Church, Bear Witness to the Resurrection

Does the church today bear witness to truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ? The whole of the New Testament bears witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and how many churches today cry, “We want to be a New Testament church.”. But when we turn to the preaching of the contemporary church where is Christ preached as resurrected and ascended except in some pulpits at Easter?

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John bear witness to the certainty of the resurrection of Christ (Mt.28:1-20; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-53; John 20:1-21:25). The book of Acts is the unfolding of the disciples and apostles ministry of proclaiming Christ as raised from the dead and reigning in heaven. “The Epistles depend entirely on the assumption that Jesus is a living, reigning Savior who is now the exalted head of the church, who is to be trusted, worshiped, and adored, and who will some day return in power and great glory to reign as King over the earth.” (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology)
If we preach Christ then we must preached Christ as raised and reigning and if we worship Christ then we must worship Christ as raised and reigning. As the apostle Paul says, “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (1Cor.15:14)

Is this just an old story or a doctrine that promotes the churches comfort, joy and courage? Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield in his sermon, “The Risen Christ”, says, “O the comfort, O the joy, O the courage, that dwells in the great fact that Jesus is the Risen One, of the seed of David; that as the Risen One He has become Head over all things; and that He must reign until He shall have put all things under His feet. Our brother, who has like us been acquainted with death, He it is who rules over the ages, the ages that are past, and the ages that are passing, and the ages that are yet to come. If our hearts should fail us as we stand over against the hosts of wickedness which surround us, let us encourage ourselves and one another with the great reminder: Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David! (2Timothy 2:8)