In about three weeks a celebration of a very special event in life of Jesus Christ takes place.
Just about everyone in this nation knows about Easter, but for a lot of different reasons. Some people are glad to see it because it represents another weekend when they can go camping or some other pleasurable thing. To some others it is a day that they do not understand why people make such a fuss about. And then there are the believers in Jesus Christ who celebrate His resurrection from the dead and His ascension to heaven. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important and dramatic event to take place for his believers. The reason is simple for them to understand because it defines who they are and that their belief is something that is genuine because if it did not happen then everything Christians believe in is a lie and there is no such thing as eternal life in heaven and Jesus is not the Son of God.
But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up — if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! —1 Corinthians 15: 13-17
Much of the world does not know nor believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ but those who do believe know that Christ has indeed risen from the dead and sets on the throne of God in heaven. The resurrection of Christ represents the greatest event in the history of mankind.
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. — 1 Corinthians 15: 20-24
Those who believe in the resurrection of Christ possess the greatest hope and future for mankind. They will inherit great blessings. They will have eternal life, a new body, new name, new home, a great reward, share God’s glory and share the very throne of Jesus Christ.
But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” But God gives it a body as He pleases — 1 Corinthians 15:35, 38
So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” ” O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. — ! Corinthians 15: 54-57
Those who are not Christians do not have any hope in anything except what happens today and tomorrow will take care of its self. They are already dead. Christians have eternal life dwelling in them at this moment and God gave them His holy spirit as a guarantee that this is true.
1 Corinthians 6: 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
Easter is a time to give praise and glory to Jesus for He is alive and has risen from the dead that we may also be resurrected to eternal life. It is through Jesus Christ that we are saved, He is the way, the truth, and the life.
This was a real legitimate question by a young lady on Yahoo’s Question and Answers!
Here are some of the answers given as suggestions of hope. It is not surprising that the last thing anyone wants to hear about is religion. All want to use the carnal human approach to help the person. Each one uses their own understanding of the world around them and their experiences to try to encourage the person. Some literally shocked me with their comments. Here are some of the things they told the young lady.
1 “you have already received many wonderful answers and some not so good ones too. I agree that, if you are without hope, you may have a psychological or medical imbalance and it is important to rule that out by seeing a professional. When hope is gone, a person needs something to ‘believe’ in. Search your soul for a positive thought and let it flow further – into a belief. It could be as simple as looking at the stars and moon and realizing that many people are looking at the same stars and moon as you are.”
2 “Well, there are two choices. You either end your miserable life, or you take a step in the right direction and reach out to others in need. Doing something nice for someone else, even when you feel you have nothing to give, is always rewarding, and you would be surprised at how much hope it will give you.”
3 “Oh, please… do we have to throw God at the girl and make it sound like that’s the answer? As if God is going to come down and throw his arms around her and make everything better… ’cause gee, that’s what he does, right? That’s why everything is so perfect in this world and why everyone that believes in him so much is such a perfect person, right? Here’s a better answer. Take a good long look in the mirror at yourself and realize that there is hope. And there’s hope because YOU won’t allow yourself to think any more that there’s not.
Trust in yourself… and trust in your best friends to be there for you.”
4 “Count your blessings – reformat your thoughts and think of good things that have happened to you. Do something stupid (but harmless) that you haven’t done since you were a kid”
5 “ACCEPTANCE is the only answer to such a predicament. 99.9% of emotional problems (unless you have a recognized mental condition), stem from not wanting/wishing to accept reality.”
If I was hurting as this person seemed to be, the suggestions above would have been like being hit in the stomach with a sledge hammer. They don’t give good answers because they themselves don’t have hope! Since they don’t want God in their lives they only follow the worldly course of; eat, drink, and be merry because when they die they believe it is all over. They don’t believe in life after death and frantically try to do all they can in this life while they can.
But God does say there is hope for those who are willing to let Him into their lives but there is no hope for those who do not. Job 11:18,20 “Then you would trust, because there is hope; And you would look around and rest securely. But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And there will be no escape for them; And their hope is to breathe their last.”
Hope takes on a whole new meaning when God explains in Colossians: 1:5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, 27which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
That glory is something very special! God performs a miracle in your life to the effect that God says in 1 Timothy 4:10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God,who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
God wants to emphasize your hope more succinctly as He states again in Hebrews 6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul
That great anchor is a promise so amazing and encouraging because Jesus Christ did something that utterly guarantees that we will live eternally with Him and His Father in heaven. Jesus being fully God came to the earth and took on the form of a man to shed His blood for the forgiveness of our sins, died on the cross for us while we were still sinners so that we might live, was buried and in the grave for three days and then was raised to life and ascended to heaven to set on the throne of God with His Father. Jesus sent back to the earth the great Comforter, the Holy Spirit to dwell in believers filled with faith in Christ to give encouragement, peace, and hope. It is a guarantee of our salvation and resurrection to eternal life.
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
This hope cleanses you from all the pressures, stresses, and problems of this world freeing you from the bondage that the world heaps upon you refreshing your soul.
1John 3:3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
YES! That is why we need to throw God at the girl because He is the answer!
"He brought me to his banquet hall and raised the banner of love over me. Restore my strength with raisins and refresh me with apples! I am weak from passion... His left hand is under my head and his right hand caresses me" - Song of Solomon 2:4-6
WORLDWIDE INTERNET EVANGELISM 