Everything Will Be Okay (Easter Sunday) - 1 Corinthians 15:14-20

As is tradition, let me just. Say he is.

Risen, Amen. That could be the.

Sermon right there, but I want to at least offer some thoughts

behind that declaration of the power of the risen Christ.

And we'll start just by looking at a.

Passage of Scripture that that. Very phrase comes from so if you

have a Bible, we are going to do a time in the word in Luke

chapter. 24 and. If you don't, we'd.

Love to get you a Bible, but we'll have the.

Word words on the screen it says this moment in.

History that we celebrate. Today accounted.

By the Gospel writer. Luke in chapter 24, now on the

first day of the week. Very.

Early in the morning, they and certain other women with them

came to the tomb, bringing the. Spices which they had prepared,

but they. Found the stone, rolled away

from the tomb, then they went in and did not find the body of the

Lord Jesus, and it happened. As they were greatly perplexed

about this. That behold, 2 men stood by them

in shining garments, then as they were afraid, and bowed.

Their faces to the earth. They said to them.

Why do you seek the? Living among the dead, He is not

here, He is risen. And those 3 words change the

course of human history and we are now celebrating with the

global. Church who has put their.

Faith in the. Power of the Savior of the

world. Conquering death.

He has risen and it's a beautiful message.

It's a message that is almost daunting to.

Share with you because. What can I add?

This is a global. Celebration around the world.

And as I was thinking about this morning, I thought of.

The. Very best Easter message I've

ever heard in my life. And it did not come from an

Easter morning sermon. It didn't even come from a

pastor preaching A sermon. It came as a question was.

Asked to a pastor that I find very.

Helpful. It's a question that I think.

All of you wrestle with. Whether you know it or not, and

the question was simple. What would you say to people?

In such uncertain times to give them hope.

And the reason that question is so important is because I know

that right now I. Preach.

In the midst of an uncertain time in human.

History. There's just.

Uncertainty in in our air right now with wars and rumors of wars

and uncertain economy and all of the uncertainties that.

Don't just exist out there, but they exist right here.

That some of you brought uncertainty in this sanctuary.

You can't. Push pause for Easter, you have

to deal with the. Things in your life that burn in

your heart and plague your mind. And if that isn't you right now,

I promise you, you're going to leave this sanctuary.

You're going to walk into a world that.

Awaits you. With uncertainty, troubling

news, difficult circumstances, hard diagnosis to hear about,

and so the question of what? Do you tell people?

In the midst of uncertainty is the question that everybody

should be wrestling with, and that's what I love.

What this pastor said, he said very.

Simply if the resurrection of Jesus conquering the.

Grave is true. Then everything is going to be

OK. And that's the reality.

We we come here for those of. You who believe that the.

Resurrection of Jesus conquering from the grave.

Is true. You come here with incredible.

Hope, praise the living. God who conquered the enemy of

death. And yet that message is never

delivered in such a way that people just hear it and they're

like, OK, well then I'll just take that and everything will be

OK. I know that there will.

Be people who hear the message of Jesus.

Conquering the grave this morning and and will still feel

uncertain and that is nothing new the passage of.

Scripture I just. Read Luke chapter. 24 is

actually the message of that. Great news.

He has risen, entering into a story of uncertainty and people

wrestling with their uncertainty.

It didn't. It didn't cure it in an instant.

As we read, the women were. Greatly perplexed.

They were bringing spices to anoint a dead.

Body. They weren't sure of the shining

white men that they saw what was happening, and then they were.

Told to go tell. The others and look.

What the others? Say in verse 11, as the women

give the report, the tomb is empty and their words seem to

them like. Idle Tales the.

Disciples hear this and they were like this seems like

nonsense and they did not believe them.

The story will continue to give another scene on the Easter

morning of some disciples that were just on their journey back

home Rd. to Emmaus and Christ. Will appear to them.

And he will meet them in. All sorts of hopeless loss.

In fact, as they. Give a report for why they're

so. Down and heavy.

Hearted, it says. They were hoping that it was.

He Jesus. Who is going to redeem Israel?

They were hoping. Hope's lost, it's gone.

And the message. Reaches this.

Morning in this sanctuary, in this moment of world history.

