Sermon Notes

March 31, 2024

The Road to Heaven

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

There are many different roads that we can take in our lives. Some roads will take us through years of schooling and education that will eventually lead us into our career. Other roads will take us into various trades and it’s with them that we will make our livelihoods. Some will take us down a path that will lead to us starting a family, while others will take us into a life of being single. Some of the roads we take seem to be perpetually bumpy, others are seemingly smooth. Some roads we take will lead us to a seemingly dead end. Whatever road you find yourself on this morning, there is a truth I want to share with you. There is only one road to heaven and that road only goes through Jesus. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). He’s the only road that will get us to an eternity in Heaven with God. This morning I want to show you the road that leads to Heaven. I want to do so by looking at the testimony of a man who thought he was on the road to heaven, but after he had an encounter with the resurrected Jesus he realized that he was on the wrong path all along. As we look at this road that leads to Heaven, my prayer is that we will be honest with ourselves, just like Paul was, when it comes to being on the true road or not.

We find ourselves at different locations along the road. - 1 Cor. 15:1-2

Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

Paul starts this portion of His letter to the church in Corinth by reminding them of the Gospel that they had heard. The Gospel is the Good News that comes only from Jesus and it’s the Gospel that shows us how we can spend eternity in Heaven with Him. However, Paul tells the church there are 4 different places they could find themselves along the road when it comes to the Gospel. It’s one of these four places that everyone will find themselves this morning.

Hearing the Gospel Preached.

The first position we can find ourselves in along the road to heaven is that of having heard the Gospel message. Romans 10:14 tells us of the causes and effects that leads to someone getting to spend eternity in Heaven and it starts with that person hearing the Gospel. This is the first step down the road to Heaven and after this morning this will be the place that everyone, at the very least, will find themselves at on that road. You will hear the Gospel this morning.

Welcoming the Gospel.

Paul then tells us of the second place we might find ourselves in on the road to Heaven, as someone who has received the Gospel. Receiving the Gospel means that you have listened to the Gospel ― you did not just hear it. Hearing is passive. Most people don't physically close their ears when the Gospel is presented, but there are many that do not listen. Listening requires your attention and requires thinking about what is being said and its implications in your life. Jesus said in Mark 4:24-25, “Pay close attention to what you hear, The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teachings, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken from them”. When we listen to the Gospel we are promised that we will be given more understanding. We need to pay close attention to the Gospel because our eternity hangs in the balance. This might be the place you find yourself today. You have heard the Gospel of Jesus and are thinking hard about it and you’re wrestling with its truth, you haven’t just heard the Gospel but you have listened to it. This is the second place Paul says we can find ourselves on the road to Heaven.

Standing firm on the Gospel.

You don’t get to heaven by merely listening, contemplating, and understanding the Gospel, after all the Bible tells us that the demons know that much (James 2:19). Rather there is something else that is involved and that something is placing your faith in Jesus. That is what Paul means by standing firm. Romans 3:22 tells us that in order to get to Heaven we HAVE to place our faith in Jesus Christ, there is no other way. Having faith in Jesus means to trust Him, simply, fully, and without any reservations. Acts 4:12 tells us that faith in Jesus means to abandon any other idea of how to get to Heaven. It’s this location upon the road that will immediately lead us to the next one.

Experiencing Salvation.

It’s trust in Jesus and His Gospel that saves us. Once we put our faith in Jesus, we are saved and promised an eternity in Heaven. It’s immediate, it’s not something we have to wait for, but it’s only when we believe in the Gospel of Jesus that is found in the Bible. It’s not the works that we do, but rather it's by the grace of God through faith that we can experience eternity in Heaven. Where you find yourselves along this road is all based on one thing ― how you respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What exactly is the Gospel if it holds the key to heaven? Well, Paul tells us as this passage continues. The Gospel starts with Jesus and goes through the cross. - 1 Cor. 15:3 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.

The Gospel or Good News of Jesus starts with bad news and the bad news is sin. Sin is breaking the laws and commands of God (1 John 3:4) or can even be described as rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 9:7). The Bible tells us that we all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and if we say we don’t sin then we are lying to ourselves (1 John 1:8). It’s this sin that brings brokenness into our lives, first in our relationship with God and then into every other part of our lives. All the brokenness we have ever experienced is caused by sin (whether it’s our own or the sins of others). Scripture also tells us that there is a penalty for that sin and that is death (Romans 6:23). That’s the bad news, but that’s the context in which Paul shares what he calls “the most important thing” ― that Jesus Christ died for our sins. What does that mean?

