What If?

WHAT IF?

GALATIANS 3:13

Introduction:

1. We often play this game with ourselves and I want to ask you this question this Easter Morning.

2. We know that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and He defeated death and arose on the third day.

3. But, what if Jesus would have said, "Never mind, you are

not worth it"?

I. Our Worth Romans 3:10-18

"As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one;

There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.

They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.

Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit,

The poison of asps is under their lips;

Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.

Their feet are swift to shed blood;

Destruction and misery are in their ways;

And the way of peace they have not known.

There is no fear of God before their eyes.

A. Scripture shows what we deserve.

Romans 6:23a: "For the wages of sin is death;"

1. We deserve death.

2. What if Jesus would have said, "Forget it, you all get

what you deserve for ever. Death"!

B. Scripture shows why we deserve death.

Romans 6:20-21: "For when you were slaves of sin, you

were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have

then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the

end of those things is death."

Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and fall short of the

glory of God."

Isaiah 64:6: "But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away."

Romans 6:23a: "For the wages of sin is death;"

1. Why? Simply because sin equals death.

2. Even if it is just one sin your whole life, it is death.

C. Scripture shows where we deserve to go.

1. Although Hell is not intended for humans, but for

Satan and his followers, that is where we deserve to

go.

a. Let me give you a small glimpse of the punishment awaiting those in Hell.

Revelation 20:10: "The devil, who deceived them was cast

into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the

false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night

forever and ever."

Matthew 8:12: "But the children of the kingdom shall be

cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and

gnashing of teeth."

2. Without a Savior to make us righteous before God,

guess where we would go, Hell!

a. For those that say things like, "Well I’ll be with

my friends down their and we’re going to have

one big party everyday"; what a surprise.

b. Hell is no joke, and that is where we deserve to

go.

3. If this alone was not enough reason for Jesus to say

"Never mind", how about my second point this

morning.

II. Our Treatment Of Christ

A. The way Christ was treated, He had every reason to say,

"You are not worth it".

Luke 23:18-25: "And they all cried out at once, saying,

"Away with this Man, and release to us Barabas"- who had

been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the

city, and for murder.

Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out

to them. But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify

Him!"

Then he said to them the third time, ’Why, what evil has He

done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will

therefore chastise Him and let Him go."

But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He

be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief

priests prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that it should be

as they requested. And he released to them the one they

requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown

into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will."

1. Jesus, God’s perfect Son, was hated so much that a

criminal was chosen over Him.

2. Why die for people that did not care one ounce for

Him?

3. You may say well I wasn’t there, but Jesus, God in

flesh, knew that even 2000 years later that humans

would still choose many other things and people

over Him.

a. That includes you and I!

B. Jesus’ own followers abandoned Him.

Luke 22:54-65: "Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, "This man was also with Him."