The question, "If god is so good, then how come there is so much needless suffering" is one that has resounded throughout the ages. In Christianity, it is often met with philosophical theodicies to justify one's faith, but rarely does Christian teaching on this subject face this question head on and provide some sort of ultimate hope. This week, that is what we strive to do. Hopefully this message can explain why, even in the face of unexplainable suffering, Jesus can bring us hope. And I promise this isn't the "8 Reasons God Allows Suffering" message you've heard before. We don't even try to answer that question because, in the midst of suffering, answers like that hardly help. Today we try to find a true hope that cannot die even in the midst of the worst suffering. It is a modest attempt at a large subject, but hopefully it takes the conversation in a different direction than we are used to.