Renewed Hope, Perfect Peace, Eternal Life

Scripture: “I am the resurrection and the life. Everyone who lives in Me and believes in Me will never ever die.” John 11:25-26

Civil war in the Middle East. The political turmoil in Europe. The crises throughout Africa. The unrest in South America. All over the world, we see the truth of Jesus Christ’s statement to His followers: “you will hear of wars and threats of wars” (Matthew 24:6).

Many have predicted that when mankind became more educated, they would give up their warlike ways, and peace would rule the planet. Yet the story of humanity, right up to the present day, is a story of war, conflict and suffering.

Hope for a better world -- for true peace -- can be found only in God, not in ourselves. Human striving leads to death. Life comes from God alone.

Life from God

Over 2,000 years ago, God came to earth to live among us. He entered the world as a helpless baby, born miraculously to a virgin mother. Jesus, the Son of God, grew up living the only perfect, sinless life. And when it was time, He gathered His followers and taught people about God’s ways, saying, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). But He was so much more than a great teacher.

Death to Sin

The Bible tells us that God’s Son came to earth so that He could go to the cross. On the cross, Jesus took upon Himself all the sins of the world. That includes every sin you and I have ever committed, as well the sins we’ll commit in the future. For those who believe in and follow Jesus, our sins were nailed to the cross with Him (Colossians 1:14). He was, and is, the eternal sacrifice that guarantees a lasting peace. When we repent and turn to Him, He will forgive us and remove the record of every sin we have ever committed: “You were dead because of your sins... Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins” (Colossians 2:13).

Jesus’ Greatest Miracle

We recall the death of Jesus Christ on “Good Friday.” But we celebrate on Resurrection Sunday: By the power of God, Jesus Christ rose from the dead! Muhammad, the Buddha, and every other religious leader through the ages is dead, buried, and gone. Jesus’ grave is empty, and our deepest yearnings for life, peace, and hope find fulfillment in the empty tomb. When Jesus rose from the dead, he secured eternal and abundant life for His people.

Identified With Him, in Death and Life

Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Although we deserved death, it’s as if our death sentence has already been carried out for us by Jesus. Jesus did not come merely to improve us, but to completely remake us. And now we have a brand new life -- His life.

He is the Only Way

Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Show us the way.” He responded, “I AM the way, and the truth, and the life - no one comes to the Father but through Me” ( John 14:6). He also said, “You must be born again” ( John 3:7).

Do You Have this Life?

You can make Jesus Christ Lord of your life, beginning with a simple prayer of faith. Believe in Him, let Him rule your life, and become a child of God: Dear Jesus, I believe that You have made it possible for me to live a new, godly life. Thank You for paying the penalty for my sins with Your death on the cross. Please forgive my sins and teach me to live for You. Thank You for Your resurrection; I believe You are alive, and I accept Your new life, power, and hope, for my trust is now in You. Amen.

No human effort or sacrifice can guarantee lasting peace. Jesus Christ paid for God’s eternal freedom, lasting peace, and justice and mercy with His blood. Hope for a better world -- and eternal life to come -- comes from God alone.

Trials Allow Us to Comfort Others

Scripture: “God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.” 2 Corinthians 1:4

“Your baby has a hole in his diaphragm and no lungs, so he cannot breathe on his own without machines. Even with advanced medical treatment, he has only a 5% chance of survival.”

Those were the devastating words we heard when our son David was born. Why does God put His children through such terrible situations? Is there a purpose for our trials?

Life is Not Always Happy

Life does not always turn out the way you expect. After 8 months in the hospital and many surgeries, we approached David’s first Christmas with very little joy or hope. I watched David struggle to breathe, realizing how easy breathing was for me, and how I took it for granted. I was so tired of seeing my baby suffer. Then I “heard” a voice in my head say, “I know how you feel. I watched my Son suffer, too.”

God Understands Our Suffering

God sent his Son to suffer for me. Jesus’ suffering started at Christmas -- his birth -- when the God who created the universe confined himself to a human body. “Though he was God… he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being”Philippians 2:6-7. How strange for Him to have to breathe, to feel hungry and uncomfortable, to depend on less-than-perfect parents to meet his every need. This world was a prison of limitations to His divine qualities. But he endured all this, and the pain of the cross, for you and me. “This High Priest (Jesus) of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.” Hebrews 4:15

God Promises to Be With Us

God never promises to take away suffering, but He does promise to always be with us. “Even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.” Psalm 23:4.

God was with me in that hospital room, and because of that experience I have been able to understand and comfort others in ways I never could have before. Your testimony of God’s strength and hope through difficult times can speak to people who might not otherwise listen. So when you experience trials….“Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus….Who endured the cross because of the joy awaiting him.” Hebrews 12:1-2

What is the Purpose of Trials in Our Life?

Scripture: “Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for his people"Psalm 66:5

Job, probably the oldest book in the Bible, asks this question. Job’s friends accuse him of a hidden sin, since God seems to be punishing him with tragedies. Is this true? Are tragedies punishment from God? The Bible says, absolutely not!

Tragedy Can Bring Us to Jesus

We have false expectations if we believe that good deeds are always rewarded, and evil is always punished in this life. We live in a fallen world, corrupted by sin. Disease and disasters are a natural result (see Romans 8:20-22). Yet our problems and needs are the very things that can cause us to seek God and draw closer to Him.

Jesus was asked this question by his followers: “Why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sin?” “It was not because of his sin or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him” (John 9:2-3).

God’s Power Revealed

Then Jesus healed the man and restored his sight. According to Jesus, this man had lived in darkness all his life for this one moment: so that the healing power of Jesus could be revealed, and he would see that Jesus is the “Light of the World” that leads us out of darkness. Because of this miracle in his life, he was able to say, “‘Yes, Lord, I believe!’ and he worshiped Jesus” (John 9:38). And because of his testimony, many others believed as well.

Only God Can Do the Impossible

Many people turn to God only when they are in a hopeless situation. Seeing God’s loving care and power helps build our faith. Our testimony of God’s miracles in our own life may be critical in helping someone else to believe. “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead….. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness towards us.” Ephesians 2:4-7.

God’s greatest miracle is how he gives us a new life in Christ. Each believer is a beautiful painting, illustrating God’s grace and power to save. Ephesians 2:10 says we are His Masterpiece, his greatest work. So let’s glorify our Creator and proclaim his power to the world!