Hope.
It’s a word that seems, well, hopeless these days. Just browse through any newspaper or magazine—the headlines are saturated with widespread terrorism, starving children, human trafficking, and other atrocities. Meanwhile, we all probably know at least one person who suffers from some form of cancer, disability, or other medical condition—in fact, that probably describes many of our own stories. Let’s face it: This world is plagued with afflictions of various kinds. We obviously can’t avoid it, so what are we to do? How can we find joy when it feels like the odds are stacked against us?
The answer isn’t found in some self-help book or good deed; it’s found in a person, and His name is Jesus.
No, that’s not an attempt to give a perfect “Sunday School answer” or portray myself as someone who never has trouble trusting those words. The fact is, we all have had plenty of experience with pain, distrust, and all sorts of unpleasant emotions. There have been times in my life when I felt I was trapped in darkness and had no way of escaping—but isn’t it in our darkest moments when Jesus shines the brightest?
This truth is displayed beautifully in 1 Corinthians 15:12-20:
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope[a] in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Our faith is no stranger to opposition. Paul (the author of 1 Corinthians and much of the New Testament) wrote this letter to the church at Corinth, a very large and prominent city in Greece. He felt specifically called to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (non-Jews), so in this letter, his audience is largely made up of Greco-Roman people. In that day, there were many Gentiles who thought people didn’t really have souls—that death was the end of the line. To the “educated” people in Greece, it was considered laughable to believe life could continue after death. As a result, many Christians in this church began to doubt Christ’s resurrection. But Paul was quick to set them straight and renew their confidence.
First, he addresses their concerns in a firm yet loving way. Then, he lists out several consequences for them if Jesus did not actually ascend into heaven after His death:
-their preaching was in vain;
-their faith was in vain;
-they misrepresented God;
-they were not saved;
-they were to be pitied by the rest of the world.
Imagine a life where we suddenly realized that Christ was not raised from the dead—that death was ultimately the end. If that were the case, I think many of us would plummet into extreme sorrow. Everything we do and feel would be in vain—our suffering, our labor, our joy, our endurance, everything.
Paul did innumerable good things for the kingdom. He was a force to be reckoned with, and a threat to the idolatrous worship practices of that day. Simply put, the canon of Scripture and Christianity as a whole would look completely different without Paul’s ministry. However, his influence did not come without grave opposition. He suffered great persecution along with the other apostles, and he specifically outlines several of these in 2 Corinthians 11. He endured trials such as imprisonment, countless beatings, near-death experiences, lashes, stonings, shipwrecks, sleepless nights, and dangers at every turn (verses 23-28).
If Christ didn’t resurrect, Paul was surely to be pitied. What would have been the point of all that horrible persecution, just to find out that his faith was all a farce? That he was still in his sins and, most severely, he was misrepresenting God? His life would have been completely wasted, and he would surely be a fool. But, he was able to withstand all of these threats because of the promise that he would one day be with Jesus. He knew death was not the end, and we know that is just as true today as it was back then.
As Christ followers, we know that we can endure any trial in life because of this one crucial event. We also know that we can look at the sufferings of this world and be at peace, knowing one day they will all be made right. We know that all who believe in Jesus will never die, but be resurrected with Him on the last day (John 11:25-26). If Jesus is resurrected, we will be resurrected. That is our hope and assurance.
In this season of Easter, let’s resolve to wait with eager expectation for our King, knowing full well that He has already won the battle against sin and death. We must look at our suffering in light of the gospel so that we can be reminded that our hope is not for nothing; our suffering has purpose, and it will eventually come to an end, whether by physical death or Jesus’ second coming. He is risen and seated at the right hand of the Father, eagerly awaiting His cue to return to earth and settle things once and for all. It is for this reason that we are not fools—we hold fast to the hope of His resurrection, and anticipate both our resurrection and His arrival with full confidence!
As a college student, full-time employee, writer, and small group leader, Morgan Hancher lives life with a Bible in one hand and a strong cup of coffee in the other. She is excited about marrying her best friend in May. Follow her on Twitter: @morganjhancher.
