The Answer To All Our Problems

There is so much wrong with the world. It doesn’t matter your gender, social status, age or political leanings to see there are problems everywhere. Division, anger, crime, depression, death, war, violence, mental and physical illnesses are just some of the issues that plague us. No matter what we do as a nation, it never seems to get any better. Still, everyone has an opinion about what is wrong with the world. Along with these opinions are ideas on how to fix what is going on: change the politicians, change the education, change the laws, change in technology, change in religion, change in policy and even changes in consumerism have all been suggested to better where we are at. Then there are the wannabe philosophers that throw out bouquets of flowery phrases like: choose love, just follow your heart, coexist, just get along, justice for all, equality and so much more. But these flowers of “wisdom” just blow away. These phrases ring hollow as there is little thought to applying them in a practical way. You can tell someone to choose love all you want, but if they don’t, then what? And if you try to force it, would it ever be the genuine article? You can’t change people, and that's the real problem.

Yet the reason we struggle so much with fixing the problems of our world is because we are trying to figure out what has already been solved. See we have the answer to all our dilemas, we just do not want to accept it! We are spending so much time trying to fix what God has already restored. We are trying to find an answer to our many questions, when God has already told us the answer. And the answer is Jesus! Christ’s work on Easter weekend solves all the problems that plague us. At the root of all of which ails us is sin. We are all born with sinful selfish hearts. We desire and choose that which is immoral. And to fix something like this will take more than a twelve step program. We are not talking about outside actions. We are not talking about breaking a bad habit. We are talking about the core of humanity. We are referring to who someone is as soon as they are born. No medical, psychological, therapeutic or religious exercise will resolve this. It will take someone dying and starting all over with a new life. And this is exactly what we can have in Christ. By Jesus dying on the cross and then rising again three days later, we can have a newness of life. We can die to ourselves and be born again in a new purified self. As Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Jesus. He is the answer to all of our problems.

Are you looking to end crime and violence? Christ defeated that by nailing our sins to the cross. Are you looking to stop hate and for everyone to love one another? We can love because Christ first loved us and showed us how much He loved us by dying for us. Are you looking to stop division and have unity? We are all unified with Christ in the body of Christ i.e. the church. Are you looking to stop all physical and mental ailments? Christ offers us eternal life with Him in heaven where there will be no more pain or suffering. Are you looking for peace? Christ offers us peace, not as the world does, but a peace that passes all human understanding. Are you looking for change? Christ offers us His perfect life in exchange for ours. Are you searching for meaning and purpose? In Christ you have direction and purpose. For Christ is the real reason for why you  were created.

So as we reflect on the meaning of Easter weekend, let us be reminded that this is the answer to all our problems! Everything that is wrong, was defeated and solved by Jesus dying on the cross and coming back from the dead three days later. We just need to look to Him in faith and be saved. Will all problems evaporate when we do? No. But that is not because Christ didn’t solve them. That is because there are still millions of people out there who have not accepted Him. They would rather try and solve life on their own. And in doing so, they are contributing to the problem instead of turning to The  Solution.