Hope – Easter

Reading: 1 Peter 1; Psalm 80 Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And because God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory, your faith and hope can be placed confidently in God. (1 Peter 1:21 NLT) Jesus’ closest followers scattered and left him alone on the night he was arrested, because when they saw the soldiers and saw that the tide had turned against him, they lost hope. The two disciples Jesus met and talked with on the Emmaus road said that they had “hoped” Jesus was the Messiah. When Jesus came to the tomb of Lazarus, both Martha and Mary told Jesus they had hoped he would arrive in time to heal their brother, Jesus’ friend, and prevent his death. When he died, they lost hope! Most of the time we live with a kind of conditional hope that depends on things working out the way we “hope” they will: If only the money comes in time! If only the tumor isn’t malignant! If only he will see the error of his ways and come home! If only I can get the job! We have hope, but it’s based in an outcome we can’t control or be certain of. Jesus’ resurrection is the basis for a new and completely different kind of hope! The worst thing that could happen did happen! All the expectations were dashed! Then Jesus came out of the grave alive and a new kind of hope became possible!

Friends, Jesus’ resurrection gives us a hope that still burns brightly after the very worst has happened. It’s not limited to “hoping” the bad things won’t happen. It’s confident that God is still in control, and that there will be life on the other side after death, and that the greatest good can come out of the darkest evil. Prayer: Father, Thank you that our hope can be placed confidently in you in the worst of circumstances and the worst of situations. Thank you that through Jesus’ resurrection we can have hope not only before the pain and loss, but after the worst has happened. Please gently guide us through the darkest night to the hope that lies ahead. Amen.