Week 28 - 1 Corinthians 15

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.” 

What is of first importance that you would pass on to those you love? Paul considered that the gospel he received that, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” was the most important thing to give the Corinthians. 

We often devote much more time and attention on Jesus’ life and sacrificial death on the cross than on his resurrection. Perhaps this is appropriate. Yes, Jesus gave his perfect, sinless life on the cross for our sins and was placed in a tomb. However, the story doesn’t end there, does it? But, if he had not been raised the story would have indeed ended there. 

There would be no Good News. “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.” 

Wouldn’t the Christian life be the superior life even if Jesus had remained in that tomb? Wouldn’t this be a better world? Undoubtedly, that is so. However, Paul also says, “If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die.’” In fact, Paul also says here that, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied”.

Yes, without the resurrection, the gospel is no good news at all. However, Christ was raised indeed and as a result, we can be as well. This is the living hope we have in Christ. 

”Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality”.  

—Dave Edwards