And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. — 1 Corinthians 15:17-19

Each day I am reminded of how futile life is. It begins in the morning as I look in the mirror. What I see is an aging man looking back at me. It's me. And right then, I am reminded of my futility. My eyes are weakening. My joints ache more. And I keep losing the hair on my head. These are reminders of this futile life. And we might want to ignore these signs, but they're not the only reminders. Because on my ride to work, I turn on the radio. And I listen as I am reminded that we live in a world overcome by disease, corruption, poverty, racism, violence, drugs, and inflated prices. More futility. But it doesn't end there. At work, I listen to men who share about their challenges with addictions, obsessions with greed, failures in marriage, and letdowns in their careers. All this and more are reminders of human futility.

All which are brought on by one thing — sin.

The bible teaches that man's core problem is sin. Things like aging, disease, addiction, murder, and the like are only visible manifestations of this core problem. This is because sin is a heart issue that manifests all kinds of symptomatic problems. But the sin of our heart is unseen until it becomes a thought, a word, or an action. At this moment we "see" our sin for the first time, and we "experience" its symptoms. But the ultimate symptom of sin is death. This is the absolute evidence. We die. Death is both physical and spiritual separation from each other and God. This is futility at its most mature state.

But there's hope.

One man defeated death. Unlike us, he was a man without sin in his heart. By choice, he came and lived in a world burdened by sin. And on Good Friday, he was brutally beaten and crucified by sinful men for our sin. He died the same death we will all face even though he didn't deserve it. But the core problem (sin) and its penalty (death) were not enough to defeat him. He defeated sin and death, evidenced by his resurrection. He paid the penalty of death for all mankind by offering himself as a sacrifice on a cross for man's sin so we can have hope beyond this futile life. He addressed the core problem because we could not.

Jesus's sinless life, sacrifice on the cross for our sin, and resurrection from the dead are the hope we need in a futile world. It actually addresses man's core problem, not just the symptoms. And this gift is for all who will believe. My hope is that you will receive this free gift because it is the only real solution to your problems. Why not stop running around just addressing your symptoms? Why not address the core problem of sin? And here's the best part, it's free. It's a free gift of real life for those who believe Jesus was raised to life.

Romans 6:23 states, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

ASK THIS: Do you believe Jesus was raised from the dead?

DO THIS: Believe in Jesus as Lord of all life.

PRAY THIS: Jesus, thank you for dying for my sin and defeating death so I can have life.

PLAY THIS: Death Was Arrested.

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