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IfChristbenotraisedyourfaithisvainyeareyetinyoursins.Ifyouhavequestionsorcom-mentsregardingthismessagepleasee-mailatanointedwordministryymail.com.THIEF6BODYOFCHRISTNEWSAPRIL2011ThismonthChristiansthroughouttheworldwillcelebratetheresurrectionofourLordandSaviorJesusChrist.TheresurrectionofJesusChristfromthedeadistheheartbeatoftheChristianfaithanditsthesinglemostessentialfactthatmakesChristianitydifferentfromanyotherreligion.TheApostlePaulinhislettertothechurchatCorinthasrecordedin1Corinthians15presentsapowerfulargumentindefenseoftheresurrec-tionofJesusChristfromthedead.Paulsargumentpresentsthemostcredibleevidenceacourtoflawwilluphold.Therewereatleast500eyewitnesseswhocouldattesttothevalidityofourLordsresurrectionfromthedead.Aftermakingthiscandidargu-mentPaulreasonedarguablythatifChristbenotrisenfromthedeadthenourfaithisinvainandweChristiansaremostmiserablenottomentionhopeless.ThentheApostlePaulassuredusofthistruththeLordJesusChristisrisenfromthedeadandbelieverscanholdfasttotheirhopeandbeliefbecauseforacertaintyChristisrisenButjustassomeprofessedChristiansinPaulsdaydidnotbelieveintheresurrectionofChristthereareprofessedChristianstodaythatdonotbelieveintheresur-rectionoftheLordJesusChrist.HoweverassureasseedtimeandharvestremainsuntilthisdaytheLordJesusChristisrisenfromthedead.ThisindisputabletruthisdefendedbyPaulashecontinueshisdefenseoftheresurrectionofJesusChristinvs.15sayingYeaIfthereisnoresurrectionthenwearefoundfalsewitnessesofGodbecausewehavetestifiedofGodthatHeraisedupChristwhomHeraisednotupifsobethatthedeadrisenot.Paulisnowposingaquarrelregardinghisowntestimonybeingcredible.OntheroadtoDamascustheApostlePaulencounteredtherisenLordJesusChristsohewasaneyewitnessoftheLordsresurrec-tion.Itwasthiseyewitnessencoun-terthatledtoPaulsconversionfromJudaismtoChristianity.PaulwalkedawayfromaseatontheSanhedrincouncilandhispositionasaPhariseeandwhenyouknowyourestandinguponthetruthyoucanpresentanargumentwithcon-viction.SoPaulcontinuedhisdefenseofChristsresurrectionstatinginvs.16ForifthedeadrisenotthenisnotChristraisedandifChristbenotraisedyourfaithisvainyeareyetinyoursins.PaulresumeshisargumentlettingusknowthatifChristisnotrisenfromthedeadwearestillguiltyofoursinsandourfaithisworthless.WehavenohopeHegoesontosaythentheyalsowhicharefallenasleepinChristareperished.PaulletsusknowifChristisnotrisenthenallthosethathavegoneonordiedbeforeustheyhavesimplyperished.AndifinthislifeonlywehavehopeinChristweareofallmenmostmiserable.Whatacommentaryifthereisnoresur-rectionifChristhasnotrisenfromthedeadweChristiansaremostmiserable.WearemostmiserablebecausethefoundationofourfaithistheresurrectionoftheLordJesusChristfromthedead.EverythingwebelieveishingedupontheresurrectionoftheLordJesusChrist.HeisourPassoverLambtheLambofGodtheLambslainfromtheveryfoundationoftheworldtheMessiahtheAnointedOnetheKingofkingsandtheLordoflordsHeistherisenChrist.HisgraveisemptyAndweChristianshavehopetodaywearenotmostmiserableweservearisenSavior.AndbecauseweservearisenChristthosethathavediedinChristbeforeustheyhavenotperished.InsteadatHissecondcoming1Thessalonians416tellsustheLordHimselfshalldescendfromheavenwithashoutwiththevoiceofthearchangelandwiththetrumpofGodandthedeadinChristshallrisefirstThenwewhicharealiveandremainshallbecaughtuptogetherwiththeminthecloudstomeettheLordintheairandsoshallweeverbewiththeLord.InorderforthesethingstooccurtherehadtohavebeenaresurrectionChristhasrisenandweshallcelebratethatgreatoccasionthisgreatandmarveloushappeningthismonthofApril.TheApostlePauldidnotaddressthismatterinhisdefenseoftheres-urrectionoftheLordJesusChristbutitissomethingthathasbeenonmyheartsincemychildhood.ItsthematteroftheinterfaceoftheEasterbunnyandcoloredeggswiththeresurrectionofourrisenSavior.AlthoughhedidnotmentionthisIcanalmostheartheApostlePaulproclaimingGodforbid.TocoupletheEasterbunnyandcoloredeggswiththeresurrectionoftheLordJesusChristshouldbeforbiddenbyChristians.EasterorPassovermoreappropriatelyshouldbethehighestmostmeaningfulorsacredholidayoftheChristianfaithandweshouldinnowisedimin-ishtheholinessofthisholydaybyincludingaheathensecularworldlytraditionaspartofourcelebration.Thinkaboutitbunniesorrabbitsdonotlayeggssowhatisthecon-nectionbetweenthebunnyandcol-oredeggsTheconnectionisthisthebunnyandcoloredeggsareadistractionsomethingtodistracttheworldfromthetruthoftheresurrec-tionoftheLordJesusChrist.Isntitamazinghowthedevilalwaysintro-ducesalieanuntruthtodiminishthetruthandinthisinstancethetruthisthatweservearisenSavior.TheApostlePaulconcludedhisargumentindefenseoftheresur-rectionofourLordandSaviorJesusChristinlCorinthians1520withthesewordsButnowisChristrisenfromthedeadandbecomethefirstfruitsofthemthatslept.GodblessyouandwetrulyservearisenSaviortuallygetsickandinfirmbutletsputthatoffaslongaspossibleandalsoletstrynottodiebeforeourtime.ByGodsgraceweneedtonotrobour-selvesofthemoreabundantlifeItisasadfactthatintheworldtodaytoomuchoftheillnessweseeisduetodeadlychoicesandunhealthylifestyles.Considertheleadingriskfac-torsforillhealthontheglobetodayhighbloodpres-sureelevatedbloodsugarobesityphysicalinactiv-itytobaccousealcoholanddruguseunbridledsexualactivityandincreasedcholesterol.Suchriskfactorsaretherootcauseofheartattackstrokesvisuallossamputationskidneydiseaseliverdis-easesomecancersviolencedepressionstresssexuallytransmitteddiseaseHIVinfectionandAIDS.Allofthistremendousmortalityandmorbiditycanbeheavilyimpactedbylifestylechangesandjustmakingbetterchoices.Wecanchoosewiselyandlivelongerandbetterorwecandootherwiseandexperi-encepreventablepainandsuffering.TheLordisnotgoingtosenddownalegionofangelstoforceustomaketherightchoicesthedecisionofhowtoliveisleftuptous.IhopeyouneversaytoyourdoctororevenyourfamilyYouhavegotodieofsomethingIcantellyouthatnoonewillappreciatewhatyouaresaying.InadditionifthereissomeoneclosetoyouarelativeorevenjustafriendtryingtogetyoutochangeadeadlyhabitoraskingyoutogetacheckupdowhattheyarerequestingDontbethethiefandrobyourselfofgoodhealthandyourfamilyofyourpresence.MayGodblessyouandgiveyouamoreabundantlife.PaulreasonedarguablythatifChristbenotrisenfromthedeadthenourfaithisinvainandweChristiansaremostmiserablenottomentionhopeless.ThentheApostlePaulassuredusofthistruththeLordJesusChristisrisenfromthedeadandbelieverscanholdfasttotheirhopeandbeliefbecauseforacertaintyChristisrisenPastorJoyceEdwards...continuedfrompage5ByPastorJoyceEdwardsTheResurrectionSCRIPTURE1Corinthians1517JoyceEdwards