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You have a Living Hope {No Matter What Monday}

May 15, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to pinpoint the sin of others? Several years ago, I talked with my son about how we all struggle with idolatry. We put people, ideas, possessions, or goals on the throne of our heart, where God alone belongs. I hoped it would encourage serious soul-searching. But my little Star Wars fan replied, “Darth Vader worships an idol. He loves his light saber more than the good guys.”

Where are you tempted to place your trust? You probably aren’t tempted to trust your light saber. But anything you put your hope in besides the Lord will ultimately fail you—whether it’s “me time,” your abilities and success, financial security, comfort, the approval of others, or your perceived control over your life. These false gods are attractive, but they’re inferior to the one true, living God.

When we’re lured by these inferior gods and they disappoint us, God’s Word gives us good news. We’ve been given a better source of hope!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)

Our hope is in a living Savior. None other is worthy of our worship and trust. The difference between the Lord Jesus and any other god is that Christ is risen. His resurrection is the guarantee that our hope is not in vain. He has conquered the toughest enemies we face—sin and death. We can face the days ahead knowing that our future is secure in Him, our living hope.

No matter what you face this week, you have been given a living hope through Christ’s resurrection.

Christ Has Overcome the World {No Matter What Monday}

April 17, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

On November 11, 1918, representatives of France, Germany, and Great Britain met in a railroad station in France to sign an armistice agreement and end the fighting in “the war to end all wars.” They signed the agreement at 5:00 a.m. with the stipulation that the fighting would end six hours later – at 11:00 a.m..

I wonder why they didn’t stop fighting immediately. I suppose in those days, it took time for word to spread throughout the Western Front. At 5:00 a.m., everyone knew Germany had been defeated by the Allies and celebrations started around the world. But for the soldiers in the field, the war wasn’t over. There were thousands of casualties that day as the fighting continued.

We are living in a time similar to those six hours in 1918. When Jesus walked out of the grave, God declared victory over sin, evil, and death. Satan knows he’s been defeated, but he’s not ready to stop fighting. We’re caught in the crossfire—living in the tension between the “already” and the “not yet” of God’s victory.

We say, “Where, O death, is your sting?” but still weep at the graveside of those we love. We read that the power of sin over us has been broken, and yet we confess with the apostle Paul that we keep on sinning (Romans 7:15-8:2).

Jesus knew we would suffer as the battle continues to rage, and so He told His disciples:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

We have peace because our hope isn’t in our own power to triumph. We trust in the One who has already conquered. Through our trials and our struggles, we can have confidence in this: God wins.

Take heart, friends. No matter what you face this week, Christ has overcome the world.

The Big Win

April 1, 2015 by Marissa Leave a Comment

I have a confession to make: March Madness games make me cry. Seeing those kids win a big game, knowing it is one of the most exciting moments of their young lives . . . I can be watching a team I don’t even care about, made up of people I don’t know and will never meet, and seeing their joy in WINNING will bring tears to my eyes.

We all love to win, don’t we? My middle child always cheers for the team that’s winning, even if (gasp!) it’s the team playing our beloved Razorbacks. He loves to win.

This morning, I was singing my favorite Easter hymn to my daughter and explaining the words to her. And I was reminded of the biggest WIN the world has ever seen. Final Four games have nothing on this victory and the joy it brings!

Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes . . .

When Jesus rose from the grave, He won big-time over Satan, over death, over sin, over sickness, over sadness, over pain!

He arose a victor from the dark domain, and He lives forever with His saints to reign . . .

Jesus wins, and if you are in Christ, you win, too!

He arose! He arose! Hallelujah, Christ arose!

The message of Easter morning is this: Jesus wins. Because Christ is risen, we can have joy and hope in a world that seems to be falling apart. It looks like we are losing. It feels like we are losing. Our hearts break when we encounter pain, sadness, sickness, grief and death.

But the truth is, Christ has won. It is finished! And in Christ, we are more than conquerors – we win, too! We WIN because Christ has WON. And someday the victorious Christ will wipe away every sad tear from our eyes.

Here’s my daughter singing our favorite Easter hymn three years ago. I pray the truth of these words takes deep root in her heart as she learns all that Jesus has won for her. Happy Easter, friends. Christ is risen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqmfo5Fkus8

The Resurrection

March 26, 2008 by Marissa Leave a Comment

This post is a little late in getting written, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the Resurrection of Christ. I often think about the Cross, but before last week, I hadn’t spent much time thinking about how different my life would be if Christ hadn’t risen from the dead. What if my college professors were right, and the Resurrection is just a metaphor, an encouraging story about the peace and joy God brings to our lives? What if Christ did not literally die, lie in a tomb for three days, and then rise again and appear to the disciples before ascending into Heaven?

If there is no Resurrection, there is no eternal life. There is eternity, for our souls will last forever, but not eternity with God. As my pastor said on Sunday, without the Resurrection, there is only eternal grief.

If there is no Resurrection, this world is all we have. There are no treasures in Heaven, nothing beyond what we can store up for ourselves in this life. So I better focus on making this life as good as it can be.

If there is no Resurrection, this world is a chaotic, depressing, fallen place without any hope that God has won over sin, evil, and death. You live, try to avoid as much pain as possible, and then die.

If there is no Resurrection, then Christians are to be pitied, because we are following a dead guy, a prophet who spoke inspiring words but was powerless at the hand of human soldiers.

Praise God that the Resurrection is a reality! God has conquered sin, evil, and death. As my kids’ Jesus Storybook Bible says, God is making everything sad, even death, untrue. While we still live in a fallen world, we have hope. God is in control, He has already won, and those who are in Christ will spend eternity with Him.

If the Resurrection is true, how should I respond? It proves that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, and therefore deserving of my faith, praise, and devotion. It compels me to have an eternal perspective, knowing that this world is not my true home. It should instill unending gratitude that Christ bore the punishment for all my sin and conquered death and hell for me.

One of my favorite songs from our church in Indianapolis describes the impact of the Resurrection so well. Please spend time reading the words and/or click here to listen (wait for it to load and then click play):

Praise the Savior now and ever; praise him, all beneath the skies;
Prostrate lying suffʹring, dying on the cross, a sacrifice.
Victʹry gaining, life obtaining, now in glory he doth rise.

Manʹs work faileth, Christʹs availeth; he is all our righteousness;
He, our Savior, has forever set us free from dire distress.
Through his merit we inherit light and peace and happiness.

Sinʹs bond severed, weʹre delivered; Christ has bruised the serpentʹs head;

Death no longer is the stronger, hell itself is captive led.
Christ has risen from deathʹs prison; oʹer the tomb he light has shed.

For his favor, praise forever unto God the Father sing;
Praise the Savior, praise him ever, Son of God, our Lord and King.
Praise the Spirit; through Christʹs merit he doth us salvation bring.

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