In the exact same way. Great news, uncertain times, and

wrestling with doubt. In fact, right now, if the

numbers hold true, there's only a certain number of you.

That actually believe this with all of your hearts.

Listen to a recent. Survey.

It says that 66. Percent of Americans believe the

biblical accounts of Jesus physically raising.

As accurate. So we got about two out of

three. People in our country that say

this is a moment in history. But here's why this.

Statistic is interesting. It goes on to say only about.

Half of that number. Strongly believe it.

So they believe it. As a moment of.

History, they just don't believe it with their life.

And welcome to Easter morning around the.

World, you believe it. Some of you as a moment of

history, a nice pat on the back once a year, as a moment of

religion or tradition. You just don't believe.

It with your life. And so for.

That that reality the. Wrestling.

That must happen. I find it worth our time this

morning to not. Just celebrate the reality of

the. Resurrection, but also consider

if the resurrection wasn't true. If the way you lived your life

is though. Easter is just another day on

the calendar to get, you know, dressed up and take family

photos and then go on as if you don't actually strongly believe

it has any implications for your.

Life, what is that? Message if the message.

Of Easter is that? If Jesus.

Conquered the grave. Everything's OK then the message

that Jesus didn't conquer the grave is that nothing's going to

be OK. And I say that.

With confidence because as we look.

For. A biblical account of the

resurrection in the word we don't only find.

History of resurrection. We also find philosophy of

resurrection so Luke chapter 24 and the other gospel accounts

Luke 24 · chapter mention

give us an amazing history eyewitness history of the

resurrection as a. Historical reality.

And we find other moments of Scripture that help people

wrestling with whether or not the resurrection is actually

necessary for your life. So there's a letter that we

call. First Corinthians, and it was

written to a church wrestling with how important the

resurrection actually was to the Christian faith.

Is it possible just to like the? Ideas and gather in this way and

not be so. Serious about this?

Moment in history and and. For that philosophical thought.

Experiment. We're going to find a couple

alternative endings to the story that hang over your head this

morning. Either the resurrection happened

or it didn't. If it happened, everything's OK.

If it didn't. Here's what the philosophical

alternative offers you. First, first.

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

Corinthians chapter 15 If Christ is not risen, then our preaching

is empty, and your faith also is empty.

And he goes. On to say yes.

And we are found false witnesses of God.

That's a heavy accusation. If I'm standing up here saying

he is risen and you reply saying he's risen indeed and he isn't.

We're all false witnesses. And the message?

That. Follows this message the.

Therefore, how to live? Is also empty in other.

Words if the. Tomb is not empty.

The. Christian message is and

everything that we do, no matter how nice it may be, the

preaching and the singing and the nice gathering and the

photos that you take. They are.

All empty and meaningless. Here's how one theologian put it

The person and work of Christ are the rock upon which the

Christian religion is built. If he is not.

Who he said he was. And if Jesus did not do?

What he said he. Had come to do, namely to pay

for the sins of the world by dying on the cross and

conquering the conquering death by rising on the third day.

If this never happened, the foundation is undermined and

the. Whole superstructure will

collapse if the. Resurrection doesn't happen.

This is all one big House of. Cards that should topple.

Over and so I. Paused there because some of

you. No doubt, and I say that with

confidence because I'm here on most Sundays and you're not.

I have a pretty good read on what this place usually looks

like. And I know.

We got some visitors. And in your.

Visitation you probably. Don't return because of

critiques and skepticism. Which are probably valid.

There's all sorts of good critiques of the church.

And the modern church and the way.

All of this looks. But none of them matter unless

you have the foundational critique and skepticism.

So let me help you understand why you shouldn't.

Come back the critique. Should not be.

That you just, You like Jesus, you just.

Don't like Christians? I hear that because you know

Christ in, in, in in an operation that is a mystery to

me. Gives much of His glory for us

to share with the world. And we don't do that perfectly.

And if you don't like Christians, welcome to the.

Club. We often don't like each other

and that's why we get together once a.

Week to talk. Through our differences and

honor God as He works on us with grace.

But that cannot be the primary critique, because if Christ

didn't rise, it doesn't matter. All of this is empty.

