Hope Looks Like

The Gift

New Birth

Not a remake of the old!

(ESV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Necessary to enter the kingdom

(ESV) Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

New Spirit

(ESV) Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Segue: This new birth would be impossible to live out if it were thrust into the life we have now but, fortunately, it comes with hope, NEW hope!

New Hope

Not the World’s Hope.

The world’s hope is wishful expectancy of something we are subconsciously convinced will not happen anyway.

God’s hope is LIVING! because it is living it is empowering and creates a sense of peace! Two things we need to know about God’s LIVING hope:

It sets you free! Isaiah describes it as:

(NIV84) Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

God has already planned this new hope for you;

God has it planned for you already; (ESV) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

(ESV) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Segue: This new hope and new birth comes with something even better...

New Inheritance

The w

The word for inheritance (κληρονομία Claire-No-Mia) is an interesting term. It can mean property already received, as well as one that is expected to be received.

We are in the Kingdom and shall receive the Kingdom forever!

There are three things we need to know about this inheritance:

It is an inheritance that can never perish

(ἄφθαρτος Aup-thar-toes). — not being subject to breaking down (and thus lasting forever).

imperishable adj. — not being subject to breaking down (and thus lasting forever).

Unlike the promises of the world it is and shall always be available to you, should you choose to receive it...

It is an inheritance that cannot ἀμίαντος (A-me-aun-tos) (spoil.

Cannot be stained or blemished, understood as untainted in the eyes of God.

There are two times in my life when I purchased a new pickup. The first was in 2001 just before we moved Ogden that tried was totaled when, in the middle of a blizzard, somebody attempted to pass and lost control of their vehicle. The second time was in 2016 when I bought the truck I currently have. It's a beautiful blue color and looked absolutely amazing when I drove it off the dealership lot. About four months later, sitting in the parking lot it Home Depot, somebody ran a cart into it that held a 2 x 4 resulting into little dimples in the tailgate. No matter how hard we try...

It is an inheritance that cannot ἀμάραντος (A-Mar-an-tos) (fade.)

Adjective meaning characterized by never losing quality or beauty.

This is possible because scripture tells us it is “kept in heaven for you”

This does not mean it is unavailable until you get there but instead is τηρέω οὐρανός (Tea-rel o-Ran-oes)

the first word means constantly guarded and the second the abode of God and the angels.

Segue: Sounds Good… but what guarantee do I have?

The Guarantee

Based on God’s Mercy

What the verse does say: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy”...

What the verse say: "when I am good enough God gave" or "when I am kind enough" or when I dress well enough or make enough money or whatever it is that we sometimes insert in the here.

The gift that God gave, both its content and availability, are based upon the mercy of a loving God.

The gift that God gave, both its content and availability, are based upon the mercy of a loving God.

Segue, I am thankful that the hope of salvation is based on God's great and incomprehensible mercy. While its availability is based on God's mercy its its real-world foundation is based on Jesus birth and resurrection.

This is a test of a second line

Based on Jesus’ Birth and Resurrection

God could not be a just God if our salvation was found in his decision to ignore our sins and transgressions. There is no justice in creating laws and then, depending upon some whimsical irrational decision ignoring the laws that you made. This is something that, at least for the last few years, I wish our country remembered!

Scripture tells us that the penalty for sin is death. The reason for such a harsh penalty is that in the eternal perspective sin destroys! It destroys people, it destroys children, it destroys marriages, it devastatingly destroys the joy, peace, and love that made up God's creation before man sin entered into it. Sin is a serious thing not to be taken lightly!

Scripture tells us that the penalty for sin is death. The reason for such a harsh penalty is that in the eternal perspective sin destroys! It destroys people, it destroys children, it destroys marriages, it devastatingly destroys the joy, peace, and love that made up God's creation before man sin entered into it. Sin is a serious thing not to be taken lightly!

In the birth of Jesus we see the expression of God's love. In his life we see the reality of God's love. In the death of Jesus Christ to see the depth of God's love and in his resurrection we see the power of God's love.

Segue, there is one more bit of good news to share before we move on. Not only is this amazing hope found in Jesus Christ based on God's mercy with its foundation in Jesus birth and resurrection but it's endurance is found, not in our ability, but in God's power!

Based on God’s Power

When times are difficult and it seems that all hope is gone we to follow Jesus Christ find out hope in the truth found in Verse 5 (CSB) You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. Three things to note...

We are being Guarded… Watched over.

This watching over, guarding, is based upon my willingness to be faithful to God, his Word, his truth, and his will for me.

The salvation, which is our hope in Christ Jesus, is already finished! This verse tells us that it is already ready and will be revealed in its fullness at the end of our time.

Segue, this unimaginable hope that is the gift of God and is guaranteed by God engenders in us, when accepted by us, an unimaginable gratitude. That gratitude according to the Scripture finds its expression in our response to the hope of God.

The Gratitude

Respond Praisefully

εὐλογητός (you-Low-gay-tos) found in verse three, translated as blessed in the NIV means, In the original Greek to be praiseworthy and to verbally praise or bless.

Respond Joyfully

(NIV84) In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

Please note this verse does not say that you rejoice when the trials go away. We rejoice despite the grief, difficulty, and trials we face in this world. If we are not rejoicing then we have not hope if we have not hope than we have not Jesus Christ if we have not Jesus Christ and we have not salvation and we are truly hopeless.

There is a song that I first heard song in church on a Sunday evening that goes something like this "I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart" and looking around me all I could think was will then let it out!

Respond Faithfully

When things are at there worst God is still God.

The psalmist said: (NKJV) God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah