He is risen. All right. Did I win that one? Okay, because I got a bet with one of my daughters that I was like. If I say he's risen, our people, they're just going to cheer like they're ready. They're they're excited. And she thought that everybody knows the traditional response where he is risen indeed. So I won the first service. I won the second service. You didn't know the right answer, but you did. You did the right thing because you did what? I thought this was great. Uh, we should have made higher stakes on this bet. But traditionally, if it's. He is risen. You respond with he's risen indeed. So he is risen. He is risen. I know, I like the cheering, frankly. I'm like, yeah, the people got it. Let's go. Uh, the resurrection. We're here to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So cheering works too. All right. So don't feel like you got something wrong here. Uh. We're excited. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is by far the greatest news in human history. and we have such a reason to celebrate. So on one hand, it's like the resurrection is the greatest news in human history by far. And the resurrection of Jesus Christ is also the most challenging news in human history. Like it presses upon our life and it it calls for something. So hopefully we can we can understand both of those as we get into this, that we understand the good news of it, but also what it's what it's calling us to and how it's challenged us. So, uh, that's where we're going. And I want to start off with just kind of pointing out a powerful little word that really stirs up the imagination, uh, makes you think about the possibilities or the consequences. And the word is if, right? What if like, what if Iowa would have made it to the final four? Like. Or what if I won the lottery? Like, what if I had that much money and like, what would we do? And this the possibilities or, or depending on your stage of life. What if that boy or girl that you like, like likes you too? And then, and what if we get married and have a family kind of sets a trajectory like all these possibilities, but also consequences are on the negative side. What if, what if you get in a car accident today on the way home? What if you get a diagnosis from a doctor? That's not great news. What if our economy crashes? What if war breaks out in our country? Like there's all this like, well, what if, what if? And it kind of like stirs up possibilities and consequences. And here's the question that I want to pose to us this morning is, what if Jesus rose from the dead? Like, what if he actually lived and, and did all those miraculous things and, and was crucified on the cross and, and put in the tomb, but but got up and walked out like, what if Jesus rose from the dead? And what if he didn't? like. What are the implications to this now? Uh, if has a best friend. IF's best friend is then, uh, and they hang out a lot together. In fact, then is more like if's little brother. Like wherever if goes then follows along behind. Because if this happens, then this happens, right? You get that if then situation. If you plant a seed in water at a plant will grow, right? If you press on the gas pedal, the car will accelerate. If your wife is really into baking sourdough bread, then probably in a year she's going to want a mil her own flour, right? He's like, you see it coming? Like if this, then this is going to happen. In fact, we were driving yesterday and I was asking my family in the car, I turned to my wife and I was like, what's some if then situation? What's some if then statements? And she says, well, uh, in geometry proofs, there's if then statements all the time. Like if a triangle has three sides of one hundred and eighty degrees. And I was like, that's all I remember. I kind of blacked out. Like that's that's not the fun conversation I wanted to have. But but if then like comes with math, you know, if x equals five, then y equals like, if this is true, then this has to be true. Like it's just, it's just true. So if Christ rose from the dead, then what? Like, what are those implications now? Sometimes then the word then is shy. Uh, he didn't come right out there. He's kind of an introvert. Um, but but he's there and it's implied. Um, like if you say, like to, to my, uh, grandson, if you mention the word tractor, he's going to want to ride, right? I don't have to say if you mention tractor, then he will want to ride like the thens there. But it's but it's not, it's just implied, like, you know it. And there's a lot of if then statements in the Bible. Um, so, so here's one for you. If you want to be a better Bible student, then learn to pay attention to little words like if and then and for, and so and, but and and like the like they're telling you something. But this word, if it really stirs the imagination, it gets you thinking. Let me show you perhaps my favorite if then statement in the Bible. This is in revelation chapter three twenty. Uh, not three hundred and twenty. It's not that long. Three verse twenty says this behold, I this is Jesus talking. Stand at the door and knock. And then what's the next word? If anyone hears my voice and opens the door. Then it's not there, but it's there. I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me. That's exciting. Like this. Like this promise of like, I'm here for a deeper, intimate fellowship and I'm wanting this. I'm inviting you into this. Now, here's what's interesting about this verse. This invitation is being extended to church people. This isn't like some evangelistic thing to unbelievers. This is a letter written to a church. And the problem going on in it was the church of Laodicea. And the problem going on in the church of Laodicea is they had a bunch of lukewarm people. Do you know what I mean by