A Living Hope!
(extracted from a blog post by Darron E. Franklin, Georgia, USA)
In Christendom, there are a number of exclusive
claims for which we hold. First and foremost, Christ
is God incarnate. In Christ, there is no other name
in which salvation is found. All other Christian
beliefs hinge on the fact that Christ is God. While
that exclusive claim rests in the Christian faith,
there are many other principles that are universal
among those who express faith in a god as well as
those who do not. Hope is one of those universal
principles that all people ascribe to. Below are a
variety of beliefs about hope.
"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness." - Desmond Tutu
"Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today." - Thich Nhat Hanh
"Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out." - Vaclav Havel
"Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future." - Robert H. Schuller
"Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." - Joseph Addison
"What gives me the most hope every day is God’s grace; knowing that his grace is going to give me the strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God." - Rick Warren
People readily acknowledge that circumstances abound that verify our limited ability or control. In those moments, we hope. There are events that happen in life which are beyond our control. When our car breaks down, we call a mechanic. When our house is about to be foreclosed, we appeal to lenders or those committed to helping keep their home. When our health fails, we seek out the best doctor or medical specialist to bring us back to health. I could go on and on, but you get the idea that in those moments we hope. When those things happen, all we can do is appeal to those who have the authority or power to make a change in those circumstances or in us.
When life’s circumstances spiral beyond the control of any man, what do we do? Hope that is centered in best case scenarios are not enough. Hope in most cases are essential wishes or expectations that are not rooted by anything of substance or certainty. In Christ though, we find another exclusive about hope.
In 1 Peter 1:3, we learn that God has called us to A Living Hope. With A Living Hope, our hopes can’t be dashed if we are truly trusting in God. The hope of living eternally is a hope that has been pursued perhaps as long as man has lived. In Christ, Peter tells us:
'3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish,
spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for
you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s
power until the coming of the salvation that is
ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this
you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while
you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of
trials. 7 These have come so that the proven
genuineness of your faith — of greater worth than
gold, which perishes even though refined by fire —
may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.'
Now, there is so much in this passage, but I want to focus on the fact that Peter tells us that we have been given birth into A Living Hope in Jesus Christ. Peter could give personal testimony about the living hope amid his darkest moments in life – the crucifixion of his Jesus. If we recall the disciples, they lost hope as evidenced by their fear and hiding. What brought them out of their fear and hiding? Let’s let Jesus tell us from John 20:19-20.
'19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.'
The resurrection of Jesus. 1 Peter 1:3 says, ”Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Peter let us into his life and his experience of Jesus serving as his living hope. Peter tells us that the essence and substance of our hope is Jesus Christ. We who profess Christ do not have an empty hope or a hope rooted in best wishes. We have a hope established by the power of God of which Jesus is.
A Living Hope is Jesus, who offers Himself to all who would believe. Do you want a different hope? Do you want to see the gospel (good news) come alive? Trust in Jesus who can redeem not only your circumstance, but more importantly your soul and mind.
------------
While we can "hope for the best", more often than not life's situations and circumstances are beyond our control. Thankfully, our eternal salvation is not.
Acts 4:12 clearly tells us that "Salvation is
found in no one else, for there is no other
name (Jesus) under heaven given to
mankind by which we must be saved.”
Jesus' sacrifical death on the cross to save
mankind from the penalty, power and
presence of sin is wholly sufficient. God is
offering you this gift of salvation. However,
like any other gift given, we have to accept
it to make it our own.
When we acknowledge Jesus Christ as the
God of Heaven and earth, Lord of our life,
and ask Him for foregiveness for those things we do wrong daily, God accepts us through Him. That gift of salvation becomes ours! We become a child of God and are welcomed into His family, and an eternal life in Heaven with Him awaits us! Our hope is secure in God... the One who lives forever, the One who is ultimately in control of everything. Such hope brings a peace and joy that nothing else in life can.
If this is what you're looking for, why not let us know. We'd be happy to talk with you about how to accept His gift and next steps. Do not hesitate to contact us at info@albionhillsbiblechurch.ca.
We "hope" to hear from you soon!
