resurrection to newness of life

[STEPHEN TODD]

resuserction is the foundation of our beleief for scriptures declare that if there be no resurection then our faith is in vain. while some may deny or choose not ot believe that Christ Jesuus was raise from the dead .The infallible Word staes that the Christ was slain befofore the foundations of the world.old testament prophecy states that He the Mesiah had to suffer ad die and be raise from the dead in order to fufil Gods restored plan. even in Jesus earthly ministry [mathew16:21]He began to tell his diciples that he must go to Jerusalem ,suffer many thingsof the elders and cheif priest, and scribes and must die be raisedagain according to the scriptures. [ mathew 17:9 when the Master took the inner circle, peter james and john to the top of the mountain that his was transfigureed before there eyes and having the prophets,Elijahand the Law,Moses confirmhis power and aproval by the father him self. and in verse 9 Jesus tells them not to say anything to any one until he is risen from the dead.[mathew's17:23,20:19,26:32 ,all states that that He must die and be Risen aging the third day.1corinthians:15:3 paul delivered tthat which he recieve from God, how christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and rose again according to the scriptures how he was seen by peter and the diciples and 500bretren at once Now if christbe preached that He is Risen from the dead how can some of you say that there is no Resurectionof the dead [teaching Soul sleep] if you are beleiving soul sleep, then christ is not Risen from the dead then our preahing and faith is vain and we are found false witness of God not only is our preaching and our faih vain but we are still in our sins if Christ be not raise from the dead then your teaching of soul sleep is validifyand those whodied in Christ have perished and if in this life only we have hope we are of all men most miserable. we live and die Christ died and lived that's the supernatural power of God where by the natural process which God has established,partly by judgement, is Birth,growth,decay, death and dissolution. this is the cycle of nature.it includes Man: you are dust and to dust you shall return; the very concept of Resurection is supernatural.at Christ resurection the natural process of decomposition was not only arrested, nor reversed but was actually superseded.instead of disolving into dusthis body was transfigured into anew and glorious vehicle for his soul.indeed the Resurection of Christ is presented as the supreme manifestation of the supernatural Power of God. what we have to ask about the resurection is not only whether it happened, but whether or not it really matters that it happen. for if it happen it happened nearly 2000 years ago. how canan event of such remote antiquity have any great importance for us today? why on earth do christians make such a song and dance about it? is it not irrelevant? No my friends; my argument now is that the Resurection resonates with our human condition. it is the main stay of the christian assurance