lukewarm? He's like, you're neither hot nor cold. You're lukewarm, and that makes me sick. I just want to spit you out. Like. Like there's just indifference to God in the church. It's not that they don't believe in God, but there's a lot of indifference towards him. And you know what? Maybe that's our problem too, you know? It's not that you don't believe in the resurrection. I mean, you're here on Easter. You cheered when I said he was risen like you. Like you're there. But. But maybe just the resurrection just kind of lands very lightly upon you. It's like you don't not believe it, but there's not really a. Then it's not making a big difference in your life. I mean, why don't we rent out the Paramount every weekend? Let that sit there. I mean, guys, this is both like look around. Seriously? I mean, I can see you. Okay, so I don't know, like, look around. This is both awesome and an indictment on our devotion. We can't fit in our building that a lot of us sacrifice to get more seats and like, and we can't fit. There's so many people that want to come and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus that we go to rent other facilities just so we can fit. That's awesome. We have to do that once a year. What if we didn't? What if we had to do this every week? What if there was just a demand and an excitement and a devotion that kind of pressed us to respond that way? I mean, what if you opened that door that Jesus is knocking on? What if he responded like, what would that do to your joy? What would that do to your contentment, your peace? What would that do if to our church? What would that do to our community? I mean, that that what if kind of creates some some wonder. And the question really isn't, you know, do you believe that over two thousand years ago, Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose again? The question more is, do you hear the knock of the resurrection on your life now? Because if you believe Jesus rose from the dead, then like what? What's the implication of that? What does the resurrection practically mean for someone who really believes? If you got your Bibles, turn to First Corinthians fifteen. It's not a surprise. First Corinthians fifteen is a chapter all about the resurrection. And we've been there a lot. But there's one verse I want to look at. We're going to look at some other verses, but there's one verse that I want you to see. Now, if you got your phones, turn them on. If you got your Bibles, open them. We don't have a big screen, so we'll put some verses on the screen. But but probably not everything that I'll read, but it's better if you see it. So in first Corinthians fifteen, the one verse we want to look at is verse seventeen. And in verse seventeen, you get some implications. We're going to look at two implications or if then statements about the resurrection of Jesus. Now if you keep reading, you'll get more of them. But we're going to we're going to look at two that you see in verse seventeen. So are you ready? You good? All right. A few of you are. Some of you are hurt because I talked about the paramount thing. We good and lean in. I got we got good news to share. Alright, so verse seventeen, here we go. Here's what he says. And what's the next word? If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. So he's like, if Christ has not been raised from the dead, there's some implications to that. We'll see that the reverse is true too. But he's saying your faith is futile and you're still in your sins. So let's look at the first one first. Your faith is futile. It's it's pointless. It doesn't bear fruit. And Paul is dealing with people who are denying the resurrection. That didn't happen. Not real people don't do that. But what's interesting is they're not denying Jesus. They're not atheists. They have faith. They have faith in Jesus. They just don't buy the resurrection. And you're kind of like, how do you believe in Jesus but don't believe in the things Jesus says? I mean, a lot of people do that. I believe in the Bible, but it's like, well, it says this. Do you believe that? I believe in Jesus? You do. Okay, he said this. Do you believe that? And there's just kind of like, yeah, I believe in Jesus, but I don't they're not buying the resurrection that that's not real. And what it is. It's a this life only faith. Jesus lived a good life. He was a good example. He said good things. He kind of helps us live a better life, like kind of a this life only faith. And a lot of people still practically live that way. A lot of church people still practically live that way. God exists to help me live a better life here, and if he can get me that job or help fix my marriage problems, or heal this sickness like God's existence, is for my prosperity and joy and life now. And it's a this life only faith. But here's what Paul has to say about that. Verse nineteen If in Christ we have hope in this life, only, then it's implied there. We are of all people most to be pitied. That's what he's saying. Like if you have a this life only faith, if you believe in Jesus to help you in this life, we're pathetic. That's what he's saying. Like, if this devotion of ours is just contained to this life, then I feel sorry for us. We should be pitied. Because here's what he goes on to say. This is I'll show you verse thirty two on the screen, but I'll get a running start in verse thirty. He says this. Why are we in danger every hour? Like I'm living a life that's putting my life at risk. All the time. Why am I making those decisions? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. I die every day. Like Paul faced persecution, opposition, imprisonment, beatings. He's like, why am I doing this? If Christ didn't rise from the dead? He goes on in verse thirteen, who says this? What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beast at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, then it's implied. Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die. So he's what he's saying. Like, if Jesus did not raise from the grave, I'm making some poor life choices. Why am I living so sacrificially? Why am I putting myself in so much trouble? Why am I fighting wild beasts if the dead are not raised? Here's this conclusion. We need to make different lifestyle choices like let's eat and drink for tomorrow. We die like we should be most pitied. Like if Christ raised from the dead. It's calling us to a life that other people would look at and think, that's foolish. Why are you doing that? If they don't believe in the resurrection and maybe that's our problem. Maybe we live lives that don't look foolish enough to people who don't believe in the resurrection. And maybe that reveals a lack of our real, genuine belief in the resurrection. And he puts it in this negative way. He's saying like, well, if he didn't rise from the dead, we got to make some different lifestyle choices. It has implications. And if he did rise from the dead, well then eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you die. And this is all that there is. So, YOLO, baby, right? Like make your bucket list. Chase your dreams. Like, do whatever makes you happy. Because this life is going to be over so fast. And that is an attitude that is both prevalent in the church and contrary to the resurrection, is the resurrection is pointing us to something different. It's saying there's more to this life. If Christ did not raise from the dead, we gotta make some different lifestyle choices. But the reverse is true too. If Christ was raised from the dead, then our faith is not pointless. If Christ was raised from the dead, a sacrificial life on mission for him makes sense. Like bring on the wild beasts. Let's fight. Let's. I got something to live for. I got something to die for. I'll put myself in danger every day. This totally makes sense. Like if Jesus rose from the dead, then this kind of sacrificial, missional, radical devotion life completely makes sense. And if Christ rose from the dead people who live for this life only, they are the ones who are to most be pitied. It's like, oh, you have been so devoted, like you have given your life to be able to retire early so you can get twenty years of golf before you think you might die. Oh, that's so sad. You have this dying devotion to spend your weekends at junior high gyms, Json, plastic trophies for your twelve year old, and that's where you're going to find hope. Oh, that's so sad. Like you don't know you're living for this life. Only you're trying to get all the hope and joy out of this life only. That's so sad. In fact, here is how Paul ends the chapter. He says this. Oh, death, where is your victory? Oh death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin. And the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore. So there's an implication to this victory. My beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in what vein? It's not in vain. It's not pointless. It's not futile. It makes sense. It totally makes sense to live that way. In fact, you see this passion in Paul. Let me let me read from Philippians three that talks about the ambition of his life. It's a longer passage, but you'll see it starting in verse seven of chapter three. But whatever gain I had, I counted as lost for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ. The righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know him, and the power of his. What. Resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that sacrificial life that Paul's living. That by any means possible I may attain the. What. Resurrection from the dead. Not that I've already obtained this, or already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus had made me his own brothers. I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. That's Paul's life. Like that's his ambition. Like he's suffering. He's. He's living his life on purpose and on mission. He's like, this makes sense if Christ rose from the dead, but he's also if he didn't, it doesn't. But then he flips it on on us. It's like, does your life make sense if Christ rose from the dead? If you believe that Christ rose from the dead, then it will show in what your life is about. If you believe Christ rose from the dead, that will completely reorder what your life is about. And it's not in vain. He's like, you're not going to regret this someday. Being steadfast and immovable and always devoted to the Lord, it's going to be hard. It's going to be difficult. You're never going to regret it. Like you're not going to get to your end of your life and stand before God and be like, oh, I wish I was less devoted. And I can say, do you believe in the resurrection? And it's Easter, so you're going to cheer? Or if I say, he is risen, you may say, indeed he has. But here's another way to ask that question is the resurrection reordered your whole life? As the resurrection or the resurrected life of Christ changed your life style. And listen, this isn't me. Like, be more committed. Do better. Because I know, like some of you are, like, I haven't seen you since Christmas Eve. You're back here. It's like, now you're just making me feel guilty. Like, aren't you glad I came? And it's just like this tension. Like he's mad at us. It's just do better. That's not what I'm saying. That's not the heart that I'm communicating. Now, you may feel guilty. I'm okay with that. But that's not that's not the intent. Like what I'm what I want to say is like, do you hear Jesus knocking? Like, do you hear the knocking of the resurrection? Do you hear what he's calling you to a life