The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1941-04-05
S e r M 0 n E T 7 E S
Featured by
SHEL0H KHALL'S
ELECTRIC CHOIR
Simpson Turner, Speaker
SHALLILIVE AGAIN?

Everything that has life must die:
Every flower in the field, every blade
of grass, every mighty oak, every
beast of the forest, every bird of the
air, every fish of the sea that has ever
been endowed with the gift of life
must sometime give it up. The birth
of the child is the beginning of the
death of man. While we are fearing
and worrying seeking an escape
death, like a thief in the night. strikes
its tragic blow
Science is still investigating, the
critics are still bordering, the prophets
and the apostles ask the question, eff
man dies shall he live again? If L
fail to live then the destiny of man is
completed in this world. Enjoyment
is the chief aim of human existence
and man has only to play the fool. Vir-
tue becomes guarded by vice, might
rules instead of right, civilization is of
no avail, literature, art, and music can
never be known and wisdom a mere
phase of mythology.
There could be no encouragement in
labor, no strength against temptation,
no consolation in sorrows, no perfec-
ton beyond, no joy in friendship, no
value in fellowship and no resting
nlace for love and peace on this earth.
If fail to live then there is no soul in
man and man of all creatures becomes
most miserable. Then man is no higher
than an animal and the purpose of life
becomes defeated. Then there is moth
ing good or bad and no such thing as
right and wrong. Man would be
prompted by each desire within and be
compelled without restraint to cater
to that desire without reason or choice.
Then man is neither innocent or guilty
but simply fortunate or unfortunate.
If l fail to live then the work of
Calvary was all in vain. What is this
procession that's moving on? A crowd
gathers around a Saviour laden with a
heavy cross. The weight and cares of
this world weight it down, heavier and
heavier-so heavy that the physical
body loses its strength. An Ethiopian
shares its weight and keeps moving
through the sneers and jeers.
A cross is lifted on the top of the
hill. 1t beseeches the liar, the thief,
dIunkard, adulterer, blasphemer, the
prosecutor, the jealous, the envious,
to destroy this body so that in return
he may have the strength to destroy
the sin. He laid down his life as He
alone could do and to answer the
question. if a man dies shall he live
agaln.-He goes back and takes up
His life and gives to Job the answer.
For | know that my Redeemer liveth
and that He shall stand at the
latter day upon the earth and though
after skinworms destroy this body, vet
in my flesh shall I see God" Luke pic
tured Him not the God of the dead but
the God of the living, and Isaiah the
prophet answers the question, "The
dead men shall live together, with my
dead body shall they rise"
must not fail to live for there is
glorious cOnsummation. Behold I show
you mystery. We shall all sleep but
in that sleep shall we be changed. It
will take but moment, just the twink
ing OF the eye when the last trumpet
shall sound and all that is dead shall be
raised incorruptible; for this corrupt
ible shall take on interruption and this
mortal shall take on immortality. And
when this corTuptible shall have put on
interruption and this mortal shall have
put on Immortality, then shall be
brought to pass the saying that written
Death, oh death, where is thy sting?
Grave, oh grave, where is thy victory
The grain Of corn must wither and
die so that its kernal can rise to new
life, so that it can form that chain of
continuous life-Y es-so that it can
live again. That which thou sowest,
thou sOwest not to that body but to
bare grain perchance of wheat, but
God gives it a body as he pleaseth. Of
what use is this grain that is withered-
that is aged, that is dying except it die
and be buried so that it can rise again
into newness of life. 1t has taken on
death to guarantee life, it has accepted
death In order to obtain more life, it
has fOrsaken life for more abundant
life. Its kernal grew tired of its coat,
tired of its prison and in seeking its
freedom it found a new life A
resurrected life.
" II 10 Will ICollIIeCIlOH VI Iue uedu
1t is sown in corruption, it is raised in
interruption, 1t is sown in dishonor, it
is raised in glory,-It is sown in weak
ness 1t Is raised in power,-It is sown
in natural body, it is raised in a spiri-
tual body.
If man dies shall he live again? The
sun rises to set and it sets to rise again
flower blooms because a flower dies
all life points to death and death to
resurrected life. Time ends where eter-
nifty begins-Time closes the old Book
Eternity opens the new boOk-Time
stands Sufficiently marches on.
ILL.,. S...\ IL