The Power of the Resurrection: Hope
1 Peter 1:3-9
The school system in a large city had a program to help children keep up with their schoolwork during stays in the city's hospitals. One day, a teacher who was assigned to the program received a call asking her to visit a child. She took the child's name and room number and talked briefly with his regular class teacher and learned they were studying nouns and adverbs. She then went to see the boy that afternoon. No one had mentioned to her that the boy had been badly burned and was in great pain. Upset at the sight of the boy, she stammered as she told him, "I've been sent by your school to help you with nouns and adverbs." And then they got to work. When she left, she felt she hadn't accomplished much. But the next day, a nurse asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" The teacher thought she must have done something wrong and began to apologize. "No, no," said the nurse. "You don't understand. We've been worried about if that boy would make it, but ever since yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He's fighting back and responding to treatment. It's as though he's decided to live." Two weeks later, the boy explained that he had completely given up hope until the teacher arrived. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization: "They wouldn't send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy, would they?"
Hope. It’s absolutely essential to life. Dr. Jerome Groopman of Harvard Medical School found that when he diagnosed patients with serious diseases, all of them were “looking for a sense of genuine hope—and indeed, that hope was as important to them as anything he might prescribe as a physician.” In his book, “The Anatomy of Hope,” he writes, “We could not live without hope.” Even with all the medical technology available to us now, “we still come back to this profound human need to believe that there is a possibility to reach a future that is better than the present.” That is all the more important when we face overwhelming times of hopelessness, moments when it seems the world is against us and when it seems we have no control over what is happening to us. That’s what Mary Magdalene was experiencing as she approaches the tomb on Easter morning, shedding tears of hopelessness, despair and frustration. Jesus had healed her of demon possession, and more importantly, he had shown her how to have peace with God. He had made so many promises, said so many good things and performed so many miracles. But now he was dead and all the things of that died with him. Hope was lost. She wasn't alone. The disciples had given up everything: home, family, job and possessions. They watched as the crowds flocked to Jesus. They listened as He taught like no one before him. They watched in awe at his miracles and healings. They heard his claims that God was His Father, that He was one with God and that He had come to usher in God’s kingdom on Earth. And as he was crucified, they still held out hope He would be delivered. But then it happened. Scripture tells us that with a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last breath and, with Him, their hope died too.
We’ve all been there haven’t we? Moments when the world seemed like a very cruel place – a place of broken promises, unsuspecting diagnosis, unfulfilled dreams, unthinkable betrayal or lies, and devastating disappointments? Like when it seems like the cards are stacked against us and we have absolutely no control over what’s happening. And without warning, we find ourselves wrapped in hopelessness and despair. How can we face such situations and overcome them? As with Mary and the disciples, our only hope is bound up in Jesus and the power of the resurrection. Only one thing can bring hope to a hopeless situation. Only one thing can bring joy where there is only sadness. Only one thing can bring life where there is nothing but death. Only one thing can give you optimism when it seems that you’re defeated. And that’s the power of the resurrection! He is risen! And the same power which raised Jesus from the dead is available to you in your life and the circumstances you face.
Hope. It’s a word we throw around too casually. “I hope this works, I hope you feel better, I hope for that promotion.” The true essence of the word gets lost. The hope the world offers is based on our wants, desires and conjectures, but the hope Scripture talks about is different. This hope is as an expectation based on the truth and promises of God. This hope is eternal and won’t fail us. Hebrews 6:19 says, “We have this hope (talking about God’s promises and purposes) as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” The hope that God offers is something to build on, it’s an anchor to hold us and keeps us from drifting after this and that, it is the rock on which we stand, and a Truth that cannot be moved or shaken. And it is forever bound up in the resurrection of Christ, which took a cross and a tomb, the very symbols of death, despair and hopelessness and turned it forever into a symbol of life and hope, no matter what we face! Hope allows us to see what others can’t.
In our Scripture today, Peter is writing to new believers who are undergoing “various trials” (1 Peter 1:6), being “tested by fire” (1:7), maligned “as evildoers” (2:12) and suffering “for doing good” (3:17). In the midst of such circumstances, he counsels steadfastness and perseverance, empowered by the hope found only in the resurrection. This is why Peter’s letter has been called “The Gospel of Hope.” Living in the light and life of Jesus’ resurrection does not exempt us from life’s evils, ills and tribulations. Yet it does give us the strength and perseverance to endure and sustains us even during the darkest and most difficult times of life.
Peter speaks of three types of hope. The first is a living hope. 1Peter 1:3 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” A living hope is a hope that never dies. Why? Because Jesus is not dead. He is alive and when he was resurrected, so too was our hope even in the most daunting of circumstances. A living hope sustains in the midst of the greatest difficulties. It is born out of full confidence, belief, and trust in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a living hope because Jesus Christ is alive! Because of that, it is sure, certain, and real. It is active and moving, even in the midst of trials. And absolutely nothing can thwart it.
