LIVING HOPE

8 28 12 Living Hope             

Don’t forget to pray. 

Scripture:  Isa 40:30-31 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 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.

Note: Everyone has hopes, some big, some small, but we all hope for something. Worldly hope and biblical hope are not the same. A quick illustration will help you understand the difference. Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale Florida started a program called Evangelism Explosion to be used as an outreach program. I don’t have the space available to go into much detail about it but one of the questions the people being visited were asked follows: “If you were to die tonight would you go to heaven?”  The overwhelming answer to this question was, “I hope so.” This question was followed by an equally important one.  “If you died and go to heaven and are standing at the gate and Saint Peter asks you why he should let you in, how would you answer?” Most replied with answers like the following: “I’ve tried to live a good life, I’ve tried to be honest, I’ve tried to be a good husband/wife, I’ve tried to be a good neighbor, I live by the “golden rule.” All of these answers are expressions of their hope, the hope they have in being acceptable to God and being allowed entrance into heaven at their death. Their hope is in themselves and in their goodness, what they have done. This is worldly hope and worldly hope at best is no hope at all.

So what is Biblical hope? Using the same illustration, how would a believer answer the same two questions?  Question one: “If you were to die tonight would you go to heaven?”  Their answer would be, “yes.” The second question: “If you died and go to heaven and are standing at the gate and Saint Peter asks you why he should let you in, how would you answer?” Their answer would be, “Because I’m trusting in Jesus Christ and him alone for my salvation.”

Biblical hope is in the Lord not in self. Biblical hope is my hope because I have confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I have Biblical hope because I have entrusted my life totally and completely to God. Biblical hope means that I have entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; I know him and he knows me. God’s Word tells me that if I confess with my mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead, I will be saved. For it is with my heart that I believe and am justified, and it is with my mouth that I have confessed and am saved (Ron10” 9-10). That’s Biblical hope! It’s all about Him and not about me.

Because of my confession and belief in Jesus, who is my hope, when I do pass from this life, I will enter into heaven and eternal life with Christ. That is why Biblical hope is a living hope. The same eternal life that belongs to Jesus Christ is my eternal life. He died so that I could live. By faith I died with Christ and by faith I will live with him. I do not have to “hope” I will do enough good to get into heaven; that is impossible. I am a sinner. But hallelujah I am a sinner saved by grace. Christ has paid the price for my salvation and my hope is in Him and Him alone.

One last contrast between worldly hope and biblical hope: worldly hope is placed in man; biblical hope is placed in God. My hope for you is that you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ and He is your living hope.

Word from the Lord:  Beloved, I know you have many questions about dying, about life. Don’t listen to those around you who do not know me. Remember my words, they are truth and they are life. My Son, Jesus, died and on the third day came forth from the grave to live again. When you place your faith in him as Lord and Savior you become a part of his resurrection life. The grave could not hold my Son and it will not hold you. You will die physically but you will live eternally. These promises of mine spoken by my Spirit to your spirit will give you a living hope and peace that passes all understanding. You are mine and I have your name written in the palm of my hand. I love you.

Did the Lord speak to you today?  Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory. 

Prayer:  What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!