Forty-two percent of Americans believe in God, but don’t actively follow Christ. The biggest reason is that they simply don’t feel the need to. How can Christians answer this?
A sermon on 1 Corinthians 15
Outline:
I. The Fundamental Tenet
II. The Foundational Tradition
III. The Foolishness of Faith
Quotes:
It is the death and resurrection of Jesus, the empty cross, which lies at the heart of the apostolic Christianity and is God’s good news for the world.
-Michael Green
For what else was Christ’s death, but a sacrifice for expiating our sins –what but a satisfactory penalty, by which we might be reconciled to God –what but the condemnation of one, for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness for us?
-John Calvin, 16th c.
If you disbelieve one witness, you have twelve witnesses. If you disbelieve the twelve, then listen to five hundred. If you disbelieve them, listen to James the Lord’s brother who did not believe until after the Ascension. But you may say that his brother was a biased witness. So then, Paul says, “listen to me, for he appeared to me as well. Who am I? I am Paul, his enemy! I was formerly a persecutor.” But now he preaches the good news of the resurrection.
-St. John Chrysostom, 4th c.
Scripture text: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
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. 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. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
Liturgy bulletin link
Sermon transcript link
“Fools for Christ” preached by Rev. Dr. Timothy R. LeCroy, Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 10:00AM at New Life Presbyterian Church in Ithaca, NY. Come see the beautiful Finger Lakes region, and worship God with us. www.newlifeithaca.org.
Sermon music is from “We Will Feast in the House of Zion” provided by Sandra McCracken and with her permission. www.sandramccracken.com.