Hopeful Passages
1 Pet. 1:3,4; Rom. 8:18?25; 1 Jno. 3:2,3; Heb. 6:19
A. One of the noblest, greatest and most comforting blessings
for the Christian is hope. And it is
everywhere in the Word of God, especially in the New Testament.
Here are some hopeful
passages for us during the time of stress in our nation.
1. Peter tells us about hope, and he presents this blessing in
the setting of the historical truth of the gospel that teaches
us about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
a. This is a case where your conviction about history (What happened
to Jesus in the past) is
the basis of your confidence about your future, Heb. 11:1.
(A) The apostle Peter wrote in 1 Pet. 1:3-4, "Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten
us again to a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead ...
to an inheritance,
incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved
in heaven for you."
(1) If I believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead, and my life is a
response to everything that truth represents.
(2) I enjoy this living hope.
(a) I am able to look forward to an eternal inheritance of such
enduring nature.
(b) It is incorruptible, undefiled and does
not fade away.
(B) Paul tells us about hope in Rom. 8:18?25, "For I consider
that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which
shall be revealed in us.
For we were saved in this hope, but that hope that is seen is
not hope; for why does one
still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not
see, then we eagerly wait
for it with perseverance."
(1) In this present world we suffer. It is the objective
reality of our existence on the earth: we suffer.
(1) The suffering may take the form of persecution, financial
struggle, disappointment with people we love, health problems,
the stress of unexpected turmoil, or some other hardship.
(2) But we suffer in this present time.
(2) Paul wants Christians to know, whatever pain we suffer now
we can get through it.
(1) Because we know there will be unsurpassed glory for Gods
people in the future.
(2) This assurance of future glory becomes our motivation, our
comfort, our pleasure and perseverance.
b. John tells us about hope in 1 Jno. 3:2-3, "Beloved, now
we are children of God; and it has
not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when
He is revealed, we shall be
like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And, everyone who has
this hope in Him purifies
himself, just as He is pure."
(2) Notice, side by side in this verse what we cannot know
and what we can know.
(1) We cannot know what has not yet been revealed.
(1) In the absence of revelation from God there cannot
be knowledge; so there are matters of curiosity we may have about
our future state in heaven that cannot be known now in detail.
(2) But we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like
Him. This promise should be sufficient!
(2) Intellectual curiosity may provoke demands for detailed information
about the spiritual body we shall have in heaven.
(1) There may be a variety of questions we would like to discuss,
but such matters have not been revealed.
(2) But, what does it matter, when we can know that when
He is revealed, we shall be like Him? This hope we have
motivates purity in life, as He is pure.
(3) Heb. 6:19, tells us, "This hope we have as an anchor
of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence
behind the veil."
(1) In this verse hope functions in at least two ways.
(1) It provides us with surety and steadfastness as we navigate
the stormy waters of life on earth; we have hope as an anchor
of the soul.
(2) This hope moves us toward access to Deity; as expressed in
Jewish terms, entering the Presence behind the veil.
(2) In these scriptures and we are told of this blessed hope for
the child of God.
(1) Everybody needs hope, and everybody can have it, through the
gospel of Christ.
(2) We need hope. When we are tired, sick, weary, disappointed,
depressed, offended or persecuted we need hope.
(3) The time to acquire and nurture this hope is now!
(4) This hope is available only by an obedient faith in Christ.
And it can be yours.
Spur - 09/30/2001 pm
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