In a world often filled with darkness and despair, the message of resurrection stands as a beacon of hope. It’s a story of triumph over tragedy, and of love conquering hate. But what does resurrection truly mean for us today, beyond what happen to Jesus 2,000 years ago?

On the third day after Jesus was executed, Mary Magdalene approached Jesus’ burial place with a broken heart, expecting only to encounter death and darkness (John 20:1,11). How many of us have felt this way? Carrying our own pain, loss, and despair.

In our lives and in our world, we face numerous “tombs” – war, social divisions, economic insecurity, moral exhaustion, and personal losses. These challenges whisper that death and destruction have the final word. Yet, the resurrection tells a different story, that the worst thing is never the last thing. If you have doubts, consider these powerful reversals that can transform our perspective.

Love Triumphs Over Hate

Even as Jesus faced the horror of human hatred on the cross, he responded with radical forgiveness: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). This divine reversal shows us that God’s love is always stronger than human hate. The resurrection breaks open the possibility of reconciliation where there was once only hostility (Ephesians 2:13–14).

Joy Overcomes Grief

When Jesus speaks Mary’s name at the tomb, her world shifts (John 20:16). Her tears of sorrow become tears of wonder and hope. This encounter reminds us that no matter how deep our grief, joy is still possible – and not just possible, but certain in the light of God’s promised future. We’re invited to live not defined by what we’ve lost, but by the joy that awaits us when we’re connected to Christ.

Forgiveness Defeats Sin

The stories of the criminal on the cross (Luke 23:39–43) and Peter’s restoration (John 21:15–17) demonstrate that we are more than our worst mistakes. Sin does not get the last word; grace does. As the apostle Paul wrote, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). This truth liberates us from shame and opens the door to new beginnings.

Life Prevails Over Death

The empty tomb declares that death does not have the final word, life does. This hope isn’t naive; it’s forged in the face of real suffering. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said on his way to execution, “This is the end. For me, the beginning of life.” The resurrection proclaims that no matter how final death may seem, it has already been defeated.

These resurrection reversals offer us a radically different vision of life than what we often encounter in our daily news and struggles. They assure us that the goodness of God will always have the last word.

The Japanese art of kintsugi provides a beautiful metaphor for this resurrection hope. In kintsugi, broken pottery is mended with gold, highlighting the cracks and making the repaired piece even more valuable. Similarly, God takes the shattered pieces of our lives – our pain, grief, and losses – and puts them back together in a way that is more beautiful and valuable than before.

This image doesn’t minimize our suffering or suggest everything returns to how it was. Trauma and loss change us. But like kintsugi, our cracks remain visible, now filled with the gold of divine grace. Our scars tell a new story, not of defeat, but of healing and love. Even the resurrected Jesus still bore his wounds, transformed into signs of hope.

Resurrection, then, is more than a historical event. It’s a defiant, hope-filled way of life. It’s the power to stand up to sin, evil, death, and hatred with unassailable love, unwavering justice, and unshakable hope. It’s a life that refuses to cower before the powers of this world, that dares to speak truth to power, and that remains faithful to the values of God’s kingdom, no matter the cost.

The book of Revelation paints a vivid picture of this ultimate hope:

“I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb'” (Rev. 7:9-10)

This vision assures us that those who persevere through great tribulation will find themselves before God’s throne. “Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst . . . . God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (vv. 16, 17).

When we remember this future, we do not lose hope (Moltmann, Theology of Hope). We do not abandon our faith. For the victory has already been won.

Today, you’re invited to embrace this resurrection life. Bring your brokenness, your fears, your pain to Jesus. Allow yourself to be put back together in a new and beautiful way. As you do, your life becomes a living testimony that the worst thing is never the last thing.

The last thing is love. The last thing is joy. The last thing is life.

Stand up—be re-surrected. Lift your head high and face the world with the confidence that comes from knowing that death has been defeated, and that love will always have the final word.

In a world that often feels broken, may we be people who embody the hope of resurrection. May we be agents of love in the face of hate, bringers of joy amidst grief, ambassadors of forgiveness in a world bent on retribution, and bearers of life in the shadow of death. For in doing so, we participate in the ongoing story of resurrection – a story that continues to unfold, bringing hope and transformation to our world, one life at a time.