The privilege of reading today's teaching text, which comes from 1 Corinthians 15, 1 through 8, 12 through 28, and 32.

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preach to you, which you received, and on which you

have taken your stand. By this gospel, you are saved if you hold firmly to the word I preach to you.

Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received, I passed on to you as a first importance,

that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried,

and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, and that he appeared to

Sefus, and then to the 12. After that, he appeared to more than 500 of the brothers and sisters

at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all, he appeared to me also,

as to one abnormally born. But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,

how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection

of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is

useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God,

for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.

For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile.

You are still in your sins.

Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.

If only for this life we have hope in Christ,

we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,

the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man,

the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

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