Jesus’ suffering is actually a reason for hope. Jesus was rejected by the people He showed love to. He was abandoned by His closest friends. He was given an unfair trial and accused of crimes He did not commit. He was tortured and executed by His enemies, with His own mother as a witness, having done nothing wrong Himself.

Jesus experienced intense suffering. He is God in the flesh, meaning God cannot be thought of as distant from suffering. Jesus chose to suffer so that He could one day bring an end to suffering and offer comfort and peace right now.

Therefore, it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since He Himself has gone through suffering and testing, He is able to help us when we are being tested (Hebrews 2:17-18, NLT).

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT).

This present comfort offered freely through Jesus is the everyday hope of Easter. Christians celebrate Easter because Jesus’ death and resurrection demonstrate God’s commitment to drawing near to human suffering and restoring His people.