Fixing Fallacies: The Hope of Christianity

What Does the Word “Hope” Mean to You?

Around Here You “Hope” the Weather is Nice

“Hope” Your Favourite Team Wins

“Hope” Your Steak is Cooked the Way You Ordered it

Hope = Something You Desire

But That’s Not True Hope

“Hope” = a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

Hope = A Joyful Expectation

We All Have Hopes (Joyful Expectations)

I Hope that All of Our Young People and Their Parents will Stay After Service for a Meeting Designed to Help Get Our Youth Group Thriving Again

I Hope to Have a Yummy Lunch with My Family After the Meeting

I Hope to Return to Church Tonight at 6:00 for the Purpose of Praising and Worshiping a God Who is Worthy to be Praised and Worshiped

I Have Many Amazing Hopes as a Christian

Hopes Like:

Salvation from Sin and Death Through Forgiveness and Atonement

Being Considered Righteous and Innocent Through Faith in Jesus Christ

Being Reconciled to God Through a Covenant Relationship

Receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit Which is as the Down Payment of Salvation

Living with God and Other Christians Forever

These are All Wonderful and Joyful Expectations that Christians Have Available to Us

But I’ve Begun to Notice that We Often Leave Out the Primary Hope of Christianity that Ties All the Other Hopes in this List Together

Since I’ve Been a Member of the Church, I Could Probably Count on One Hand How Many Times this Hope has Been Discussed

And That’s Odd Because the New Testament Writers Talked about it All the Time

When Reading the New Testament, What is the Primary Hope of Christianity that Ties All the Other Hopes Together?

Resurrection

How Does Resurrection Tie All the Other Hopes Together?

(Slide of the List of Hopes)

What is it that We Hope to Receive Salvation from?

Sin Which Brings About Death

We Hope to be Saved from Death Through Resurrection

We are Considered Righteous and Justified Because of Jesus’ Resurrection

Romans 4:22–25 (NASB)

Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

(Slide of the List of Hopes)

Without Righteousness and Justification Brought About Through Jesus’ Resurrection, There Would be No Reconciliation

The Gift of the Holy Spirit is the Down Payment of Our Eternal Inheritance of Life Everlasting

The Holy Spirit Within Us is Our Guarantee of Being Resurrected

Romans 8:11 (NASB)

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

(Slide of the List of Hopes)

And Eternal Life is Not Life at All Without Resurrection from Death

Resurrection is the Thread that Ties All of Our Hopes Together into One

I Believe the New Testament Teaches that Our Resurrection is the Hope of Christianity

We’re Going to Look at a Few Passages on Christian Hope…

And Then We Will Look at Why We Should Make Resurrection Our Hope Today

In a Sermon on Resurrection, We Shouldn’t Really Have to Go Further than 1 Corinthians 15

This Chapter is 100% Focused on Jesus’ and Our Resurrection

In Discussing How There are Some in Corinth Who Don’t Believe in Our Resurrection, Paul Tells Them that Our Resurrection and Jesus’ Resurrection are Bound Together

Jesus’ Resurrection Proves and Confirms Our Own Resurrection at His Return

If You Don’t Believe that We will Resurrect from the Dead, then You Must, of Necessity, Not Believe that Jesus Raised from the Dead

1 Corinthians 15:16–19 (NASB)

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

We Have Great Hopes in Christ for this Life, but if Christ Offers Us No Hope for a Life After this One, Then Christianity has Nothing Substantial to Offer Us

That’s a Very Strong Statement, and I Believe Paul Meant it

Resurrection Through Christ is the Hope of Christianity

When Paul was on Trial Before the Roman Governor Felix, He Said

Acts 24:14–15 (NASB)

“But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

Then as Paul was on Trial Before King Agrippa, He Said

Acts 26:6–8 (NASB)

“And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews. Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?

Romans 8:23–25 (NASB)

And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

The Redemption of Our Body Refers to Our Resurrected, Transformed, Glorious Bodies

We Wait Eagerly for the Resurrection and it is the Hope in Which We are Saved

Hope in Resurrection Leads Us to and Keeps Us in the Saving Grace of Jesus

From this Passage, We See that Resurrection is Tied to Adoption

When Jesus Returns, We will be Resurrected and Fully Adopted as the Children of God

Not Only Does Paul Tie Resurrection to Adoption, but Also to “Glory”

Romans 8:15–18 (NASB)

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Not Only will We be Glorified as Children of the King of Creation, but We will Receive “Glorified Bodies” (1 Corinthians 15)

You’ll Find Throughout the New Testament References to Our Hope of Glory

Romans 2:7 (NASB)

to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life

What Do All of These Things We are to Seek for Have in Common?

