As the Son of God, Jesus knew that He was facing a time of trial so here we find Him in the Garden of Gethsemane praying.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Jesus’ followers felt as if all hope was gone: they had believed Jesus had come to Earth to save them, but instead of becoming a conquering political hero, He had been killed on the cross.

They hadn’t yet realised that Jesus did come to save them – and His death was part of the plan.

At the beginning of the world, Adam and Eve (the first people God created) disobeyed God.

Sin and sadness entered the world, and our relationship with God was broken.

In order to restore this relationship, a sacrifice was needed.

In a way, it was the world’s biggest apology, and it was made on our behalf to restore our relationship with God.

Jesus, God’s son, came into the world because God loves us and wants to be in a relationship with us.

Jesus wants us to experience His hope, true joy, and the path that leads to life in its abundance, as He said in John chapter 14, verse 6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Before He was crucified, Jesus knew what lay ahead of Him, and in His time of suffering and struggle, Jesus reached out to God for strength.

Through this action, Jesus set an example for us.

Have you ever felt like all your hope was gone?

It’s a dark and frightening feeling, isn’t it, when we have lost all hope?

Whether it’s because of a family crisis, financial struggle, natural disaster, battle with addiction or life-altering illness, there are times when we can feel utterly hopeless.

He promises us joy, a sense of purpose for our days, and assures us of hope for eternity.

In our times of trouble, when all seems most hopeless, we can reach out to God in prayer and find comfort and hope.

God’s love for us gives us strength for our lives on Earth, hope for eternity, and a hope we can hold on to.

After Jesus was crucified on the cross, His body was placed in a tomb.

A few days later, a group of women who had followed Jesus – Mary Magdalene, Mary and Joanna, walked a path to the tomb where they expected to find Jesus’ body.

After watching Him suffer and die, they were feeling grief-stricken and hopeless.

They held a symbol of that hopelessness in their hands: the spices to anoint His dead body. 

On that very early Easter morning when the women went to the tomb they were surprised to see when they arrived an angel on the outside of the open tomb asking, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!”

They expected to find His body and simply anoint Him with respect, instead their path of hopelessness turned into a path to hope.

And through approaching Jesus, that hope changed to life and joy.

And we can do the same as those women did so long ago on that Easter morning.

We can approach Jesus - just as they did.

Jesus carried the weight of our sins and burdens, and experienced rejection, humiliation and pain on the cross because He loves each and every one of us.

Through this miraculous act Jesus offers us hope; a hope that is certain: one we can hold onto.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”