1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:02,920 Well, good morning. How's everybody? 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:06,960 Do you have a good Thanksgiving? Your tryptophan in you and 3 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:09,440 you're going to be falling asleep during my message today, 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,320 I'm sure. Well, it's good to see 5 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:14,440 everybody. I trust you had a good holiday, 6 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:17,520 so let's pray. We're in the book of First 7 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:22,640 Corinthians today, chapter 15 on the resurrection, death, burial, 8 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:26,600 and resurrection of Jesus. Thank you worship team for 9 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,440 praying about where the message is heading. 10 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,080 They Gene always text me what are you teaching on this Sunday? 11 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,600 And I give her the chapter and I know that you guys pray about 12 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,600 what it is you're going to play and what you're going to use for 13 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:41,840 the worship. And it's all about the cross 14 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,640 this morning. Wasn't it all about the shed 15 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:46,880 blood of our Savior and His love for us? 16 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,480 Just so powerful to really prepare our hearts for the Word 17 00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:53,440 today. So let's pray and then we'll get 18 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:55,720 started. Father, we thank You today for 19 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,640 the privilege we have to worship You in spirit and truth. 20 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:02,760 We're thankful, Lord, for the power of Your Word that You 21 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:07,320 promised never returns void. It accomplishes the purposes for 22 00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:10,960 which You intended. So Lord, we pray for this Word 23 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:14,280 today to go straight to all of our hearts that we might have a 24 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:19,280 deeper appreciation and understanding of what you went 25 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:23,040 through for us on that cross. And then we'll eventually have 26 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,480 the Lord's Supper today because that gives us the ability to 27 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,680 remember you. That's what You want us to do. 28 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,720 Remember what it is You've done for us every day and yield and 29 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:37,040 surrender to You that our lives might be more like you. 30 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:41,920 Lord, every day You would change our hearts and our minds, renew 31 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,600 us. So Lord, please bless this word 32 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:48,080 today as it goes forth to your people, build them up and 33 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:50,720 strengthen them. Thank you for those who are 34 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:55,400 listening online on YouTube and also on the radio and Grace FM, 35 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,560 bless them as well. Thank you for the privilege you 36 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,080 give us to get this word out to the community and we pray and 37 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,040 ask all these things in Jesus name, Amen. 38 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:11,160 Well, it tells us, excuse me, in the book of Romans, the the 1st 39 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,080 chapter, the 18th verse. I want to look at that real 40 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,080 quick before I get started here this morning. 41 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:23,040 Just so we're reminded of some things it tells us in the 16th 42 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:27,480 verse of Romans, chapter one, This is the apostle Paul who 43 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,480 also wrote the book of First Corinthians. 44 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:33,520 He says For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is 45 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:37,760 the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for 46 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:40,000 the Jew 1st and also for the Greek. 47 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:44,120 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to 48 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,160 faith. As it is written, the just shall 49 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:52,600 live by faith. So what's so awesome about the 50 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,720 gospel? If we understand it and if we've 51 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,280 heard it and we believe on it, that changes our lives. 52 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,040 It changes the way we live. It causes us to be completely 53 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,720 different and transformed as people. 54 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,760 Cindy and I were praying this morning about this process of 55 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:14,200 sanctification, how God uses the Word to change us little by 56 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:18,080 little, day by day, week by week, month by month, and year 57 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,360 by year. And when you look back on your 58 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,280 Christian life from the day that you first believed in the 59 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,840 gospel, you see there's changes you you become different people, 60 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:29,360 you're becoming more Christ like. 61 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:34,120 And that is so awesome. And then Paul also spoke in the 62 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,600 book of First Thessalonians about this impact of the gospel. 63 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:43,000 In chapter 1 he says to the Church of the Thessalonians and 64 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:47,080 God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace be to you 65 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:50,040 and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 66 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:54,560 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you 67 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:58,080 in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of 68 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:02,480 faith, labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord 69 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:06,200 Jesus Christ, in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, 70 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,720 beloved Brother, in your election by God. 71 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:13,320 For our gospel did not come to you in Word only, but also in 72 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:17,160 power and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, as you 73 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,839 know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. 74 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:25,600 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received 75 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:30,000 the word and much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit, So 76 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:34,520 that you became examples to all in Macedonia Archaea who 77 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,000 believe. For from you the word of the 78 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:41,120 Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Archaea, but 79 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,360 also in every place your faith toward God has gone out, so that 80 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:49,320 we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare 81 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,800 concerning us what manner eventually we had to you and how 82 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,320 you turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God 83 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,720 and to wait for his Son from heaven whom he raised from the 84 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,920 dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 85 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:09,040 So Paul's commending this church in Thessalonians, Thessalonica 86 00:05:09,280 --> 00:05:13,080 for the gospel's power and how it worked in their lives and how 87 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,480 they were able to proclaim it to other people. 