pastor Timothy Maddteaching the word.
SPEAKER_01 (00:22):
But today we're in 1 Corinthians 15, 1 through 11.
And so I'm going to pick up inverse 1 and read through verse
11.
The Apostle Paul was writing tothis church in the city of
Corinth, Greece, moving into avery powerful and important
chapter.
And as he does this, he talksabout something that is of most
importance to us as Christianstoday.
(00:43):
He writes and says in chapter15, verse 1, he says, Moreover,
brethren, I declare to you thegospel, which I preach to you,
which also you received, and inwhich you stand, by which also
you are saved, if you hold fastthat word which I preach to you,
unless you believed in vain.
(01:04):
For I delivered to you first ofall that which I also received,
that Christ died for our sinsaccording to the Scriptures, and
that he was buried, and that herose again the third day,
according to the Scriptures,that he was seen by Cephas, then
by the twelve.
After that he was seen by overfive hundred brethren at once,
(01:26):
of whom the greater partremained to the present, but
some have fallen asleep, that isto say, they've died.
After that he was seen by James,then by all the apostles, and
then last of all he was seen byme also, as one born out of due
time.
For I am the least of theapostles, who am not worthy to
(01:46):
be called an apostle, because Ipersecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I amwhat I am, and his grace toward
me was not in vain, but Ilabored more abundantly than
they all, yet not I, but thegrace of God which was with me.
Therefore, whether it was I orthey, so we preach, and so you
(02:07):
believed.
We'll stop here.
This is God's word.
You know, you can build abeautiful house, but it, if you
build it on a broken foundation,it won't last.
It won't last.
Everything may look strong andwell placed for a time, but
eventually cracks will begin toshow.
(02:29):
Walls will shift, floors willsink, because the weight of
what's built will collapsewhat's beneath it if the
foundation isn't right.
And this can happen in your lifeas well.
It can happen in your life.
You can try to build your lifewith all the materials and
(02:49):
accessories that you think makesit look successful, but unless
your foundation is strong andsolid, you will set yourself up
for collapse.
The same thing happens tochurches.
You can have excellent programs,you can have great music, you
can have strong attendance, youcan have active ministries, and
(03:11):
still lose the very thing thatgives life to it all.
The gospel.
The gospel.
And that's not a hypotheticaldanger, it's a historical
reality.
Because many churches that onceheld the gospel boldly now
barely mention it.
It was assumed, and then itbecame kind of background noise,
(03:33):
and now it's absent.
The gospel wasn't attacked, itwas replaced.
That's why, in my view, thisseries is actually so very
important.
Because last week we we lookedat Romans 1.16, where the
apostle Paul declared, I am notashamed of the gospel, for it is
the power of God to salvationfor everyone who believes.
(03:56):
And now today we're listening toanother powerful passage.
This 1 Corinthians 15, 1 through11, where the Apostle Paul
reminds the church at Corinth ofthe gospel that he first
preached to them.
And it's not just a reminder forthem to have a reminder, it's
really a rescue at this point in1 Corinthians.
(04:18):
Because the Corinthians, as achurch, the Corinthians were
drifting.
Oh, they had spiritual gifts,they had lively worship, they
had a numerically growingcongregation, but they were
beginning to lose the center.
And so the Apostle Paul bringsthem back.
He brings them back to whatmatters most.
He brings them back to what hecalls of first importance.
(04:41):
And Providence Church, andincluding our guests today,
especially, but if you're amember of Providence or a
longtime attendee, this is wherewe must stay anchored to.
Because with all the growth, allthat God has been doing in our
church, new families coming,lives being changed, new plans
unfolding, it's not enough togrow.
(05:04):
We have to build on a solidfoundation.
We have to continue to build ona solid foundation.
So this morning from 1Corinthians 15, just for the
next few minutes, we're going tosee four reasons why the gospel
must stay central in our lives,in our church, and in our
mission.
So let's look again at God'sword and let's let the Holy
(05:24):
Spirit remind us what we mustnever forget.
The gospel must stay central inour lives, in the church, and
our mission, because, first ofall, the gospel is our
foundation.
The gospel is our foundation.
Verses 1 and 2.
Moreover, brethren, I declare toyou the gospel which I preach to
you, which also you received,and in which you stand, by which
(05:47):
also you are saved, if you holdfast that word which I preach to
you, unless you believed invain.
And so the apostle here beginswith a reminder.
The word declare here in thisverse, in verse 1, can be
translated remind or restate.
So he's not introducingsomething new.
He's actually calling them backto something they already knew,
(06:10):
but they were beginning to losetheir grip on.
He says, I declare to you thegospel.
It's the same gospel he hadalready preached.
It's the same gospel they hadalready received.
It's the same gospel that hadchanged their lives.
And yet, they needed to hear itagain.
And so do we.
(06:33):
So do we.
Now I want you to notice, let'sdo a little Bible study here.
I want you to notice threegospel verbs in verses one and
two.
Three gospel verbs in verses oneand two.
First of all, he says, which youalso, which also you received,
which also you received.
That's past tense.
(06:55):
That is how they came to faithin Jesus.
Then he says, in which youstand.
That's present tense.
This is where they are toremain.
And then he says, by which alsoyou are saved.
This is ongoing.
This is how God continues hissaving work in them.
(07:16):
The Apostle Paul is showing themand us this morning that the
gospel is not just the entrypoint into Christianity.
