It Isn’t Hopeless

Right now we celebrate the Christmas season. We celebrate the time Jesus Christ entered the world as a baby, bringing hope to all of mankind. There was so much celebration. The Messiah had come! His birth was announced to the nearby shepherds. Angels filled the sky in celebration.

John the Baptist made a way for Jesus to come. Simeon celebrated, “For my eyes have seen Your salvation,” (Luke 2:25). Anna saw Jesus and came right to Him giving thanks. (Luke 2:36-38) Jesus brought so much hope, and then…

And then came that dark day Jesus died. Death is final. There’s no coming back from death. The disciples scattered. We’re toast, they thought. We need to get out of dodge. Jesus is dead. All of their plans were toast. He’s not saving anybody. It’s the end of the world, or so it seemed. There was darkness all over. A massive earthquake hit. This wasn’t a day in the sunshine. This wasn’t a day like the day He was born. This was a dark demonic day. Nothing good about it. The disciples had seen their Lord decimated. They had seen Him scourged beyond recognition. A crown of thorns placed on his head so more blood flooded His already marred face. They watched Him die. Die. They saw Him breath His last breath. If the Romans did that to Jesus, what would they do to them? And off they ran. They hid. This isn’t good. What do we do, they wondered?

And for three days, the dread and hopelessness filled every follower of Jesus Christ. He’s dead. He’s dead. That chant in their heads. He’s dead. The thought of Jesus’ death, unimaginable. It can’t be, but it is. No, no, no, no. He was going to save us. He was going to make things right. Now what were they supposed to do? He saved all those other people, why couldn’t he save Himself? He healed the blind, made the lame to walk, even brought people back to life, why is He dead? Why, why, why?

What was it all for? What were all the celebrations of His birth for? All of this, and now He’s dead. What was the point? Why did He gather all this disciples and show them miracle after miracle, even raising people from the dead, only to die Himself? WHAT WAS THE POINT?

The women decide to go see His dead body. Maybe just to be near Him will give them comfort. They wanted to see.

In their grief and sorrow they approach the tomb. It’s empty! What’s going on here? Did the rotten Romans steal His body? Where is He? Wasn’t it enough they killed Jesus? Now they’ve taken His body too. They run and tell the disciples – He’s gone!

Some of the disciples come back. They vouch for the women. He’s gone. There’s no one in the tomb.

But His body wasn’t stolen. He had risen from the dead, just like He had said He would. The sorrow had left them. They now knew what Jesus Christ had meant. He would rise from the dead! All hope was not gone. There is a new hope!

Situations may seem hopeless, but for a believer, they never are. We have put our faith and trust in a living God, One who rose from the dead. What seems bleak, never is for the believer. The crux of our salvation is hope. It is always hope. So no matter the situation, believer, take heart, it’s never hopeless. Romans 8:28.