Because Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, Christian hope is not wishful thinking but a present, powerful reality grounded in truth; like firstfruits guaranteeing the harvest, the resurrection assures us that what God has begun he will complete. This makes our hope reasonable (rooted in eyewitness history), powerful (freeing us from sin and giving us real ability to change through the risen Christ), and purposeful (ensuring that our labor, even in small and costly acts of faithfulness, is not in vain). In a world marked by brokenness and despair, the resurrection anchors our lives in a future that is already breaking into the present—giving us strength to repent, endure, and live with meaning, because Jesus is alive now and his victory over sin and death is certain.

Holy Week begins with Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, while being hailed by many as the King, the son of David. The questions would should be asking ourselves are: What kind of King is he? And what kind of welcome have we given him? In this week’s sermon, we’ll see that Jesus is meek, and Jesus is not just able to save — but he wants to. King Jesus delights in saving you. That’s a king we can sing “Hosanna!” to.

In Exodus 17, Israel’s thirst reveals sinful unbelief as they put the Lord to the test, questioning whether he is truly among them. Yet God responds with compassion, providing water from the rock and pointing forward to Christ—the true Rock who was struck so that we might be satisfied and know for certain that God is with us.