From the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry, hope had been growing among His followers that He was the promised Messiah whose Kingdom would never pass away. That hope reached a crescendo when Jesus road triumphantly into Jerusalem to crowds welcoming Him as king. But, as the disciples on the road to Emmaus admitted, after Jesus' crucifixion and burial, His disciples lost all hope. This exposed their fundamental misunderstanding of the Messiah's mission and the battle He came to wage. The resurrection proved that Jesus was indeed the Christ, the long-awaited King.