Post by Les Brewer on Mar 29, 2012 10:51:13 GMT
Calvary's Cross Ministries
Preaching Christ Crucified,I Cor.1:18-25
From the pastor's desk and heart...
Praise God from who all Blessings flow;Praise Him all creatures here below;Praise Him above ye heavenly host;Praise Father,Son and Holy Ghost!
Well, we are entering another Resurrection Season,Praise God! Without the Resurrection of Jesus Christ we have no hope whatsoever,after this life is over. I Corinthians 15:19 plainly states," If in this life only we have hope in Christ,we are of all men the most pitiable." In Jesus Christ,we have hope of a new life to come where there is no sickness,pain,suffering,death or sin.A life full of true life in God,this life we are now experiencing will one day be over,and if you happen to be a non-believer in Christ,the question you must ask yourself is this:Is the Resurrection true? Did it really take place? The answer is in the affirmative,to anyone with an open mind and heart.Jesus,Himself gave compelling proof of His resurrection,after He had been declared officially dead by those who followed Him and by even those who hated Him.
First of all,eyewitness testimony is still the greatest evidence that can be provided to anyone who is willing to look at the evidence,and make a sane ,rational,decision regarding the events leading up to and including His death,burial and His resurrection.Luke wrote in Acts 1:3," He appeared to them over a period of forty days,and spoke to them of the kingdom of God." The apostle Peter,who just days before denied that he even knew Christ,said," God has raised this Jesus to life,and we are all witnesses to this fact." (Acts 2:32) The apostle Paul stated in I Cor.15:3-6 that," For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received:that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,and that He was buried,and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,and that He was seen by Cephas (Peter),and then by the twelve.After that He was seen by over 500 brethren at once,of whom the greater part remain (are still alive) to the present,but some have fallen asleep (died)." It would have been one thing to attribute these supernatural experiences to dead people,after all,you can't question dead people.But he also pointed to the fact that a great many were still alive,and could be questioned by anyone who wanted to know,if need be.
Secondly,the transformation that takes place in the life of all who,by faith,accept the fact of the resurrection.Multitudes of men,women and children all through the centuries have had their lives transformed by the risen Lord.If the Resurrection is a lie and hoax,as many say that it is,there is one astounding fact that can't be gotten around.If the disciples concocted a lie to start a new religion,as many unbelievers say that they did,how many of those same disciples do you suppose would have willingly went to their deaths,believing a lie.Many false religions,I'll change that,all false religions have extremists who are willing to die for what they believe is truth.But ,I've never heard of one single individual who was willing to die for what they knew was a lie! Many of the disciples underwent cruel mockings,torture and excruciating pain because they knew that Jesus was resurrected.Some died horrible deaths at the hands of cruel tyrants who tried to get them to recant their testimony of the risen Lord.Some did,but most didn't.They underwent some of the most horrendous things imaginable,because they knew that Christ was alive.Their unwavering faith in Christ while being tortured and killed for Jesus,is still some of the most compelling evidence for the resurrection.Who,in their right mind,would allow themselves to go through so much suffering,if the resurrection was a lie?
My friends,those of you who may not have made up your mind as of yet concerning the Resurrection,let me ask you one more question.I believe that every person has the right to believe in whatever you wish to believe in.That is your God given right and choice,I will not argue the point.The question you must ask yourself is this:Are you willing to stake your eternal soul on what you believe,whatever it may be,and take a chance on rejecting the resurrection,in favor of believing something else with so little evidence to back it up? After all,if the resurrection is a lie,then you have absolutely nothing to fear and neither do I.However, if it is true,and it is,then you owe it to yourself to examine the evidence for yourself.Hell is a terrible place to spend eternity,knowing that you could have prevented yourself from going there.
People are sent to Hell be cause they reject the only way of escape.Will you be one who rejects that way or will you accept Christ today.You owe it to yourself to answer this question.I pray that you make the right choice......In the Master's service...................JW
Preaching Christ Crucified,I Cor.1:18-25
From the pastor's desk and heart...
Praise God from who all Blessings flow;Praise Him all creatures here below;Praise Him above ye heavenly host;Praise Father,Son and Holy Ghost!
Well, we are entering another Resurrection Season,Praise God! Without the Resurrection of Jesus Christ we have no hope whatsoever,after this life is over. I Corinthians 15:19 plainly states," If in this life only we have hope in Christ,we are of all men the most pitiable." In Jesus Christ,we have hope of a new life to come where there is no sickness,pain,suffering,death or sin.A life full of true life in God,this life we are now experiencing will one day be over,and if you happen to be a non-believer in Christ,the question you must ask yourself is this:Is the Resurrection true? Did it really take place? The answer is in the affirmative,to anyone with an open mind and heart.Jesus,Himself gave compelling proof of His resurrection,after He had been declared officially dead by those who followed Him and by even those who hated Him.
First of all,eyewitness testimony is still the greatest evidence that can be provided to anyone who is willing to look at the evidence,and make a sane ,rational,decision regarding the events leading up to and including His death,burial and His resurrection.Luke wrote in Acts 1:3," He appeared to them over a period of forty days,and spoke to them of the kingdom of God." The apostle Peter,who just days before denied that he even knew Christ,said," God has raised this Jesus to life,and we are all witnesses to this fact." (Acts 2:32) The apostle Paul stated in I Cor.15:3-6 that," For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received:that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,and that He was buried,and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,and that He was seen by Cephas (Peter),and then by the twelve.After that He was seen by over 500 brethren at once,of whom the greater part remain (are still alive) to the present,but some have fallen asleep (died)." It would have been one thing to attribute these supernatural experiences to dead people,after all,you can't question dead people.But he also pointed to the fact that a great many were still alive,and could be questioned by anyone who wanted to know,if need be.
Secondly,the transformation that takes place in the life of all who,by faith,accept the fact of the resurrection.Multitudes of men,women and children all through the centuries have had their lives transformed by the risen Lord.If the Resurrection is a lie and hoax,as many say that it is,there is one astounding fact that can't be gotten around.If the disciples concocted a lie to start a new religion,as many unbelievers say that they did,how many of those same disciples do you suppose would have willingly went to their deaths,believing a lie.Many false religions,I'll change that,all false religions have extremists who are willing to die for what they believe is truth.But ,I've never heard of one single individual who was willing to die for what they knew was a lie! Many of the disciples underwent cruel mockings,torture and excruciating pain because they knew that Jesus was resurrected.Some died horrible deaths at the hands of cruel tyrants who tried to get them to recant their testimony of the risen Lord.Some did,but most didn't.They underwent some of the most horrendous things imaginable,because they knew that Christ was alive.Their unwavering faith in Christ while being tortured and killed for Jesus,is still some of the most compelling evidence for the resurrection.Who,in their right mind,would allow themselves to go through so much suffering,if the resurrection was a lie?
My friends,those of you who may not have made up your mind as of yet concerning the Resurrection,let me ask you one more question.I believe that every person has the right to believe in whatever you wish to believe in.That is your God given right and choice,I will not argue the point.The question you must ask yourself is this:Are you willing to stake your eternal soul on what you believe,whatever it may be,and take a chance on rejecting the resurrection,in favor of believing something else with so little evidence to back it up? After all,if the resurrection is a lie,then you have absolutely nothing to fear and neither do I.However, if it is true,and it is,then you owe it to yourself to examine the evidence for yourself.Hell is a terrible place to spend eternity,knowing that you could have prevented yourself from going there.
People are sent to Hell be cause they reject the only way of escape.Will you be one who rejects that way or will you accept Christ today.You owe it to yourself to answer this question.I pray that you make the right choice......In the Master's service...................JW