It's not just the entry pointinto a relationship with Jesus.
It's the solid ground on whichwe stand every single day.
Every single day.
And it's the only foundationstable enough to support a
(07:38):
growing life, a healthy church,and a future with eternal hope.
And I want you to notice thewarning in this verse.
If you hold fast, unless youbelieved in vain.
Now, don't take it wrong.
He isn't saying here thatsalvation is earned by
(07:59):
perseverance, but he is sayingthat genuine saving faith is
marked by perseverance.
Genuine saving faith is markedby perseverance.
Holding fast doesn't save us,but those who are genuinely
saved will hold fast to thetruth.
It's evidence of authentic faithin Christ.
(08:21):
Listen, the gospel is not a boxwe check and then move on from.
It's a truth that we cling toevery day until we see Jesus
face to face.
And so listen, ProvidenceChurch, this is why the gospel
must remain our foundation.
Because if we build on anythingother than the truth, no matter
(08:47):
how good it seems, it won'tstand.
If we build on tradition, we'llend up resisting the very
renewal the gospel brings.
If we build on what we think isrelevance, we'll end up drifting
into compromise.
If we build on personality, thechurch will rise and fall with
(09:08):
human leaders.
If we build on activity, we'llwear ourselves out doing what
looks like ministry, but withoutpower.
But if we hold on, if we buildon the gospel, I'm talking about
the life and the death and theresurrection of Jesus Christ.
If we build on the gospel, wewill be rooted, we will be
(09:29):
stable, and we will be fruitfulno matter what comes.
This is why our mission, ourdiscipleship pathway, our
preaching, our teaching, ourplanning must all revolve around
the gospel.
It's not just our message, it'sour method, it's our motive,
(09:49):
it's what we're, it's how wemodel.
Individually, it's how we grow,it's how we suffer in hardship
in life, it's how we forgive,it's how we endure, it's how we
lead.
And so just as the Apostle Paulreminded the Corinthians, we too
need to be reminded.
(10:11):
Because gospel drift doesn'tcome through denial, it comes
through distraction.
It comes when we slowly shiftour attention from Christ's
finished work to our ownbusyness, to our own burdens,
(10:32):
and to our own preferences.
Some of you have received thegospel already, but you've
forgotten to stand in it.
You're standing in shame.
Or maybe you're standing inperformance.
Or standing in fear.
(10:54):
And this morning, God is callingyou back to where you started.
In the righteousness of Christ,not your own.
Some of you may have heard thegospel, but you've never truly
received it.
It's been close to you, but notin you.
(11:14):
And today might be the day thatGod opens your heart to believe
and be saved.
For all of us as a church, thisis a moment to recommit.
We will stand in the gospel.
We will preach the gospel, andwe will build on nothing less.
(11:35):
The gospel must be thefoundation for our lives and for
this church.
It has to be.
Now the Apostle Paul gives usanother reason why the gospel is
so central.
And it's really all about Jesus.
The other reason the gospel heremust be central is the gospel is
of first importance.
(11:56):
First importance.
Everybody say first importance.
I'm glad to know you're awake.
That's good.
First importance.
Look at the scripture, verse 3and 4.
For I delivered to you first ofall that which I also received.
That Christ died for our sinsaccording to the scriptures, and
that he was buried, and that herose again the third day
(12:17):
according to the scriptures.
The apostle here doesn't leaveus guessing about the content of
the gospel.
He tells us plainly what it is,and what stands at the center of
everything he believes,everything he preaches, and
everything he builds on.
Christ died for our sins, he wasburied, and he rose again on the
(12:39):
third day.
And I want you to notice thephrase that begins it all.
For I delivered to you first ofall.
Now some translations say offirst importance.
Because that is the meaningactually behind the words used
in the original language.
This wasn't just the first thingchronologically that he told
them.
(13:00):
It was the first thing inpriority.
It was the first thing inweight.
It was the first thing incentrality.
This is the heartbeat of thegospel.
This is the good news, notsomething else added to it.
This is the gospel.
And what is it?
Well, Christ died for our sins.
(13:20):
Not just died, but died for oursins.
This is the doctrine.
This is the biblical doctrine ofsubstitution.
Jesus did not merely die as anexample, a martyr, or a moral
protester.
No, he died in our place,bearing the wrath of God against
(13:42):
sin that we deserved.
That wrath that we deserve.
Isaiah 55, verse, Isaiah 53,verse 5 says, He was wounded for
our transgressions.
2 Corinthians 5.21 says, He,meaning God the Father, made
him, meaning God the Son, whoknew no sin to be sinned for us.
(14:04):
This is actually what makes thegospel good news.
What makes it good news is notthat we can fix ourselves, but
that Christ paid it all.
That's the good news.
That Christ paid it all.
Look, you need forgiveness, notimprovement.
We need forgiveness, notimprovement.
(14:24):
We actually need rescue, notreform.
And Jesus provided it fully atthe cross, where he died for our
sins.
He was buried.
He was buried.
Now this isn't just a detail,it's a declaration.
He really died.
(14:44):
He really died.
It was not, his death was notsymbolic, his death was not
spiritual, it was physical, andit was final as a man in that
moment.
And he was placed in a tomb.
The Son of God was laid in agrave.
And the burial confirms thedeath.