1 Peter 3:18 tells us Jesus took the punishment that we deserve in order to bring us to God in order to fix the brokenness in that relationship. That’s what it means that Christ died for our sins. He died to fix the problems that our sin caused in our lives. It is faith in Jesus that brings us into a right relationship with God. We could never obtain it on our own and promise us an eternity that Jesus has prepared for us in Heaven. While I’ve been focused on the road to heaven this morning, the cross brought us much more than just an eternity with Jesus. Jesus' death brings forgiveness from the sin and punishment for those who trust in Him (Ephesians 1:7). Jesus’ death sets us free from our slavery to sin (Romans 6:18) and Jesus’ death heals our brokenness (Isaiah 53:5). This is just the beginning when we put our trust in Jesus alone, it’s through this faith in Jesus and by His grace alone that brings us into a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is what Jesus meant when He said in order to experience heaven you must be born again. Not only is Jesus the only way to Heaven, but it’s only through faith in Him that we can experience any of the promises that are made to His children in Scripture. When we trust in Him for our salvation we are adopted into His family (Ephesians 1:5). Today is Resurrection Sunday and the resurrection means everything when it comes to the Gospel and the road to Heaven.

The road goes through the empty tomb - 1 Cor. 15:4

He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

Resurrection Sunday is celebrated as the most important day of the year for Christians because it’s through the resurrection of Jesus that the promises of Jesus are signed, sealed, and delivered. The resurrection of Jesus showed His power over death. In John 10:18 Jesus said He was laying down His life and that He would pick it right back up again. He did just like He said. He showed us all that He has power over both life and death. It also showed He was who He says He was (Matthew 16:1-4). He was God in flesh, who came to seek and to save the lost. It’s through the resurrection that we not only have proof of the other claims Jesus made, but it’s through the resurrection that we have assurance of eternal life with Him. In John 14:19, Jesus says because I live you shall live also. We will all have to face death at some point in our lives. However Jesus has overcome death and promises that when we put our faith in Him, we will be brought from death into life and will get to spend an eternity with Him. It’s said that it was on the cross that Jesus paid the price for our sins and it is at the resurrection we see that the check cleared and we know that because Jesus lives, we will live with Him for all eternity in a place He has prepared for us that we call Heaven (John 14:1-3). There is something else Paul wants to make sure you know about the road to Heaven ― no one else can get you there. You must experience it yourself.

The road must be experienced personally - 1 Cor. 15:5-8

He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 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. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.

Paul closes out this part of his letter by listing the eye witnesses to the resurrected Savior ― Jesus Christ. He does this because he doesn’t want you to take his word for it. He wants his readers to go and examine the claims of the resurrection themselves. This was the same invitation that was given by the angel to the women who first came to the empty tomb on that first Easter morning. Come and see where they laid Him. He is not there, He is risen!!! He is alive!!! Paul knows it takes this personal investigation into the risen Jesus and takes a personal encounter with Him in order for you to place your faith in Him and be saved. You see Paul thought he was fine when it came to getting to heaven. He didn’t think much of Jesus and in fact he persecuted and threw those in prison who followed Jesus. One day He had a personal encounter with the risen Jesus and he realized how wrong he was. He realized his sin and his need for a Savior. We are not “fine” when we try to get to heaven through our own way or through our own ideas. We can only experience salvation and all that it includes when we do things Jesus’ way. That’s why Paul wants to remind the church at Corinth, as well as everyone else that will read his letter, that there is only one way to Heaven and that is through faith in Jesus. By praying, it’s not by reading the Bible, it’s not by coming to church or church membership ― none of those things can ever save you. The only thing that can save you is faith in Jesus Christ alone. When you trust in Jesus, you experience everything we have spoken of this morning plus so much more that is revealed in the Bible, including an eternity with Him in heaven.

So this morning, like Paul said at the beginning of this passage, we are all in one of four places along that road to Heaven. We all have now heard the Gospel, that we have all sinned and have fallen short of God’s standard. While we were still sinners Christ died for us. If we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts God raised Him from the dead we will be saved. We are all at least at that first place. Some of us have not just heard this truth, but you have really listened to it. You have started to think about yourself, your sins, the consequences of those sins, and where you will spend eternity. As you listened to the Gospel this morning, you have started to think about what the death and resurrection of Jesus has done for you if only you place your faith in Him. These first two steps are not enough. They will not save you. You have to take the next step and put your faith in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation. It’s not in your own efforts or in anything else. Jesus Christ alone because it is by grace we are saved, through faith not of our works. When we put our faith in Jesus we immediately moved into the last step. We are immediately forgiven, we are freed, and we are brought from death into life. Where are you on the road to Heaven? You can’t get there unless you take the last step, are you ready to take that step today?

« Previous 1 … 67 68 69 70 71 … 190 Next »

Sermon Notes

The Road to Heaven

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

GATHER | GROW | SERVE | SHARE

MENU

RESOURCES

MINISTRIES