There are some situations in life that seem hopeless. Oftentimes, there is only one possible hope for things turning out well.
In the movie, Star Wars, Princess Leia sends a message to Obi-Wan Kenobi, in which she says, “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”
In the movie, Apollo 13, astronaut Jim Lovell delivers this famous line: “Houston, we have a problem.” Their only hope was for the people back in Houston to put together a plan to rescue them.
In 2018, a youth soccer team in Thailand became stuck in a cave due to flooding. They were completely without hope for getting out. However, a team of British cave divers and Thai Navy Seals successfully rescued every one of those boys.
Sometimes, we find ourselves in hopeless situations, and there is only one means of escape.
Today, we’re going to talk about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we’re going to learn why the resurrection is our only hope.
Before we do, let’s pray together.
(prayer)
At Easter, we celebrate the resurrection. It’s the defining characteristic of the Christian faith.
The Apostle Paul, an early Christian convert and missionary, said in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4:
“For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
This is the message that Paul passed on to others. This message is the defining message of Christianity: Jesus died, He was buried, and He was raised!
The resurrection of Jesus changes everything.
Every one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) contains a historical account of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
For today, let’s look at the one in Mark. Let’s look at Mark 16:1–8:
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they could go and anoint him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb at sunrise. They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance to the tomb for us?” Looking up, they noticed that the stone—which was very large—had been rolled away. When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side; they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he told them. “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they put him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there just as he told you.’ ” They went out and ran from the tomb, because trembling and astonishment overwhelmed them.”
Jesus really did rise from the dead, His resurrection really did change everything, and His resurrection really is our only hope.
This morning, let’s talk about two ways that the resurrection is our only hope.
First, . . .
I. The resurrection is our only hope for new life.
Sin brings death into our world and into our lives.
Sin brings hopelessness into our world and lives.
Sin brings sorrow into our world and lives.
Sin brings brokenness into our world and lives.
We need newness! We need new lives!
Ephesians chapter 2 speaks to this reality.
Ephesians 2:1–2 says:
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world . . . ”
Ephesians 2:4–5 says:
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!”
We are dead in our sins. We need new life. God, who is rich in mercy, gives us new life through Jesus.
We can also live a new way on this earth because we have been made alive by Jesus.
The Apostle Paul says in Romans 6:4:
“ . . . just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.”
Did you catch that? The resurrection gives us the ability to walk in a new way of life.
Because of the resurrection, we no longer have to walk in sin!
Because of the resurrection, we don’t have to be selfish, we don’t have to be lustful, we don’t have to be jealous, we don’t have to be prejudiced, we don’t have to be greedy, we don’t have to be hateful, we don’t have to be impatient, we don’t have to be controlling, we don’t have to be ashamed, we don’t have to be complainers, we don’t have to be afraid, we don’t have to be addicts, we don’t have to be gluttons, we don’t have to be apathetic, we don’t have to dishonor our parents, we don’t have to elevate other stuff in place of God, we don’t have to be afraid to tell others about Jesus, we don’t have to cheat, we don’t have to lie, we don’t have to steal, we don’t have to envy, we don’t have to dishonor those in authority, we don’t have to yearn for our own power and prestige.
Because of the resurrection, we are made new, and it is only by the resurrection that we are made new.
The resurrection is our only hope for new life.
Do you want to be made new? Give your life to Jesus.
Have you given your life to Jesus? Walk in a new way of life.
Peter was one of the first people on earth to follow Jesus. He spent his final days following Jesus faithfully.
Here’s what Peter said in 1 Peter 1:3:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
Through the resurrection, we experience a new birth.
Through the resurrection, we experience a living hope.
The resurrection is our only hope for new life.
Second, . . .
II. The resurrection is our only hope for the next life.
What happens when this life is over?
The ancient philosopher Plato said, “The soul of man is immortal and imperishable.”
Socrates said, “Death may be the greatest of all human blessings.”
Boxer Muhammad Ali said, “I only have a short time to live . . . My real life is in the hereafter.”
Chadwick Boseman, the actor who portrayed the Black Panther, said, “Death is not the end . . . it’s more of a stepping-off point.”
Missionary Elisabeth Elliot said, “For the Christian, death is not the end of life but the beginning of life as it was meant to be.”
Friends, there is something inside us that frequently reminds us that this life on earth is not all there is.
There is something out there beyond our short lives on earth.
The Bible speaks to this reality very clearly.
There are only two options for the next life: eternal joy with God or eternal sorrow apart from God.
There’s only one way to experience that eternal joy, and it’s through Jesus.
The resurrection is our only hope for the next life.
John, another of the original followers of Jesus, said in 1 John 5:11–12:
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
That’s pretty clear, right?
Romans 6:23 says:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
That’s pretty clear also.
Jesus Himself said in John 6:40:
“For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Jesus will raise us to eternal life forever!
I don’t know about you, but I hope that the next life is much better than this life.
Don’t get me wrong, I have a good life. I have a beautiful wife, three ruggedly handsome sons, a loving extended family, and a job I love; I live in the Free State of Florida, once in a while I get to spend time in the woods or on the water, and I’m fairly healthy.
However, this world has some problems, doesn’t it?
Just this week I was recovering from a hurt back, scrambling to find pants that fit my boys for Easter, juggling money around to pay bills, trying to communicate better with my wife, receiving advice from someone that I didn’t ask for advice, applying a product to my car to make it look better only for it to look worse, fixing my broken down truck, trying to be a better boss, planning an event involving several leaders without hurting anyone’s feelings, settling disputes at home, settling disputes at church, and so much more. And that was just this week!
I hope I don’t have to deal with that stuff in the next life!
Here’s the good news: I won’t! For those who experience the power of the resurrection of Jesus, there are only blessings in the next life!
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:9:
“What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived— God has prepared these things for those who love him.”
Aren’t you excited about a day with no more suffering? Children, aren’t you excited about a future with no more bad grades on homework? Teenagers, aren’t you excited about a day with no relationship trouble? Adults, aren’t you excited about a day with no more financial issues?
I cannot conceive of a world that is free of the suffering, sorrow, and annoyances that we experience in this world. However, that is what God has prepared for those who love Him.
That, friends, is the hope of the resurrection.
Through Jesus, there is hope in the next life.
Let this bottom line summarize what we are learning this morning.Bottom Line: The resurrection turns your now life into your new life and prepares you for the next life.
Jesus can take you from where you are now, make you into something new, and prepare you for what comes next.
Some of you don’t think you can be changed, but you can. You don’t have to remain the same. Be made new by the power of the resurrection of Jesus!
Some of you don’t feel like you’re prepared for the next life. You don’t know what awaits you. You may even be fearful about what awaits you. Be prepared for the next life by the power of the resurrection of Jesus!
The resurrection turns your now life into your new life and prepares you for the next life.
Challenge yourself in this one way this week.Weekly Challenge: Find your hope in the resurrection of Jesus.
Have hope for a new life.
Have hope for what awaits you in the next life.
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
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