And it sets the stage then forthe most significant reversal in
(15:07):
history.
He rose again the third day.
That's what it says.
He rose again the third day.
This is the triumphant note ofthe gospel.
Hey, the cross is not the end ofthe story.
Jesus rose.
He rose bodily, he rosehistorically, and he rose
victoriously.
(15:28):
Now listen now, listen.
His resurrection proves that thepayment for sin was accepted by
God.
His resurrection proves.
His resurrection breaks thepower of death and gives eternal
life to those who believe.
His resurrection gives us aliving Savior, not just a
(15:48):
religious memory.
And the Bible says it allhappened, look, quoting it,
according to the scriptures.
This wasn't plan B.
It was always God's plan.
I'm talking about from theprophets to the Psalms to the
promises.
Always God's plan.
And the Bible teaches us this isof first importance.
(16:10):
The Apostle Paul is saying,don't forget what I told you
from the beginning.
Don't forget what I told youfirst of all.
Don't forget what is of firstimportance.
In other words, don't getdistracted by the side issues.
Don't replace the gospel,church, with a ministry model.
(16:33):
Don't replace the gospel with atheological trend.
Don't replace the gospel withsome kind of cultural
adaptation, because this is whatmatters most.
This is what matters most.
And providence, this is whatmust remain for us too.
(16:56):
The gospel must come beforepreferences.
The gospel must come beforeprograms.
The gospel must come beforeopinions.
The gospel must come beforepersonalities.
The gospel must come beforepolitics.
Listen, if we lose this, we loseeverything.
But if we hold on to this, wehold on to what matters most,
(17:16):
even if we lose everything else.
This is why our mission as achurch isn't to make people
religious, it's to proclaim thefinished work of Christ and call
people to repent and believe andbe saved.
This is why we don't gather onSunday morning to be
entertained, but to remember andto rejoice in and to respond to
(17:41):
the gospel.
This is why every sermon, everysong, every baptism, every
communion service, every prayer,every act of service must in
some way point back to thedeath, the burial, and the
resurrection of Jesus becausethe gospel is of first
importance.
It's of first importance.
(18:04):
Let me ask you.
What is of first importance inyour life right now?
What is of first importance inyour life right now?
(18:26):
In other words, let me say itthis way.
What's functionally at thecenter of your week?
What's functionally at thecenter of your thoughts?
What's functionally at thecenter of your hopes?
Is it Christ?
(18:47):
Or is something else taking thatplace?
I want to say to you thismorning, this is a moment to
return.
To recenter.
To remember this morning thatyour greatest need is not to be
in control.
Your greatest need is not to besuccessful.
Your greatest need is not to beliked, it's to be forgiven.
(19:11):
Made new and filled with theonly life that Jesus gives.
That's your greatest need.
And that's precisely what thegospel offers.
And it's also why the gospelmust stay at the center.
Oh, but that's not all.
The gospel must also be at thecenter because look at this.
(19:34):
The gospel is verified andpowerful.
The gospel is verified andpowerful.
Verses 5 through 8.
And then he was seen by Cephas,then by the twelve.
After that, he was seen by over500 brethren at once, of whom
the greater part remained to thepresent, but some have fallen
asleep.
After that, he was seen byJames, then by all the apostles.
Then last of all, he was seen byme also as one born out of due
(19:56):
time.
Now the apostle Paul has justdeclared the content of the
gospel, Christ's death, hisburial, and his resurrection.
And now he gives theconfirmation.
The resurrection wasn't ametaphor, it wasn't a legend, it
wasn't a spiritual experience.
It happened.
It happened.
And people saw it.
(20:18):
Lots of people.
The Apostle Paul starts listinghere the eyewitnesses.
And these aren't vague storiesthat have been passed down
through hearsay.
These are real names, realfaces, real people who
encountered the risen Christ.
He says Cephas, that's alsoPeter.
Peter, the one who denied Jesus,who's now restored and
(20:40):
commissioned.
The twelve, he's talking aboutthe core group of disciples who
walked with Jesus and now serveas foundational witnesses.
And then over 500 believers atonce, most of whom were still
alive when Paul wrote this.
In other words, go ask them.
You don't believe me?
Go ask them.
(21:01):
James, the brother of Jesus, thephysical half-brother of Jesus,
who once rejected him, but laterbecame a key leader in the
church.
Then he says, all the apostles,that's a collective witness of
those sent out to declare theresurrection.
And then the apostle Paulhimself, he says, as one born
(21:23):
out of due time, now the formerpersecutor, now the preacher.
You know, in Old Testament law,if you remember this when we
studied Exodus, y'all rememberwhen we studied Exodus?
For two years.
In Old Testament law, a personcould be convicted of a crime on
the basis of just two witnesses.
(21:44):
Just two.
Today, in our legal system,witness testimony is a powerful
form of evidence.
Physical evidence, yeah,forensic analysis and
circumstantial evidence can alsoplay crucial roles in a
conviction.
But in some cases, a singlecredible witness is sufficient
to support a conviction.
(22:05):
Particularly if it is, if theirtestimony is compelling and
supported by other evidence.
So often a single witness alsois enough to write a credible
news story, if there is such athing these days.
But a single witness is oftenenough to write a credible news
story.
Listen, hundreds of eyewitnessessaw and attested to the
(22:28):
resurrected Jesus, and not onlydid they see and attest to the
resurrected Jesus, they werewilling to die themselves for
their testimony and their faith.
