Sunday of the Resurrection: Epistle, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11     

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Paul the apostle did a lot of writing. Through it he did a lot of caring. And sometimes that caring came in the form of correction. In fact, quite a lot of his writing was for that purpose. Correction of what? Or of whom? Both are good questions. Remember that all the Christian congregations with which Paul dealt were young. Very young. Paul was directly responsible for many and he kept close to his heart that sense of shepherding, even parenting the young believers he and the other gospel laborers had led into the fold.

For a number of reasons, the young church in Corinth displayed many difficulties. Suffice it to say that this city’s congregation had been the seed-bed for much false teaching and practice. Paganism in the fabric of people’s hearts, superstitions in people’s practices takes time to root out. Certainly there are those whose lives are changed by the gospel in an instant. But for many Corinthians, just like for many of us change takes time.

It has always interested me that in our reading today, Paul writes that “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures …” (1 Corinthians 15:3), but keeps this till nearly the end of his letter. I’ve thought about that quite a bit. And I think there are a couple reasons for it. First, Paul’s “first importance” isn’t merely a statement of order, but one of priority. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus are of first importance because they permeate teaching on every other subject within the Christian proclamation. And second, every challenge, whether it be in belief or practice must be brought squarely before what Paul deems here “of first importance.” Why? Because this “first importance” stuff is at the root of every attack the devil brings to the people of God. And that is where we must take the fight.

When the church gets off track, good pastors and leaders must bring it back to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. When the church finds itself slipping into the comfortable and corrupting “garb” of the world in its practice, faithful shepherds must bring it back to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus' death means our death. So with burial and resurrection. Everything hinges on us getting this right. No matter where in the letter of Paul, or the lives of its recipients we find the challenges, the answer is here. Keeping first things first.