1 Corinthians 15
The origin of our word “gospel” comes from the Old English words for good news. Tracing the origins of gospel, there is a point at which we can see “God news.” It is, indeed God news, and therefore good news for everyone who will listen.
When the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he noted they had received the gospel he preached. Now they lived as believers saved by the blood of Christ Jesus, “unless ye have believed in vain.”
What did he mean when he said believed in vain? Their belief would be in vain if it turned out he had preached a false doctrine. Of course, he spoke the truth and now he gives them the proof.
Saying he gave them “first of all” that which he received, meant he had spoken the most important things for their salvation. Those things that were most important were “Christ died for our sins,” “he was buried,” and “he rose again the third day,” and “he was seen.” These are facts, and our belief is not in vain.
This happened, said Paul, “according to the scriptures.” Old Testament sacrifices pointed to the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. And there are scripture verses pointing to Christ and His death. Isaiah wrote: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). In verse 9, Isaiah said, “he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death.”
Concerning Christ’s resurrection on the third day, the Savior Himself said, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:40).
Further proof of Christ’s resurrection came in the form of witnesses. The apostle Peter saw Him, the other apostles saw Jesus, and He was seen by more than 500 other people. This erases the notion that someone could have been hallucinating, and mistakenly believed they saw Jesus.
Perhaps the greatest proof that Jesus rose from the tomb was Paul who said, “he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” Paul had been the most fervent persecutor of Christians. One day, on his way to Damascus, a bright light shined from heaven and Paul fell to the ground. “Why persecutes thou me?” the Lord asked him. “I am Jesus whom thou persecutes.”
Paul immediately knew the Lord was speaking to him, and he asked, “What wilt thou have me to do?” Paul surrendered to the Lord, and he was used mightily to spread the good news.
What Christians celebrate this weekend is based on historical fact. The resurrection of Christ Jesus is not fiction, fantasy or the figment of someone’s imagination. He died on a cross and his body was laid in a tomb, but death and the grave could not contain Him.
We are so blessed, especially in times such as this. May we joyfully say, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).
