We have hope, in this life and the next, because of the redeeming work of Christ on the cross. This past month in Kids Time, our children were learning the meaning to the lyrics of the hymn, “Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery.” The first verse speaks of how Jesus “condescended” from heaven to earth to live in frail, human flesh for the purpose of ransoming mankind from their sin. In verse two, the hymn speaks of the perfect life Jesus lived—even in all His suffering, there was never a trace of sin. Then we come to the third verse—a powerful description of this gospel mystery—how that Jesus stood in our place to take the punishment for our sins. And as a result of His love for us, He willingly paid the price for our redemption because of His grace. The final verse speaks of our unwavering hope in the power of Christ’s resurrection. Listen to this amazing modern hymn:

All of Scripture hangs in the balance of this truth: Christ has risen from the dead! Without the doctrine of the resurrection, the foundation of Christianity crumbles. Eternal life is only found in Jesus. This is an essential, or core, belief of Christianity. Through faith, we have hope in Christ because of His great love for us.