that makes sense, a life of radical devotion, that makes sense that this life isn't all there is, that there's something more like, do you hear the knock of the resurrection? But maybe we should ask this why is Paul living this way? I see fighting beasts and being arrested and persecuted. And we could say like, well, because he believes in the resurrection. I was like, I know. I mean, that's clear. That's the point he's making about, but I want more details than that. Like, what is it about the resurrection that has impacted Paul in a life changing way that should impact us in a life changing way? Flip over to second Corinthians five. You guys are familiar with this passage, but it answers the question. It says, for because the love of Christ controls us, or the love of Christ compels us, it's what's motivating us because we have concluded this, that one has died for all. Therefore all have died, and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who their sake died and was what raised. So he's saying this is this is my motivation behind my devotion. It's the love of Christ. And we're going to color that in a little bit. But like he gave his life for us. So I'm not going to live for myself. I'm going to live for him. But why does Paul mention the resurrection when talking about Christ? Sacrificial love? He doesn't say just that he died. He died and was raised. So how is the resurrection a part of God's love? How is the resurrection of Christ a part of what is stirring up Paul's devotion? Think of it like this let's say you got an enemy and they want you dead and they got a gun and they're going to shoot you dead, and they raise that gun and point it right at you, and they pull the trigger. But somebody jumps in front of that bullet in front of you and takes that bullet and dies. What an amazing act of sacrificial love. Amen. But here's the pickle. Your rescuer is dead, and they got five more shots. Like that's not a great position to be in. On one hand, it's like, wow, what love that you would lay down your life for me. I would say, thank you. You're dead. And I still got a problem. That's a lot different than somebody pointing a gun at you and pulling the trigger and Superman coming down, getting in front. He unloads the gun, all the bullets bounce off him and he go, does his business and takes care of him. That's Jesus Christ. He didn't just die like Colossians two tells us that when he was nailed to the cross, he disarmed the rulers and authorities, bringing them to open shame. His death beat sin, Satan, and death like he took care of business and he rose victoriously. Like that's part of the love of Jesus. Yeah, you can cheer one. One person can. I'm starting to. Starting to feel like, well, I'm more excited than they are, but, uh, some of you claps and me just joined in. This is Romans chapter five. Uh, here's what he says. But God shows his love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since therefore we have been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more. Now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his. What. His life. We have a living Savior. He's alive and our salvation comes through his life. Our life. Our new life in Christ comes through his new life. Uh, this is Hebrews chapter seven. Hebrews chapter seven. He says this, I don't hear any pages turning, but I'll read it to you that. Verse twenty three. The former priest were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office. You know what he's saying? Like, hey, why do we have to have so many priests? Because the ones we have, they keep dying, right? We got to get another one. Why? What happened? The last one, he died. But he, Jesus Christ, holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. Consequently, or as a result, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always. What lives to make intercession for them. He is alive, interceding on our behalf. So you go back to verse seventeen of first Corinthians fifteen, and Paul's making this if then statement. He's saying, If Christ has not been raised from the dead and you're still in your sins, how can he say that? Aren't we forgiven by the blood of Jesus? The sacrifice of Jesus isn't the death of Jesus the propitiation that that saves us from the wrath of God? So why is he saying if he didn't raise from the dead, then we're still in our sins. Look over again. Romans chapter four. I I'll just read it since that's what we're doing anyways. Alright, verse twenty four, it will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our transgressions, so delivered up he was. He was taken to the cross. He was nailed to the cross. His life was given as a result of our transgressions and raised for our. What justification? So he's saying no resurrection, no justification. So what is. What is it about the resurrection that makes it so vital for our forgiveness? Think of it like this. Um, through the resurrection. God has successfully loved us. He has successfully loved us. Or we put it this way, the resurrection of Christ validates the excess of the success of the atonement. Like at the at the resurrection. He's like I told you so. Like it's real. You can trust it. It reminds me of a story in Luke five. Famous story. A lot of you have already heard this. You can go back and read it this afternoon. Luke chapter five. Jesus is teaching. He's healing people. He's getting popular, crowds are gathering, and he's in this house. Uh, and some friends, uh, talk about some good friends. They have a friend who can't walk. He's crippled. So they carry him to Jesus. But when they get there, the house is so crowded, they can't get in. So they're like some problem solvers, like, we're not giving up. These are some good friends. You want these type of friends, like we're