Easter celebrates the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ--a grand and glorious truth which is central to all our faith and practice. How important is this truth? Some in the church in Corinth denied the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12). Paul addressed the matter in First Corinthians chapter fifteen. His response made it clear that there can be no Christianity apart from Christ’s resurrection. "If Christ has not been raised," he said, "then our preaching is in vain, your faith is in vain" (1 Cor. 15:14)..."If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless" (1 Cor. 15:17)..."If Christ has not been raised...you are still in your sins" (1 Cor. 15:17)..."If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied" (1 Cor. 15:19). If Christ had not been raised, then there would be no gospel to proclaim, no Savior to believe in, no forgiveness of sins, and no hope for the future.
NO RESURRECTION=NO GOSPEL; NO SAVIOR; NO FORGIVENESS; NO HOPE
"But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep" (1 Cor. 15:20). He is risen! Because He is risen, there is a glorious gospel message to proclaim and believe in. Because He is risen there is such a thing as forgiveness of sins. Because He is risen our lives can have purpose and meaning and hope. As the hymn says, "Because He lives I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone; because I know He holds the future. And life is worth the living just because He lives."
During his day Nikolai Bukharin was as powerful a man as there was on earth. A Russian Communist leader he took part in the Bolshevik Revolution 1917, was editor of the Soviet newspaper Pravda, and was a full member of the Politburo. His works on economics and political science are still read today. There is a story told about a journey he took from Moscow to Kiev in 1930 to address a huge assembly on the subject of atheism. Addressing the crowd he aimed his heavy artillery at Christianity hurling insult, argument, and proof against it.
An hour later he was finished. He looked out at what seemed to be the smoldering ashes of men's faith. "Are there any questions?" Bukharin demanded. Deafening silence filled the auditorium but then one man approached the platform and mounted the lectern standing near the communist leader. He surveyed the crowd first to the left then to the right. Finally he shouted the ancient greeting known well in the Russian Orthodox Church: "CHRIST IS RISEN!" En masse the crowd arose as one man and the response came crashing like the sound of thunder: "HE IS RISEN INDEED!"
He is risen indeed! "I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today; I know that He is living, whatever men may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, And just the time I need Him, He’s always near! He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart."
Pastor Jerry
No comments:
Post a Comment