Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.

"After more than 700 hours of studying this subject, and thoroughly investigating its foundation, I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted upon the minds of men, or it is the most fantastic fact of history." - Josh McDowell

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised…v. 13, 16

CHRIST (anointed One) highlights that Jesus was the Messiah sent from God.

…and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain…v. 14

Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ…v. 15

…your faith also is vain…your faith is worthless…v. 14, 17

But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.

…you are still in your sins. v. 17

The premise of atonement is that God will accept innocent blood shed in sacrifice for the guilty.

Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. v. 18

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies…

"The entire plan for the future has its key in the resurrection."

If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. v. 19

"What you do in the present—by painting, preaching, singing, sewing, praying, teaching, building hospitals, digging wells, campaigning for justice, writing poems, caring for the needy, loving your neighbor as yourself—will last into God’s future. These activities are not simply ways of making the present life a little less beastly…until the day when we leave it behind altogether. They are part of what we may call building for God’s kingdom."

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. v. 20

Because Christ is raised…

We know God is All-Powerful

We have a message of Good News

We have truth for a confused world

We have a solid foundation for faith

We have forgiveness and cleansing

We have an eternal life beyond this one

We have HOPE!