Easter and the Power of Hope

If someone were to ask me to boil down the message of Easter to one word, it would be hope.

Hope is a powerful thing. It offers a message that tomorrow is a new day—and it can be better or different than today. Hope is the belief that your goals can be achieved—perhaps not today, perhaps not right now, but someday.

When the events of Easter Sunday occurred, the followers of Jesus were pretty much without hope. Jesus, the person whom they had placed all of their faith, had been killed and was buried. The disciples had scattered. Peter, one of the disciples who was closest to Jesus, had denied that he even knew who Jesus was. They were at the end of their rope.

Maybe you can relate. I remember feeling this way not too long ago. My job was kind of dragging me down, dating wasn’t going that great, I was feeling disconnected from some of my friends, and I hurt my back in CrossFit. I wasn’t feeling much hope that things were going to turn around for me.

I think that’s what is so amazing about the Easter story. In the midst of the disciples’ hopelessness and depression, God breaks through and does something amazing. For Christians, the resurrection changed everything—how we relate to each other, how we interact with God, and even how we deal with life and death.

I think that’s the core message of Easter. No matter where you are at, no matter what you are struggling with, God can break through and offer hope for something better. I know I need that hope in my life today.

Discussion: What about Easter Sunday speaks most powerfully to you? How have you felt the power of hope in your life? What does it motivate you to do?