A long time ago, someone asked one of my professors how to preach a sermon. The instruction lasted only a few seconds. It was simple; Stand up, Speak up and Shut up. Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? Yet its simplicity is its elegance. But what do I preach came the reply? Preach what is necessary, was the response. What is necessary...
1 Corinthians 15:1-6 (WEB)
1) Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand,
2) by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3) For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4) that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
5) and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
6) Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep.
1) Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand,
2) by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3) For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4) that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
5) and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
6) Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep.
Romans 6:1-11 (WEB)
1) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2) May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?
3) Or don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4) We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
5) For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection;
6) knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin.
7) For he who has died has been freed from sin.
8) But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him;
9) knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him!
10) For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God.
11) Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2) May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?
3) Or don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4) We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
5) For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection;
6) knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin.
7) For he who has died has been freed from sin.
8) But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him;
9) knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him!
10) For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God.
11) Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Acts 2:29-40 (WEB)
29) “Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
30) Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,
31) he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in Hades, nor did his flesh see decay.
32) This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.
33) Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear.
34) For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand,
35) until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’
36) “Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37) Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38) Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39) For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”
40) With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
What does this mean? Simple; we all have a sin problem and Jesus is the answer to it. What do I do about it (read Acts 2:37 and 38)? Wash it away. Now, you have a choice; believe this is right or ask yourself.... "What chair"???