"And If Christ Has Not Been Raised..."
I Corinthians 15:12–19
“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
St. Luke recounts the words of the Apostle Paul, "...God is now declaring that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:30–31).” I cannot even begin to express my delight in St. Luke’s writing, Luke-Acts is such an important document from Antiquity and Colin J. Hemer’s book, “The Book of Acts in the Setting of Helenistic History” (1987) is a definitive guide for anyone interested in history. Today, I would like to share my discussion on the historicity of the resurrection of the LORD Jesus. This was shared in our cell group in 2016: http://bit.ly/2E5hQKY
Also, what does the resurrection mean for us? Why is it such a game-changer for them then and for us now? Some say we shouldn’t fear death because it is part of life, Jesus says we do not fear death because it has been defeated as prophesied, “He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken (Isa 25:8)” the resurrection gives us a glimpse of heaven and the eternal glory to come! http://bit.ly/2E7EkLe
Finally, heaven, “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said… (Matt 28:6),” may this truth make us long for God’s presence evermore, and may these lines make us wonder and excited at what’s to come, imagine:
“When surrounded by the blackness of the darkest night,
O how lonely death can be;
At the end of this long tunnel is a shining light,
For death is swallowed up in victory!
But just think of stepping on shore—And finding it Heaven!
Of touching a hand-And finding it God's!
Of breathing new air—And finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory—And finding it home!”
“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
St. Luke recounts the words of the Apostle Paul, "...God is now declaring that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:30–31).” I cannot even begin to express my delight in St. Luke’s writing, Luke-Acts is such an important document from Antiquity and Colin J. Hemer’s book, “The Book of Acts in the Setting of Helenistic History” (1987) is a definitive guide for anyone interested in history. Today, I would like to share my discussion on the historicity of the resurrection of the LORD Jesus. This was shared in our cell group in 2016: http://bit.ly/2E5hQKY
Also, what does the resurrection mean for us? Why is it such a game-changer for them then and for us now? Some say we shouldn’t fear death because it is part of life, Jesus says we do not fear death because it has been defeated as prophesied, “He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken (Isa 25:8)” the resurrection gives us a glimpse of heaven and the eternal glory to come! http://bit.ly/2E7EkLe
Finally, heaven, “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said… (Matt 28:6),” may this truth make us long for God’s presence evermore, and may these lines make us wonder and excited at what’s to come, imagine:
“When surrounded by the blackness of the darkest night,
O how lonely death can be;
At the end of this long tunnel is a shining light,
For death is swallowed up in victory!
But just think of stepping on shore—And finding it Heaven!
Of touching a hand-And finding it God's!
Of breathing new air—And finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory—And finding it home!”
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