Is it really true?

Written on 09/14/2022
Christian Dunn

Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

Thoughts
This letter (1 Corinthians) was written within 20-25 years after Jesus rose from the dead. I love passages like this because they show us what the earliest followers of Jesus believed about the Gospel. Some people will say Jesus was just a great teacher and that over time his legend grew, and his followers added things like his miracles and, most of all, his resurrection. 

What's amazing like passages like this one is we can see that the earliest Christians believed exactly what we believe today. Paul recites it for us here in detail: Jesus died for our sins fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament, he raised from the dead on the third day, and he appeared to the 12, and then to over 500 followers! He then basically says, "if you don't believe me—go ask them—they are still alive!"

Historians and scholars will tell you that 20 years isn't nearly enough time for this to creep into the story of Jesus as legend. Also, the people talking about his resurrection literally died for this claim. Would they die for something they knew they were making up? And would 500+ people all be able to keep this secret without someone exposing it?

This is the power of verses like these. When we doubt our faith, or we wonder, "did Jesus really rise from the dead?" we can look at this and be encouraged. Even though it is hard to believe, even though it doesn't make natural sense—the truth is that he died and rose again for you and me. And he is coming back!

We can be encouraged, strengthened, and assured in our faith, and live with full hearts for a God who loved us enough to defeat sin and death so we could know true life. That is the GOOD NEWS!

Prayer
Thank you God for saving me!