The Results of Hope

Review

This morning we saw from Scripture that the Christian truly has hope through Jesus Christ. We learned that we can equip ourselves with the helmet of salvation by remembering all that we find hope in.

We saw that because of our salvation, we can look back in God’s Word and we can claim the promises of God. We can know that because Christ was raised from the dead, we can hope that we shall be raised also.

We saw that because of our salvation, we can look at the present and find hope in Jesus Christ. He is our hope! Because He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, because He has conquered sin, death, and the grave, because He is victorious, we have hope in Him! We have hope because of the gift of eternal life that He has given us. We have hope because God’s grace abounds toward us.

Lastly, we saw that because of our salvation, we have hope in our future. We have the assurance that we will be either raptured or resurrected. We have confidence that we will be delivered from sin. We have hope of reward and of a heavenly home.

Message

Scientists have concluded that there are certain laws that govern the activities of creation. Some of these you know. You’ve probably heard of the laws of thermodynamics.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed.

In any given exchange of energy, there will always be energy lost. In other words, some energy becomes unusable.

Isaac Newton is the one credited with formulating the law of gravity. It states, “that two objects attract each other with a force that is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.”

What does that mean? In layman’s terms, it says that what goes up must come down. That’s all you need to know.

If you happen to be holding an ice cream cone in your hand and you happen to drop it, invariably, it will fall to the ground ice cream first.

A slice of bread that is buttered on one side always seems to fall butter side down.

If you throw a ball up in the air, it will come back down again.

If your car runs out of gas, it will eventually roll to a stop.

You and I might not know all of the science behind the laws of nature, but we do know by experience that under normal circumstances, certain things will always happen.

In the same way, this evening I want you to consider the things that will always happen when you practice biblical hope. Just as the laws of physics give us certain, specific results, the Bible identifies specific results that spring from practicing biblical hope. This hope, this confidence, this assurance will invariably lead to certain changes in your life.

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Hope will result in purity - 1 John 3:3.

What is it that we hope for? We hope for not only His appearance, but also that we shall be like Him! We hope for His coming and for our glorification! We await the day when we will see Him face to face and when sin will be no more!

We can be confident that one day we will be delivered from the sin nature! We can be confident that one day we will see Jesus! We can be confident that one day we will be like Him! But let that certainty motivate you to live a pure life today! Let that certainty motivate you to purify yourself as you walk with Him on this earth.

Application: Until that day comes, be busy. We are not sitting on our hands waiting for God to magically take away all temptation and make us live righteously every day. No! We are saying, “Lord, I need your help today! I can’t do it! I’m trusting that the Holy Spirit is going to change my life from within and is going to help me and meanwhile I’m going to do everything I can to live righteously and to please You today!”

In context of 1 John 3:3, the apostle is teaching that if we are confident of the imminent appearing of Christ, that hope will have an influence on our lives. We believe that Christ could appear at any moment and call us to be with Him. The Rapture could happen at any time. Nothing has to happen beforehand. No events have to fall into place. Christ could come right now. If you are convinced of that truth, and if you intentionally remind yourself of that truth, it will change how you live.

Read 1 John 2:28.

Application:

Are you convinced that Christ could come at any moment? Are you assured of these things? If so, it will affect how you live.

By the way, if you forget these things, that will also affect how you live. I know that if I kept this verse in mind, it would influence how I live. It would change how I talk to my children. What tone of voice I use or the amount of patience that I show.

Maybe it would be good for you to write down 1 John 3:3 and put it in your pocket so that you will remember it at work tomorrow. Maybe you should set a reminder on your phone so that this verse will pop up on your screen tomorrow. Take a basic step to remind yourself of this hope that you have because this hope will result in purity.

Secondly…

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Hope will result in patience - 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3.

Read 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3.

Remember what hope is. Hope is assurance, it is a confident expectation. When you assure yourself of the truths that we saw this morning, it will result in patience.

Patience: calm endurance in the face of hardship.

When you are in a trial of life, but you assure yourself through the Word of God, it will result in patience!

When people hurt you, but you read the Scriptures and assure yourself that Jesus is near, it will result in patience!

When you are faced with your own weakness or even mortality, but you assure yourself that Jesus is alive and that He has conquered sin, death, and the grave, it will result in patience!

Why do some grow in patience but others do not? Why do some grow through trials and others do not? Why are there different outcomes? The missing ingredient is hope. If you don’t exercise your faith and believe the promises of God, you will come through your trial full of bitterness, not patience.

Here in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, he said that he remembered their patience of hope.

Read 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, 6.

Here Paul is remembering a trial that these brethren had endured. Acts 17 tells the story of Paul’s short ministry in this city. He went and preached for three weeks in the local synagogue. But after a time, the Jews grew angry. As I read Acts 17:5-8, listen to what happened in Thessalonica:

Acts 17:5–8 KJV 1900

But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

These Christians in Thessalonica were no strangers to adversity. They were brand new Christians. They had been saved for only a few weeks when this trial took place! Even Paul said that they received the word in much affliction - but they endured. How did they do this?

They had hope because they were assured of the promises of God. Look at verses nine and ten.

Read verses nine and ten.

These verses indicate that they turned from idols and they were anticipating the Lord’s return. They had confidence that Christ was coming again. Because of their hope, they were able to see the present as God sees it.

Application: Church family, hope is critical to your Christian life, but hope is grounded on what you know and believe in the Scriptures. The Thessalonians endured because of their hope in the coming of the Lord. If you are going through a trial and you are quietly struggling, then start meditating on those things that we talked about this morning. You have much that gives you hope.

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Hope will result in rejoicing - Romans 5:1-2.

Read Romans 5:1-2.

How does hope result in rejoicing? It’s very simple. When you meditate on all that you have in Christ, and you build your confidence in these truths, you will be able to rejoice no matter what circumstances you are facing. Maybe you will rejoice in your heart. Maybe you will rejoice in praise and song, but whatever you do, you’ll end up rejoicing.

How could Paul and Silas sing praises in the Philippian jail? They were confident of all that they possessed in Christ. They were assured of the truths that we learned this morning.

Here in Romans chapter five, our text indicates that because of our Lord Jesus, right now, every believer has immediate, unfettered access to the throne room of God! Unless we allow sin to remain unconfessed in our hearts, we have a legal right to enter into His presence and to humbly bring our petitions before Him! Meditate on that truth for a bit, build your assurance that you truly can enter into His presence because He says so, and you will find that hope will result in rejoicing.

Paul mentions this again in Romans 12:11-12.

Romans 12:11–12 KJV 1900

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Application:

Hope will result in rejoicing, but you need to remember what you have to hope for. If you aren’t rejoicing today, then let your mind dwell on all that you have in Christ. There you will find things to rejoice in.

Conclusion

Just like God’s creation is governed by certain laws that dictate certain outcomes, the Bible indicates that when you think properly, and when you think on the assurance and the hope that you have in Jesus, it will result in certain changes to your life.

Hope results in purity.

Hope results in patience.

Hope results in rejoicing.

The results of biblical hope.