88 00:05:15,840 --> 00:05:19,760 So the purpose of the church is to train and educate us and how 89 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:23,440 we can share the good, good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ 90 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,400 with with other people. And they need to know that 91 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,960 because what's happening in these days that we live is, is 92 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,120 frightening in some ways, because there's so many people 93 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:39,000 that have no clue about what it is that we believe, let alone 94 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,280 the importance of the of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 95 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:46,520 And so today we want to focus on this truth of the gospel so that 96 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,800 first of all, if you aren't a Christian today, you might 97 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,280 become a believer because you're going to hear the gospel. 98 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:56,920 But if you are a Christian and you have known the gospel for 99 00:05:56,920 --> 00:06:00,120 many years, it's going to go deeper in your heart today. 100 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,000 I pray it did for me. As I studied and prepared for 101 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:08,040 this message, I had to step back and think, God, you've been so 102 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:12,720 good and so forgiving and so patient, so merciful. 103 00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:17,480 I review my life at times and I say, well, I did this and I'm 104 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,200 ashamed of that or I did that and I shouldn't have done this 105 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:23,080 or acted this. You know, we all have that past 106 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:26,880 memory of our lives before Christ and even after Christ 107 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,800 when we made mistakes and do make mistakes. 108 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,680 And it humbles us to reflect on that. 109 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:38,840 Because when you focus on what Jesus went through for you and, 110 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:44,240 and the, and the blood that he shed and the punishment he took 111 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:49,480 upon him saith in behalf of you and me, it can't do anything but 112 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,640 cause you to love him more and to want to follow him more and 113 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:55,520 to surrender and yield to him more. 114 00:06:56,120 --> 00:07:00,000 You have this relationship that's living because he's a 115 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:03,520 living Savior. And Paul was so concerned about 116 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:06,720 this gospel that we're going to study today in First Corinthians 117 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:11,960 15 that he told the church in Galatia that he was concerned 118 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:16,760 about many people turning away so soon from him. 119 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:18,560 Who called you in the grace of Christ? 120 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:23,640 This is Galatians chapter 1 to a different gospel which is not 121 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:26,000 another. But there are some who trouble 122 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,920 you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 123 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:33,520 But even if we or an Angel from heaven preach any other gospel 124 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,360 to you, then what we have preached to you, let him be 125 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:40,800 accursed as we have said before. And so we say again, if anyone 126 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:45,200 preaches any other gospel to you, then what you've received, 127 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:50,760 let him be accursed. So this is a big deal. 128 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:54,200 What we're studying about today in First Corinthians chapter 15, 129 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:59,320 you might not be aware of it, but most churches don't teach 130 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:02,880 this anymore. You can go to probably 90% of 131 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,040 the churches in Greensburg today and you will not hear anything 132 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,880 about this gospel of Jesus Christ. 133 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:13,120 It's, it's concerning back in the 50s, just about every 134 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:18,040 spiritual building in the community and the church would 135 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:20,080 teach the things that we're teaching. 136 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,960 But we're living in the days where there is a famine for the 137 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:27,600 word of God. And many are denying the gospel. 138 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:31,840 Many are denying the fact that Jesus was a real person. 139 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:36,039 And if they did believe he was a real person, many deny the fact 140 00:08:36,039 --> 00:08:38,440 that he rose again from the dead. 141 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:43,120 I mean, it's, it's incredible. What's what's being taught out 142 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,280 there today? So I'm going to read some of the 143 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:46,800 verses here. We're not going to go through 144 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:49,520 the whole chapter today, but we'll go through some of it and 145 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:52,680 then we'll continue in the in the days ahead. 146 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,560 Moreover, brethren, this is First Corinthians chapter 15, 147 00:08:56,560 --> 00:08:59,600 verse one. Moreover, brethren, I declare to 148 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:04,160 you the gospel which I preached you, which also you received, 149 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:08,960 and in which you stand, by which you are also saved, if you hold 150 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:12,600 fast that word which I preached to you, unless you've believed 151 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,400 in vain. For I delivered to you first of 152 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:19,640 all that which I also received. That Christ died for our sins 153 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:23,760 according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He 154 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:27,360 rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and 155 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:31,920 that He was seen by Cephas. Then by the 12 after that He was 156 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,920 seen by over 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater part 157 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,040 remained to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 158 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:43,520 After that he was seen by James and by all the apostles. 