t h i n k s h i m s e lf t oo d i s e a s ed w i t h t h e f e v er of l u s t: J e s u s i sa P h y s i c i a n; i ti s H i s b u s i n e ss t o r e c e i ve s u ch p a t i e n ts a n d c u re t h e m . T h e w o r se y ou a r e t h e m o r e y ou need H i m. A nd y ou w h o t h i n k y ou a r e t oó s i n f ul a n d too f a r g o n e i n s i n: H e c a m e f o r s i n n e r s. H e died f o r s i n n e r s, H e c a l ls f o r s i n n e r s, a n d w o u ld h a v e no b u s i n e ss i n t h e w o r l d a t a ll b ut f o r s i n n e r s. 5 . H edi dno t i n t i m a te t h a t " s c r i b e s" h a d n o n e ed o f t h e d o c t o r; t h a t P h a r i s e es w e r e r i g h t e o u s. T h e y w e r e, a n d all w h o j u s t i f y t h e m s e l v e s, a n d d e s p i se o t h e rs a r e, t h e g r e a t e r s i n n e r s. S u ch a d d h y p o c r i sy t o a l l t h e r e s t, a n d t h a t i s a b o u t th emeanes t sin. T h e y w e r e so s i ck t h a t t h e y w e r e u n c o n s c i o us o fi t , so s i n f ul t h a t t h e y w e r e i n s e n s i b le t oi t . P u b l i c a ns w e r e g r a f t e r s a n d m a d e n o b o n es a b o u t it; s c r i b es a n d P h a r i s e es Were "extortioners " ( Ma t t. 23:25), a n d p r e t e n d ed h o n e s t y, ( j i ve u s a no p en s i n n er e v e ry t i m e t o a s e c r et o n e; h e w i ll do l e ss h a r m, a n d t h e r e i sm o r e hope, of h i m. 6 .The y sai dagain , «Wh y d oth edisciple s o fJoh n an do fth ePharisee s fast , bu th ydisciple s fas t not? "Ca n th echildre n o fth ebride - chambe r fast , whil e th ebridegroo m I swit h them? " Th e bridegroo m shal l b e take n away , an d the n shal l the y fas t I n those ' days. " T h e f a s t o f C h r i s t 's disciples l a s t ed f r o m t h e c r o ss t oP e n t e c o s t. Since t h a t t i m e t h e B r i d e g r o om h a s b e en w i t h t h e m. H o w c an t h e y f a s t ? Do n o t p u t t h e n e w w i n e i n t h e o l d b o t t l e s. "Bejoi'ce i nt h e L o r d, a n d , a g a i n, I s a y rejoice!!!' 1 . PAU L REITERATE S HI GOSPEL . 1 . Som e a tCorint h ha d alread y departe d fro m th efaith . T h e y w e r e s k e p t i c al a s t o t h e lite-rality o f t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n. T h e y said, "Ho war eth edea d raise d up ?an dwit h wha t bod y d othe y come! " ( 1 Cor. 15:35). 2 . "Fool, " s a id P a u l. W h a t g r e a t e r f o l ly t h a n f o r o ne t o s a y, "Ho w ca na ma n b e born ? an dwit h wha t body , coul d b ecome?' / a n d t h e n b e c a u se t h e m y s t e r y c an n ot b e solved t o r e j e ct belief i n t h e e x i s t e n ce o f m e n i n t h e b o d y? T h e p r e s e nt e x i s t e n ce of m e n i n t h e flesh, o r i nb e i n g » at all, i sa f a r g r e a t er w o n d er t i a t t h e y s h o u ld rise a n d b e a g a i n e mb o d i e d. T h e fac t i sa l l; a n d t h a t i s t h a t t h e y d oe x i st a n d s h a ll -again, b e c a u se God did i t , a n d God s a id i t . 