Think back, to Good Friday it looked like all hope was lost. Jesus had been severely beaten, mocked, rejected, tried and finally crucified before everyone (a humiliating death without question).  Then, to top it off had been buried in a borrowed grave.  By all accounts it appeared in the natural that evil had won.

Often as we go along in our walk with the Lord, we are bombarded by Satan's stumbling blocks and attacks to our physical and emotional being, financial state and faith.  It seems as though the harder we try to "do the right thing," the more adversity we encounter.  The adage "nice guys finish last" seems to apply.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., like Jesus, knew a little something about standing up against great opposition for what was right, being ridiculed, rejected, threatened and even martyred for a just cause.  Look at the powerful words that he had to say:

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant."

   -- from Dr. King's Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Address, 1964

New Testament scriptures tell us that on the third day Christ rose from the grave with all power in his hand.  He had conquered sin, the grave and death and had completed his life's assignment in the course of a weekend!  As a preacher, Dr. King understood that if something appears to be a failure in the natural (i.e. physical death) temporarily speaking - it isn't necessarily.

So as you enjoy your festival church service commemorating Christ's glorious rise from the grave, keep in mind that as believers we will have trials, tribulations, and setbacks, but they are temporary.  Remember that in the end, we too will be resurrected, reign and rule with Christ forever! 

Happy Resurrection Day!