What is the Gospel?

I Cor. 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

² By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

⁵ And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

⁶ After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

⁷ After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

⁸ And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

¹¹ Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

¹² Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

¹³ But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

¹⁴ And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

 

What is the Gospel?

 The Gospel refers to the “good news” that Jesus Christ died and rose again to pay the penalty for our sin so that we might become the children of God through faith alone in Christ and spend eternity with Him.

I Cor. 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Introduction:

1. Death  -  Christ died for our sins

I Cor. 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

 

2. Burial & Resurrection  -  Christ died and rose again to prove that He was the Son of God and successfully defeated death

I Cor. 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

 

3. Appearance of the resurrected Christ  -  Many seen Him after the resurrection

I Cor 15:6  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7  After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

8  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

The Gospel

1. Source
2. It’s a gift from God

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

1. It’s of divine origin

 

1. Character    a.  It’s true

Col. 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 

b.  It’s gracious

Acts 20:24  But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. 

c.  It’s glorious

II Cor. 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

I Tim. 1:11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

 

III.  Response

1. faith

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

       2.  obedience

I Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

II Thess. 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

 

1. Results  a.  Brings salvation

Rom. 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

2.  Evokes hope in the people of God

Col. 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; 

3.  Motivates sanctification

Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

 

Phil 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Conclusion:

I John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

The gospel refers to all aspects of salvation and a new life in Christ