Blog

“Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.” John 11:45

This week, many Christians will find themselves in special services, reliving the events and celebrating the freedom from sin found through Christ’s death. We rejoice in these days, thanking Christ for what He did and go as far as calling it Good.

But to the first disciples, this week was anything but good.

They didn’t understand the need for Jesus to die. They didn’t realize it was all part of God’s redemptive plan. They didn’t know that His death was only temporary, and that He was going to come back to life in a few days.

To them, Friday was dark.
And Saturday was empty.

They watched as their Messiah, the One who was supposed to overthrow their Roman oppressors and establish Israel as its own kingdom again, was killed. Nailed to a tree. By the ones He was supposed to conquer. They stood by as everything they gave their life for – the kingdom they abandoned jobs, homes, family and friends to establish – was over.

Everything they went through, everything they sacrificed, everything they learned, practiced and taught was all for nothing.

Jesus was dead.
Life just didn’t seem to make sense.

The disciples did the only thing they could: they went back to the lives they knew before Christ.

They had lost hope.

Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you’ve gone through a set of circumstances that made you feel as if God wasn’t there. Maybe you’ve prayed and sought and cried out…only to have things get worse. Maybe everything you gave your life for, everything you thought God was going to do, fell apart and all you want to do is return to the life you knew before.

Maybe everything feels dark and empty and there is just no hope for things to get better.

But remember, Sunday is coming.

He didn’t stay in the grave.
Death did not have the final word.
Hope coming.
You might just need to endure some darkness to get there.

What feels hopeless in your life right now?