You also cannot have the critique.

That you you like the idea. And the gathering in the

community, and maybe even the songs.

You just don't like the narrow moral.

Ethics that Jesus teaches his followers to walk down if

Christ. Rose from the grave.

Is he? If he stands alone as the only

human to ever conquer death and create a movement around his

resurrection, you might want to listen about how he.

Teaches us to live life. And your critique cannot be What

about all the other great religions of the world?

This is a good way. For some of you.

Who believe it, but there are lots of good ways.

And I I ask you to consider this this morning.

Christianity alone stands on the claim.

That our leader. Savior and Lord is resurrected

and alive and it in doing so it. Separates itself from every.

Other worldview or religion that you can find or consider if you

find. The ashes of Buddha.

You can continue in your pursuit of Nirvana through Buddhism.

The movement rolls on. If you.

Find the supposed grave. Site of the Prophet.

Muhammad, you can continue in your study of the Quran and

there is not an issue. With his dead body.

The movement rolls on. If you.

Found by the Revelation. Of God the burial.

Place of Moses you can continue to.

Practice the Levitical law. And ceremonies.

Judaism rolls on, as with every other religion that you will

find apart from Christ. But the believers in Jesus alone

have staked the claim that the tomb is empty.

And if it isn't, then Christianity is.

If. Christ is dead, then

Christianity is a dead end. And for those of you who are

visiting, you, pick the perfect weekend actually.

Because it all. Rises and falls on the

resurrection, and if the resurrection doesn't happen, you

don't have to come back next Sunday.

Enjoy the rest of your Sundays. Buy a good self help book.

And move on with your. Life because.

All of this is meaningless if Christ did not rise.

The Christian message is empty and a waste of your time.

And he goes on to say, because there are other implications of

what we are celebrating. That require a resurrected

savior. Namely, something that hangs

over all of your heads and exists in all of your hearts and

minds as trouble in your life. And that is?

How do you deal with? Sin.

Yes, sin on a Sunday morning at church.

The. Apostle Paul goes on to write If

Christ is not risen, risen. Your faith is.

Futile and you are. Still.

In your sins, this is a fundamental.

Problem for your life. And there.

Is a pursuit that all of us are. On whether you know it or not to

try to cleanse ourselves from the weight of.

What the Bible calls. Our unrighteousness that you

were made. To live.

A certain way and honor God and love others and all of us have

broken that in the early 1900's, the times of London.

So London's. Newspaper of the day.

Sent out a question. To the the.

Thinkers the thought. Leaders of their city.

And it was very simple. What is wrong with the world?

It's probably a question all. Of us have wrestled with as well

what is. Wrong with this world that just

seems to be breaking all around us.

And being a newspaper, I'm sure they expected to get, you know,

long form. Essays or prose about.

You know, all of the things that we typically answer as the.

As the real. Problems of the World the.

The chaos of politics. The empty promises of

politicians, the uncertainty of the economy, the.

The coach. That has LED your team astray.

Social media and all the problems of our day.

And yet there was 1 clear answer that stood apart from the rest.

It's simply said by the famous Christian thinker GK Chesterton.

Dear Sirs. I am and in.

Those two words, the. Problem of the world is, I am.

It's me. He diagnosed the problem with

his city and his country and our city and our country and every

city and every country and every part of the world, including.

Your part of the. World, the problem is sin.

The problem is, as much as we wish it was just out there and

someday we could with human effort and ingenuity.

Solve the problems. Of the world.

The problem is, in every human heart there is a nature that

goes against the design. The problem is that we have all

sinned and fallen short. Of God's glory.

You have all been sinned against, which I don't have to

spend a lot of time explaining. You all believe that, and you

have all sinned against others and every religion and every

worldview and most of your daily comforts and pursuits are trying

to reconcile with how to make right with that.

And once again we find ourselves this morning celebrating a

unique amongst all religions answer to the problem of sin.

Most of us. Default to some sort.

Of. Self-righteous pursuit of.

Cleansing ourselves, Do a little bit more good than bad.

Promise we'll never do it again. Reckon with you know, we're

we're better than the next guy over.

Or give ourselves to to these religious.

