A Living Hope

Biblical hope is not the same as worldly hope. Worldly hope is essentially a wish, whereas Biblical hope is much more.

People hope for a lot of things, sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. You certainly can’t count on that type of [worldly] hope.

Biblical hope is different. It is an expectation of God fulfilling His promises.

It carries a certainty based on God’s demonstrated faithfulness, which is seen most clearly in our salvation.

It is, most definitely, something you can count on.

v.3:

We have a living hope because Jesus is alive.

Because Jesus is alive, everything about us should be alive.

Romans 12:1

Romans 12:1 NKJV

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

There are too many dead Christians, and dead Christians cannot serve a living God!

This “hope” refers to a certainty. It is something that we can count on.

There is nothing “iffy” about Christian hope, because it is wrapped up in the certain resurrection of Christ.

Without the resurrection, our faith would be in vain.

Our hope is wrapped up on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, without which our faith would be in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:12-14

1 Corinthians 15:12–14 NKJV

Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

The resurrection is real; therefore our faith is justified, and we know that God is capable and willing to fulfill His promises.

Since God is willing and able to fulfill His promises, our hope is guaranteed. And this hope comes with promises.

THE PROMISES OF HOPE:

v.4

A perfect inheritance. . . in heaven:

Eternity will bring the full realization of our blessings (inheritance).

Since our inheritance is perfect (incorruptible and undefiled), we cannot fully realize them here on this sin-cursed earth.

This is a reason for hope.

v.5

A secure salvation:

We are being “kept by the power of God,” and who is more powerful than Him?

Because of this, our salvation cannot be lost or taken away.

Our salvation cannot be lost or taken away.

John 10:29

John 10:29 NKJV

My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

Nobody means NOBODY, and this validates our hope.

v.6

The ability to rejoice in the face of suffering:

As Christians, we are to expect trials. The Bible clearly says that they will happen.

The world is at war with God, He and the world are enemies, and as His children, we are in the middle.

So. . . we should expect trials, but how should we handle them?

We should rejoice!

Christians can expect trials, but we can rejoce in our suffering.

1 Peter 4:12

1 Peter 4:12 NKJV

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;

James 4:4

James 4:4 NKJV

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

James 1:2

James 1:2 NKJV

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

v.7

Our trials are precious, because the end results of the trials are eternal, unlike any reward that we receive here on earth.

This validates our hope.

When we endure trials by trusting in God, it brings praise, honor and glory to Him.

It also allows our lives to be a testimony to His strength, grace, love and mercy.

The way that we endure trials speaks to others, and my help win someone to Christ.

Because of all this, The Bible says that those who endure are blessed.

Those who endure trials are blessed.

James 5:11

James 5:11 NKJV

Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

Likewise, those who crumble, will not be blessed.

v.9:

We rejoice in Christ because He brings salvation, and He is the basis of our hope.

v. 10:

Salvation is not an afterthought.

This dispensation of grace was prophesied by the prophets, and has been planned since the beginning.

God knew that Adam and Eve would sin, and He already had a plan of redemption, and each part of it was revealed at exactly the right time.

v.11:

This redemption was only possible through the suffering of Christ, and that suffering brought glory.

This glory of salvation is a tremendous thing, and even the angels desire to see it.

They like to see it, because it is something that they cannot experience.

Christ came as a man, to provide salvation for man. Salvation is only for mankind.

Those fallen angels have no hope of salvation, and the heavenly angels know nothing of the need for salvation.

The angels in heaven; however, know that it is special, and they rejoice in God’s work of redemption.

Angels rejoice in God’s work of redemption.

Luke 15:7

Luke 15:7 NKJV

I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

Luke 15:10

Luke 15:10 NKJV

Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Hope and promise are deeply intertwined in the Bible, and are essentially inseparable.

Ultimately, the Christian’s hope centers on the promise of Christ’s return and the anticipation of resurrection.

As we’ve seen, this living hope brings with it many promises and blessings.

Christ lives for you, to provide hope.

Are you living for Christ, so that you can claim it?