Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-01-04


fllment. even to
the very letter. OF all these claims.
Christ bases his right to divine recog
milton. He claimed that II was his
prerogative to forgive sin: that he was
the only way to God: that outside OF
him there was no peace and no way
OF access to the Father: that unless
he was trusted and believed In with a
whole heart there was absolutely no
hope of seeing heaven: that he was
the divinely appointed Redeemer OF
the world. and that the worlds re
demptlon and salvation depended alb
solutely upon him alone: that the
power OF life and death was In his
hands; and that all the Old Testament
predictions received their fulfllment
In him. So strong were these claims
that on one occasion the Jews were
sign showest thou us II thou be all
that thou claimest to be?" In answer
to this challenge. Christ referred to
his resurrection and said. III | do not
rise again from the dead. do not be.
ileve my claim" On his resurrection
therefore. Jesus Christ based the vim
dication OF all his claims-as Paul
says. He was declared to be the Son
OF God by his resurrection from the
dead" So long as Christ's resurrec-
ton remains an accredited fact OF his
tory. then that Galilean peasant.
Jesus OF Nazareth. 10 indeed and in
truth the Son Of the Most High God
and the Saviour OF the world
Christs enemies realized the i'm
portance OF Jesus resurrection. and
because OF this. bribed the soldiers to
say that the disciples came and stole
away his body.
What a comfort the resurrection is
to tho believer. who has placed his
hope and confidence in the life TO
come In Jesus Christ the Savior OF the
world. The world may deride. and
mock. and sneer. and ridicule. but the
believer exciaims, Il know that my
Redeemer liveth." and this is ample
evidence that the believers faith has
not been misplaced.
II. The resurrection OF Christ Is a
guarantee OF our own resurrection.
Paul's thoughtful and inspired infer
ence from Christs resurrection is
this: because he lives. We shall live
also" In the words OF DR. Parker.
the apostle is continually simplifying.
Place an acorn In his hand and imme-
diately he feels the weight of a
mighty oak Give him one little bulb
and Immediately you have touched the
fountains OF his eloquence and he de-
scribes gardens and paradises and
heavens Paul saw the whole In the
part-he saw our resurrection In
Christ. II Christ rose from the dead
then the graveyard is not permanent
thing. The apostle will have every
little child brought back The resur-
rection shall be accompanied by a
shout--does this shout intimate or sig.
Nifty the spirits leaving heaven and go
ing TO the graveyard claiming their
bodies? Who knows?
without the resurrection OF Christ
there is no certainty OF our own resur.
rection and that OF our loved ones. II
Christ be not risen then all who have
died have persisted eternally. Then
we have no hope OF seeing those who
have gone before. But we have
better hope than that because |
live. We shall live also" AS In Adam
all die. so In Christ shall all be made
alive. For ~ the dead rise not. then
Il not Christ raised"
Firm and fast as the grave now
seems to held the bodies OF our dear
loved ones. II is now doomed as
fruit OF Christ's resurrection. and will
be compelled one day to relax its
grasp. and yield them up 10 us again.
Empty as was Joseph's sepulchre
when the angel stood before II. SO
shall one day be every grave on earth.
when another angel shall sound his
trumpet and II shall ring through all
the regions Of the dead. and still all TO
life again.
III. The resurrection Of Christ man.
,fests his victory over death and the
grave.
Up 70 this sima A~a.s'