Second, it is a present hope. This is the hope which is available to make a difference in our life and our circumstances right here and right now. The hope of Easter isn’t just a future hope of eternal life, it is a hope that meets us in the real world, in our lives and in our circumstances. It is often the unspoken strength that allows us to rise each day and face the uncertainties of life. In the midst of our losses and let downs, we can anchor our souls with divine strength. We are kept by the power of God. It’s not us holding on to Him. It’s Him holding on to us. Connie Lavoie tells the story of her favorite spot at the local zoo in an exhibit called the House of Night. It was a place where you could see creatures of the night that would crawl and fly about, but because it held creatures of the night… it was nearly totally dark. She said that one very bright day, she stepped into the exhibit and was instantly plunged into total darkness. Almost immediately “a small hand grabbed mine.” She asked tenderly, “And who do you belong to?” A little boy, in a very quiet voice said: “I’m yours… till the lights come on.” And that is God, who is holding on to us in the midst of the darkness and the storms of life. God will be present with us every step of the way. You are NOT alone! The power of the resurrection proclaims that God will be present with us each and every day.
Third, we have a future hope that things will not be the same tomorrow as they are today. Self-made millionaire Eugene Land was asked to speak to a class of 59 sixth-graders. He thought to himself, “What can I say to make a difference in the lives of these students, most of whom were from broken homes in slum neighborhoods and would eventually drop out of school?” When he arrived at the school and stood before the class of innocent faces, he scrapped his notes and decided to speak to them from his heart. "Stay in school," he admonished, "and I’ll help pay the college tuition for every one of you." At that moment the lives of these students changed forever. For the first time, they had hope. Said one student, "I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling." Nearly 90% of that class went on to graduate from high school!
As wonderful as that was for these students, we have the hope of a future inheritance which is far greater. It is “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” 1 Peter 1:4 This heavenly inheritance is better than any and everything this world has to offer. We will not all die. We may fall asleep as the Scriptures say but we will awaken to a new and eternal life in the presence of God our Creator and Jesus our Savior. This heavenly inheritance is better than anything this world has to offer because it is “imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, (and is) kept in heaven for” us who know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Heaven itself is part of that inheritance, our future home where “there will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Rev. 21:4 This is why we wake up each day and it the reason we seek to share the Gospel with as many people as possible that we might share this hope and make an eternal difference in their lives.
It’s the power of the resurrection which tells us death is not the end. It has been defeated. The power of the resurrection tells us that evil does not win. The power of the resurrection tells us that God forgives our sin, no matter what that sin might be. The power of the resurrection proclaims for us that new life and new beginnings are available. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things are become new.”
And finally, the power of the resurrection gives us the hope of a better tomorrow. Patt Barnes tells of a beautiful spring day, and a sense of peace staying with her as she left the cathedral on Easter Monday morning. “I paused for a moment on top of the steps leading to the avenue, now crowded with people rushing to their jobs. Sitting in her usual place inside a small archway was the old flower lady. At her feet, corsages and boutonnieres were parading on top of a spread-open newspaper. The flower lady was smiling, her wrinkled old face alive with some inner joy. Patt started down the stairs - then, on impulse, turned and picked out a flower. As she put it in her lapel, she said, "You look happy this morning." "Why not? Everything is good." She was dressed so shabbily and seemed so very old that her reply startled me. "You’ve been sitting here for many years now, haven’t you? And always smiling. You wear your troubles well." "You can’t reach my age and not have troubles." she replied. "Only it’s like Jesus and Good Friday. .. ’ She paused for a moment. "Yes?" I prompted. "Well, when Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, that was the worst day for the whole world. And when I get troubles I remember that and then I think of what happened only three days later - Easter and our Lord arising. So when I get troubles, I’ve learned to wait 3 days ... somehow everything gets all right again." And she just smiled. Her words still follow me whenever I think I have troubles. Give God a chance to help... wait three days.” The power of the resurrection gives us the hope of a better tomorrow.
Just a little more than a decade ago, 14 miners were trapped in the Sago Mine Disaster in W. VA two miles below the earth. Crews were brought in to clear the elevator shaft to reach them. The best estimates were that it was going to take 48 hours to reach them and oxygen would be low as methane gas filled the mine. Protocol for miners is such situations that they refrain from talking, lie down and cover themselves up and not move, trying to preserve as much oxygen as possible. Unfortunately, the rescue workers reach them 44 hours later and all but one of the miners had died. When Randy McCloy was brought to the surface, he told of how before the men went silent and covered themselves up, he encouraged each of them to write a love letter to their family and then led them in the Sinner’s Prayer as each gave their life to Christ. And now, even in death, there was hope. When Randy’s wife was interviewed. She said, “I never gave up hope!” And because of the resurrection, neither can we! Amen.
