The Washington herald., 1922-04-17
OF HOUR
CENTERS SOLELY
ON RESURRECTION
Rev. Hugh T. Stephenson
Gives Message for
Easter.
By REV. HUGH r. STEVENSON.
Pastor Bethany Baptist Church.

By REV. HUGH r. STEVENSON.
Pastor Bethany Baptist Church.
There can be but one message
for Easter. The thought of the
hour centers about the resurrec-
ton Of Christ Jesus, which Is the
/ theme of Paurs masterful message
in the fifteenth chapter of his first
Epistle to the Corinthians. Vol
umes have been written upon the
subject that demands consideration
from US this morning, The wor1s
that furnish the foundation OF our
message this hour are found in /
/ Corinthians, 1920. But now is
Christ risen from the dead" Far
rar Fenton has translated the text
in these words, But the fact is
that Christ has been raised from
/ the dead which brings before us
/ the truth that the foundation of
Christianity is based upon the fact
that Jesus Christ rose from the
| dead.
Resurrection Il Main Point.
The resurrection of our Lord Is
the citadel of Christianity. The
argument that II is a divine relig-
the faith OF every man and exer-
else authority over his :Ife and con-
science Is oa3sdIupon the triumph
! OF the Lord over the grave. The
/ first heralds If the gospel pivot-d
their message not upon the excel
/ lency of the Masters code o;
ethics or His program to win the
world through His Benevolent mis-
h,,t ~. -
resurrection. They denau1e1 ..llI
| men accept their gospel in their
sermons and epistles because their
| message was verified by :ns rasur-
rection of Jesus. They re- ,Gnizei
as Paul has forcef1t:y put 1t in the
chapter rom whicn our text was
risen from the dead Christianity
had no message. II was not a su-
/ pernatural religion, IL He had moi
risen. Its teachers we're false
witnesses" ITS believers were cred
ulous dupes. and "of all men most
miserable" His resurrection proved
that Jesus was the Son OF God.
verified Beyond Question.
The fact that He was risen was
verified beyond question. The ap-
pearance of Jesus alter Ills vIstory
over death and triumph over the
grave. enumerated by Paul, proved
beyond question hat He had risoa
from the dead. His icitn was at
tested by every known scientific
method. His body Law in the grave
long enough for His nerves, muscle
and mind. under or iinary condi-
tions, to have become a physiolog-
ical wreck. His risen body pre-
scented the appearance Of health
and vigor. 1t preserved the pa
thetic evidences OF its genulnen.ss
IN the sacred scars. that removed
/ the doubts of Thomss. and IN His
partaking of food with HIS dis
ciples. No one can wonder that
the unexpected and rnanticipated
resurrection. which fact rests upon
such evidence that has remained
unimpeached for the centuries of
Christian history, should have
turned the discouraged, depressed
and disappointed dis:.p.as into the
powerful preachers of the gospel
with its foundation fact of the res
direction Of the Lord Jesus.
Evidence Here To-day.
Otner evidence OF MS supremacy
over the grave are with US today.
The Christian churches testify to
the reality OF His resurrection.
There never would have been a
single congregation of Christians,
IL He had not risen. The New
Testament is a result of His vic
tory over the tomb. The observ-
ance each week of the Lords day
and the public worship of the
saints of Christ upon the frst day
o the week testify to the resur-
rection of the Christ. There was
no power in a dead Jesus TO have
created the living and abiding
force of Christianity. Over sixty
generations has passed since that
first Easter morning and the power
of the name of Jesus is greater to-
day than ever before. THE Wait
OF Bethlehem. the Boy of Naza-
reth and the Carpenter of Naza-
reth" has turned the tide of human
history into new channels, and the
pierced hands have lifted the CEN
turtles to swing on new hinges. The
secret of His power is that His
heart has been beating against the
ribs of humanity throughout the
ages. He is the risen. living.
reigning Leader OF His followers.
He is today the living, loving Lord