This isn't mythology, this ishistory.
It's history.
Let me tell you why thismatters.
The Christian faith is not builton ideas.
(22:50):
The Christian faith is not builton philosophy.
The Christian faith is actuallynot even built on the teachings
of Jesus, as important as theyare.
The Christian faith is built onan event in history where Jesus
died, was buried, and then what?
Rose.
(23:11):
If Jesus did not rise, thenthere is no gospel.
Later in the same chapter, youshould read this entire chapter.
It's all about the resurrection.
Later in the same chapter, theapostle Paul says in verse 14,
he says, If Christ is not risen,then our preaching is empty, and
your faith is also empty.
(23:32):
But he did rise.
The tomb is empty.
Death was defeated.
And that means the gospel wepreach, the gospel I preach, the
gospel you talk about in yourBible fellowship groups or with
friends or family, the gospelyou witness to.
It's not just wishful thinking.
(23:53):
It is verified, victorioustruth.
The resurrection vindicateseverything Jesus said and did.
It proves that He was who heclaimed to be.
It means that sin was truly paidfor.
It means that eternal life istruly offered.
(24:14):
And I'm so glad this morning,Brenda, you're going to know
what I'm talking about.
It means that there is hope thatdoesn't expire with death.
Sherry, there's hope thatdoesn't expire with death.
Isn't that wonderful?
It's verified.
Oh, but it's still powerfultoday, too, the gospel.
(24:35):
It's not just historicallyverified, it's personally
powerful.
I mean, think of the ApostlePaul himself.
I touched on this last week, butthis is actually why he includes
his own story here.
He says, Then, last of all, hewas seen by me also.
I hope you know that Paul wasn'tlooking for Jesus.
He wasn't wrestling withquestions of faith.
(24:58):
He was actually hunting downChristians and trying to shut
the gospel down.
But Jesus found him.
You know that's what happened inyour life, don't you?
You say, Oh, no, Pastor, youdon't.
I was I was looking for Jesusnuts because I wanted to come to
Jesus so bad.
It's because he had alreadysought you out and found you
first.
He was already all up in themiddle of your business.
(25:20):
Uninvited and unannounced.
The risen Lord appeared to him,changed him, and sent him.
And Providence, if Jesus cansave Paul, he can save anyone.
And he still does.
He still does.
The same risen Savior whotransformed a murderous man into
a missionary is still changinglives today.
(25:42):
Right here in this room, in thischurch.
We're going to witness at thebeginning of the next service
two people publicly professtheir faith in Jesus.
And one is going to be a verysenior adult woman, and one is
going to be an 11-year-old boy.
(26:02):
Both ends of the spectrum today.
The gospel is still the power ofGod to salvation.
The gospel still breaks sin'schains.
The gospel still opensspiritually blind eyes.
The gospel still softens hardhearts.
It brings peace where there waschaos.
It brings forgiveness wherethere was guilt.
(26:22):
And it brings life where therewas death.
The gospel does that.
So if you've ever wondered, canI really believe this?
Yes.
If you've ever wondered, is thisstill powerful today?
Yes.
If you ever wonder, is theresurrection something I can
(26:44):
stake my life on?
Absolutely, yes! You're notfollowing a myth.
You're not believing a fable.
You are trusting a living Saviorwho rose in history, who was
seen by hundreds, and stillchanges people by his grace and
his power.
Praise his name today.
Praise his name.
(27:05):
Now let's see what the gospeldoes when it truly takes hold of
someone.
Let's look at now how the gospelhumbles us and shapes us and
sends us.
The gospel must stay centralbecause, here it is, the gospel
produces humility andtransformation.
The gospel produces humility andtransformation.
(27:27):
Verses 9 through 11.
For I am the least of theapostles, who am not worthy to
be called an apostle, because Ipersecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I amwhat I am, and his grace toward
me was not in vain.
But I labored more abundantlythan they all, yet not I, but
the grace of God which was withme.
Therefore, whether it was I orthey, so we preached and so you
(27:50):
believed.
So after giving us the facts ofthe gospel, the Apostle Paul
here ends with a very personalword.
He basically says, Let me tellyou what God through the gospel
has done in my life.
That testimony.
Let me tell you what God throughthe gospel has done in my life.
If you can't tell somebody that,something's missing.
Let me tell you what God throughthe gospel has actually done in
(28:13):
my life.
And notice where he starts.
He doesn't start with hisaccomplishments, but he starts
with his past.
I am the least of the apostlesbecause I persecuted the church
of God.
That's not false humility, it'sjust an honest memory.
The Apostle Paul remembered whohe was before Jesus found him.
(28:37):
He remembered the damage hecaused.
He remembered the rebellion helived in.
And he remembered the mercy thathe didn't deserve.
That's what the gospel does.
It humbles us.
SPEAKER_00 (28:52):
The grass withers and the flower fades.
But the word of God standsforever.
That's Isaiah 48.
Thanks for tuning in to theFoundations of Truth podcast
with Pastor Timothy Mann fromProvidence Church in Ormond
Beach, Florida.
Join us next time.
And until then, keep buildingyour life on God's eternal
truth, the Bible.
Pastor Timothy Madd and Providence Church, Orman
Beach, Florida.
