Suggestions for leading a study:
Holding Tight to the Lifeline
Discussion Questions
-In
verse 1, what three things happen in regards to the gospel? Have you experienced these three in your own
life? If so, how?
-What
do you think it means to “take your stand” on the gospel?
-According
to verse 2, what is necessary for you to do in order to be saved by the
gospel? What do you think that means?
-to
“believe in vain” means that the gospel would not accomplish what it is
supposed to. What do you think Paul is
referring to?
-In
the following paragraph (vv. 3-8), Paul affirms for us why it is that we can
“hold firmly” to the gospel. What does
he say in verse 3?
-Why
is this the thing that is of “first importance?”
-One
of the ways that people explain away the crucifixion of Christ is that he
didn’t really die. How does Paul
address that in verse 4?
-What
contribution do verses 5 through 7 make to being able to “hold firmly” to the
truth of the resurrection of Christ?
-Another
way that people explain away the resurrection is that the disciples missed Jesus so much that they
hallucinated seeing him again. How do
verses 6-7 address this?
-Christ
also appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus.
Why does he say that in his situation it was like being “abnormally
born?”
-Do
we need to see the physical resurrected Christ in order to “hold firmly” to the
gospel that is based on the resurrection?
Leaders' Guide
This lesson is about the resurrection of Christ: why it
is we can be sure of it, and why it is so important to hang on to.
-In
verse 1, what three things happen in regards to the gospel? Have you experienced these three in your own
life? If so, how?
It is preached, received, and finally people
take their stand on it. This is an
opportunity for the group members to give their testimony as to how they were
first confronted with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is also a good opportunity to get to know each other’s
spiritual condition a little better.
Perhaps they have heard the message, but don’t understand it. Or they may get it, but have yet to “take their
stand” on it. Or they may have fully
committed to it. The rest of the lesson
is meant to give the reasons why anyone can embrace it completely, so if there
is anyone in the group still hesitating, here is not the time to encourage
them. See what happens with the rest of
the study.
-What
do you think it means to “take your stand” on the gospel?
This is a way of saying that the gospel what
you have decided to trust, or to stand on.
The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ: that your sins can be
forgiven by his grace through your faith, another way of saying that he is who
you have decided to trust, or stand upon, for salvation.
-According
to verse 2, what is necessary for you to do in order to be saved by the
gospel? What do you think that means?
Paul says you will be saved if you “hold
firmly” to the word. You have to
desperately cling to it as you would to the only lifeline you have been
given. Paul never validates a so-so,
wishy-washy faith. It is always
something that your whole life revolves around. Some people would make Christianity a kind of “insurance policy:”
they go to church, and do some things there so they have something “religious”
in their life, in case that’s necessary.
The whole point of this passage is that Paul is trying to convince
people that the resurrection of Christ is something that you can devote
everything to.
Another way of looking at this term
would be that you need to continue to hold on to your faith, or you could lose
your salvation. While some people would
believe this, the practical application is still the same: a life fully devoted to Christ is what God
is looking for.
-to
“believe in vain” means that the gospel would not accomplish what it is
supposed to. What do you think Paul is
referring to?
The gospel is obviously meant to save us, so
Paul is again underscoring that belief without total commitment isn’t the kind
that can save us. Real belief in
Christ is a faith to fully trust him. To allow him on to the throne of our
lives. To firmly hold on to him and
take our stand on him alone.
-In
the following paragraph (vv. 3-8), Paul affirms for us why it is that we can
“hold firmly” to the gospel. What does
he say in verse 3?
That Christ died for our sins.
-Why
is this the thing that is of “first importance?”
This is the big deal. The fact that Christ’s death was in order
that our sins might be forgiven is the most important thing to understand. He didn’t die for his own sins. He didn’t die because people didn’t like
him. He died as the perfect sacrifice,
to pay the penalty for our sins in our place.
It is of first importance, because if we don’t understand why he did it,
all the rest of the arguments as to why we can trust the historical account
won’t mean anything.
-One
of the ways that people explain away the crucifixion of Christ is that he
didn’t really die. How does Paul
address that in verse 4?
This is known as the “swoon theory:” that
Jesus passed out on the cross and woke up later. But Paul says that he was buried. You don’t bury people unless you’re sure they’re dead. If they aren’t, the burial will kill
them. At that time, burial included
being wrapped in multiple layers of cloth with a whole lot of spices that
hardened to sort of “mummify” the body.
A tightly woven cloth was placed over the face, which would make
breathing difficult. Then they were
placed in a cold, dank tomb with a stone rolled in front of the entrance that
it would take a minimum of 3 men to move, may times more like 15-20. All this
would have confirmed for Paul’s readers that Jesus was actually dead.
-What
contribution do verses 5 through 7 make to being able to “hold firmly” to the
truth of the resurrection of Christ?
These verses have to do with all of the
witnesses to the resurrected Christ.
The important point that Paul makes here is that most of them were still
alive at the time this was written.
Anyone could have checked out the story if they didn’t believe it. They were also considered the best quality
of witness, being the apostles as well as James the brother of Jesus, who was a
skeptic while Jesus was alive.
-Another
way that people explain away the resurrection is that the disciples missed Jesus so much that they
hallucinated seeing him again. How do
verses 6-7 address this?
Paul says that Jesus appeared to more than
500 at the same time. One person might
have a hallucination, but it is impossible for over 500 at the same time to
have the same one.
-Christ
also appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus.
Why does he say that in his situation it was like being “abnormally
born?”
Paul didn’t get to see the resurrected Christ
in exactly the same way as the others, that is before his ascension to
heaven. But Paul insists that his was
still just as valid an experience. It
was also a life-changing experience for him, on a par with birth itself. Just as our own experience with the
resurrected Christ should be.
-Do
we need to see the physical resurrected Christ in order to “hold firmly” to the
gospel that is based on the resurrection?
This is the point: that the evidence for the resurrection of Christ was more than
sufficient for the Christians at Corinth who didn’t actually see Jesus before
his ascension. Neither do we have to
actually see him. The evidence for the
reality of the resurrection is overwhelming, and we should have no problem
“taking our stand” on it and trusting him to save us and give our lives meaning and purpose.
-Would
you consider yourself to have been “born again” and holding tightly to the
gospel that is centered on the resurrection of Jesus?
Since the resurrection of Christ can be
trusted, and trusting in Christ is what saves us, or causes us to be “born
again”, this study should be something that helps convince everyone that the
choice to trust in Jesus is the right one.
And not only that, but that it is the smart thing to do to hold tightly
to a gospel that can be trusted.