“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree,
that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
By His wounds you have been healed.”
~1 Peter 2:24
The death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Christian faith. That life can arise miraculously from darkness and death brings great hope. As spring and “new life” emerge, God’s expression can be seen everywhere. This hope that Christians share is a hope far greater than the changing of seasons.
The Resurrection is the central event that distinguishes Christianity from all other faiths. Only God Himself, through His sacrifice on the cross, could redeem man from sin, fulfilling the requirements of the Law. Only God Himself could rise from the dead, returning to deliver to His followers the freedom He had paid to secure.
Outside of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we know of no other hope for mankind. That is exactly what German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer once said to Billy Graham: “Mr. Graham, outside of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I know of no other hope for mankind.” But as we know all too well, not all Americans share this belief.
The fall of Adam and Eve left this world a harsh place and gave birth to this world’s moral and fiscal poverty. The suffering caused by a pandemic like COVID-19 and was exacerbated by power-hungry political “leaders” reminds us that brokenness is everywhere. Indeed, Christ didn’t die on the cross for a world that didn’t need Him. He died for one that did and does need Him. Every one of us desperately needs a Savior.
That’s where the Resurrection of Christ brings the greatest hope. Our ultimate hope is not in public policy or in political leaders, though we must always strive to elect godly statesmen who don’t seek self-gain and pray for their time in office. Our hope is not in political solutions, though we must be good stewards of God’s amazing gift of self-government and advocate for biblical principles in the public square. Our hope is in the renewal that one day “the government will be upon His shoulders” as promised. Our future and our political freedoms are vitally important, yet we do well to remember that our ultimate (eternal) hope is in Jesus Christ and what He did on Good Friday and Easter morning. For that we should be truly thankful. And in hope, we look forward to the day when all things are made new.
“… the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid,
for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
He is not here, for He has risen…”
~Matthew 28