Duties that make us. Feel like good people.

And all of. That is world religion.

And then there is one solution that stands unique to the

Christian faith, which is God himself will meet humanity in

their filth of sin and reconcile sin for them.

This is the gospel message that God sent his Son into the.

World that, whoever. Would believe in him, wouldn't

perish from sin. And this is the Good Friday

message you do not get to. Easter.

Without passing through Good Friday where we remembered.

That the perfect sacrifice. The Lamb of God paid the penalty

for our sin by dying on the cross, and we call it.

Good because it gives. Us the solution to the

fundamental we need. We have to be cleansed.

But. If he did not rise, then he did

not save you. A dead savior.

Cannot help you, doesn't. Matter how loud you.

Sing or how nice. You look at the gathering or how

hard you believe if he paid the price.

For sin and stayed dead, then the penalty for sin will.

Kill you too. And so there is no hope in the

Christian message, and there is no.

Hope that there's a. Solution for sin.

And because of that, there is no hope for something else that

looms over the sanctuary right now.

Every single one of you have to reconcile this, and every single

one of you. Have probably done your.

Best to not think about it today and that is the.

Reality that there. Is a coming day.

Where you have to. Face your own mortality.

We call it death. And the apostle Paul says in

verse 18 then? Also if.

Christ has not risen. Those who have.

Fallen asleep in Christ. Have perished.

Now just that one statement is. Full of theology.

And Christian tradition, because he says if Christ hasn't risen,

if you've fallen asleep, putting your faith in him, you're

perished. Falling asleep is.

How he describes death. And that is a Christian

tradition that has become so powerful that it creeps into all

of our language every time you use the word cemetery.

Cemetery is just. A way to say.

Resting place, and to say resting place, is a profound

statement of faith that death is not the end.

And yet, if death has not been defeated, death is in fact the

end. The word says.

If Christ isn't risen, then when you die you're perished.

Parishes it means. Expired for good.

You guys have non perishable food.

You put it in the pantry and it doesn't expire.

You can eat it. You know when the big one hits.

But perishable. Has an expiration date and then

it's gone for good and that is your life.

Except, of course. That there's something inside

every one of our hearts that. Refuses to believe that the

Bible says that God has. Written eternity on our hearts

this. Is why death always.

Seems untimely and unfair, and it's also why maybe the best.

Delivery of the resurrection. Hope that I ever give is not on

Easter but it is at the funeral and I have done countless

funerals as. The pastor of this church.

Days that look much like today. People looking nicer than they

usually do coming to memorialize someone they love.

With. Flowers on the stage and a

message of hope and I can tell you this, the funeral always

brings in the mixed bag of people and they were always

indiscriminate in the message that they long for that there is

some sort of. Hope for the sorrow of the loved

loss, everybody. When you're looking at death in

the face, eternity written on your heart, everybody knows that

death is not supposed to win. That there is supposed.

To be something that we can do, to encourage.

Each other with tears of sorrow. That death is not the end.

And yet, if Christ didn't raise, where do you get such hope?

If the, if the. Message that God sent his son

into the. World to conquer death.

And he in fact did conquer it. If that's just a myth or a

legend or a nice idea, then death will defeat you.

And when you die? Your perish and.

That bleeds into now, the final way that this alternative ending

to the Easter morning has implications for your life,

whether you believe it or not. If Christ didn't raise.

Not only do you have no hope for sin and no hope for death, you

also have no. Hope for life itself, the

Apostle. Paul goes on to say, If in this

life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the

most pitiable. If you come here and you like,

you know, the warm feeling that you get and the encouragement

that you know, there's some story beyond the grave, but it

isn't. True, the word says.

This morning. That the world should feel

sorry. For you that your mind has been

convinced of something. That would give you hope, but is

actually hopeless. And I have to say, I've heard it

said, And maybe you've felt this way in your own life.

Maybe you think this now as you come to church with a.

Take it or leave it attitude. I've heard it said that you

know, even if Jesus is a a myth of history passed down through

well meaning religious people. Even if the the Easter message

is more legend, surely there are some great things about his

teachings that we can all enjoy. Surely when you when you hear

the profound. Truth of the.

