If you took a poll of favorite holidays, Easter might not be first on most people’s lists. Christmas would probably rank higher. While the early church might reverse this order, they recognized the fundamental connection between the two events. There could be no resurrection without the incarnation and death of Christ. If there was no resurrection, His birth would have little meaning.

Paul speaks of the death and resurrection of Christ as being “of first importance” in the gospel message (v. 3). The proclamation that Jesus died for our sins, was raised on the third day, and appeared in the flesh to the apostles and disciples was the foundation of everything Paul taught (vv. 3–7). Even though it was something that happened in history, this was more than just a summary of historical facts. Paul says this is the message that we must stand upon, hold to firmly, and by which we are saved (vv. 1–2). It is the only message that can actually save us because it calls us to believe in the One who has died for our sins and rose again.

Paul preached this gospel of resurrection both as something he had “received” and as a fact that he had witnessed. Both are important. The gospel that Paul proclaimed was handed down to him, not by the other apostles but by revelation from Christ (Gal. 1:12). Although Paul spoke of it as “my gospel,” it is really Christ’s gospel (see Rom. 2:16; 16:25; 2 Tim. 2:8). Paul also encountered the living Christ who called him to be His special messenger or apostle (vv. 9–11). We do not believe in fables but in something that is a matter of history and revelation. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!

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