159 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:48,880 Then last of all, he was seen by me also by one born out of due 160 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:53,360 time. And so Paul is describing here 161 00:09:53,680 --> 00:09:57,840 what happened and what they believe in regard to the truth 162 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:01,800 of the gospel. And what's, what's concerning 163 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:09,400 here is that as he was thinking about these things and, and the 164 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,200 church in Corinth, you know, the church in Corinth, as we've been 165 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:17,000 studying was full of all kind of crazy teaching and sexual 166 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,120 immorality. And this sin believers were 167 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,160 sinning. And Paul had to go back to that 168 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,200 church and, and deal with them and teach them about the 169 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:28,640 importance of, of what it is that they say they believed and 170 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:32,400 how their lives should be completely different than the 171 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:36,080 way they're living. He, he wrote this particular 172 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:40,480 chapter to really drill down on the fact of what this gospel 173 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,600 declares and what it means to people that believe it. 174 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:49,320 Now the first 2 verses he says, I declare to you this gospel 175 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,160 which I preached to you and which also you received and 176 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:57,320 which you stand by, which also you are saved if you if and 177 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:00,760 underline that if you hold fast that word which I preached to 178 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:03,520 you, unless you believed in vain. 179 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,200 So this gospel has power to change lives. 180 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:11,040 Many of you here have had your lives changed by the gospel. 181 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,040 That's why you worship the Lord, that's why you love Him, that's 182 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:17,160 why you're here today. There's some people that hear 183 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:20,240 the gospel and they say they believe it, but it hasn't 184 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,240 changed their lives for various reasons. 185 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:25,560 And we'll talk about that a little bit. 186 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:30,640 But this gospel was defined back in the day that it was first 187 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,560 preached as good news. That's the definition of gospel, 188 00:11:34,560 --> 00:11:37,520 good news. And it wasn't just the gospel of 189 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:39,720 Jesus Christ. It was any kind of message that 190 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,760 would bring to people a sense of positive thinking or good news 191 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:45,560 or something that would make them joyful. 192 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:50,280 But there's only one gospel in regard to salvation that saves 193 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:54,080 us from the punishment we deserve from God because of what 194 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:58,600 Jesus did for us. This church in Corinth received 195 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:02,280 this gospel, and Paul said it has to believe. 196 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,960 You have to believe this gospel, and you have to embrace it and 197 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:09,680 make it personal to yourself that this isn't the fact that 198 00:12:09,680 --> 00:12:14,360 Jesus died for the sins of the world, as John 316 tells us. 199 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:18,160 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, 200 00:12:18,560 --> 00:12:21,440 that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have 201 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:26,840 everlasting life. But this gospel has to be lived 202 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,440 out. And so Paul again, as he said in 203 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:31,960 the book of Thessalonians, they were. 204 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:35,920 He was thanking God all the time because the people that he 205 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:40,800 preached to received the Word of God, which they heard from him, 206 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:44,360 and they didn't receive it as a word of men, but as it is in 207 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:48,560 truth the word of God, which also effectively works in you 208 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,040 who believe. So when you're here today and 209 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:53,880 you're listening to this message, think about this 210 00:12:55,240 --> 00:13:01,640 subject, this question, is this gospel effectively working in my 211 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,520 life? Is it continually convicting me 212 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,200 of things that I need to have changed in my life? 213 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:13,960 Is this gospel something that causes me to want to let other 214 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:18,440 people know what it's done for me and what it's done for you? 215 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:23,760 That is the effective work of the gospel in the heart of 216 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:28,920 someone who believes. So the Corinthians, the these 217 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:33,120 believers in Corinth, they, they stood on the truth of this 218 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:37,520 gospel, but for whatever reason, it wasn't deeply embedded in 219 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:39,120 their hearts. I'm not saying they weren't 220 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:42,600 saved, but when the gospels deeply embedded in your heart, 221 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:47,080 it's going to change your life. It's going to change the way you 222 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:50,400 think and the way you act. It's going to cause you to be 223 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:54,440 convicted about certain things that are in your life presently 224 00:13:54,440 --> 00:14:00,080 that have to go. It's going to cause you to be 225 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:05,400 more humble and more yielded and more obedient to the Lord 226 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,680 because of the power of this word in this gospel. 227 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:11,880 If this isn't something, well, yeah, I believed I'm saved. 228 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,720 I remember I prayed A sinner's prayer 10 years ago, 20 years 229 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,960 ago, whatever. And I know because of what Jesus 230 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:21,560 did, I'm going to heaven. Well, that's just the beginning 231 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,680 of the of the gospel. That's not the end point. 232 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:29,360 There's so much that God wants to do by us studying this gospel 233 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,280 and reflecting on this gospel. And he talks about the 234 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:36,920 importance of this gospel and holding fast to it. 235 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:44,320 And the word hold fast implies that the enemy wants to snatch 236 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:48,200 the true gospel away from your heart as he did wanting to 237 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:50,840 snatch it away from the Corinthian Christians. 238 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:58,000 And that's why they have to hold on and in in studies of of the 239 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,440 Bible and commentators, there's this word called the 240 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:04,440 perseverance of the Saints. And if you're really saved, no 241 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,680 matter what kind of temptation comes your way or what's going 242 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:11,520 to try to move you away from having the Gospels, being 243 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:17,120 sensual in your life isn't going to twist your mind or or pull 244 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:20,400 you away. In the book of Hebrews, it tells 245 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:25,840 us regarding this truth of, of perseverance and, and the 246 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,800 importance of perseverance is critical because if you don't 247 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:33,800 persevere, you will fall away. And the, the one that gives you 248 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,800 the power to persevere is the Holy Spirit who lives in you. 249 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:41,880 He's not going to let you go beyond the point of, of denying 250 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:45,080 Jesus or just saying you don't want to do this stuff anymore. 