Four reasons the death and resurrection of Jesus is the most important truth:
1. Because the death and resurrection of Jesus is the most important news (vv. 1-2)
2. Because the death and resurrection of Jesus is historically well-attested (vv. 3, 5-8)
3. Because the death and resurrection of Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy (vv. 3-4)
4. Because the death and resurrection of Jesus saves sinners who believe (v. 3)
“Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man [if it be lawful to call him a man] for he was a doer of wonderful works—a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. [He was the Christ] when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; [for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him] and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.” (Josephus Ant. XVIII.63-64).
“…neither human resourcefulness nor the emperor’s largesse nor appeasement of the gods could stop belief in the nasty rumour that an order had been given for the fire. To dispel the gossip Nero therefore found culprits on whom he inflicted the most exotic punishments. These were people hated for their shameful offences whom the common people called Christians. The man who gave them their name, Christus [Jesus], had been executed during the rule of Tiberius by the procurator Pontius Pilatus. The pernicious superstition had been temporarily suppressed, but it was starting to break out again, not just in Judaea, the starting point of that curse, but in Rome, as well, where all that is abominable and shameful in the world flows together and gains popularity.” (Tacitus, Annals. XV.44).