Holy Week was, as usual, pretty hectic. Preparations for the Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday worship services were in full swing. Things were going well. We had a very inspiring and challenging Good Friday service. Saturday night came and we were planning to go to the church facility early the next day. But we had one more gathering to attend. So we got into our car. I turned the ignition, and … nothing. I tried again, and again. Nothing. The car would not start! We ended up having to make arrangements for someone to pick us up; both for that night’s gathering, and for Resurrection Sunday.
On Monday morning my brother-in-law came to our aid. He determined that the problem was that the starter had gone bad. And he proceeded to help in securing a new starter and installing it on the car. My car is running again. It’s been given a new start(er). It’s alive again!
The timing of the experience allowed me to see a connection to the message of renewed hope in the resurrection. When Jesus began his ministry on this earth, the people recognized something different about him. And a group of followers gathered around him. They began to perceive that Jesus was the One who would restore God’s people in fulfillment of the prophecies of Scripture. But when Jesus was crucified, all their hopes were dashed. This is reflected in the attitude and words of the two men on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24.13-24). “Their faces [were] downcast.” And when they talked about Jesus they expressed how they “had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” But Jesus was dead … or so they thought.
Then the risen Jesus revealed himself to the discouraged disciples. And everything changed (Luke 24.25-35). Excitedly they returned to Jerusalem even though it was already dark. Their hope had been renewed. They had to share the good news. Jesus is not dead; he is alive. God is proving himself faithful to his promises. The resurrection gave them a new start.
Now that’s a picture of what the gospel does in the life of one who turns things over to the living Lord. We often depend on our own ideas and abilities to sustain our life in this world. But sooner or later we will discover that our own resources will come up short. Life as it should be will ultimately come to a halt. We will need a brand new start. It is only when we submit to the One who secured a decisive victory over sin and death will we discover sufficient grace to face each day with a confident hope that everything will ultimately work out for our good, to the glory of God.
Make sure you depend continually on Jesus Christ to give you that fresh new start each day.
—Keith Y. Jainga