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. For 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 – for He is 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. Isn’t that a great reason for rejoicing today?

I Corinthians 15:1-34 (ESV)

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word 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 in accordance with the Scriptures,
4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy 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 was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that 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 futile and you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.
28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?
30 Why are we in danger every hour?
31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!
32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.