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READ: 1 Corinthians 15:1-19
LISTEN: 1 Corinthians 15

And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 1 Corinthians 15:14

Paul wants the church in Corinth to grasp three truths deeply: Jesus died, was buried and raised from the dead. These truths are the heart of the gospel. Paul reminds these believers that if the tomb was not empty, then the Christian faith is empty. No resurrection means no faith. These new believers needed to know that the resurrection really happened, as evidenced by the many witnesses of the risen Christ.

We, too, can truly know that Jesus rose from the dead. People saw, talked with, and touched the risen Christ. He truly is alive! And we can have confidence and hope that we serve a risen Savior today. The Christian faith is not about following Jesus because he was a good teacher or moral example (though he is both). We follow Jesus because he is the risen and victorious Savior who conquered sin and death. These are not “I think so” sort of truths. These are “I know so” realities. Jesus lives. Because he lives, we can experience forgiveness and eternal life.

 TODAY: Scripture teaches that if we believe in the Lord Jesus, we will be saved (Acts 16:31). Have you taken that step of faith? If not, today is a great day to turn away from sin and trust in Christ for new, resurrection life. Consider praying like this: “Father, I am a sinner in need of your mercy. I trust that Jesus paid for my sins on the cross and accomplished my salvation through his resurrection from the dead. Please forgive me of my sin and grant me new, eternal life.”