Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead

1Co 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
Well good morning dear friends, I believe that you might have thought that I have fallen off the face of the earth. I took a vacation with my wife and child since we had spring break together. As I stated in my last post last Monday I would write to you when I returned about the adventures that we had. On Monday I traveled to my parents house in Alabama to visit with them and other family members. My daughter enjoyed it greatly as she was able to see her uncle and cousins, while visiting with my brother she was able to ride on a bulldozer while he was clearing land for his church building! She was all smiles as she though that was the coolest thing in the world! Then we had a couple of good days of fellowship, then it was time to get back home for Wednesday night services at Calvary Baptist! Well this Sunday was another excellent Sunday as God blessed our services with a visitor that the Preacher and a few of us men have been praying for, she is a Jewish women who wants to know more about Jesus and from what I heard yesterday it moves my heart to know that Holy Spirit is working on her because she went to the alter. I will ask that you continue to pray for her as she has not made a decision yet to accept the Lord as her personal Savior that we know of. We also had another wonderful day in Jr.Church the children were attentive and they are starting to understand an order to worship I even had one little girl ask if we could sing a song after we take up offering like "big church". We had new member fellowship last night and it was a great time in the Lord, everything was very peaceful as everybody enjoyed all the good food, and even the children were sitting down nicely! I look forward to this upcoming Sunday, as it is Resurrection Sunday, the day our Lord and Savior rose from the tomb as He promised He would! I have been reading in 1 Corinthians last night about the resurrection and how Paul disputed with some of those that still did not believe in the Lords resurrection, Paul asks them this question...v13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: v14 and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Glory to God I stand upon His Holy Word, that what the scriptures says about the Lord Jesus Christ is true! Now friends I want you to understand that even in this one thing some of the Corinthians were having trouble understanding the true Christian faith, that is the following attributes to the gospel message:

• Christ was born of a virgin as was prophesied
• Christ lived a sinless life, preaching and teaching of Salvation through the only begotten Son of God for the remission of sins
• Christ died on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the whole world that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life
• Christ was buried
• Christ was resurrected HALLELUJAH, and seen of many Christ has ascended to the right hand of God as our high priest and is awaiting the appointed time to return again

You see friends most of the Corinthians believed all the above aspects, but for some reason could not grasp the resurrection, but if you look at what the Bible says then it only makes sense... to believe all the things about Christ, but not to believe in the resurrection makes everything else void. We must believe all things that the Bible says about the gospel message, for without Christ rising from the dead then how can He come again to set up His kingdom for eternity? Friends I want you to understand that this is the gospel message, this is why the Lord went to the cross of Calvary willingly suffering shame, and dying for you and I that are so undeserving. Christ died for us that we might have eternal life through the shedding of His blood, the perfect Lamb of God, the ultimate sacrifice which no man could accomplish! Friend the Bible says that if you believe with your heart, and confess with your mouth, then thou shalt be saved! Know this also friend that if you have believed this gospel message, then your new life in Christ begins today. With that new beginning know that you are eternally secured, you are a child of the King, and your walk with the Lord begins. I hope this has encouraged you to see that my preaching is not in vain, and that your faith is not in vain if you put your trust in Christ and Christ alone!