Easter Sunday is tomorrow. It commemorates the day over 2000 years ago when the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ arose from the grave, conquering sin and death forever and ushering in new life for all who will place their faith in His finished work on Calvary’s cross.

Today, I’m sharing a portion of chapter 15 from the book of I Corinthians. The Apostle Paul is the writer and his letters of I and II Corinthians were written to the church of Corinth. In chapter 15, Paul articulates the gospel (good news salvation message) of Christ and how one’s faith in Christ would be of no effect if were it not for His resurrection; but that my faith is not in vain because He did overcome sin and the grave as testified to by many eye-witnesses; indeed HE AROSE!! Hallelujah!

This is the glorious message of Easter and brings eternal hope to all who believe; hope so as to live in the here and now without fear of tomorrow because Christ has literally destroyed death and brought eternal life.

The following initial 21 verses of Chapter 15 of I Corinthians comes from the New King James Version of the Bible:

“1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy 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; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. “

Paul teaches that the resurrection of Christ is the central truth that assures us that Christ has overcome sin and the grave permanently. The verses above state that the gospel of Jesus Christ is that Christ died for our sins, He was buried and raised on the third day. This He did for you and me to bring new life.

May you have a blessed Easter, friends.