Christ Is Risen: Stand Firm on the Gospel

In one paragraph

Pastor Carl opened with a simple thesis: you can stand firm on the gospel because Christ is risen. The whole message was a reminder, not an introduction, anchored in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, where Paul calls the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus "what is most important." Whatever any of us happen to be feeling on a given Sunday morning, that fact does not change. Paul's words to the...

Read together

1. Psalm 147:1 opened the service, on how good and fitting it is to sing praises to God
2. Isaiah 53 quoted to describe Jesus as despised, rejected, pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins, beaten so we could be whole
3. 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 the main passage, read in full, on the gospel of Christ's death, burial and resurrection
4. Leviticus 17 cited to show that blood given in exchange for a life is what makes purification possible
5. Hebrews 9:22 quoted to show that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness
6. Hebrews 10 quoted to show that God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of Jesus once for all time
7. Isaiah 53 quoted again to show Jesus was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins, and bore the sins of us all
8. Matthew 27 cited for the account of Joseph of Arimathea taking Jesus' body and placing it in his own tomb
9. Isaiah 53 referenced to show that Jesus did nothing wrong but was buried like a criminal in a rich man's grave, fulfilling prophecy
10. Mark 16 quoted for the angel's words at the tomb: Jesus is not here, He is risen from the dead
11. Psalm 16 quoted to show God would not leave Jesus' soul among the dead or allow His holy one to rot in the grave
12. 1 Peter 3:4 used as a benediction, praising God that by His great mercy we have been born again because God raised Jesus from the dead

Talk about it

1. Pastor Carl said that what we feel is not nearly as important as what we know. Can you think of a time when your feelings and what you knew to be true about God were pulling in opposite directions? How did you handle that?
2. The sermon walked through Christ died, was buried, and was raised as the core of the gospel. Which of those three do you find yourself returning to most for strength, and why?
3. Pastor Carl mentioned that Paul pointed to more than 500 witnesses and essentially said, go ask them. How does the historical evidence for the resurrection affect your confidence in the rest of what Jesus taught and promised?
4. The if-then statements in the sermon connected the resurrection to very practical things, like Jesus being available to encounter personally today, or having your best interest at heart. Which of those landed with you most, and what would it look like to actually live from that truth this week?
5. Pastor Carl said that some of the best evidence for the resurrection is living in community with people whose lives God has changed. Who in your life, or in this church, has been that kind of evidence for you?