What do you think is the most important part of the gospel? Is it living in a godly way? Is it the material blessings we receive? Is it trying to right the social wrongs we see all around us? Is it feeling at peace with God and with other people? Given the way most of us pray most of the time, we might come to any of these conclusions. Instead, Paul keeps a laser-like focus on Jesus Himself, on the Person and Work of Christ.

Paul begins with the death of Christ “for our sins” (v. 3). This means that Jesus gave up His life to pay the penalty that all our sins deserve. But Paul goes on to insist that Jesus didn’t stay in that tomb. No, verse 4 makes it plain that He was raised from the dead on the third day. His resurrection thus proves that He wasn’t just a great teacher of ethics, or a good example of selfless deeds. No, He is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the Ruler Who holds all authority in Heaven and on Earth.

And how do we know He really did rise from the dead? Verses 5 through 8 list an impressive number of witnesses, many of whom spent the rest of their lives travelling throughout the known world, insisting that Jesus was indeed alive. Given the number of these people, and given how they had absolutely no motive to make all this up, we have to admit that if we can establish the truth of any event in ancient history, it would be the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

So, why is the bodily resurrection of Christ so important? Because it is only the Resurrection of Christ that makes salvation possible for those who trust in Him. After all, a dead man can’t redeem anyone else from their sins. If Jesus were still in the tomb, as Paul says in verse 17, our faith is futile and we are all still in our sins.

But the bodily resurrection of Christ also matters because of the wonderful things it proves will happen in the future. As Paul says in verse 20, because Christ rose from the dead, we can be certain that all who trust in Him will also rise from our graves one day: He is thus only the firstfruits of all those who have died (v. 23). This is why Christians have historically practiced burial and not cremation: it is a testimony to the living that the bodies of the dead will live again when Christ comes in glory.

But most importantly, it is the resurrection of Christ that proves He will finally undo the curse that Adam’s sin brought on the whole world. Because Adam broke fellowship with God, he and all his descendants were cut off from the only source of their life. But all who are trusting in Christ as Savior and bowing the knee to Him as Lord are now part of Christ, and in Him we shall all be made alive (v. 22). Christ’s resurrection thus proves that He has conquered not only death (v. 26), but the sin that brought it into this world.

So, regardless of what may make sense to our reason or our experience, the fact is that Christ is risen. That means the Bible is true. That means He has conquered sin and death for all who will trust in Him. And that means we can look forward to life with Him forever. So, isn’t He our greatest reason for rejoicing today?

I Corinthians 15:1-34 (NASB)

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;
7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;
8 and last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;
14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.
15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we witnessed against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;
17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.
23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,
24 then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
27 For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him.
28 And when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, that God may be all in all.
29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?
30 Why are we also in danger every hour?
31 I protest, brethren, by the boasting in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.
33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.