Glory, Honor, Immortality, Eternal Life

These are All Descriptions of What God Gives Us in the Resurrection Through Our Resurrected Bodies

Notice How Hope in the Resurrection Also Causes Us to Persevere in Doing Good

Romans 5:1–5 (NASB)

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Our Hope that We Rejoice in is the Glory Given to Us by God

The Glory of Being in His Presence as His Children in Glorified, Resurrected Bodies

Again, Notice How Hope in the Resurrection Causes Us to Rejoice in and Persevere Through Tribulations

1 Peter 1:3–5 (NASB)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

When We Enter into Christ by Being Born Again in Obedient Baptism, We Receive a “Living Hope”

This Living Hope is Made Possible Through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

This Living Hope is an Inheritance of Imperishable, Undefiled, Forever Lasting Bodies

The Next Few Verses Tell Us that When Our Hope is in the Resurrection, We Persevere Through the Trials in Order to One Day Receive Our Hope

We Could Go On and On, but I Hope You Get the Picture

Resurrection was the Hope of the Early Church

But, Sadly, I Believe Out of Ignorance, the Church Today Rarely Talks about Resurrection

My Hope with this Lesson is to Make Resurrection Your Hope

Resurrection Should Be Your Hope Because:

Resurrection is the Solution to Humanities Problem

Humanity Inherited a Problem from Our First Ancestors

And it Doesn’t Matter if You Believe in God, the Bible, and Jesus or Not, We Can All Agree that We’ve All Got the Same Problem

Romans 5:12 (NASB)

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned

We are All Going to Die

“Well, Death Isn’t All Bad, Death is Natural.”

Don’t You Think that!

There’s Nothing Natural about Death

God Didn’t Create Us to Die

If Everyone Could Have Life the Way They Wanted it, There Would be No Death, No Pain, No Sickness

That’s Exactly What God Created in the Beginning and is Re-Creating for Us Through Jesus

Because Jesus Resurrected, He Guaranteed to Us that We Too will Resurrect to Life that Never Ends

Paul Describes this and the Fact that Jesus Will Destroy Death Forever When He Returns in 1 Corinthians 15

Hope for Resurrection Allows Us to Live Our Lives Without Fear

Christians Shouldn’t Live in Fear of Sickness, Disease, or Death

True Faith and Hope in the Resurrection Doesn’t Allow for Fear of Such Things

Hope for Resurrection Gives Us a Gospel that is Truly a Good News Message that is Exciting to Tell Others About

When Resurrection is Our Hope, Christians Love to Tell Others about the Gospel

Not Everyone is Concerned about Their Sins, but Everyone is Concerned about Death

We Know the Answer to Their Problem, and His Name is Jesus

Hope in Resurrection Gives Us the Strength to Stay Faithful

Everyone Needs Hope to Carry On

In a Fallen World with a Life Full of Suffering, Christians Have Hope that Allows Us to Power Through

Paul Describes the Big 3 Motivators to Faithful Christian Living as…

Faith, Hope, and Love

Hope is Needed to Remain Faithful

In All the Passages We Previously Looked at, Persevering Through Trials and Living Righteously Were Results of Having a Hope in the Resurrection

After Paul Gives His Amazing Discourse on the Resurrection, He Says…

1 Corinthians 15:58 (NASB)

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

When Your Hope is in the Resurrection, You can Rest Assured that Whatever it is that Your Going Through Won’t Last

When Jesus Returns, All of Your Troubles will be Over and the Good You Have Done for Jesus will Not be for Nothing

The Good News of King Jesus is this…

Jesus Left Heaven to Live as the Perfect Human Being

He Offered Himself as the Perfect Sacrifice, was Buried, and Resurrected Back to Life

After Resurrecting, He Ascended to His Heavenly Throne to Reign as King Over His People

Someday, He will Return to Resurrect and Transform the Bodies of His Faithful People into Immortal Bodies

Sin, Death, and All Wicked Spiritual Forces will be Cast into Hell

And We Will Live Forever with Him in a Perfect Paradise

King Jesus Still Offers You Opportunity to Join Him and Have this Hope for Yourself