251 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:49,520 It tells us in the book of Hebrews verse 38. 252 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:52,840 Now the just shall live by faith. 253 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:56,760 But if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him. 254 00:15:56,760 --> 00:16:00,280 So there is this capacity or potential for people to fall 255 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:02,960 away. It tells us in the last days 256 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:04,800 there'll be a great falling away. 257 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:08,880 And when you read that or you hear that, you think, boy, I 258 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:13,280 pray that isn't me. I don't want to fall away. 259 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:16,480 What would you fall away to? What would you depend on? 260 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:19,800 What would you believe on if you fell away from this truth of the 261 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:23,600 gospel? But we are not of those who draw 262 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:27,760 back to perdition or hell, but of those who believe to the 263 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,600 saving of the soul. And that's called persevering, 264 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:35,360 not giving up, not turning back, not turning away, not getting 265 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,680 depressed and discouraged and stopping to trust Jesus. 266 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:44,000 You just keep on keeping on. God bless you. 267 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:51,120 So the content of the gospel is seen in verses 3 and four. 268 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:54,600 And sometimes you might have asked yourself this question or 269 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:58,040 someone's asked you, what exactly is the gospel? 270 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,880 If I give the gospel to someone, what is it that I'm telling 271 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:04,200 them? And this is the fullness of the 272 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,880 gospel. And this when you share your 273 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,200 your testimony, your faith, the gospel of people you want to 274 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:15,599 follow this direction that Paul gives in these couple verses 275 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:20,200 here for I delivered to you First of all, that which I also 276 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:23,800 received that Christ died for our sins according to the 277 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:27,040 scriptures. Most of us know that you tell 278 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:28,760 someone about what happened to you. 279 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:33,840 Jesus died for my sins according to what the Bible teaches the 280 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:40,080 Scriptures, Historical documentation, historical facts. 281 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:43,640 This isn't made-up, this isn't folklore, this isn't fairy 282 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,960 tales. These are historical events that 283 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:50,000 happened in a point of time in human history. 284 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:52,880 Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. 285 00:17:53,120 --> 00:17:56,760 Number one, that he was buried. It's important you tell people 286 00:17:56,760 --> 00:17:59,640 that he was buried because that means he died. 287 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:04,040 If he wasn't buried and he just had a swoon like some people 288 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:07,760 say, or he was a phantom or someone stole the body away or 289 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:11,760 whatever, it brings heresies in. But no, he was buried. 290 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:15,160 And the Third Point is that he rose again the third day, 291 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:19,440 according to the Scriptures. It's very, very important to 292 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:22,760 discuss those things when you're sharing the gospel. 293 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:27,400 Paul received this gospel supernaturally by the Holy 294 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:29,480 Spirit. This isn't something he made-up 295 00:18:30,120 --> 00:18:32,040 or thought would be cool to talk about. 296 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:35,560 He was impacted personally by the death, burial, and 297 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,520 resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just like all of us here today 298 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:40,160 who were born again and are saved. 299 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:44,600 We were impacted by this gospel when it was proclaimed to us, 300 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:47,960 maybe not the first time and the second time, but eventually it 301 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:51,560 made sense by the Spirit of God to our conscience and our minds 302 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:55,360 and our hearts, and we believed and trusted in Jesus Christ. 303 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:00,560 And so it's important to understand that this death of 304 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:06,200 Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, is the center of the 305 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:09,720 gospel. This is important, this chapter 306 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:13,880 15, one of the most powerful chapters in the whole Bible. 307 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:16,840 If we didn't have this chapter in here, none of us would really 308 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:22,000 comprehend the basics of the points of Paul's making here in 309 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,520 regard to what makes the gospel the gospel. 310 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:30,160 So we all know and we, we take the Lord's Supper every Sunday 311 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:35,000 to remember what he's done for us, OK. 312 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:41,160 And he loves that, that we remember him in the Lord's 313 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:45,320 Supper. That's the main sacrament he 314 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:50,280 gave the church to keep their eyes on him and to never forget 315 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:54,200 what he's done for us, for you and me personally. 316 00:19:55,920 --> 00:20:01,720 The Roman government, excuse me, executed him by one of the most 317 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:08,240 cruel and excruciating forms of capital punishment ever devised. 318 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:12,120 What I'm going to read to you right now is quite graphic and 319 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:18,760 but it it's what we need to understand in regard to what he 320 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:23,240 went through for us. Although the Romans did not 321 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,440 invent crucifixion, they perfected it as a form of 322 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:31,040 torture and capital punishment that was designed to produce a 323 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:35,080 slow death with maximum pain and suffering. 324 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:40,120 What exactly was it like to be crucified in days? 325 00:20:40,120 --> 00:20:41,880 A New Testament was first written? 326 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:46,880 The practice needed no explanation, but we do well to 327 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:50,800 appreciate what happened in that crucifixion. 328 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:58,000 The victim's back was torn open by scourging, and the clotting 329 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:01,640 blood was ripped open again when the clothes were torn off the 330 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:05,120 victim. When he was thrown on the ground 331 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:08,200 to nail his hands to the cross beam. 332 00:21:08,520 --> 00:21:12,640 The wounds were again torn open and contaminated with dirt. 333 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:17,600 Then as he hung on the cross, with each breath, the painful 334 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:20,560 wounds on the back scraped against the rough wood of the 335 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:23,200 upright beam and were further aggravated. 