THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT
1 Cor. 15:1-11

†  I.H.S. †

 May the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ point you out to what is most important in your life!

• The Best Thing in Life – Remain focused on it

In our reading from 1 Corinthians this morning, the Apostle Paul said this:

“³I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me.”

The most important thing.

So for fun, I googled “most important thing” and I came across an article written by Natalya Bannister entitled “What really matters—the 7 most important things in life.”

She has an interesting list.

1. Peace!–and she said protect it!
2. Health—so much for that one!
3. Family and Friendships—not a bad thing to include
4. Purpose—so she likes a purpose driven life!
5. Time—someone gave me a box of thyme this week… supposed to plant it and wait a while…
6. Learning—not education, learning and there is a difference!
7. Love!—

About the last one, she said, “I have always said, we were put on this earth simply to love. Love one another, love what we do, love the Earth, and love each moment we are blessed to experience. Love is the most powerful force in the universe.”[1]

That Lady put together a pretty good list.

But I think she’s dead wrong with it.

None of those things is the most important thing in life. What Paul passed on is the most important thing in life.

Let’s read the full thought together:

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. ⁴ He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said! (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

That fact is the most important thing you have in your life… well, most of it, anyway.

We’ll need to complete the thought in the rest of the sermon!

• The Best Thing in Life—Eyewitnesses of it

St. Paul describes some of the witnesses of the fact the Christ died, was buried and rose again.

It is pretty extensive, and while not complete, includes some events that show up no where else in scripture!

He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. ⁶ After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. ⁷ Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.

I really want more information about when Jesus showed up and was seen by 500 people at once. The only time in the scriptures this is mentioned – and there are many theories of when and where. Enough to get side-tracked in a Bible Study for at least 2 hours!

But all these people witnessed the fact that Christ had died, and as importantly, that He had risen!

We need to know both – that He died because we sinned. And that Alleluia! He is risen! (He is Risen Indeed Alleluia!) and therefore… (We are risen indeed! Alleluia!

• The Best Things in Life – Evidence – we all preach the message!

I said earlier that the first quote we started with contained the most important thing in life.. well almost. It read,

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. ⁴ He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said! (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

The rest of the thought St. Paul gets to in verse 10.

 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. ¹¹ So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.

St Paul makes the connection between the death and resurrection of Jesus and his own life, and then to our lives.

It is his version of the “and therefore”

God pours out His love and forgiveness as the blood of Christ is spilled upon the ground, as it is sacrificed for us on the cross. He dies and He rises from the dead.

And with Jesus, all who believe are raised from the dead, holy and righteous, for in His death He has separated us from all sin.

This is the greatest, most important, most glorious thing in your life…for it shows you have been given a new life, in Christ, and Christ in you!

Which brings us back to the list….that we saw in the beginning. She was on to something – if you include Jesus

1. Peace!—we have it as we are raised in Christ
2. Health—we have eternal life in Christ
3. Family and Friendships—we have a family of all believers in Christ
4. Purpose—we exist to be in communion with God
5. Time—eternity in Christ
6. Learning—we know God for we are in Christ
7. Love!—not that we love… but that He loves us!

So trust in this – Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again!  AMEN!

[1] https://homemagazinegainesville.com/what-really-matters-the-7-most-important-things-in-life/