3: The transformation of Saul.
Apart from the Twelve, we have the case of St. Paul. He went from zealous persecutor to zealous preacher after seeing Christ alive. This extraordinary transformation — from someone scandalized by the Christian message to its chief proponent — makes sense if Christ rose. But it makes no sense if he didn’t.
Paul returns to his personal resurrection story again and again, even when he is on trial. It fuels his faith; it makes all the difference to him. He even says “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Cor 15:14).
He bet everything on the actual Resurrection, and invited us to do the same.
