We might wonder why this epistle lesson is found in the lectionary at this particular point in the Christian year, near the end of Epiphany. This is one instance, however, when I think perhaps the connections between the lessons is actually helpful and rather easy to see.
The Old Testament is the vision in Isaiah 6, a second commissioning of Isaiah, if you will, to the prophetic role. Luke 5:1-11 has Jesus telling Peter that from here on, he will be fishing for men--another preparation for a greater work. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Paul is rehearsing the actual evidence of grace which came in the form of Jesus Christ. It is a kind of epiphany passage, a manifestation of the Son. It is the reality that gives real substance to the shadow or vision in Isaiah 6 and the commissioning in Luke 5.
Even most liberal scholars agree that to Paul, the resurrection of Christ was not metaphor. Paul took this evidence of God's grace quite seriously and quite literally. He understood that belief in the facts and the reality of Christ's resurrection was essential to a proper understanding and presentation of the gospel. He believed that there were real consequences of Christ's resurrection; so if that resurrection did not occur, those consequences would be null and void. Why do we therefore find ourselves in more of a questioning stance today? Is not God still God--supernatural, able to do whatsoever He wills?
A lot of churches say that their mission is to share the "good news" of God's love, or the "good news" of Jesus Christ. A pertinent question would be: Just what is the good news you want to share? Is it real? Does it bring genuine salvation? Is it fact or fancy, message or metaphor?
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