336 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:27,760 When the nail was driven through the wrist, it severed the large 337 00:21:28,120 --> 00:21:32,680 medium nerve. This simulated stimulated nerve 338 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:37,960 produced excruciating bolts of fiery pain in both arms and 339 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,240 resulted in a claw like grip in the victim's hands. 340 00:21:43,360 --> 00:21:46,800 Beyond the excruciating pain, the major effect of crucifixion 341 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:49,360 was inhibit inhibiting normal breathing. 342 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,240 The weight of the body pulling down on the arms and shoulders 343 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:57,440 tended to fix the respiratory muscles in an inhalation state 344 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,680 and hindered exhaled exhaling the breath. 345 00:22:03,360 --> 00:22:06,880 The lack of adequate respiration resulted in severe muscle 346 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:09,760 cramps, which hindered breathing even further. 347 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:14,440 To get a good breath, one had to push against the feet and flex 348 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:17,760 the elbows, pulling from the shoulders, putting the weight of 349 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:22,320 the body on the feet, producing searing pain and flexing the 350 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,840 elbows twisted the hands hanging on the nails. 351 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:29,920 Lifting the body for a breath also painfully scraped the back 352 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:33,640 against the rough wooden post. Each effort to get a proper 353 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:37,200 breath was agonizing, exhausting and LED to sooner death. 354 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:41,800 Not uncommonly, insects would light upon or Burrow into the 355 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:44,960 open wounds or the eyes, ears and nose of the dying and 356 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:49,200 helpless victim, and birds of prey would tear at these sights. 357 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,960 Moreover, it was customary to leave the corpse on the cross to 358 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:55,520 be devoured by predatory animals. 359 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,720 Death from crucifixion could not could come from many sources. 360 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:07,120 Acute shock from blood loss, being too exhausted to breathe 361 00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:11,960 any longer, dehydration, stress induced heart attack or 362 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:15,120 congestive heart failure leading to cardiac rupture. 363 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:18,400 If the victim did not die quickly enough, the legs were 364 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:22,120 broken and the victim was soon unable to breathe. 365 00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:28,960 The English word word crucifixion comes from this word 366 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:31,760 meaning excruciating out of the cross. 367 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:41,640 Consider this, How horrible did our sins have to be in the sight 368 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:46,520 of God when he required such a great sacrifice for us? 369 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:51,760 So as I was studying that, reflecting on that, I mean, I've 370 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:56,880 been a pastor for 30 years and it just like hit me at a level 371 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,320 that it's never hit me like this before. 372 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:06,080 Personally, I believed. I know what he's done, but I 373 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:12,800 think sometimes my belief was superficial because I, like 374 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:15,760 Cindy said, we just can't grasp the depth of the gospel. 375 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:17,920 There's so many layers to all this, isn't there? 376 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:21,400 And it hits US at different times, at different levels, all 377 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:27,880 of us, and God knows what we can handle and what we can't handle. 378 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:36,040 But for me personally, this representation of what he 379 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:42,760 suffered for me couldn't help me to to review my life and think 380 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:49,520 about all the times I committed sin or I was disobedient or not 381 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:55,120 caring and thinking like I was OK. 382 00:24:55,120 --> 00:24:58,560 You know, I was good, good to go, so to speak. 383 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:05,040 And then thinking about this and what he went through for me, it 384 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:07,320 broke me down. I mean, it just caused me to, 385 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:13,320 when I weep not in feeling bad for what Jesus did, He knew He 386 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:18,560 needed to do that for us. But thinking about why He had to 387 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:25,120 do it for us and that He loved us as much, that He would 388 00:25:25,120 --> 00:25:29,760 actually go through this for us, He asked the Father in 389 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:33,040 Gethsemane if it's possible let this cup pass from me. 390 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:38,080 It wasn't the the pain and the suffering and the anguish of 391 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:41,520 what He had to go through. It was a fact that for a 392 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:44,960 momentary time He would be separated. 393 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:49,160 And this is hard to comprehend from the oneness that He had 394 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:57,600 with His Father and the Spirit. He was in all points tempted as 395 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:05,560 we are, yet without sin, and He never in His eternal existence 396 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:13,400 ever knew what it was like to be separated from God the Father. 397 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:19,400 And when He went through that, He realized, you and me, what 398 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:26,200 life is like for the human race to be totally disconnected from 399 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:40,160 the One who made them. This moment that he died on that 400 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:44,360 cross, they didn't have to break his legs. 401 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:51,520 He gave up his life willingly and he said it's finished. 402 00:26:55,760 --> 00:27:00,160 Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. 403 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:12,400 God laid upon Jesus all the guilt and wrath of the sin that 404 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:16,800 you and I have committed. I deserve to be on that cross. 405 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:22,160 You deserve to be on that cross. Every one of us did. 406 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:28,120 But He went for us. He took the punishment that we 407 00:27:28,120 --> 00:27:34,600 all deserve and He bore it in Himself perfectly, totally 408 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:37,960 satisfying the wrath of God in our place. 