Christ's Resurrection Gives Us Hope

“Hope is called the anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:19) because it gives stability to the Christian life. But hope is not simply a ‘wish’ (I wish that such-and-such would take place); rather, it is that which latches on to the certainty of the promises of the future that God has made.” R.C. Sproul

   Henri Nouwen told a story in his book, Turn My Mourning into Dancing: A solder was captured as a prisoner of war. His captors transported him by train far from his homeland. He felt isolated from country, family, and anything familiar. His loneliness grew as he continued not to hear anything from home. He could not even know if his family was even alive or how his country was faring. Thus, he lost a sense of anything to live for. But suddenly, unexpectedly, he got a letter. It was smudged, torn at the edges from months of travel. But it said, “We are waiting for you to come home. All is fine here. Don’t worry.” Everything instantly changed. He did the same difficult labor on the same meager rations, but now he knew someone waited for his release and homecoming. Hope changed his life. That’s what Easter is about – Hope! If the cross had ended it all. If Jesus had not risen bodily from the grave, we would have no hope. That’s the thesis of the great chapter on the resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15. 

  Christ’s resurrection gives us hope in the face of death. Read the Gospel accounts for yourself. Until His disciples met the risen Christ, they had no hope. The only explanation for their radical change from the terrified to the bold was meeting the risen Christ. It’s why one of our favorite Psalms is the 23rd where it says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” (vs. 4). Because Jesus is alive we know that we will not be left in death. The moment that the born-again Christian closes their eyes on this life, they wake up in heaven with the Lord Jesus for all eternity. “Absent from the body…at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8).

  Christ’s resurrection gives us hope to see those who died in faith again. Heaven becomes sweeter for me each year. For over 50 years now, I’ve longed to see my Mom once again. In 1970 she was taken in a tragic car accident into the presence of her Savior.

  One of the burdens of long pastorates is that you have to bury your friends. But they’re not gone. They’re not dust and ashes. No, because of the resurrection I know that they are waiting for me and you. They are more alive today than they have ever been. The longer that I am a Christian, the more that I understand the Apostle Paul’s heart when he said, “For to me to live is Christ, to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Who but a Christian would believe that death is gain. Because of Christ’s resurrection, we know we leave a temporal world of pain and suffering for eternal bliss.

  Christ’s resurrection gives us hope that we are forgiven. Because Jesus died and paid for our sin, we know that we’re forgiven BUT if He had not risen from the grave, we would have wondered if it was enough. Because of His resurrection, Romans 8:1 is not an empty promise, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” When I look back at my life and my dark, evil heart. It’s hard for me to believe that a holy God loves me and forgives me. For years it haunted me that my last words to my Mom a few weeks before she died were: “I hate you!” Sure, they were uttered by a 10-year-old, but they were words that I never had a chance to apologize for. Even the night that she was killed, they came ringing back in my heart. But because of Jesus’ cross, because of His resurrection, I know that I’m forgiven for that and my innumerable other transgressions. It’s not because I’ve done anything to balance things out with God. It’s because Jesus paid my sin debt. He paid it all. It’s all of grace that I’m forgiven. If you’ve trusted Him as your Savior, so are you!

  Christ’s resurrection gives us hope that we have a new body. My earth suit is wearing out and so is yours. Every year there are more parts that creak and groan with aches and pains. It has an expiration date. But I’ve got a new one waiting for me. “For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:54-55). Jesus’ resurrection and His glorified body gave us a peek into what God has for us in our new and eternal ones. 

  Christ’s resurrection gives us hope that there will be a new earth. The Creative Mandate requires that we not abuse this planet (Genesis 1:28). We’re managers of God’s creation and property. Because of sin, we know that mankind has miserably failed. We’re terrible managers of God’s property. We pollute. We abuse. We burn and pillage. We wreck and ruin. But someday there will be a new earth, better than Eden, better than the world contaminated by sin (Revelation 21:1).  

  Christ’s resurrection gives us hope that there will be a new government. Too many Christians have placed their hope in human political leaders. Even the best governmental leaders have hearts contaminated by sin. Too many believers wring their hands over what temporal leaders do. Should we be involved? Yes. Should we vote. Yes. And we must pray. Yet, we know that all government has a very short shelf life. 

  In the midst of sometimes shocking political upheavals, we know that  Jesus Christ is the ruler of all the kings and presidents and chiefs and premiers and governors and prime ministers. If President Biden says to Jesus, “How can you be the ruler over me? I have my office by the election of the people of the United States, a sovereign nation, and by virtue of a constitutional inauguration and installation.” The Lord Jesus will answer, “I have my office as ruler over you by God’s sovereignty and by virtue of my resurrection, my indestructible life, and my installation at God's right hand.” When Jesus rose again, God the Father exalted Him and gave Him a “name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee might bow” (Phil. 2:9-10). That includes all the rulers and kings of the earth. Jesus is alive today presiding from heaven over the rulers of the earth. It’s a breathtaking thought and something most today do not believe, but it’s at the heart of biblical truth. Jesus Christ is alive and reigns. It should revolutionize the way we watch the news and live out our lives. Because of His resurrection, we watch the events of this world through the eyes of faith. His resurrection turned the 1st-century world upside down. It must revolutionize our lives! Easter is God’s reminder of that.

  As John Donne wrote, “Death, be not proud.” God won’t let death win. Jesus is alive and we will live with Him forever and ever!

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