Providence Church is a localassembly of followers of Jesus
Christ dedicated to helpingpeople become committed and
mature followers of JesusChrist.
Now, here's Pastor Timothy Maddteaching the word.
SPEAKER_01 (00:22):
But today we're in 1 Corinthians 15, 1 through 11.
And so I'm going to pick up inverse 1 and read through verse
11.
The Apostle Paul was writing tothis church in the city of
Corinth, Greece, moving into avery powerful and important
chapter.
And as he does this, he talksabout something that is of most
importance to us as Christianstoday.
(00:43):
He writes and says in chapter15, verse 1, he says, Moreover,
brethren, I declare to you thegospel, which I preach to you,
which also you received, and inwhich you stand, by which also
you are saved, if you hold fastthat word which I preach to you,
unless you believed in vain.
(01:04):
For I delivered to you first ofall that which I also received,
that Christ died for our sinsaccording to the Scriptures, and
that he was buried, and that herose again the third day,
according to the Scriptures,that he was seen by Cephas, then
by the twelve.
After that he was seen by overfive hundred brethren at once,
(01:26):
of whom the greater partremained to the present, but
some have fallen asleep, that isto say, they've died.
After that he was seen by James,then by all the apostles, and
then last of all he was seen byme also, as one born out of due
time.
For I am the least of theapostles, who am not worthy to
(01:46):
be called an apostle, because Ipersecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I amwhat I am, and his grace toward
me was not in vain, but Ilabored more abundantly than
they all, yet not I, but thegrace of God which was with me.
Therefore, whether it was I orthey, so we preach, and so you
(02:07):
believed.
We'll stop here.
This is God's word.
You know, you can build abeautiful house, but it, if you
build it on a broken foundation,it won't last.
It won't last.
Everything may look strong andwell placed for a time, but
eventually cracks will begin toshow.
(02:29):
Walls will shift, floors willsink, because the weight of
what's built will collapsewhat's beneath it if the
foundation isn't right.
And this can happen in your lifeas well.
It can happen in your life.
You can try to build your lifewith all the materials and
(02:49):
accessories that you think makesit look successful, but unless
your foundation is strong andsolid, you will set yourself up
for collapse.
The same thing happens tochurches.
You can have excellent programs,you can have great music, you
can have strong attendance, youcan have active ministries, and
(03:11):
still lose the very thing thatgives life to it all.
The gospel.
The gospel.
And that's not a hypotheticaldanger, it's a historical
reality.
Because many churches that onceheld the gospel boldly now
barely mention it.
It was assumed, and then itbecame kind of background noise,
(03:33):
and now it's absent.
The gospel wasn't attacked, itwas replaced.
That's why, in my view, thisseries is actually so very
important.
Because last week we we lookedat Romans 1.16, where the
apostle Paul declared, I am notashamed of the gospel, for it is
the power of God to salvationfor everyone who believes.
(03:56):
And now today we're listening toanother powerful passage.
This 1 Corinthians 15, 1 through11, where the Apostle Paul
reminds the church at Corinth ofthe gospel that he first
preached to them.
And it's not just a reminder forthem to have a reminder, it's
really a rescue at this point in1 Corinthians.
(04:18):
Because the Corinthians, as achurch, the Corinthians were
drifting.
Oh, they had spiritual gifts,they had lively worship, they
had a numerically growingcongregation, but they were
beginning to lose the center.
And so the Apostle Paul bringsthem back.
He brings them back to whatmatters most.
He brings them back to what hecalls of first importance.
(04:41):
And Providence Church, andincluding our guests today,
especially, but if you're amember of Providence or a
longtime attendee, this is wherewe must stay anchored to.
Because with all the growth, allthat God has been doing in our
church, new families coming,lives being changed, new plans
unfolding, it's not enough togrow.
(05:04):
We have to build on a solidfoundation.
We have to continue to build ona solid foundation.
So this morning from 1Corinthians 15, just for the
next few minutes, we're going tosee four reasons why the gospel
must stay central in our lives,in our church, and in our
mission.
So let's look again at God'sword and let's let the Holy
(05:24):
Spirit remind us what we mustnever forget.
The gospel must stay central inour lives, in the church, and
our mission, because, first ofall, the gospel is our
foundation.
The gospel is our foundation.
Verses 1 and 2.
Moreover, brethren, I declare toyou the gospel which I preach to
you, which also you received,and in which you stand, by which
(05:47):
also you are saved, if you holdfast that word which I preach to
you, unless you believed invain.
And so the apostle here beginswith a reminder.
The word declare here in thisverse, in verse 1, can be
translated remind or restate.
So he's not introducingsomething new.
He's actually calling them backto something they already knew,
(06:10):
but they were beginning to losetheir grip on.
He says, I declare to you thegospel.
It's the same gospel he hadalready preached.
It's the same gospel they hadalready received.
It's the same gospel that hadchanged their lives.
And yet, they needed to hear itagain.
And so do we.
(06:33):
So do we.
Now I want you to notice, let'sdo a little Bible study here.
I want you to notice threegospel verbs in verses one and
two.
Three gospel verbs in verses oneand two.
First of all, he says, which youalso, which also you received,
which also you received.
That's past tense.
(06:55):
That is how they came to faithin Jesus.
Then he says, in which youstand.
That's present tense.
This is where they are toremain.
And then he says, by which alsoyou are saved.
