In the early part of World War II, a Navy submarine was stuck on the bottom of the harbor in New York City. It seemed that all was lost. There was no electricity and the oxygen was quickly running out. In one last attempt to rescue the sailors from the steel coffin, the U.S. Navy sent a ship equipped with Navy divers to the spot on the surface, directly above the wounded submarine. A Navy diver went over the side of the ship to the dangerous depths in one last rescue attempt. The trapped sailors heard the metal boots of the diver land on the exterior surface, and they moved to where they thought the rescuer would be. In the darkness they tapped in Morse code, "Is there any hope?" The diver on the outside, recognizing the message, signaled by tapping on the exterior of the sub, "Yes, there is hope."
This is the picture of our dilemma as we worship this glad Easter Day. Humankind is trapped in a dreadful situation. All around we are running low on hope, and we look for a word from beyond offering it to us. This world in which we live is plagued with war and famine, mounting debt and continual destruction. The more we try to rescue ourselves the more we seem to fall behind. We wonder: Is there any hope?
At a personal level, we are no different than the early disciples who stood at the foot of the cross on Good Friday. They saw their hope for the future die at that place. How would they live? How could they go on? This Easter Day those of us who preach see our pews filled with widows who have seen their hope of a comfortable future slowly die in hospital beds, or parents who have done their best watch the culture destroy the children for whom they had so ardently prayed. As a pastor, I see faithful fathers work tirelessly at a job that will not guarantee that they can feed, clothe or educate their family. Hope is snuffed out when the word comes from the battlefield that an explosive device has taken the father of two beautiful children.

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