Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 in your personal Bible or at the link provided.
Review
1. What evidence did Paul, the writer of 1 Corinthians, give as a basis for his teaching?
2. What truths about Jesus are listed in these verses?
3. Who saw Jesus after He was raised from the dead?
Reflect
Yesterday we looked at Jesus’ claims about who He was as a person, including evidence of His miracles. Today we see another aspect of evidence. In these verses, Paul recites a creed that predates his letter to the Corinthians. Some historians have date-stamped the creed close to the time Jesus died on the cross.
The written accounts we have of Jesus’ death and resurrection are from eyewitnesses and were distributed during the same lifetime. The timing is too close to assume that Jesus was just a myth or to believe that He was a good teacher with an exaggerated story. The gap between the event (Jesus’ resurrection) and the recording of it are simply too close for it to be myth.
Not only do we have evidence of the resurrection, including an empty tomb, we have eyewitness testimony of people who were radically changed and proceeded to give their entire lives to spreading the message. We have the opportunity to carry on their legacy. We’ve seen the evidence of Jesus. Let’s allow it to transform us and give our lives to spread the message.
Respond
• What inspires or challenges you when you think about the disciples’ eyewitness testimony and how they were changed as a result?
• Have you let the truth of Jesus transform you, or have you settled into complacency?
• How can you give your life to spreading the message of Jesus this week? What might need to change to do so?
Pray through these questions, and write down what God is prompting you to do next. Share with a friend, and take a step to apply it.
Want to go deeper? Visit the Traders Point app or this link to see our recommended resources for this week’s topic. If you want to catch Sunday’s message again, you can find it here.