When Paul wrote the letter we call First Corinthians to the church at Corinth in about 54 A.D., the Easter Story had begun to be viewed by Christians as “good news.” In fact, it was very important “good news.” Notice what he wrote to them: “What I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (I Corinthians 15:3-4, NIV). The fact that Jesus had died, been buried, and raised on the third day was, as Paul put it, “of first importance.” Since these three things are “of first importance,” I want to spend a few minutes on this Easter Sunday looking at what the Bible says about them. And I want to encourage you to tell this story to everyone who will listen because that’s what Jesus said we should do. He said, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8b, NIV). A witness simply states the facts. He just tells the story!