Fact Not Fiction! (Part 1)

TEXT:

‘Now let me remind you, brothers, of what the Gospel really is, for it has not changed—it is the same Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then and still do now, for your faith is squarely built upon this wonderful message’ (1 Corinthians 15:1 TLB)

THOUGHT:

When the feelings of joy seem to have evaporated since becoming a Christian, what do you have left to hold on to? You have the fact of God’s Word! Bible-believing Christians are not wishy-washy, but steadfast and unmoveable.

In his letters to the Corinthian church, Paul wrote to correct a number of beliefs and practises that were theologically incorrect. One of these errors concerned the resurrection of Jesus Christ and this is the gist of 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

In the first few verses of this chapter Paul used the word “That” as something they could have absolute certainty about and we can too. The word “That” is emphatic and leaves no room for misunderstanding or misappropriation of the truth it is describing.

What Paul was so emphatic about concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the theme of Today’s Teaching.

1. That Word – ‘By which you are saved if you hold fast that word which I preached to you’ v2

Paul only preached what he had received by the Holy Spirit’s revelation.¹ The word will hold us but we have to hold on to that word. What word did Paul preach? Only what he had been taught in the first place. He was still preaching what he had preached the first time he went to Corinth. In fact he challenged the Galatian Christians to refuse to have anything to do with him if he came back preaching a different gospel.² The same rule applied to anyone else who came their way, even if they appeared to be an angel from heaven. Paul had not changed his beliefs nor watered down his message to make it more acceptable.

In the Anglican Church, after the Bible reading, the congregation’s response is, “This is the Word of the Lord, thanks be to God”. What is so bewildering about many denomination’s stance on issues such as other religions, same-sex relationships, marriage and divorce, is that only a few years ago, their stand was firmly in line with Biblical principles. But now, in order not to cause offence, it seems the church must please the world.

Has God changed His mind? Has He written a new Bible? No, so neither should our message change. We are not called to debate God’s Word as to its relevance today, but deliver the same message in the same way it was first intended. Let people argue with God if they disagree, for this is the message He has given His church to preach and teach!

2. That Christ Died – ‘That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures’ v3

The Scriptures that Paul referred to is the Old Testament. Can you find your way around the Old Testament and just use verses from there to share your faith? This is what Philip did when God brought him into contact with the Ethiopian Eunuch, who asked him who the prophet Isaiah was referring to when he wrote, ‘He was led as a lamb to the slaughter’ (Isaiah 53:7). The Bible says ‘Philip beginning at this scripture, preached Jesus to him’ (Acts 8:15)

The Jews knew all about sacrificial lambs whose shed blood covered their sins but Jesus would be the Lamb of God that took away all their sins, for John the Baptist said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29).  

When Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians, much of the New Testament had not been written and certainly not collated into what we now know as the New Testament.

On the afternoon of Jesus’ resurrection, two of His disciples were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus.³ They were sad because they had seen Jesus die. When the women came running in with the news that Jesus was alive and had appeared to them, it seemed too good to be true. Their unbelieving minds could not take it all in and they left with very sad faces at the start of their short journey.

Jesus joined them on their journey but they did not know it was Him. When He asked what they were so sorrowful about, they opened up about their disappointment concerning the death of Jesus.

Jesus then gave them an Old Testament Bible Study, highlighting all the scriptures that mentioned the Messiah coming as a sacrificial Lamb, everything about Himself. Something started stirring in their hearts and during the evening meal, when Jesus broke bread, their eyes were opened, Jesus disappeared and they rushed back to Jerusalem with their good news that the One who had died was now alive!

It is important to remember that all scripture is inspired by God, not just certain parts that we like and understand.⁴ When reading the Old Testament, ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes in the same way that Jesus opened the eyes of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. If you do, you will soon start discovering amazing truths and promises hidden in the verses.

Endnotes:

¹ Galatians 1:12           ² Galatians 1:8-9         ³ Luke 24:13-35           ⁴ 2 Timothy 3:16-17