Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-07-20

mental. lItut u
M the resurrection
OF Christ 10 Chris
tianity that IL Christ be not risen from
the dead the gospel OF Christ Is want
ing in reality. and barren in results
II is false and groundless, barren and
fruitless; 1t Is nothing, 1t does moth
ing.
|. our Preaching ls vain.-Paul
makes Christianity answer with its
life for the literal truth of the resur-
rection OF Jesus Christ from the dead.
That the body OF the founder OF Chris
tianity did not remain In the grave
after the third day is fundamental 10
the gospel as Paul preached II. This
great fact was fundamental plank
In the platform OF the apostles gos-
pei: II was the very keystone OF the
arch OF Christianity. the very core
OF the gospel as he had received and
proclaimed il, and as the Cornthian
Christians had received II. Take away
from Pauls gospel the fact that Chris.
arose from the dead and you have
taken the very heart and core out OF
his message-then II Is nothing but a
painted story. concocted tale; for
the resurrection OF Christ was not
mere appendage TO, but constiw-
tive part OF Paul's gospel message. II
IL be true that no living Christ issued
forth from the tomb Of Joseph. then
that tomb became not only the grave
OF man, but OF a religion. too, with
all the spiritual hopes built upon IT,
and all the splendid enthusiasms Il
has inspired. then the whole gospel
story Is a sham. and unreality, an I'M
posture at it's very heart; then the
platform OF the gospel falls 20 pieces,
and the arch OF Christianity crumbleB
into dust
II you have no Christ risen from
the dead. says the apostle, then on
what does the religion OF Christ rest,
and what reason have We for preach
ing IL? Then our words are empty
sounds. the hopes We have aroused are
idle dreams. our pleas are vain boasts.
our proposals are vain things. our In
tentions are futile plans; indeed, our
whose message and preaching Is
sham. delusion tissue OF false
hoods. an empty phantom. WORTH
less fiction. Instead OF our message
being the proclamation OF truth. 1t
is the dissemination Of a lie. for II
Christ be not risen then IN reality
we have no gospel that Is worthy OF
the name-our message Is but a vain,
worthless empty sham. Is this cred
ible?
II. Your Faith Is Vain.---If Christ DO
not risen, II he remained IN the grave.
then you have put faith in the wrong
person and in the wrong thing, for II
Christ did not rise. az he said. then
he was nothing less than false proph-
ct. betrayer, a blasphemer who had
suffered death justly. It is utterly
worthless and useless 10 put your
trust in one whose word has so utter
ly failed. To build your hopes OF one
whose most solemn assertions have
fallen TO the ground would be moth
ing less than sheer madness. such an
act would not be faith but creduli,y;
then such person as the Lord Jesus
Christ disappears. and you have moth
ing left but a man like ourselves in
whom to believe.
III. Yet In Your sins.--It Is here
acknowledged that Christ alone can
save from sins. but II he could not
save himself from sins power how can
he save the sons OF men from iig guilt
and dominion? Christ himself dia.
tlnctly taught that his death had To-
demption value, and that his resur.
rection from the dead would be proof
positive Of this fact The apostle
Paul. also. says that Christ died for
our sins. and was raised again for our
| Justification Rom $3.50 But II
| Christ himself Is still under the power
OF death. which Is the wages of sin.
how. then. can he release others from
the payment OF that debt? Then
his death has no redemptlye value.
II Christ remained IN the grave then
humanity has no redeemer. man has
no Saviour: the guilt and power OF sin
has not been removed. men are no.
pardoned. sinners are not justified. the
SHINING and sinful race is still under
the guilt and condemnation Of sin and
exposed 10 the Just wrath OF a right
eoua God against sin and sinners. Thea
freedom from condemnation 10 unreel.
the sense OF forgiveness is sham. tbs
/ consciousness 81 pardon for sin r. ine
greatest delusion