Sermon on the Mount and how we should treat one another and

love one another and sacrifice for one another.

Surely we can just stake our lives on that and move on,

whether it's true or not. If you feel that way, the word

this morning says you are a. Fool that should get pity.

And it stands to reason for anyone who.

Actually takes the. Teachings of Jesus, the come and

follow me invitation of Jesus. Seriously, it does not work for

this life only. If.

You read the Sermon on the Mount and you hear.

His call for his people to look all.

Together, different in the way. They have radical love.

Even for enemies that if an enemy were to slap you on one

cheek, you could turn the other if an enemy were to.

Ask for your shirt. You give them your coat.

Also, if an enemy required you to go one mile and carrying

their bags, you go too. And he makes it all make sense

by saying don't. Store up treasures.

On Earth, they're going to be destroyed.

They're going to rust. They're going to be.

Stolen. Live everything you have and

store up all your treasures and all your hope and all your.

Payoff for the. Eternal Kingdom if there is no

eternal Kingdom. If this life.

Is all you have and it's gone in the blink of an eye.

Then you would be a fool. To live.

For a hope beyond now. And that is what the conclusion

that First Corinthians 15 brings us to.

He says if the dead do not rise, then and therefore let us eat

and drink for tomorrow. We die.

You may not like hearing this. But it's a reality.

Life is a blink of an eye, and if there is no hope beyond the

grave, it will come and go with nothing but meaningless

pursuits, he says. Eat and drink.

Tomorrow you're going to be dead anyway and that'll be that.

Heard one person say you live like a hog and you die like a

dog and you're going to die and that's that.

We could expound upon that. Some people build up their own

earthly Kingdom knowing they have a blink of an eye and

that's that and so. They live to lie and.

Cheat and be greedy for tomorrow they're going to die and that's

that. And who's to tell them they're

wrong? You can scroll and swipe and do

everything in your power to feel numb against all of the

uncertainty of the world. For tomorrow you die anyway, and

that's that. You can worry and despair and

feel hopeless, and tomorrow you're going to die.

And that's that. Because ultimately, if there is

no God, and if he has not revealed himself by entering

into the story of humanity, paying the penalty to bring

humanity back to him, and conquering death, then there's

no hope in life. There's no hope in the Christian

message. There's no hope for your sin,

there is no hope for your death, and there is no hope in.

Life if Christ is. Not Risen.

Nothing's OK, and yet, while I have your attention, let me just

say with confidence that preaching the hopelessness of

the resurrection. Is patently false.

With what we know about the Risen.

Power of Jesus Christ. And that is why the thought

experiment does not end open-ended 1st Corinthians 15,

verse 20. Closes the.

Experiment by saying this. But now Christ is risen, He is

rose from the dead and has become the.

First, fruits of those who have. Fallen asleep.

The message is either completely hopeless or it is the greatest.

News you will ever hear. That God himself exchanged his.

Life. For yours and now.

All who believe. His death becomes.

Your death, His resurrection. Becomes your resurrection, He.

Is the first fruits. The pattern of things to come

from. Hopeless to hope is the power of

the. Resurrection and I I encourage

you, some of you, no doubt this message was given to stir.

Your hearts for. What you're really living for,

and some of you now have a hunger to know God and I want

you to know. That the Bible.

Promises If you seek him, if you knock, the door will be open.

If you seek him, you will find him and some of you.

Will be. Blessed by continuing our study

this morning, First Corinthians chapter 15 is an amazing chapter

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

for the evidence. Of the historical resurrection

Paul lays out. The witnesses 500 who saw him

rise again and they still would have been alive at time of

writing. They could have been questioned

of what they saw. Paul lays out his.

Own conversion story from Enemy of.

Those who put their. Faith in the resurrection to an

encounter with the living Christ, to one who championed

the cause. And yet I.

Realize that we. Stand now 2000 years, nearly

2000 years from the foundation of the resurrection.

And it is. I sympathize with the critics.

It is hard to prove or falsify a historical.

Event from 2000. Years ago.

So the encouragement I leave you with.

Is that? You can know in your life the

power of the resurrection here and today.

That your history. With the resurrection can start

with your encounter with Christ, CS Lewis says.