This is ongoing.
This is how God continues hissaving work in them.
(07:16):
The Apostle Paul is showing themand us this morning that the
gospel is not just the entrypoint into Christianity.
It's not just the entry pointinto a relationship with Jesus.
It's the solid ground on whichwe stand every single day.
Every single day.
And it's the only foundationstable enough to support a
(07:38):
growing life, a healthy church,and a future with eternal hope.
And I want you to notice thewarning in this verse.
If you hold fast, unless youbelieved in vain.
Now, don't take it wrong.
He isn't saying here thatsalvation is earned by
(07:59):
perseverance, but he is sayingthat genuine saving faith is
marked by perseverance.
Genuine saving faith is markedby perseverance.
Holding fast doesn't save us,but those who are genuinely
saved will hold fast to thetruth.
It's evidence of authentic faithin Christ.
(08:21):
Listen, the gospel is not a boxwe check and then move on from.
It's a truth that we cling toevery day until we see Jesus
face to face.
And so listen, ProvidenceChurch, this is why the gospel
must remain our foundation.
Because if we build on anythingother than the truth, no matter
(08:47):
how good it seems, it won'tstand.
If we build on tradition, we'llend up resisting the very
renewal the gospel brings.
If we build on what we think isrelevance, we'll end up drifting
into compromise.
If we build on personality, thechurch will rise and fall with
(09:08):
human leaders.
If we build on activity, we'llwear ourselves out doing what
looks like ministry, but withoutpower.
But if we hold on, if we buildon the gospel, I'm talking about
the life and the death and theresurrection of Jesus Christ.
If we build on the gospel, wewill be rooted, we will be
(09:29):
stable, and we will be fruitfulno matter what comes.
This is why our mission, ourdiscipleship pathway, our
preaching, our teaching, ourplanning must all revolve around
the gospel.
It's not just our message, it'sour method, it's our motive,
(09:49):
it's what we're, it's how wemodel.
Individually, it's how we grow,it's how we suffer in hardship
in life, it's how we forgive,it's how we endure, it's how we
lead.
And so just as the Apostle Paulreminded the Corinthians, we too
need to be reminded.
(10:11):
Because gospel drift doesn'tcome through denial, it comes
through distraction.
It comes when we slowly shiftour attention from Christ's
finished work to our ownbusyness, to our own burdens,
(10:32):
and to our own preferences.
Some of you have received thegospel already, but you've
forgotten to stand in it.
You're standing in shame.
Or maybe you're standing inperformance.
Or standing in fear.
(10:54):
And this morning, God is callingyou back to where you started.
In the righteousness of Christ,not your own.
Some of you may have heard thegospel, but you've never truly
received it.
It's been close to you, but notin you.
(11:14):
And today might be the day thatGod opens your heart to believe
and be saved.
For all of us as a church, thisis a moment to recommit.
We will stand in the gospel.
We will preach the gospel, andwe will build on nothing less.
(11:35):
The gospel must be thefoundation for our lives and for
this church.
It has to be.
Now the Apostle Paul gives usanother reason why the gospel is
so central.
And it's really all about Jesus.
The other reason the gospel heremust be central is the gospel is
of first importance.
(11:56):
First importance.
Everybody say first importance.
I'm glad to know you're awake.
That's good.
First importance.
Look at the scripture, verse 3and 4.
For I delivered to you first ofall that which I also received.
That Christ died for our sinsaccording to the scriptures, and
that he was buried, and that herose again the third day
(12:17):
according to the scriptures.
The apostle here doesn't leaveus guessing about the content of
the gospel.
He tells us plainly what it is,and what stands at the center of
everything he believes,everything he preaches, and
everything he builds on.
Christ died for our sins, he wasburied, and he rose again on the
(12:39):
third day.
And I want you to notice thephrase that begins it all.
For I delivered to you first ofall.
Now some translations say offirst importance.
Because that is the meaningactually behind the words used
in the original language.
This wasn't just the first thingchronologically that he told
them.
(13:00):
It was the first thing inpriority.
It was the first thing inweight.
It was the first thing incentrality.
This is the heartbeat of thegospel.
This is the good news, notsomething else added to it.
This is the gospel.
And what is it?
Well, Christ died for our sins.
(13:20):
Not just died, but died for oursins.
This is the doctrine.
This is the biblical doctrine ofsubstitution.
Jesus did not merely die as anexample, a martyr, or a moral
protester.
No, he died in our place,bearing the wrath of God against
(13:42):
sin that we deserved.
That wrath that we deserve.
Isaiah 55, verse, Isaiah 53,verse 5 says, He was wounded for
our transgressions.
2 Corinthians 5.21 says, He,meaning God the Father, made
him, meaning God the Son, whoknew no sin to be sinned for us.
(14:04):
This is actually what makes thegospel good news.
What makes it good news is notthat we can fix ourselves, but
that Christ paid it all.
That's the good news.
That Christ paid it all.
Look, you need forgiveness, notimprovement.
We need forgiveness, notimprovement.
(14:24):
We actually need rescue, notreform.
And Jesus provided it fully atthe cross, where he died for our
sins.
He was buried.
He was buried.
Now this isn't just a detail,it's a declaration.
He really died.
(14:44):
He really died.
It was not, his death was notsymbolic, his death was not
spiritual, it was physical, andit was final as a man in that
moment.
