I’d started putting this blog together under the title of ‘A Matter of Death and Life’, looking at the importance of Jesus’ Resurrection. That happened to be the title of the sermon on Easter Sunday, together with the same passage (1 Corinthians 15)! So, to avoid the charge of plagiarism, I’ve changed the title! 🙂

‘Of First Importance’ refers to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, because that is the event on which the whole Christian faith stands or falls. Take out the resurrection and we’re left with nothing. In 1 Cor 15 Paul calls that out a couple of times: in 1 Cor 15:14 he says how his (and the other apostles’) preaching would have been a waste of time. Then in verse 1 Cor 15:17 our faith would be futile, and verse 1 Cor 15:19 Christians should be pitied more than anyone else. 

It’s because Paul is so convinced of the resurrection though, that he’s willing to identify it as the event that, if disproved, would destroy the faith.

Over the Easter period it’s obviously a good time to reflect on the resurrection and its implications. But it’s also the time we get the documentaries, ‘new evidence’, ‘personal journeys’, all attempting to prove that it didn’t happen. It seems this is nothing new – even in the early church there were those saying there was no resurrection of the dead. So it’s helpful to see how Paul dealt with them.

He starts the chapter by reminding the Corinthians of what he told them when he visited. This is not new to them but was clearly the focus of his message. There are three things ‘of first importance’. Jesus died, was buried, and was raised again.

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Jesus Died

Jesus died as a result of a severe scourging, torture, crucifixion and a spear through his heart. He was definitely dead. The theory that he somehow survived all this is simply not credible. He was too weak to carry his cross, let alone wait a couple more days with no food or drink or care and then move a gravestone, overcome guards and spend the day walking and talking with his disciples. The Romans were expert at crucifixion, they would not have made a mistake with such a high-profile prisoner. He apparently died quicker than most, but the spear in the side would have been to make sure.

He was Buried

It was normal practice to throw the bodies of crucified victims into a common grave. It was different for Jesus as a Joseph of Arimathea had arranged for Jesus to be buried in a freshly made tomb. He was accompanied by Nicodemus as well as some of the women followers.  The Romans put a seal and a guard on the tomb at the request of the Jews (who seemed to understand Jesus’ foretelling of his rising better than his disciples!).

There are various theories about how people went to the wrong tomb on the Sunday. But none are credible. There were too many people who knew where the right tomb was and would have corrected such an error very quickly.

He was Raised

There are two aspects to this. Firstly, the tomb was empty, except for the grave clothes. That detail (Luke 24:12) puts paid to theories that his body was stolen. Anyone wanting to steal the body is hardly likely to have spent time in the tomb unwrapping the graveclothes and folding them up in a pile before taking the body away. And the seal had been broken and the stone rolled away (a stone that the women considered too heavy for them to move). And where were the guards? They’d initially been scared stiff (literally – Matthew 28:4), then went to the chief priests who bribed them to say the disciples had stolen the body while they were asleep. (Apart from falling asleep on duty being a capital offence, there’s a gaping flaw in that defence). 

The tomb was empty – there was no body there.

The second aspect of this are the appearances of Jesus for some forty days after his death. He appeared in many different ways to many different people. This is the thrust of Paul’s argument in 1 Cor 15. There was Peter (or Cephas) – notable because of his denial of Jesus at his trial – then all the other disciples, and on more than one occasion. Then to a crowd of 500. Then James, then all the apostles and finally to Paul himself. This is a very specific list, which Paul has obviously referred to before. He’s essentially saying, ‘you know who these people are – go and ask them!’. It is bordering on the ridiculous when people try to claim these were all hallucinations. It is also clear that he appeared bodily – Thomas touched his scars (John 20:27), Jesus ate fish (John 21:12-13) and Paul’s subsequent teaching in 1 Cor 15 is all about a physical resurrection.

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It Really did Happen

There are many other ways we could demonstrate how the resurrection is a real historical event – such as the fact the no-one in the ancient world would have expected it; how the Gospels credit women (at the time deemed ‘unreliable witnesses’) with the first announcements of his being raised; evidence from hostile witnesses; and, of course, the establishment and worldwide growth of the Church. 

The point is, though, that it really did happen. There are good reasons for believing it to be true, and no good reasons not to believe it. Our faith is grounded in history and evidence and the resurrection is the lynchpin. Everything hangs on it.

The consequences are phenomenal. No-one can say that death is the end, because Jesus came back from the dead. There is definitely life after death. 

The Good News

As human beings we are naturally estranged from God. We are sinners, rebels. We stand guilty before him and cannot do anything about it. Death is the sentence hanging over us. 

I sometimes wonder how much we really get that. It’s easy to try to soften sin, so we prefer to think that we’re trying to be good and just not quite making it. But the reality is not so pleasant. In ‘going our own way’ we have rejected God and committed what’s been called ‘cosmic treason’. We are truly guilty and helpless. The cross in all its horror and agony is the true cost of sin. 

Similarly, I also wonder how much we fail to grasp the enormity of what Jesus accomplished through the cross and his resurrection. If we don’t understand the depth of our sin, then we miss out on the true value of being forgiven (maybe that’s what Jesus had in mind in Luke 7:47).

In rising again, Jesus has demonstrated a victory, he’s defeated death by coming back to life. He is the only person ever not to have the death sentence, because he was not estranged from God, nor was he ever guilty. So the only reason he went through all that suffering and death was on our behalf.

The full effects of that victory have yet to be realised, but they are nevertheless certain. 

In the meantime there are struggles and battles, but the war is won. Yes, we will die, but instead of death being a punishment, it’s been turned into a gateway straight into the presence of God (see Phil 1:21-23).

Paul even ‘taunts’ death ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’.

True Freedom

Sin and death have been overcome, so they no longer have power over us. That sentence of death has been taken away – paid by another. So we are really forgiven – sin’s penalty has been paid, not merely overlooked. We are no longer condemned which means we are truly free – free to be the people God made us to be. ‘To enjoy God an glorify him for ever’.

In that context – take a look at Romans 8:31-39:

• If God is for us, who can be against us? 
• He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 
• Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? 
• Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us
• For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What could be more important?