The Resurrection of Christ

Take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.

This week we are celebrating Christ's death and resurrection. We are celebrating because of what it means for us, those who follow Christ. It means that He has paid the price for our sin. Paul says that everyone has sinned, and that anyone who sins deserves death (Romans 3:23; 6:23). But it's not just a physical death that Paul is talking about. It's an eternal death, separated from God forever.

One thing that we focus on when we go on a mission trip is our testimony. A testimony is simply a declaration or some kind of evidence in support of Christ's work. In verse 3, Paul says that he passed on what was most important. Christ had died, was buried, and raised from the dead. And there were many people who would testify to that (the disciples, the 500, and Paul).

Paul then talks about His own testimony, that he had seen Christ (v. 8), but he isn't really worthy of being an apostle (one who has seen Christ's risen body) because of how he persecuted the church (v. 9). Yet, God worked in Paul and through Paul, and through His message many have believed in Christ and the resurrection.

So Paul's testimony would look like this:

I persecuted the church and Christ, but Christ was revealed to me, and I now preach that Christ died, was buried, and was raised on the third day.

 What about you? Can you put your testimony into a 1-3 sentence summary? In response to this blog, try to write out a 1-3 sentence testimony in the comments section. This could be how you came to Christ, or even what He is doing in your life now. Make sure the focus is on Christ's work and how that has changed your life. For Paul, that was that Christ was revealed and what he preaches has changed.

I look forward to seeing the responses.