Minister Message - The hope of Easter

- By Rev. Rick Shott — Nokomis Baptist Church

March 31, 2026

key points from this story:

• Easter arrives amid global conflict
• Wars reveal humanity’s brokenness
• Christ’s resurrection brings forgiveness
• True hope lies in Jesus’ return
• Faith sustains through hardship
• God’s justice and renewal promised

As Easter approaches, we can add another war that sours our outlook on humanity. This is true no matter which side you take. A well-functioning world would not need war, but here we are. We are approaching Easter with violence dominating the news even more than before. Perhaps this is best understood with Easter in mind.

Easter is the remembrance that after Jesus died for our sins, He rose on the third day. This act of sacrifice clears our guilt before God for all who accept Jesus as their savior. Yet it does not remove sin from this Earth. These wars are just a reminder that there is more work to be done. This is what will be accomplished when Jesus returns. This is our hope, everyone likes to talk of heaven and it is appropriate, but it is the return of Jesus and when sin is destroyed that gives us hope. Heaven is merely icing on the cake.

This leaves us in a position where we must endure these wearying wars. I say this in relative comfort; it is worse if you lived in Ukraine or in the theater of the Iranian war. Yet this is part of the hope of Easter realizing that God will make this world right. A hope that the evil actors will meet the judgment. A hope that the Lord will care for those caught under the imperial boot. The Sun will rise as it did on the third day after the crucifixion.