3. An d tha t sam e heres y i sth ecommones t today . Mejn, m i n i s t e r s, a r e q u e s t i o n i ng a n d d e n y i n g, f o r all P a u l 's u r g e n c y, t h a t t h e r e is a p h y s i c al r e s u r r e c t i o n. T h e y s t u l t i fy t h e m s e l v es i nt h e v e r y s t a t e m e n t, f o r "resurrection " h a s n o m e a n i n g a p a r t f r o m a bodily r e s u r r e c t i o n. R e s u r r e c t i on i s a r e - r i s i n g— f i r s t, o f t h e d e ad soul, i nr e g e n - e r a t i o n; s e c o n d, o f t h e d e ad b o d y, in r e s u r - r e c t i on (Jno. 5:25, 28). II . FIRS T FACT S O FPAUL' S GOSPEL, . 1. H e "delivered " it . T h a t is , h a n d ed i t d o w n, p a s s ed i ton, a s a t r a d i t i on t ob e p a s s e d o n t h r o u g h a l l t i m e ( v . 3 ) . 2 .H e "received " it . F r o m w h e n ce did h e r e c e i ve i t? Such a g o s p el á s his, s u ch d o c t r i n es a s t h e s e, w e s h o u ld n e i t h er r e c e i v e, n o r h a n d on w i t h o ut t h e h i g h e s t a u t h o r i t y. I t i s v e r y u s u al t ob e t o ld t h a t P a u l "received " it o f h is f e l l ow a p o s t l e s, t h a t t h i s , i s h i s m e a n i n g. B u t t h i s i n t h e f a ce o f h is p r o- t e s t. H e s o l e m n ly s w e a r s, c o n c e r n i ng h is g o s p el (Gal. 1:20), " Ineithe r reeelve d i t o f man , neithe r wa s I taugh t it ,bu tb y revelatio n o fJesu s Christ " (Gal. 1:11, 12). LESSO N I . Apri l 7 . BETWEE N TH ERESURRECTION " AN D ASCENSION . 1 Cor . 15:1-11 .
N o t h i n g c a n b es u r e r t h a n t h a t P a u l t a k e d h i s e t e r n al s a l v a t i on o n t h e f a c t t h a t h is w a s n ot a m a n - m a d e, b u t a G o d- d e r i v ed g o s p el (Gal. 1:2). W e m u s t s et h i m d o w n a s t h e p r i n ce o f perjury,< o r t a k e h is g o s p el a s God's o w n r e v e l a t i o n. A nd s u ch it i s , g l o r i o us fact!. 3 . It simportance . (1) B y i tw e s t a n d; (-2) B y i tw e a r e s a v e d; (3) W i t h o u t i t a ll i s v a in (vs. 1 , 2). I t i s t h e p o w e r ( a n d t h e r e i s n o o t h e r) "o fGo d unt osalvation " ( B o m. 1:16). 4 .It scon - tents . (1) C h r i st died. (2) C h r i st w a s b u r - ied. (3) C h r i st r o se a g a i n. (4) C h r i st w a s seen. ( 5 ) All w a s a c c o r d i ng t o t h e S c r i p- t u r e s. ( 1 ) H e died " f or o u r sins." O f C h r i s t 's p r e - r e s u r r e c t i on l i fe P a u l h a s n o t h i n g t os a y il l t h i s s u m m a r y o fh i s t e a c h i n g. C h r i s t 's d e a th a n d H i s p o s t- r e s u r r e c t i on life, a s o ur H i g h P r i e st i n t h e h e a v e n ly h o ly p l a ce ( H e b. 9:11, 12, 24), a n d o ur p r e s e nt a id w i t h u s "alway s unt o th e en do fth eage " w e r e his. t h e m e s. C h r i s t 's é a r t h l y l i fe d o i s n ot a f f e ct u s v i t a l l y, b ut H i s d e a th f o r o u r s i ns j u s t i f i es u s a ll à*nd in a l l w h o believe. H e died f o r o u r sins, w a s w o u n d ed f o r o ur t r a n s g r e s s i o n s" (Isa. 53:5); H e b a r e t h e sin o f m a n y (53:12), i n H i s o w n body, o n t h e t r e e ( 1 P e t . 