And he was placed in a tomb.
The Son of God was laid in agrave.
And the burial confirms thedeath.
And it sets the stage then forthe most significant reversal in
(15:07):
history.
He rose again the third day.
That's what it says.
He rose again the third day.
This is the triumphant note ofthe gospel.
Hey, the cross is not the end ofthe story.
Jesus rose.
He rose bodily, he rosehistorically, and he rose
victoriously.
(15:28):
Now listen now, listen.
His resurrection proves that thepayment for sin was accepted by
God.
His resurrection proves.
His resurrection breaks thepower of death and gives eternal
life to those who believe.
His resurrection gives us aliving Savior, not just a
(15:48):
religious memory.
And the Bible says it allhappened, look, quoting it,
according to the scriptures.
This wasn't plan B.
It was always God's plan.
I'm talking about from theprophets to the Psalms to the
promises.
Always God's plan.
And the Bible teaches us this isof first importance.
(16:10):
The Apostle Paul is saying,don't forget what I told you
from the beginning.
Don't forget what I told youfirst of all.
Don't forget what is of firstimportance.
In other words, don't getdistracted by the side issues.
Don't replace the gospel,church, with a ministry model.
(16:33):
Don't replace the gospel with atheological trend.
Don't replace the gospel withsome kind of cultural
adaptation, because this is whatmatters most.
This is what matters most.
And providence, this is whatmust remain for us too.
(16:56):
The gospel must come beforepreferences.
The gospel must come beforeprograms.
The gospel must come beforeopinions.
The gospel must come beforepersonalities.
The gospel must come beforepolitics.
Listen, if we lose this, we loseeverything.
But if we hold on to this, wehold on to what matters most,
(17:16):
even if we lose everything else.
This is why our mission as achurch isn't to make people
religious, it's to proclaim thefinished work of Christ and call
people to repent and believe andbe saved.
This is why we don't gather onSunday morning to be
entertained, but to remember andto rejoice in and to respond to
(17:41):
the gospel.
This is why every sermon, everysong, every baptism, every
communion service, every prayer,every act of service must in
some way point back to thedeath, the burial, and the
resurrection of Jesus becausethe gospel is of first
importance.
It's of first importance.
(18:04):
Let me ask you.
What is of first importance inyour life right now?
What is of first importance inyour life right now?
(18:26):
In other words, let me say itthis way.
What's functionally at thecenter of your week?
What's functionally at thecenter of your thoughts?
What's functionally at thecenter of your hopes?
Is it Christ?
(18:47):
Or is something else taking thatplace?
I want to say to you thismorning, this is a moment to
return.
To recenter.
To remember this morning thatyour greatest need is not to be
in control.
Your greatest need is not to besuccessful.
Your greatest need is not to beliked, it's to be forgiven.
(19:11):
Made new and filled with theonly life that Jesus gives.
That's your greatest need.
And that's precisely what thegospel offers.
And it's also why the gospelmust stay at the center.
Oh, but that's not all.
The gospel must also be at thecenter because look at this.
(19:34):
The gospel is verified andpowerful.
The gospel is verified andpowerful.
Verses 5 through 8.
And then he was seen by Cephas,then by the twelve.
After that, he was seen by over500 brethren at once, of whom
the greater part remained to thepresent, but some have fallen
asleep.
After that, he was seen byJames, then by all the apostles.
Then last of all, he was seen byme also as one born out of due
(19:56):
time.
Now the apostle Paul has justdeclared the content of the
gospel, Christ's death, hisburial, and his resurrection.
And now he gives theconfirmation.
The resurrection wasn't ametaphor, it wasn't a legend, it
wasn't a spiritual experience.
It happened.
It happened.
And people saw it.
(20:18):
Lots of people.
The Apostle Paul starts listinghere the eyewitnesses.
And these aren't vague storiesthat have been passed down
through hearsay.
These are real names, realfaces, real people who
encountered the risen Christ.
He says Cephas, that's alsoPeter.
Peter, the one who denied Jesus,who's now restored and
(20:40):
commissioned.
The twelve, he's talking aboutthe core group of disciples who
walked with Jesus and now serveas foundational witnesses.
And then over 500 believers atonce, most of whom were still
alive when Paul wrote this.
In other words, go ask them.
You don't believe me?
Go ask them.
(21:01):
James, the brother of Jesus, thephysical half-brother of Jesus,
who once rejected him, but laterbecame a key leader in the
church.
Then he says, all the apostles,that's a collective witness of
those sent out to declare theresurrection.
And then the apostle Paulhimself, he says, as one born
(21:23):
out of due time, now the formerpersecutor, now the preacher.
You know, in Old Testament law,if you remember this when we
studied Exodus, y'all rememberwhen we studied Exodus?
For two years.
In Old Testament law, a personcould be convicted of a crime on
the basis of just two witnesses.
(21:44):
Just two.
Today, in our legal system,witness testimony is a powerful
form of evidence.
Physical evidence, yeah,forensic analysis and
circumstantial evidence can alsoplay crucial roles in a
conviction.
But in some cases, a singlecredible witness is sufficient
to support a conviction.
(22:05):
Particularly if it is, if theirtestimony is compelling and
supported by other evidence.
So often a single witness alsois enough to write a credible
news story, if there is such athing these days.
But a single witness is oftenenough to write a credible news
story.
