Easter 2026

Resurrection Hope

Power of Hope

Unrealistic hope

POW soldier who made it compared to those who did not.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick.

Realistic hope

Resurrection hope.

What this means for us:

Looking at Exodus - This is the greater Exodus.

Past (We have been liberated)

Took one moment to get Israel out of Egypt.

Sins forgiven.

Present (We live with purpose)

The Kingdom is here in power now

We cannot give up on our present life by only looking forward to the future life.

Hebrews 10:19 “19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,”

1 Corinthians 16:13–14 “13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”

We have the victory now! 1 Corinthians 15:57 “57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We fruit of what Christ has done is sanctification in the here and now, and the future “end is eternal life”

The Exodus teaches us that it took one day to get Israel out of Egypt but 40 years to get Egypt out of Israel.

What this means is:

Future (The end is written)

“Christ’s resurrection, in the past, is the power of sanctification in the present, and the confidence behind hope for the future.”

This hope produces confidence.

It is not confidence placed in unrealistic expectations now. It is confidence placed in the promise of resurrection.

2 Timothy 2:18 “18 who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.”

It’s clear why such a teaching might upset faith, for to claim that the present - with all its pain - is all that God has in store for us is to drain life of meaning and hope. It is to believe that this broken life is all there is, to believe that sin and death will have the final word.

We cannot separate our total and complete transformation, healing, etc. from the future for which we hope in Christ, the hope that “if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Rom 6:5)

This resurrection is a bodily one.

Death is a conquered enemy, it is the final enemy to be defeated.

Because of resurrection, we are victorious in death.

Eager Expectation:

Acts 1:11 “11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.””

Is not about looking up and watching the sky but about living on earth, doing the work of the kingdom in mission and service, in love and worship while we long for His return.

Expectation of his coming lead us (Hebrews 10:24–25 “24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” )

the longing life, the expecting life is one with purpose, living for Christ, a life moving towards its final purpose. His final purpose of saving and transforming our world, completely freeing us from all sin and all death, bringing God’s good purposes for all things to completion in Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:58 “58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Luke 24:5 “5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Matthew 28:5–7 “5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.””

The response of Mary and Mary is to be our response as well, to go “quickly with fear and great joy” to spread the good news of resurrection.