The Greatest Comeback Ever!

Throughout history, comebacks have been celebrated as incredible feats of resilience, determination and fortitude. Comeback stories connect with our own struggles and inspire us to rise to overcome and keep fighting. Still, successful comebacks are rare. In the sports world, even elite athletes have difficulty returning to their greatness after a prolonged pause. Competition is fierce. Even a minor decline in performance can mean the difference between victory or failure.

Widely discussed of late is a remarkable comeback in the political arena-the return of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who, after losing the 2020 presidential election, managed to stage a political comeback seen by many as one of legendary proportions. Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Trump's 2024 election victory as "history's greatest comeback." Not since Grover Cleveland in the late 1800s has a person served non-consecutive terms as U.S. president-and Trump did it facing far more powerful resistance. Numerous attempts to shut him out, defame him and silence him ultimately didn't work. He even survived two known assassination attempts.

However, while this return to power is certainly remarkable in the context of modern politics, it is by no means the greatest comeback in history. The Bible records some amazing comebacks. Yet there is one that far surpasses any other. The greatest comeback in history is that of Jesus Christ. Efforts to silence and destroy Him led to His actual death-but He was resurrected from the dead! Unlike any other comeback, Jesus' return to life after His crucifixion is unparalleled, not only in its miraculous nature but also in its eternal significance, changing the entire trajectory of humanity's future. And Jesus' victory over death continues with the promise of His future return to rule the world-and setting the pattern for our own victory with Him.

Leaving divine glory to face immediate threat

To fully appreciate the magnitude of Jesus Christ's comeback, we must first understand the magnitude of who He was, what He descended to, the opposition He faced during His human life and the horrific death He experienced.

John 1:1-3 reveals that in the beginning there were two divine Beings, God and the Word, and that all things were created through the Word. John 1:14 clearly states the Word became flesh and lived among us. Jesus, who was born of the virgin Mary, was also the Creator of all things! And "though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to" (Philippians 2:6, New Living Translation). "But He emptied Himself, taking upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2::7, Modern English Version).

Jesus humbled Himself and came as a Man, divesting Himself voluntarily of His divine glory and might. This great powerful Being placed His existence in the hands of God the Father at His conception in the womb of Mary!

At Jesus' birth, He was in the crosshairs of those plotting to kill Him. He was already that lowly Lamb being prepared for slaughter (Isaiah 53:7). Herod the Great, hearing of this One who was born to be King of the Jews, the Messiah of the line of David, tried to eliminate Him through the massacre of innocent children (Matthew 2). Herod was a tool here of Satan the devil (see Revelation 12:3-4,9). But Jesus was taken away to safety at that time, as it was not yet His time to die.

Escalating efforts to destroy Jesus

At around age 30, Jesus began His ministry preaching about the Kingdom of God, stressing the importance of love, forgiveness and sincere obedience to God. He performed miracles, healed the sick, cast out demons and trained disciples to carry His message. His teachings and actions soon garnered the attention of the established religious and political powers. The things He said and did, including shocking hints He gave regarding His identity, were seen as a direct threat to the status quo, and soon authorities began conspiring to silence Him.

Religious leaders constantly sought to entrap Jesus in His own words, but He always turned the tables, making them look foolish. Outraged at temple sacrifices, offerings and the temple tax becoming a source of unscrupulous profiteering, He drove the notorious money changers out of the temple (Mark 11:15-17)-threatening a lucrative enterprise that also brought wealth to the high priestly family and political leadership. "And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching" (Mark 11:18).

The efforts to destroy Jesus escalated over time. His enemies plotted His arrest, knowing that His growing influence among the people would disrupt their authority. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44), "the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, ‘What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation'" (John 11:47-48). There was also a great deal of envy involved, as the Roman governor Pontius Pilate perceived when Jesus was accused before him (Mark 15:10).

Ultimately, they succeeded in having Jesus arrested, tried and sentenced to death. If ever there was a rush to judgment and execution, the case of Jesus was it. He was "set up" as a lamb for the slaughter. He was charged with being an insurrectionist trying to destroy the temple, making Himself king in challenge to Roman authority and forbidding His disciples from paying Roman tribute. The judges brought these illegal charges against Him without any prior witness testimony-holding the trial before sunrise to prevent anyone from testifying on Jesus' behalf but coaching false witnesses to testify whose statements did not agree. Yet Jesus Christ was totally innocent. Even Pilate found no fault with Him.

Torturous death-but not the end

Shamefully, the political leaders of the day, including Pilate, gave in to the pressure of the worked-up mob that demanded His death by crucifixion, a brutal and humiliating form of execution. Jesus was mocked, beaten, and forced to carry the beam for His crucifixion through the streets before being nailed up for all to see.

And then He died-this One who had made the world, rejected and killed by those He created! He was laid in a tomb, with the thought that He would never be seen or heard from again.

For all intents and purposes, the death of Jesus seemed like the end. His followers were devastated. His message, which had sparked so much hope and anticipation, seemed to have been defeated. The religious authorities believed that with His death, the threat He posed to their power had been eliminated. But little did they know that this would not be the end of Jesus' story.