Listen, hundreds of eyewitnessessaw and attested to the
(22:28):
resurrected Jesus, and not onlydid they see and attest to the
resurrected Jesus, they werewilling to die themselves for
their testimony and their faith.
This isn't mythology, this ishistory.
It's history.
Let me tell you why thismatters.
The Christian faith is not builton ideas.
(22:50):
The Christian faith is not builton philosophy.
The Christian faith is actuallynot even built on the teachings
of Jesus, as important as theyare.
The Christian faith is built onan event in history where Jesus
died, was buried, and then what?
Rose.
(23:11):
If Jesus did not rise, thenthere is no gospel.
Later in the same chapter, youshould read this entire chapter.
It's all about the resurrection.
Later in the same chapter, theapostle Paul says in verse 14,
he says, If Christ is not risen,then our preaching is empty, and
your faith is also empty.
(23:32):
But he did rise.
The tomb is empty.
Death was defeated.
And that means the gospel wepreach, the gospel I preach, the
gospel you talk about in yourBible fellowship groups or with
friends or family, the gospelyou witness to.
It's not just wishful thinking.
(23:53):
It is verified, victorioustruth.
The resurrection vindicateseverything Jesus said and did.
It proves that He was who heclaimed to be.
It means that sin was truly paidfor.
It means that eternal life istruly offered.
(24:14):
And I'm so glad this morning,Brenda, you're going to know
what I'm talking about.
It means that there is hope thatdoesn't expire with death.
Sherry, there's hope thatdoesn't expire with death.
Isn't that wonderful?
It's verified.
Oh, but it's still powerfultoday, too, the gospel.
(24:35):
It's not just historicallyverified, it's personally
powerful.
I mean, think of the ApostlePaul himself.
I touched on this last week, butthis is actually why he includes
his own story here.
He says, Then, last of all, hewas seen by me also.
I hope you know that Paul wasn'tlooking for Jesus.
He wasn't wrestling withquestions of faith.
(24:58):
He was actually hunting downChristians and trying to shut
the gospel down.
But Jesus found him.
You know that's what happened inyour life, don't you?
You say, Oh, no, Pastor, youdon't.
I was I was looking for Jesusnuts because I wanted to come to
Jesus so bad.
It's because he had alreadysought you out and found you
first.
He was already all up in themiddle of your business.
(25:20):
Uninvited and unannounced.
The risen Lord appeared to him,changed him, and sent him.
And Providence, if Jesus cansave Paul, he can save anyone.
And he still does.
He still does.
The same risen Savior whotransformed a murderous man into
a missionary is still changinglives today.
(25:42):
Right here in this room, in thischurch.
We're going to witness at thebeginning of the next service
two people publicly professtheir faith in Jesus.
And one is going to be a verysenior adult woman, and one is
going to be an 11-year-old boy.
(26:02):
Both ends of the spectrum today.
The gospel is still the power ofGod to salvation.
The gospel still breaks sin'schains.
The gospel still opensspiritually blind eyes.
The gospel still softens hardhearts.
It brings peace where there waschaos.
It brings forgiveness wherethere was guilt.
(26:22):
And it brings life where therewas death.
The gospel does that.
So if you've ever wondered, canI really believe this?
Yes.
If you've ever wondered, is thisstill powerful today?
Yes.
If you ever wonder, is theresurrection something I can
(26:44):
stake my life on?
Absolutely, yes! You're notfollowing a myth.
You're not believing a fable.
You are trusting a living Saviorwho rose in history, who was
seen by hundreds, and stillchanges people by his grace and
his power.
Praise his name today.
Praise his name.
(27:05):
Now let's see what the gospeldoes when it truly takes hold of
someone.
Let's look at now how the gospelhumbles us and shapes us and
sends us.
The gospel must stay centralbecause, here it is, the gospel
produces humility andtransformation.
The gospel produces humility andtransformation.
(27:27):
Verses 9 through 11.
For I am the least of theapostles, who am not worthy to
be called an apostle, because Ipersecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I amwhat I am, and his grace toward
me was not in vain.
But I labored more abundantlythan they all, yet not I, but
the grace of God which was withme.
Therefore, whether it was I orthey, so we preached and so you
(27:50):
believed.
So after giving us the facts ofthe gospel, the Apostle Paul
here ends with a very personalword.
He basically says, Let me tellyou what God through the gospel
has done in my life.
That testimony.
Let me tell you what God throughthe gospel has done in my life.
If you can't tell somebody that,something's missing.
Let me tell you what God throughthe gospel has actually done in
(28:13):
my life.
And notice where he starts.
He doesn't start with hisaccomplishments, but he starts
with his past.
I am the least of the apostlesbecause I persecuted the church
of God.
That's not false humility, it'sjust an honest memory.
The Apostle Paul remembered whohe was before Jesus found him.
(28:37):
He remembered the damage hecaused.
He remembered the rebellion helived in.
And he remembered the mercy thathe didn't deserve.
That's what the gospel does.
It humbles us.
SPEAKER_00 (28:52):
The grass withers and the flower fades.
But the word of God standsforever.
That's Isaiah 48.
Thanks for tuning in to theFoundations of Truth podcast
with Pastor Timothy Mann fromProvidence Church in Ormond
Beach, Florida.
Join us next time.
And until then, keep buildingyour life on God's eternal
truth, the Bible.
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