On this Easter Monday, its is predicted that snow will fall and there will be travel chaos on the roads. For many people, the main thought will be about getting home from holiday in time to get to work tomorrow. ‘This life’ is often taken up with the routine of work, family, holiday.
The Apostle Paul in one of the best known passages of the Bible said:
‘If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable’ 1 Corinthians 15: 19
He added to the definition of ‘this life’ the thought of ‘hope in Christ’. Let us not be distracted by the marketing men! Christ is central to Easter. The Easter bunny, Easter eggs, Easter sales are no more relevant than Christmas trees, Santa Claus and chestnuts roasting on an open fire are to Christmas. Christmas is about the ‘hope in Christ’ that comes through His birth: Easter is about the ‘hope in Christ’ that comes through His death and resurrection. Do you have in this life hope in Christ?
But the hope in Christ must extend beyond this life. What would be the point in believing in Christ if that faith ended at the grave? Many other teachers and philosophers that men follow can support them in this life but the crunch comes on the day of our death. We need a faith that is good for time and eternity! Thankfully the Apostle continued:
‘But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept’.
If we believe that Christ is risen then we not only have hope for the future but ‘this life’ takes on a different meaning. Why not spend time on this cold Easter Monday to read what the Bible says about the resurrection of Christ? It would truly be a happy Easter if you found hope in Christ.