I am not aware of a more concise presentation of the gospel in all of God's Word...it might be there I simply can't think of one. Paul states it very clearly and succinctly in 1 Cor 15:3-4 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
What does Paul mean according to the scriptures? There are countless verses that could be shared, let's start with two...Psalm 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. Hosea 6:2 After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.
15:1–4 The gospel in a nutshell. Paul reviewed the basic gospel message, which is the historical fact of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, the “wonderful message” on which our faith is built. Christ was not a martyr dying for his faith, but a Savior dying for our sins. He did not say, “I am finished,” but “It is finished.”
All three persons of the Trinity were instrumental in bringing about Christ’s death and resurrection [actually the whole plan of redemption that began before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4)]:
• the Father (see John 3:16; Acts 2:24) [the Father sent the Son]
• the Son (see John 10:11, 18) [the Son, our good shepherd willingly laid down HIS life for the sheep]
• the Holy Spirit (see Rom. 1:4; Heb. 9:14) [this is declared and confirmed in our hearts by the Spirit of Holiness]
15:5–11 “He’s alive, and here’s the proof!” Paul cited two proofs for Christ’s resurrection:
• His many postresurrection appearances of which Paul listed six, including his appearance to him (15:5–8)
• The amazing fact of Paul’s own salvation (15:8–11) Willmington, H. L. (1997). Willmington's Bible handbook (686). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.
Consider that we were dead in our sins and trespasses, we were in darkness, in the shadow of death, spiritually dead to God! In 15:8 Paul explains in what sense: that he is as inferior to the rest of the apostles as one "abnormally born" or "untimely birth" (forgive me, this is graphic) as an immature birth comes short of a mature one, and is no more worthy of the name of an apostle than an abortion is of the name of a child.
Again, forgive me, but Paul is saying that he was like a still born baby, an aborted baby and then he beautifully points to the magnificent and glorious grace of Jesus Christ that makes us alive in Christ and alive to God...Jesus alone wakes the dead and gives life, hope and joy unspeakable. How does Paul put it? We see it in 1 Co 15:9-10 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy 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; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
In Eph 2:8-10 Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit teaches us..."For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
John 11:43 When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.”
Jesus called Lazarus and woke a dead man...our Pastor recently said that if Jesus had not specified Lazarus and had just said "come forth" every person buried there would have come forth...what a sight that would have been:)
Jesus is calling...come forth, come to Jesus, come to Jesus...do you hear HIS voice? Cry out for eyes to see and ears to hear!
love,
m