TEACHING NOTES ‌ Introduction Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. On Easter Sunday we expect to hear a message telling the story of the resurrection. Most of us have heard the story so many times that we could tell it from memory. Many of us believe the story and have for many years. But knowing the story is not really the point of the story. Through many conversations in recent years, it seems that many people have become confused about why this event happened. So, today we’re going focus on why Jesus came and how to understand the Gospel and salvation. ‌ 1 Corinthians 15:1–2 ESV 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. ‌ Notice that Paul uses both “gospel” and “being saved” in his description of what he had been preaching to the churches. The Gospel saves those who “hold fast” to it, meaning to continue in faithfulness. ‌ The following verses of 1 Cor. 15 contain the earliest/oldest testimony to the resurrection of Jesus. Most New Testament scholars believe that these verses can be traced back to A.D. 35, which is within 3-5 years of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. In Greek, 1 Cor. 15:3-8 reads like a kind of poetic cadence and is believed to be an early church creed. ‌ 1 Corinthians 15:3–5 ESV 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ‌ Here’s the cadence = Christ died - He was buried - He was raised - He appeared ‌ This claim of Jesus dying for our sins and rising from the dead is referred to by the apostles as “the Gospel” and these events occured for our “salvation.” It is vital that we understand what those words mean, because the meaning explains the WHY behind the WHAT. ‌ Defining the Gospel & Salvation ‌ Gospel = εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion) - The good news of the victory of the King over our enemies. The Gospel is about the victory of Jesus over sin, satan, and death. ‌ Salvation = σῴζω (sōzō) - to be delivered/rescued from an enemy or danger. The first story of salvation in the Bible in the Exodus story, where God rescues Israel from slavery in Egypt. ‌ In the Exodus story of salvation, there is no mention of Israel’s sin nor is there any mention of God’s anger against His people. Salvation in Exodus is all about God rescuing His people from their enemies. ‌ Distorting the Gospel & Salvation For the first 1,000 years of Christianity, the Gospel and salvation was understood as God rescuing humanity from slavery to sin, satan, and death. The basis for this great act of grace was the love of God. But in the middle ages, the message began to change. Around 1100 theologians began reading the Bible through the lens of their own legal system. Instead of God’s love being emphasized, God’s wrath against sin becomes emphasized. Our sin is an attack on God’s honor, and God had to kill us in order satisfy His wrath and justice. So, the theologians in the middle ages taught that Jesus came to die in order to satisfy God’s wrath and save us from God’s anger. ‌ The Distorted Gospel: Jesus came to save us from God’s wrath and God killed His Son instead of killing us. In other words, Jesus came to save us from God. ‌ This became the most popular view for the last 500 years in both in many Catholic and Protestant churches. The forefathers of the Protestant Reformation taught this view of the Gospel and it has become the most prominent view in the west. ‌ The big problem with that version of the Gospel: the entire Bible. ‌ In the first story of salvation (Exodus), God is not angry with His people. God is angry with the enemy who has enslaved His people. ‌ In the storyline of the Bible, God is extremely patient and faithful to the most rebellious and unfaithful people. God refuses to abandon humanity. ‌ God’s desire from the beginning was to bless humanity and share His love and rule with them forever. Even in the flood story, God is never said to be angry, but He is deeply grieved. Throughout the Bible, God is portrayed as loving, patient, and faithful. ‌ If we want to understand why Jesus came, all we have to do is listen to the words of Jesus to Nicodemus. This confused Pharisee came to Jesus to find out who He really is and what He’s really here to do. Nicodemus was a leader in a group that believed and taught that God was angry with sinners and would not save Israel from the Romans until everyone stopped being sinners. In that conversation, Jesus tells Nicodemus the clearest explanation of the Gospel. ‌ John 3:16–17 ESV 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ‌ God so loved the world = Notice Jesus didn’t say, “God was so angry with the world.” The motivation of God is His love for humanity. The Gospel doesn’t begin with the cross. The beginning of the Gospel is God’s love for us. The cross and resurrection was God’s love on display (Rom. 5:8). ‌ He gave his only Son = This loving God decided to give humanity the most valuable gift imaginable. If God was angry, why would He give sinners a gift? And how would giving a gift to the objects of His anger appease His wrath? ‌ That whoever believes in him = A better translation would be, “that whoever places their allegiance in him.” Faith is about believing-loyalty or faithfulness. We are called not only to believe, but also to stay faithful to Jesus. Following Jesus begins with belief and continues with devoting our entire lives to Him. ‌ Should not perish but have eternal life = This has always been the choice in the entire Bible: life and death. Those who are faithful to Christ will have life forever. Those who reject Christ will only experience death and destruction. ‌ God did not send Jesus to condemn = While God had every right to send His Son to condemn the sinful world to death and destruction, Jesus clearly states that He has NOT come to condemn. ‌ The world might be saved through him = A God motivated by love is not interested in condemning humanity. A God of love wants to save us from condemnation. Rejecting God’s love is choosing condemnation. ‌ The Real Good News ‌- Jesus came because God loves us. ‌- Jesus died to set us free from sin and satan. ‌- Jesus rose to destroy death and give us life. ‌ Romans 8:1–2 ESV 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. ‌ No condemnation = In Greek, the word for condemnation and judgment are the same word (Grk. krino). Those who are in Christ will not be judged. Jesus says the same in John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” ‌ The law of sin and death = In the world of science, a law refers to something that has been proven to be true. Throughout human history, humanity has proven that all people sin and all people die. It is therefore a fact that humanity is enslaved to sin and death. ‌ The law of the Spirit of life = The law of sin is that it leads to death. The law of the Spirit of life (the Gospel) sets us free (salvation) from our slavery to sin and death. God had no interest in killing sinners who were going to die anyway. God wanted to rescue sinner from death and give them life. ‌ Romans 8:3–4 ESV 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ‌ How did Jesus condemn sin in the flesh? Sin/satan never met a human he couldn’t get to sin. Since the result of sin is death (Gen. 2:16-17; Rom. 6:23), all humans die because they all sin (Rom. 5:12). When sin/satan led the people to kill Jesus, sin killed an innocent man for the first time in history. When sin killed an innocent man, sin sinned. This was God’s plan. God fooled satan by sending His Son in the form of a regular human or “in the likeness of sinful flesh.” Satan couldn’t get Jesus to sin, but he had Him killed anyway. Therefore, God condemned sin for killing His innocent Son. As a result, sin/satan (the accuser) was stripped of his power and authority over humanity. ‌ When we place our faith in Christ, His salvation becomes ours, His righteousness becomes ours, His Spirit becomes ours, and His resurrection becomes our resurrection! ‌ Romans 8:11 ESV 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. ‌ 1 Corinthians 15:1–2 ESV 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. ‌ Conclusion ‌Today we commit our lives to Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, for the promise of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and for the hope of our own resurrection. The sign of our commitment is worship and Communion.