Resurrected
From a distance it looked like a disaster. Jesus had been betrayed by one of His own disciples. He had been arrested, beaten and crucified. As Christ hung on the cross, lifeless, fear gripped the lives of His disciples. All their hopes, dreams and promises were gone.
Today, Christians are celebrating Good Friday and preparing for Easter, a time we commemorate victory over sin and death. Despite this glorious time of the year, much of the world is filled with sadness and uncertainty. So many people are living their lives without any direction or hope.
I’ve got wonderful news to share with you. Jesus is alive! He arose on the third day just like He said He would! With this glorious revelation, Jesus issues the command to go and tell the whole world the Good News! We have an economy in shambles, there are wars and rumors of new wars, our country has lost its moral compass and much of today’s media is driven by a bizarre agenda.
In spite of these desperate times, Rivers of the World (ROW) has responded in numerous ways throughout the world. ROW teams have assisted with opening a new clinic in Honduras that will serve 58,000 people, providing medical care and an opportunity for the Gospel to be shared. Work is under way on a new hospital ship being built in Peru, which is expected to provide assistance for over 844,000 people in that region. ROW will be able to help 20,000 people by the use of new ships being launched in Nicaragua and Honduras. We have also been able to preach the Gospel from Kinshasa to Kisangani in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The message we preach is one of hope that was born out of Christ’s death. Three times Jesus predicted His death to His disciples. We read about this second occurrence in Matthew 17:22-23:
“When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.’ And the disciples were filled with grief.”
Jesus was indeed betrayed and crucified but, Jesus also conquered death and arose on the third day. Our lives may be shrouded in uncertainty and life may seem quite hopeless. We may be wondering where the risen Savior is and why He hasn’t appeared. Just as the disciples’ grief was turned into joy after seeing the risen Savior, our lives can be transformed when we have a genuine encounter with Jesus Christ. This Easter celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and praise God for the resurrected life He has given you.
