Our Living Hope
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· 11 viewsThere is one thing that is certain in every person's life: death. There is no way to cheat the inevitable. Contemplating death will cause you to evaluate life. Where can we find hope to combat the sorrow of death that is sure to come. Ecclesiastes 9 reveal the plan of hope and joy for our lives.
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Introduction: Defining the Pain
There are times and events that happen in our lives that not only define the moment for history but cause us to really evaluate life. There have been some defining moments like that in my life. Moments where life is taken and death stares you right in the face.
1986: The Space shuttle Challenger exploded on national TV and 7 Astronauts lost their lives.
1992: The Rodney King Riot in LA made me aware of the great divide in our country
2001: 9/11 The terrorist attach in New Your at the World Trade Center.
2014: The Ferguson Riot in Ferguson Missouri.
2020: The Covid-19 World pandemic. Out of the 7.55m cases of covid-19 there have been 427k deaths world wide.
2020: The Minneapolis Riot after the Death of George Floyd.
In the history of our country there have been 104 major racially motivated riots in our streets. In all cases people died.
There is one thing that is certain. Death comes to us all.
When death come suddenly and unexpectedly it becomes a reality that can’t be ignored. I believe we are in one of those moments.
Some would say that religion is just a way to cope with the unknowns of death. I would agree that religion will attempt to define the inevitable. The Word of God is very clear on this reality of death.
27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
This was just as real for the Preacher in Ecclesiastes as it is for us today. You can’t really understand the meaning of life until you deal with the reality of death.
1 But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him. 2 It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.
3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
Contemplating death allows you to evaluate life.
Contemplating death allows you to evaluate life.
4 But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.
The living have Hope.
The living have Hope.
There are two definitions of hope in the English dictionary.
a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
"he looked through her belongings in the hope of coming across some information"
synonyms:aspiration, desire, wish, expectation, ambition, aim, plan, dream, daydream, pipe dream;More
ARCHAIC a feeling of trust.
Biblical Definition: Hope is the confidence and security that allow faith and trust to exists.
In what do you place your trust? Where do you find your hope?
In what do you place your trust? Where do you find your hope?
There is a hope that never fades. A hope that is secure and can be trusted.
It’s not found in talent or skill
It’s not found in wealth and riches
It’s not found in armies and war
It’s a living hope.
The Living Hope is found in Jesus
The Living Hope is found in Jesus
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
Wishes and dreams and be dashed.
Expectations and ambitions and be unfulfilled.
Riches can be gained and lost
Armies can be defeated and wars lost
The hope we have in Jesus is secured by his resurrection from the dead.
He has conquered death and the grave securing our everlasting hope.
It’s not a hope so, but a hope in. Our hope is in Jesus.
A Living Hope brings lasting Joy.
A Living Hope brings lasting Joy.
7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. 8 Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. 9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.
There is joy in life.
There is joy in life.
Hope in Christ removes the fear and sorrow of death.
The circumstances of the world should never steal the joy of the Christian.
The trials of this life are to strengthen your faith.
Faith is born out of hope: the confidence and security we find in Christ.
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
There is joy in death.
There is joy in death.
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Hope (confidence and security) in Christ leads to faith in Christ which leads to salvation of your souls.
Hope (confidence and security) in Christ leads to faith in Christ which leads to salvation of your souls.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Next Steps
Next Steps
Contemplating death causes you to evaluate life.
Where does your confidence and security come from.
Are you trusting in your own abilities and skills to produce joy in your life. That is wishful thinking at best. there are to many variables and unknowns to deal with.
I remember asking people, “If you were to die today would you spend eternity with God in heaven.” and they would say, “Man, I hope so.”
What are you hoping in? That you’ve been good enough. That your good is going to out weigh your bad. Your hoping in God mercy instead of in his grace.
Put your confidence, your security, your hope in Jesus.
Put your confidence, your security, your hope in Jesus.
Live in the joy that hope in Christ brings.
Live in the joy that hope in Christ brings.
Share you hope in Christ with those who have no hope.
Share you hope in Christ with those who have no hope.
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,