2:24).' P a u l, t h e A p o s t l e s, t h e E v a n g e l i s t s, t h e P r o p h e t s, t h e P s a l m i s t, Moses, t h e t y p e s, t h e • c e r e m o n i e s, t h e L o rd J e s u s C h r i s t. H i m s e l f, t h e y a ll a g r e e, a n d all t h e s a v ed a n d s a n c t i f i ed o f a ll t i m e s a y Am e n! t o t h e f a c t. W h a t do y ou s a y ? T h a t h e died f o r y o u r s i n s? T h en b e i ng j u s t i f i ed b yH i s blood ( B o m. 3:25) a n d b y f a i t h ( R o m. 5:1) h a v e peace, be a t p e a ce w i t h God. (2) "H e wa sburled. " H e w a s dead. T h e s o l d i e rs Certified t ot h a t. H e t h u s p a id t h e l a s t f a r t h i n g o f t h e debt. "Dus t tho u ar t an dunt odus tho ushal t return " ( n o t u n t o c o r r u p t i o n) Gen. 3:19. ( 3 ) "H e ros eagain." . A s h ed i ed f o r o ur s i ns H e r o se f o r o u r j u s t i f i c a t i on ( R o m. 4:25). T h e f a c t tha,t H e r o se p r o v es t h a t God a c e e p ts t h e d e a th f o r o u r . s i ns t h a t j u s t i f i es us. H e . r o se a g a i n "tha t lik e a sChris t wa s raise d u p fro m th edea d b yth eglor y o f th e Father , eve n s ow eals o shoul d wal k i n newnes s o flife. " T h a t y ou s o w a l k i s t h e o n ly proof t h a t y ou a r e r i s en w i t h H i m. A s H e r o se f o r o u r j u s t i f i c a t i on w e s h o u ld w a l k i n n e w n e ss o f l i fe f o r H i s j u s t i f i c a- t i on i n j u s t i f y i ng u s . ( 4 ) "Accordin g t o th e Scriptures. " ( a ) Th eScripture s ar e place d a tth e foundation . B e l ow H i s d e a t h, b e l ow H i s b u r i a l, b e l ow H i s r i s i n g. Tire first a r t i c le o f C h r i s t i an f a i th is "Al l Scrip - tur e i sgive n b yinspiratio n o fGo d (2 Tim. 3:16). " T he Bible i s t h e o n ly a n d i n f a l l i b le r u le o fa i t h (belief, d o c t r i n e) a n d p r a c - tice." T h a t w h i ch i s"accordin g t o th e Scriptures " w e r e c e i v e; t h a t w h i ch i s "no t accordin g t oth eScriptures " w e r e p u d i a t e, (b) Th e Scripture s predicte d an d typifie d Hi sdeath , f r o m t h e c o a ts o f s k i n s (Gen. 3:21) a n d t h e l a mb o f Abel (4:4), t h r o u g h a ll t h e P a s s o v e r s, D a y s o f A t o n e m e n t, a n d c o n t i n u ed o f f e r i n gs o f t a b e r n a c le a n d t e m - ple f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g, a n d i n a l lt h e p r o p h e t s, n o t a b ly I s a i ah fifty-three. 3: T he S c r i p t u re w a s v e ry specific a b o u t H i s b u r r ial (sèe Isa. 53:9). ( c ) T h e S c r i p t u r es d e- c l a r ed H i s r i s i ng a g a i n i n f e a s t s a n d s y m - bols; i nI s a a c 's r e s t o r a t i on (Gen. 22:12; H e b. 11:19); i nA a r o n 's p r i e s t ly r od t h a t b u d d ed ( N um. 17:8); i n t h e c a se o f J o n a h ( J o n. 1:17; Mt . 12:40); P s a. 16:10; A c ts 2:29-31). ( d ) A c c o r d i ng t o t h e S c r i p t u r e, so J e s u s a f f i r m ed ( L u ke 24:44-46). H o w m u c h b e t t e r a n d s u r p r i s i n g ly f u l l er w e could w r i t e, h a d w e s e a rd t h a t i n i m i t a b le e x p o s i t i on o fp r o p h e c y!
(5 )"H e wa seen, " Thi s i sa grea t i em .
Made with FlippingBook Online document