Woman to Woman: An Indestructible Hope

Sometimes when life seems dark, it’s hard to find hope in anything, especially the holidays. How do you celebrate “outside” when things inside your heart feel so broken?

Just a few days ago, Christians celebrated the empty tomb, the victory of Christ over satan, sin and death.

Through a horrific death and resurrection, Christ offers us a true Hope found in the resurrection, that will not fail us even in the darkest of times.

Before the very first “Easter”, I think of how the disciples and all who loved Jesus when He walked the earth felt as they faced the reality of His death.

“Hopeless” is the word which comes to mind.

A good illustration of this is found in Luke 24:13-35, where we find the story of Jesus walking with two disciples on the road to Emmaus.

They share their utter hopelessness with Him about what took place in Jerusalem just days prior.

As the two disciples talked with Jesus, whom they did not recognize, they shared their disappointment that the chief priests and rulers crucified Jesus.

They knew He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed, and they hoped He was the promised Messiah come to redeem them.

Yet they failed to understand His very death and resurrection was the exact prophecy and fulfillment of their hope and longing.

The original eleven disciples including Peter and John remained in Jerusalem despairing, even though they witnessed firsthand the empty tomb.

They, too struggled to understand the meaning and comfort in the words Jesus spoke prior to His death.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

John 1:5

It wasn’t until Jesus revealed Himself to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and subsequently to the eleven in Jerusalem, that they began to understand the fulfillment of the words Jesus spoke prior to his death.

When they saw Jesus crucified, they thought all had ended in tragedy, forgetting the words He spoke to them about the resurrection.

As Jesus spent time with them revealing to them again the Scriptures, their understanding was complete.

Hope was restored at the presence of Christ and the full understanding of His death, burial, and resurrection.

Similarly, we get focused on Christ’s death more than His resurrection. We know he died for our sins, but apart from the resurrection, His death would be powerless in the removal of our sins. The hope found in the resurrection transforms our lives.

Christ’s Resurrection justifies His death and frees us from our sin. Christ died to remove the guilt of our sins, to destroy the power of sin. Apart from the resurrection, His shed blood would be powerless.

Christ’s Resurrection guarantees our resurrection. Apart from Christ rising from the dead, we have no hope of a future resurrection from the dead.

Christ’s Resurrection seals satan’s defeat. When Christ died at Calvary, satan’s power was broken; His people were redeemed from the power of hell. When Christ rose from the dead it demonstrated a decisive defeat over satan and his power in our lives.

Christ’s death was horrific and unjust, His suffering undeserved and brutal. Everything He endured was “unfair”. He endured fear, betrayal, anguish so deep it is likened to sweating great drops of blood.

Yet His great love drove Him to endure until He could say “It is finished”.

The darkest day in all of history purchased the brightest eternal hope that nothing can destroy.

When you feel as though your darkness is too heavy, that your despair is overwhelming, remember all that is offered to you through the resurrection.

Christ remains victorious over satan, sin and death; over every darkness that threatens to envelop you.

Because He is Risen, we have a hope that nothing can ever destroy.

Reflect:

In what ways do you focus more on Christ’s death than His resurrection?

How can you find true and lasting Hope in Christ’s resurrection?