In fact, His suffering and death-which they and all people bore guilt in-was part of an awesome plan laid out before the foundation of the world. It had to happen to pay the penalty of the sins of mankind-with Jesus as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). This was foreshadowed in the annual Passover, observed in Israel for centuries with the sacrifice of a lamb. The apostle Paul understood this symbolism, telling us that "indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7).

But in that great plan, Jesus was not to remain dead.

The miracle of the resurrection

The most incredible comeback in history occurred after Jesus' body lay in the tomb for three days and three nights (see Matthew 12:40). The tomb was empty, the stone rolled away.

Contrary to all expectations, Jesus rose from the dead, God the Father restoring Him to life! (Galatians 1:1). The Bible describes how His followers, who had witnessed His brutal execution, were initially hopeless and doubting-but soon He appeared to them, alive and well, and their hearts were revived. Jesus' resurrection was not merely a resuscitation or a return to life in the ordinary sense; it was a miraculous victory over death itself!

Moreover, it also confirmed His divinity and the truth of His teachings. He had foretold His death and resurrection, and His return from the dead validated His claims of who He was. The resurrection was a powerful declaration that a cold tomb and the forces of darkness, sin and death could not hold Him down (see Acts 2:24). It was the ultimate victory over the very powers that had tried to silence and destroy Him-ultimately Satan (Hebrews 2:14).

And it came during the festival that follows the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which pictures our following Jesus out of a life of sin and death into newness of life (compare 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Romans 6:1-4). In Jesus' triumph over the ultimate enemy, death, He offered the world the hope of eternal life.

In the 40 days following His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples, offering them proof of His living presence. His comeback was not just a fleeting moment; it was a powerful declaration that death itself had been defeated and that God's plan of salvation was being fulfilled. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith, representing the hope of eternal life for all who believe in Him. As we're told, God "has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3).

The ascension of Jesus, leading His Church and the promise of His return

After appearing to His followers and providing them with instructions about spreading His message to the world, Jesus ascended into heaven. The ascension of Jesus, though a moment of sorrow for His followers at His apparent absence, also marked a new phase in the unfolding of God's plan for humanity. Jesus' ascension to the right hand of the Father signified His victory over death and His return to reign over the universe. His return to heaven was not a retreat but a triumphant return to His rightful place in glory, from where He would also serve as our High Priest and lead His Church through God's Holy Spirit.

The message of the resurrection taught by the Church was intended to call people to changed lives through repentance: "Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations'" (Luke 24:46-47).

Yet the greatest comeback of all does not end with Jesus' ascension and leading of His people today. Jesus assured us that He will one day return to earth to establish His Kingdom over all nations. This future return, known as the Second Coming, is a source of great hope and anticipation for believers. It is a promise that Jesus will come again, not as a lowly servant but as King of Kings to rule and reign over all the earth. This final comeback will be the ultimate victory, as Jesus will defeat all evil, bring justice to the world, and establish peace and righteousness for eternity.

In the New Testament, Christians are told to look forward to this return with eager expectation (Titus 2:13; 2 Timothy 4:8)-also submitting to Christ's rule in their life even now, not just hearing the gospel or good news but obeying it in living according to God's will (1 Peter 4:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:8). The return of Christ will lead to all people learning to live the ways of God and receiving opportunity for salvation. And it will culminate, as presented in Revelation 21-22, in a new heaven and a new earth, where God will dwell with His people forever, and death, sorrow and pain will be no more (Revelation 21:4). The ultimate comeback of Jesus Christ is the "restoration of all things" (Acts 3:21)-the Kingdom age leading at last to eternity with God the Father and Christ. Jesus' return from the dead is a foretaste of this restoration to come-and the means to its realization.

The true greatest comeback

The story of Jesus Christ's resurrection is not just the greatest comeback in history; it is the story of God's unwavering love for humanity and His determination to bring about ultimate redemption for the world. No political, athletic or cultural comeback of any kind can compare to the eternal impact of Jesus' resurrection and the promise of His return.

In a world that is often filled with turmoil, suffering and uncertainty, the resurrection of Jesus offers the ultimate hope. It is the assurance that no matter what happens in this life, death is not the end. Jesus' victory over death provides the ultimate hope for all who believe in Him. Just as He rose from the dead, so too will those who follow Him live forever.

And the next stage of Jesus' comeback, His return to earth in power and glory, will be the greatest return ever seen. It will lead to ultimate victory over evil and death. While earthly comebacks may inspire us for a time, it is the eternal comeback of Jesus that will forever change the course of history and bring peace, justice and hope to the whole world.

Do you recognize the hand of God through history and in the life of this Man, Jesus Christ, and will you commit to heeding His calling in your life? Jesus came and gave His life to bring many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10). The Bible calls them the weak of this world, yet each will have their own comeback story to confound the mighty (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)-and to ultimately live and reign with Christ forever. Do you want to be free of sin and death? Will you repent and believe the good news? (Mark 1:14-15). Now is the time to respond!