If There Is No Resurrection

INTRO.- No gas means no driving or less driving.

"The average national price of a gallon of gas hit an all-time record high of $3.28 this week. Meaning that wherever you’re going this summer, it might be cheaper to mail your car."

Letterman said, "Gas prices, aren’t they crazy? It’s so expensive that rats are carpooling in from New Jersey."

"There was a sign at the station near my house that said, ’We take Visa, Mastercard, Discover Card, and American Express.’ After I filled up with gas they took my Visa, Master Card, my Discover Card, and my American Express."

Jay Leno said, "They said on the news tonight that if gas prices get any higher, we could see something totally unprecedented here in California. People actually walking."

"As you know, the government takes 40 percent of what you make. The other 60 percent, of course, taken by the gas stations."

"Even if gas prices fall, consumers will continue to be gouged at the pump. The only thing that we can be sure rises faster that the price of gasoline is the skyrocketing profits of oil companies."

"A pedestrian is someone who thought there were a couple of gallons left in the tank."

This gas situation is getting beyond being funny, don’t you think? Do you realize what could happen to us if gas prices keep going up? We won’t be driving anywhere. We’ll be walking or riding bikes like they do in many foreign countries.

ILL.- I saw people being interviewed somewhere in the US where prices were much higher than in AR. One guy was driving a Pontiac GTO. He said he was going to "mothball" his car because of gas prices.

ILL.- CLEVELAND — Ricardo Caraballo was having a familiar American experience at the filling station the other day, groaning as the pump clicked up, up, up. By the time he finished it read $505, and his tank was only half full. A few years ago, “$500 would have kept me rolling for two weeks,” he said. “Now, I’ll be lucky to make it three days.”

ILL.- I saw a survey on the internet that asked the question: Which concerns you more? Gas Prices? Home Depreciation? 69% gas prices over 31% home depreciation.

Brothers and sisters, we may heading for serious trouble! Do you realize what else will happen if our gas prices keep rising? It means that the prices of our food and everything else will go higher and higher!

But listen, our hope for a better future is not in finding oil in America! Our hope for a better life is not in electing the right President for our country!

There is something far worse than running out of fuel in our country. I realize that some people don’t think anything could be worse than that, but there is something worse. AND HERE IT IS!

I Cor. 15:12-19 12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."

If there is no resurrection from the dead that’s the worse thing that could happen to all of us! If there is no resurrection there is no hope at all! No hope for a better here and now and no hope for ANY there and then! NO HOPE FOR ETERNAL LIFE!

PROP.- Note what Paul said. If there is no resurrection from the dead then what?

1- Then preaching is useless

2- Then faith is futile

3- Then sin controls

4- Then Christ is dead

I. IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTIOIN THEN PREACHING IS USELESS

14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless.

ILL.- A man told his boss that he was called to be a preacher so he resigned his job. But he was back in two weeks, asking for his old job back. The boss said, "I thought you were called by God to preach." The man said, "Yes, but that was before the Lord heard me preach."