The Functional Centrality of the Gospel

Discussion Questions Sermon Overview:1. The gospel is the most important story ever told that has the power to transform every single part of our lives.2. What is the gospel? (vv. 3-8)- The gospel is the true story of God's plan to rescue his people from death back to himself through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.3. What does the gospel do? (vv. 1-2)- It has saved, is saving, and will save God's people.Digging Deeper:    Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-111. Christianity is rooted in the true, historical facts of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What difference does it make that what we believe is rooted in history and that these things are true?  2. Why do you think the author (the apostle Paul), wants us to know that Christ’s death for our sins was “in accordance with the Scriptures” (v. 3), and that his being raised on the third day was “in accordance with the Scriptures” (v. 4)?  What is a takeaway for us here? 3. What is significant about the fact that Christ “appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive”? (v. 6)  4. How does verse 10 help us think rightly about the interplay between our working and God’s working by his grace in and through us?  5. In 15:1 Paul reminds his readers of the gospel. Of the gospel he says 1) he preached it to them, 2) they received it, 3) they stand in it, and 4) they are being saved by it. How are these things true of us (who are in Christ) as well?  Why is it good for us to be reminded of these realities? 6. The qualification Paul makes in the last half of 15:2 (“if you hold fast to the word I preached to you - unless you believed in vain.”) should serve as a warning to us. How so? 7. Verse 2 instructs us to hold on to the gospel. What makes it challenging to continue believing the gospel day in and day out?8. It can be easy to drift into a lifestyle where the functional centrality is not the gospel but ourselves. How has this shown up in your life? What kinds of things do you drift towards?9. How can keeping the gospel functionally central make you both humble and confident at the same time? 10. What happens if you strive to obey God without a functioning central gospel? Prayer