409 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:41,520 Isn't that glorious? If that doesn't make you want to 410 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:43,800 shout Hallelujah, I don't know what will. 411 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:49,120 I mean when you grasp the fact that that should have been me, 412 00:27:49,120 --> 00:27:51,520 and because of Him, it wasn't me, it was him. 413 00:27:52,360 --> 00:27:54,880 Wow, that is good news, isn't it? 414 00:27:56,000 --> 00:28:01,480 Why would anybody want to reject this message and have to endure 415 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:06,080 a punishment and suffering that Jesus went and took for them so 416 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:13,080 that they wouldn't have to? Jesus took that act of being 417 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:20,160 judged for sin in our place and this cup of God's wrath that he 418 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:27,520 drank willingly. Jesus became, as it were, an 419 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:32,920 enemy of God, which we all are before we come to Christ, who 420 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:37,640 was judged and forced to drink the cup of the Father's fury, so 421 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:39,400 we would not have to drink that cup. 422 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:45,720 Isaiah 53 puts it powerfully. He is despised and rejected by 423 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:50,240 men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we 424 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:52,400 had, as it were, our faces from Him. 425 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:55,800 He was despised and we did not esteem Him. 426 00:28:56,400 --> 00:29:00,760 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we 427 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:03,840 esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 428 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,280 But He was wounded for our transgressions. 429 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:09,680 He was bruised for our iniquities. 430 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:15,360 The chastisement for our peace is upon Him, and by His stripes 431 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:20,360 we are healed. I think about the worship song 432 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:25,400 that the team was singing. One drop of this cup would bear 433 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:31,000 down the soul to endless ruin, and his agonies would annihilate 434 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:34,000 the universe. He suffered alone for the 435 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:36,760 people. There was none with him because 436 00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:40,160 his sufferings were to make atonement for the sins of the 437 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:42,920 world and then the work of redemption. 438 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:48,200 He had no helper. He did this for our sins. 439 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,880 Our sins were responsible for the death of Jesus. 440 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:59,040 Do you guys get that our sins were responsible for the death 441 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:04,200 of Jesus? And then it tells us in this 442 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:09,000 chapter, the second part, he was buried. 443 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:13,400 We don't think much at times about the burial and it's 444 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:17,400 important for several reason. It's positive proof that he 445 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:21,600 really died. You don't bury someone unless 446 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:25,880 they're really dead. And it also fulfilled the 447 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:30,680 Scriptures which declared, and this is from Matthew chapter 27, 448 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:34,040 they made his grave with the wicked, but with the rich of his 449 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:37,120 death. Jesus was buried in the tomb of 450 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:41,560 a rich man. And then the Third Point he rose 451 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:45,360 again. Although Jesus bore the full 452 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:49,680 wrath on the cross, as if He were a guilty Sinner, guilty of 453 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:54,400 all our sin, even being made sin for us, as it tells us in 2nd 454 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:59,680 Corinthians 521, He made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, 455 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:03,080 that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ. 456 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:11,360 He never became a Sinner, but the act of taking on our sin was 457 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:16,320 an act of holy giving love for us, so that Jesus himself did 458 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:19,760 not become a Sinner even though He bore the full guilt of our 459 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:26,480 sin. This is the gospel message that 460 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:31,760 Jesus took our punishment for the sin of you and me on the 461 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:35,600 cross, and yet remained a perfect Savior throughout the 462 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:37,880 whole ordeal proved by His resurrection. 463 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:46,160 If the cross is a payment for our sins, the empty tomb is the 464 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:50,960 receipt showing that the perfect Son of God made perfect payment 465 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:54,400 for our sins. The cross was a time of 466 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:58,440 Victoria's death. Sin was defeated, but nothing 467 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:01,480 positive was put in His place until the resurrection. 468 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:05,400 The resurrection showed that Jesus did not succumb to the 469 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:10,360 inevitable result of sin. The resurrection is proof of 470 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:15,200 this victory. And He rose again the third day, 471 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:20,040 as the Scripture said, and were prophesized throughout the Old 472 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,360 Testament. And Jesus himself said he would 473 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:27,360 go into Jerusalem and be crucified, but raised again on 474 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:30,960 the third day. This demonstrates the 475 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:36,120 credibility of God's Word because Jesus himself proclaimed 476 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:38,400 he would rise three days after his death. 477 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:43,840 Some people get confused about 3 days because he died on the 478 00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:47,480 cross on Friday and rose Sunday. This was an interesting truth I 479 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:50,520 uncovered. According to Jewish reckonings, 480 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:54,200 3 days would include parts of Friday afternoon, all of 481 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:57,800 Saturday and Sunday morning. So he's right on target. 482 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:01,800 There was the three days according to the scriptures. 483 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:06,560 That's important in your Bible. Everything you believe is 484 00:33:06,560 --> 00:33:14,920 according to the Scriptures. The Word of God is given by 485 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:19,320 inspiration of God, and it's profitable for doctrine, for 486 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:22,280 reproof, for correction, instruction of righteousness, 487 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:25,920 that the man of God, the person who God may be thoroughly 488 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:31,200 furnished unto all good works according to the Scriptures. 489 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:35,600 It was planned from all eternity and described prophetically in 490 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:38,040 the Scriptures that this would occur. 491 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:43,560 The plan for his resurrection is described in places in the Old 492 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:50,160 Testament, the book of Hosea, Jonah, Psalms, and it it just 493 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:54,920 continued on. It continued on 1st Corinthians 494 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:59,000 15. Five through 8 is concrete 495 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:04,280 evidence of Jesus resurrection. He was seen by Cephas. 496 00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:06,160 That's Peter, the one who denied him. 497 00:34:09,679 --> 00:34:12,960 Why did Jesus want to show up personally, this alone with 498 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:18,080 Peter? Peter had denied him just a few 499 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:22,679 days before that turned his back on his Savior. 