Sunday, April 24, 2011 - 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

[Tek7]

Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say, "There is no resurrection of the dead"? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without foundation, and so is your faith. In addition, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified about God that He raised up Christ—whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Therefore those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. If we have placed our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.

1 Corinthians 15:12-19, HCSB

Christmas is an important holiday, as is Good Friday, but the promise of both was fulfilled in the Christ's resurrection. The resurrection of Christ sounds like foolishness to skeptics, yet it remains the cornerstone of our faith. If Christ was a real and good man, as even most skeptics will concede, but nothing more, then we have no hope.

But Christ did rise from the dead and his sacrifice created a way for us to be restored to right relationship with God. And that is what we celebrate today: We, dead in our sins, were raised with Christ and given life and life more abundantly that we did not and could not deserve.

So let us celebrate!

 

[cgdoc519]

AMEN!

 

[Abba San]

and again I say, Amen!