just not going home. They climb to the roof, tear open the roof to lower their friend before Jesus. Right. And Jesus is Jesus like problem solvers. I like this, right? So they're lowering their friend before Jesus and just says, Jesus saw their faith. And he said, your sins are forgiven, but you gotta wonder, like, that's nice, but how about my legs? Right? But the Pharisees, when they heard Jesus say this, they got upset because who's the only one who can forgive sins? God. So this is a really offensive statement. Like, who do you think you are that you can forgive sins? Well, Jesus knows the problem in the room. So he turns to them and he says this. What is harder to do, to say to to make a man who can't walk, walk, or to forgive somebody of their sins? Like that's a tricky question because I think both of those exist in the God category. Like only God can do the miracles and only God can forgive sins. So they don't, they don't really know how to answer that question either. But then Jesus turns to the man and he says, so that you know that I have the authority to forgive sins. Take up your mat and walk. And he stands up and walks. But the miracle validated something bigger. The miracle validated his identity. The miracle of helping a man walk pointed to a greater miracle of forgiveness of sins. So when you rise from the dead after being crucified, what he's saying is like, I can do that. I can forgive sins. I'm that guy. I have the authority to do this. And I did it. And Paul's saying like, well, if he hadn't raised from the dead, we're still in our sins. But the reverse is true. If he has raised from the dead, then our sins have actually been atoned for. Now think about that. They're really dealt with. They're really forgiven. They're really done away with. Like there's actual forgiveness. So listen, you can claim to believe in the resurrection of Christ. Or if you claim to believe in the resurrection of Christ, then has the successful love of God hit you? Like I'm really forgiven. My sins have really been paid for. I'm really freed. I'm really adopted. I'm really a new creation in Christ. Like as that hits you because that's why Paul's living differently. That's what's driving him. That's why he's fighting wild beasts in Ephesus and and dying every day. That's like, that's like, no, this lifestyle makes sense because he's compelled by the successful love of God. I'm really a new creation in Christ. I'm really adopted in the family of God. I'm really secured forever. Go ahead and, you know, send out the beast. I'm good. Like his lifestyle made sense. So listen, if we believe in the resurrection of Christ like that happened. He died, buried, rose again, then church. We ought to live like it. We ought to live like this. Life isn't about this life. We ought to live like we actually believe. There's another life coming that's better. And it's forever. And it won't be in vain. And the reason we live like it is because we believe in the resurrection. And to believe in the resurrection is to believe in the successful love of God. He actually dealt with our sins. You are really forgiven. You are redeemed. You are actually adopted and called a child of God. You actually have a future with him forever because of Jesus Christ. That's right. Amen. In church. would hear me. Would that compel us? Because the problem is, like. I don't know if we're compelled. Like Paul saying, I'm compelled by the successful love of Christ. Would it compel us to live lives of devotion? So I'll end. I'll end like this. Some of you need to be challenged in your devotion. Maybe you're lukewarm. It's not that you don't believe in the resurrection. It just hasn't made much of a difference in your life. And you. You have low devotion. You are more devoted to lesser temporary things than the eternal King Jesus. And if that's the case, maybe your joy needs to be challenged. Like you don't act forgiven. You don't act saved. You don't act redeemed. You don't act adopted. You don't act like you have eternity with Christ. And if your joy needs to be challenged and maybe your faith needs to be challenged, do you really believe that Jesus died as an atonement for your sins? And they are all completely paid for? And that he rose victoriously. And that he's living to intercede on your behalf. Do you believe that? And do you believe that he's knocking at your door, asking for greater fellowship, calling for greater devotion that would lead to greater intimacy right now? And here's, here's my prayer church. You would hear the knocking Of the resurrected Christ. Or as Paul puts it in one Corinthians fifteen, wake up from your drunken stupor. Stop being so devoted to lesser things and fallen in love with this world. It's going to be gone and your life is to be pitied. If that's your devotion. But I'm knocking. Like a wood pulpit. What happened to wood pulpits these days? I just want you to hear the knocking. What Jesus is inviting you to. And what if. What if you responded like you left lukewarm living. And you started to act like you had the joy, that you believed your sins were forgiven. And you had the devotion that said, you don't think this life is all there is? What if you responded to Christ that way? What if everybody in this room responded to Christ that way? What would it do to our church? What would it do to our community? What would it do to your joy, your contentment, your peace? Let's pray. Father, I pray that you would indeed wake us up. You are far, far better. Grant us a lifestyle that agrees with the profession of faith that you're not in that tomb. And this life isn't all there is. Grant us a joy that agrees with the profession of faith that our sins are completely forgiven. Pray this in Jesus name. We love Jesus and all God's people said, Amen.