500 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,199 He probably felt like the biggest loser that was ever 501 00:34:27,199 --> 00:34:31,040 born. He had such shame, such guilt, 502 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:35,679 such despair, such depression, probably saying, I can't believe 503 00:34:35,679 --> 00:34:37,480 I did that. How could I do that? 504 00:34:39,679 --> 00:34:41,639 Be where you stand, lest you fall. 505 00:34:41,639 --> 00:34:46,000 How many times have we unintentionally denied our 506 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:49,280 Savior by the way we live are the things we've said. 507 00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:53,320 But the Lord Jesus is not a condemning Savior. 508 00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:56,360 He's a loving Savior. He understands our weaknesses. 509 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:03,120 And he hung out with Peter, I'm sure to say, Hey, my brother, my 510 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:06,720 son, I love you. I got plans for you. 511 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:10,520 Peter didn't quite understand and I'm sure at the time, but 512 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:15,080 Jesus made it a point to show up and reveal his resurrected life 513 00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:21,440 to Peter. No one actually saw this event 514 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:24,480 of Jesus coming from death to life. 515 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:29,000 Someone described it as like this old Star Trek thing where 516 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:32,680 the people could, like, dissipate their human energy and 517 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,880 turn into molecules and then go into another dimension, then 518 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:39,280 come alive again. It's much deeper than that. 519 00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:43,080 What happened with Jesus? All we know is that he was 520 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:47,200 physically dead and then he appeared first to the 521 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:51,560 eyewitnesses, the women who saw him there at the resurrection, 522 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:54,840 and then his appearance to Peter. 523 00:35:57,080 --> 00:36:04,680 And then it says he appeared to the 12, the 12, referring to the 524 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:09,760 apostles initial meeting. Thomas wasn't there. 525 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,480 He showed up later donning Thomas. 526 00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:14,640 He couldn't believe. He couldn't believe it when he 527 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:17,360 heard these guys, his brothers saying, yeah, we, we saw the 528 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:19,760 resurrected Christ. There's no way I'm going to 529 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:23,360 believe this unless I can put my hand into the side and feel, you 530 00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:25,760 know, all that. You guys know the story and 531 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:28,840 Jesus shows up and he knows everything. 532 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:33,080 Our thoughts from afar. Hey, Thomas, I I heard you say 533 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:34,880 you wouldn't believe. We'll go ahead and touch and 534 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,040 feel. And all of a sudden, Thomas does 535 00:36:37,040 --> 00:36:41,200 that, and what's he say, my Lord and my God? 536 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:52,080 That meeting, that first meeting was probably in that room. 537 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:55,480 The doors and the windows were all shut when He breathed on the 538 00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:59,920 disciples and gave to them the Holy Spirit. 539 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:06,720 And then over 500 brethren at once, it says He revealed 540 00:37:06,720 --> 00:37:11,480 Himself to. And that was suggested in 541 00:37:11,480 --> 00:37:16,200 Matthew 28 when He was on the hill before His ascension and 542 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,960 many people showed up and saw him and heard what He had to 543 00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:22,120 say. The last thing He told him was 544 00:37:22,120 --> 00:37:24,640 to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every 545 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:28,640 living creature, teaching them all things whatsoever I've 546 00:37:28,640 --> 00:37:31,800 commanded you, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and 547 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:34,720 Holy Spirit. And lo, I'm with you always, 548 00:37:34,720 --> 00:37:41,000 even to the end of the age that gospel presentation is 549 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:46,200 continuing to this day, that us as His witnesses, we go forth 550 00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:48,760 and share this gospel with other people. 551 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:54,200 That the old hymn, the Old Rugged Cross is powerful this 552 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:55,760 morning. I haven't sang that in a long 553 00:37:55,760 --> 00:37:58,720 time. And it really had special 554 00:37:58,720 --> 00:38:02,800 meaning to me because we're in this chapter today singing that. 555 00:38:03,880 --> 00:38:07,360 Then when there was that other song, I server as a Savior, He's 556 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:10,720 in the world today. I know that he is living. 557 00:38:10,720 --> 00:38:14,280 Whatever men may say. I feel his hand of mercy. 558 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:17,280 I know that's the time I need him. 559 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:19,120 He's always near. He lives, He lives. 560 00:38:19,120 --> 00:38:22,600 Christ Jesus lives in me. He walks with me and talks with 561 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:25,920 me a long life's narrow way. He lives. 562 00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:33,120 He lives salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives, 563 00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:40,040 and I want to say he lives within my heart. 564 00:38:40,560 --> 00:38:44,280 And we have a great witness because Christ has given us His 565 00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:50,480 grace to believe His mercy. What a awesome, awesome truth. 566 00:38:50,720 --> 00:38:54,840 Not any what we read in the Scriptures is true, but we are 567 00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:58,840 living witnesses. The Bible says we're epistles 568 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:00,800 known and read of men. When you're out and about in 569 00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:03,880 your life and people see you in your workplace, your 570 00:39:03,880 --> 00:39:07,960 neighborhood, your community, your, your family on, they see 571 00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:10,440 Jesus in you. You might not think they can see 572 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:12,840 anything in you, but you're messed up, whatever. 573 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:16,200 But they see something different in you and they marvel and they 574 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:20,520 wonder why do they act this way? Why do they talk this way? 575 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:23,760 Why do they have such love for Jesus? 576 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:32,920 Beautiful. And then it says he was seen by 577 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:35,400 James. This is the last verses the 578 00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:39,960 worship team can come forward. James is interesting. 579 00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:45,040 He's the brother of Jesus. Can you imagine growing up in a 580 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:48,240 house with Jesus being your brother? 581 00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:50,840 You're getting in trouble all the time. 582 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:56,360 He never gets in trouble. They call him Goody 2 sandals. 583 00:39:56,600 --> 00:40:01,880 He never doing anything wrong. And they were probably jealous 584 00:40:01,880 --> 00:40:05,000 of his, his example, his life, all that. 585 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:07,520 But it's interesting. They didn't believe there was 586 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:10,280 anything special about him at the time. 587 00:40:13,120 --> 00:40:16,160 A matter of fact, in the gospels it showed that Jesus brothers 588 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:19,320 were hostile toward him at times in his mission. 