American writer Mark Twain once wrote: ″Faith is believing what you know ain't so.″¹³ Many people would agree. They think faith is what you use when the facts are against you, that faith amounts to nothing more than wishful thinking. But, although our Christian faith appears to ignore reality, it is actually seeing beyond our present reality.

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Paul reminds the Corinthians that their faith is based on actual events. He brings them back to the gospel which he preached to them and which they embraced (v. 1). This gospel is the only message that brings genuine hope and rescue from our moral mess (v. 2). Paul urges them not to let go of it but to hold more firmly to it.

What is this gospel that rescues? Before Paul goes on to explain, notice how he first says that he ″received″ the gospel message (v. 3). The Greek word that Paul used implies that this message is to be taken as tradition to be guarded and preserved. This made it clear to the early Christians that these significant events of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection were to be ″passed on″ carefully to the following generation (v. 3; see also 11:23). So, Paul outlines the four events that took place in human history which are ″of first importance″ (15:3) and which form the core of this good news.

First, ″Christ died″, and His death was ″for our sins″ (v. 3). Jesus died to deal with our wrongdoing. And, it was ″according to the Scriptures″ (v. 3)-this was a death expected, predicted, and longed for (see Isaiah 52-53).

Second, ″he was buried″ (v. 4). Jesus' resurrection was no resuscitation; He had truly died.

Third, ″he was raised on the third day″ (v. 4). Jesus physically rose from death, which, again, the Old Testament scriptures had anticipated (see Psalm 16:10, 110; Hosea 6:2).

Fourth, ″he appeared″ (v. 5). Jesus was seen by a variety of witnesses in different locations, including the 12 disciples (v. 5). On one occasion, He appeared to more than 500 people (v. 6), and, ″last of all″, to Paul himself (v. 8).

Paul knows he is unusual and that he doesn't deserve to be an apostle or a witness to the resurrected Jesus because of his past, when he persecuted Christians (v. 9). Those in Corinth who idolised Cephas (Peter) and Apollos likely found it difficult to accept Paul as an apostle, but his unworthiness was, in fact, the opportunity for God to display His amazing grace (v. 10). It's that grace that led Paul to work hard for the gospel. No matter who preaches the gospel message, it is the same gospel that saves (v. 11).

Heavenly Father, thank You that the gospel saves us because Your Son came to deal with our sins. Thank You that He died, was buried, and was raised to life, and that He appeared to many confirming that the resurrection really happened.