I believe in Christianity. As I believe.

That the sun has risen not only because I can see it.

But because by it I see. Everything else this morning we

we came together for those. Of you who?

Were able to join at the train depot to watch the sunrise and

as the sun rises you see everything else and the same

principle can be and has been applied for the resurrection for

anyone who believes it is not just.

That it happened. Yes, it happened.

But because it happened, you get the answers for everything else

in all. Of the ways that we wrestle with

the. Human heart condition of sin and

life and death because of the resurrection you can experience

from hopeless to hope considerate because he is risen,

you can't experience the. Power.

Of the message. The message is not empty.

The message has been received. And those who receive.

It are known. By the.

Power of the resurrection. Look what it says in Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8. But if the same spirit of him

who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised

Christ from the. Dead will also give.

Life to your mortal. Bodies through his.

Spirit, who dwells in you, this is not.

A. Study in history alone.

This is an invitation to come alive.

By the power of. God in the Holy Spirit invading

your heart, you can know the power of the message.

Because he is. Risen you can experience.

The hope? Of the forgiveness of sins, I

think one of the reasons that hearing a message of sin, I mean

I mean to preach a message of sin, can sometimes feel

condemning. Is because we.

All wrestle with it. We all keep a pretty good.

Track record of the things that make us feel ashamed and feel

guilty. We all have a.

Pretty good understanding of things we wish we didn't do, but

we do. We all have a pretty.

Good understanding. Of what Jesus says.

Anyone who sins is a slave to sin, and we come in our

shackles. We say, I don't want to hear

about it. And yet.

Because of the. Resurrection Because sin has

been dealt with, you can experience the freedom of

forgiveness. Why some of you sing so loud?

It's because you come as a new creation, washed clean by the

blood of Christ in your hearts and in your minds, Ephesians

says. In Him we have redemption

through. His blood, the forgiveness.

Of sins according to the riches. Of His grace for those you of

you who believe you have. Forgiveness because of his.

Grace, I've heard it said. The cross of Christ.

Is the payment for sin and the resurrection.

Is the receipt. And because he has risen, you

can experience hope that death is not the end, you guys.

All look very lively. Today, so you might not be

thinking about your funeral, but I assure you, everyone of you,

it's a blink of an eye and the power of the resurrection is a.

Power that the Bible calls. A living hope that no matter

what. This world throws at you all of

the trial and all of the tribulation death.

Is not the end. Easter is a moment where we look

back on the history that Christ did in.

Fact. Raise that people.

Did in fact walk into an empty tomb and stake their life on the

Risen. Lord, but Easter is also a day

where we look ahead. And with confidence you can look

ahead with eagerness that death is not the own it, not the end,

it says in First Thessalonians. For the Lord himself, the living

Christ. Himself will descend from heaven

with a shout, with the voice of an.

Archangel, and with the Trumpet of God and the Dead in.

Christ will rise first. When you come to the funeral,

when you weep, the. Tears of sorrow.

You are You are weeping because you will miss them, but you are

not weeping because you'll never see them again.

The dead in. Christ will raise.

And because of all of those things, we have hope in life,

that in life. You will have trial.

You will have trouble. You will have difficulty.

The the. Economy and the Wars and the

earthquakes and the cancer and the diagnosis and everything

that the world. Throws at you, but take heart,

because Christ. Has overcome because the

resurrection is true, everything will be OK.

Amen. Now.

If you believe that, even with a little bit of belief.

I want you to take communion with us to remember the

historical reality we remember his death and to remember the

promise of the future until he comes.

And I want to leave you with. This for those of you who had

our Good Friday service, we put. Onto the screen we considered.

The death of Christ this this heavy reality that he died.

Because of our sin. And it just weighed on our

hearts. And the screen said exit

quietly. And we did.

We shuffled out and the lights were dark, but now we come.

Three days later. And I want to tell you this, I

don't have a message on the screen, but I want to tell you

this. I don't want to exit quietly.

I want you to leave in celebration because the

resurrection is true and because of that.

We have hope for life. And death and everything's going

to be OK. Thanks for joining us today.

If you would like to watch the full service, check out the link

in the description. For next steps and to learn

more, visit calvaryboise com.