589 00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:24,920 Yet in the 1st chapter of Acts, Jesus brothers are among the 590 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:29,360 followers of Jesus. Certainly when they saw heroes 591 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:35,160 again from the dead, they finally got it that truly this 592 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:42,600 is the Son of God. So we think about these verses 593 00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:47,760 the day that we've read and we've studied and I I wanted to 594 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:55,480 put a we'll get into it next time I teach when Paul says he 595 00:40:55,480 --> 00:41:00,400 was least last of all seen in me and Paul will tell his own 596 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:04,960 story. But I have this like little 597 00:41:04,960 --> 00:41:07,400 Gideon's Bible here that Fred gave me. 598 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:11,080 And by the way, if any of you guys want to get involved in 599 00:41:11,080 --> 00:41:16,280 Gideon's, see Fred because they always have outreaches and you 600 00:41:16,280 --> 00:41:18,960 can get involved just giving Bibles out to people and it 601 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:21,320 doesn't take a lot of time and you don't have to do it every 602 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:22,440 day. It's just like they have these 603 00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:25,720 events and they need more younger guys to be involved in 604 00:41:25,720 --> 00:41:28,600 the Gideons. So Fred Waver, stand up Ecker 605 00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:29,800 for a second. Say know who you are. 606 00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:32,360 See Fred if you want to get involved in Gideon's. 607 00:41:32,360 --> 00:41:35,360 I was involved in it as a young believer, and I was very 608 00:41:35,360 --> 00:41:39,360 impacted by these older guys that loved Jesus so much. 609 00:41:40,120 --> 00:41:42,960 But it says in this little book, this little Bible, New 610 00:41:43,320 --> 00:41:47,440 Testament, the Bible contains the mind of God, the state of 611 00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:50,360 man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the 612 00:41:50,360 --> 00:41:54,000 happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its 613 00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:57,640 precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its 614 00:41:57,640 --> 00:42:02,720 decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it 615 00:42:02,720 --> 00:42:05,560 to be safe, and practice it to be holy. 616 00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:09,560 It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort 617 00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:12,240 to cheer you. It's a traveller's map. 618 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:16,760 The pilgrim's staff, the pilots compass, the soldiers sword, and 619 00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:20,680 the Christians charter. Here Paradise is restored, 620 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:23,840 heavens open, and the gates of hell disclose. 621 00:42:24,520 --> 00:42:32,000 Christ is its grand subject, our good, the design and the glory 622 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:33,120 of God. It's end. 623 00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:37,520 It should fill the memory, roll the heart, guide the feet, Read 624 00:42:37,520 --> 00:42:39,920 it slowly, frequently and prayerfully. 625 00:42:40,280 --> 00:42:43,960 It's a mind of wealth, a paradise of glory, a river of 626 00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:45,560 pleasure. It's given you it. 627 00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:49,480 Life will be opened at the judgement and be remembered 628 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:51,840 forever. It involves the highest 629 00:42:51,840 --> 00:42:56,560 responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn 630 00:42:56,560 --> 00:42:59,560 all who trifle with its sacred contents. 631 00:42:59,840 --> 00:43:02,040 It's really well, well said, isn't it? 632 00:43:02,880 --> 00:43:06,200 That's why we're here today. That's why we worship the Lord. 633 00:43:06,200 --> 00:43:07,680 That's why we read the Scriptures. 634 00:43:07,680 --> 00:43:10,560 That's why we have our personal times of prayer. 635 00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:16,440 So on Tuesday at 7:00 at the Fellowship Hall, we're training 636 00:43:16,440 --> 00:43:20,280 people how to share the Gospel. Turning Points US one point of 637 00:43:20,280 --> 00:43:22,000 why we're involved with Turning Point. 638 00:43:22,840 --> 00:43:26,560 We're concerned about where our country's going, obviously, but 639 00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:29,600 the hearts of people need to be changed before the country goes 640 00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:32,080 in the right direction. You can't legislate morality. 641 00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:36,000 It comes by the Spirit of God. So a lot of people feel 642 00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:38,320 inadequate in regard to sharing their faith. 643 00:43:38,960 --> 00:43:42,560 Tuesday night, 7:00, There'll be more training on how to give the 644 00:43:42,560 --> 00:43:46,440 gospel, how to get people involved in conversations, how 645 00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:49,600 to use our Connect card to invite people to Calvary to hear 646 00:43:49,600 --> 00:43:52,480 the gospel. Maybe you're, you don't feel 647 00:43:52,480 --> 00:43:54,080 equipped yet. Bring them here. 648 00:43:54,400 --> 00:43:56,000 Louis and me or whoever's preaching. 649 00:43:56,000 --> 00:43:59,680 We're always going to give the gospel and that's that's 650 00:43:59,680 --> 00:44:01,400 important. And then there's a Connect card 651 00:44:01,400 --> 00:44:04,680 for the Gideon's Bible app that we give out with the connect 652 00:44:04,680 --> 00:44:08,080 card where people can download it with the QR code in their 653 00:44:08,080 --> 00:44:11,160 Bible to get the Bible on, on their phone. 654 00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:14,520 And when they're going through tough times, they can pull up a 655 00:44:14,520 --> 00:44:17,720 subject and they'll have verses how to address those issues in 656 00:44:17,720 --> 00:44:22,400 their lives. So Tuesday night, learning to be 657 00:44:22,400 --> 00:44:27,760 a witness. So as we prepare now for the 658 00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:36,200 Lord's Supper, probably the first time in a long time we're 659 00:44:36,200 --> 00:44:42,000 taking this, remembering his death and what he went through, 660 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:44,560 right? We all heard the pain, the 661 00:44:44,560 --> 00:44:47,160 suffering, the anguish he went through for us today. 662 00:44:47,800 --> 00:44:51,000 So maybe the supper will take on even a little deeper meaning for 663 00:44:51,000 --> 00:44:55,000 us today because Jesus said as often as we eat this bread and 664 00:44:55,000 --> 00:44:59,000 drink this cup, we show forth his death, what he did for us 665 00:44:59,360 --> 00:45:04,360 until he comes again, Amen. So let's pray, Father, we're 666 00:45:04,360 --> 00:45:09,640 thankful, Lord, for your word. You give us light, You give us 667 00:45:09,640 --> 00:45:12,640 understanding. You help us to see. 668 00:45:14,600 --> 00:45:16,760 We pray today. Lord, if there's anyone blind 669 00:45:16,760 --> 00:45:22,360 here today and they can't see, open their hearts to believe the 670 00:45:22,360 --> 00:45:26,960 gospel today that they would say, Jesus, I understand today 671 00:45:26,960 --> 00:45:31,080 what you did for me. I'm a Sinner and I need your 672 00:45:31,080 --> 00:45:35,760 forgiveness. I'm so sorry for rejecting you 673 00:45:35,760 --> 00:45:41,640 and not believing in you. But I heard the gospel and the 674 00:45:41,640 --> 00:45:46,120 power of the historical fact that Christ died for our sins 675 00:45:46,120 --> 00:45:49,160 according to the Scriptures, that he was buried. 676 00:45:49,160 --> 00:45:55,840 He rose again the third day. This is why you came, Lord, and 677 00:45:55,840 --> 00:46:02,840 that night before you were crucified, you told the apostles 678 00:46:04,040 --> 00:46:07,360 why you were doing what you were going to do. 679 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:12,800 And you said these words. On the night that Jesus is 680 00:46:12,800 --> 00:46:17,360 betrayed, He took the bread in his hands and he gave thanks, 681 00:46:18,240 --> 00:46:21,680 and he said, take, eat, this is my body which is given for you. 682 00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:34,730 Eat this in remembrance to me in the same manner. 683 00:46:34,730 --> 00:46:36,090 And that evening he took the cup. 684 00:46:37,770 --> 00:46:40,850 He said This cup is a new covenant. 685 00:46:40,850 --> 00:46:45,410 My blood, which is shed for the forgiveness of sins of many, 686 00:46:46,880 --> 00:46:55,760 drink this in remembrance of me. For as often as we eat this 687 00:46:55,760 --> 00:47:00,160 spread and we drink this cup, we show forth the Lord's death till 688 00:47:00,160 --> 00:47:01,440 he comes again. Amen. 689 00:47:02,520 --> 00:47:05,360 It took a little different meaning today, a little bit 690 00:47:05,360 --> 00:47:11,040 deeper than maybe the past. So may that word today that 691 00:47:11,040 --> 00:47:14,680 we've heard go deep in our heart and stay there so that we might 692 00:47:14,680 --> 00:47:16,760 love Jesus more than ever. Amen. 693 00:47:17,720 --> 00:47:18,800 God bless you guys.