Transforming (phase 4) - Jesus appears to the disciples on the lakeshore (step 31) - session 3

(H)e appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. - (1 Cor 15: 5b-8)

I'm not sure what the purpose is for having this reading as part of this step (and it only calls for verses 6-8). To me, the important part of this scripture passage comes follows in later verses:

Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied. 

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.- (12-21)

One of the things I find most compelling about the apostles' testimony is that they don't try to make themselves out as something they aren't. They have included their warts: Peter's denial, Thomas' doubt - indeed, that of all the disciples, their collective abandonment of Jesus at his arrest, Saul's persecution of the church. If the resurrection were a falsehood, surely they would have taken the opportunity to present themselves in a better light, too. Paul, of course, would not have had that luxury, as there were too many contemporaries who were all too familiar with his persecution of the church. And in the verses I've skipped, we hear him bragging a little about how hard he has worked in light of the nature of his sins. But by and large, the New Testament writings do not present the followers of Jesus in the best possible light.

If this life is all there is, then our experiences in this world are all that matter, and we should maximize our joy so long as it doesn't diminish the joy of others. This is why we are to be pitied, because we preach a far different message from this and live a radically different approach to life.