When Jesus entered the world, it was in chaos — much as our world is today. When the angels announced His birth, they said, “Today, in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Everything is going to be okay.

When John the Baptist announced the Christ — “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) — he was saying, “Everything is going to be okay.”

When Jesus encouraged His people to hold their heads up in a world of tribulation, He told them to cheer up: “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have over- come the world” (John 16:33). Everything is going to be okay.

When He went to the cross, it was brutal and cruel, but His act of sacrifice signaled to everyone that everything was going to be okay.

The message we proclaim at Easter is the message of hope. Everything is going to be okay.

It doesnʼt mean weʼll have everything we want. It doesnʼt mean we wonʼt suffer loss, but it does mean that, in the words of Romans 8, we are loved unconditionally; that God knows our situation; and that faith and trust are the keys to survival. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”

Trouble? — No!

Hardship? — No!

Persecution? — No!

Famine? — No!

We are more than conquerors! We can live it out, act it out, talk it out and pray it out — “Nothing in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).

So you see, ultimately, because Christ has been raised, everything is going to be okay.

Loving you in the Lord,

Pastor Bill Linton (with special thanks to H.B. London)