Focus: Our Sure Hope!

Text: Act.28:20

"For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."

Christians are people of hope. Our faith in Christ has given us something to live and hope for. In the Old Testament, God is acknowledged as "the hope of Israel." Prophet Joel says, "the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel." Jeremiah exclaims, "O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble… O LORD, the hope of Israel" (Jer.14:8; 17:13). God was Israel's hope. He made promises that gave them hope, and God bound Himself to an oath to fulfill His promise to Israel. Now Paul tells us that it was for that hope that he was bound in chains. All through history people have given up their lives for this hope.

It is a sure hope. It is the hope of eternal bliss. It is the hope of enjoying the presence of God forever. It is the hope of heaven and earth functioning together in harmony. It is the hope of creation going back to how God planned it from the very beginning.

The Scripture reveals to us three appearances of Christ.

The first is Christ appearing to remove sin on the cross of Calvary (Heb.9:26).

The second is Christ appearing for us amid the throne room of God (Heb.9:24; Rom.8:34).

The third is Christ appearing to receive us to Himself, which we know as the rapture (Heb.9:28; 10:35-37). Christ is coming to take back the earth and run it by Himself together with His own people - those who believe in His name and do His will. That is our hope - hope so strong and so sure. And this hope for the future means power for the present. By it we are ignited, energized, galvanized, and mobilized.

Paul tells us that "these hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us..." (Msg). 

In Christ we are connected to the triads of faith, hope and love.

This triad gives us a melodious and harmonious sound. They are a symphony. Hope dances in sinc with the music faith plays. Hope dances in alignment. We have inside of us the symphony of faith, hope and love. The words of Dave Barry come to mind right here. He says, "Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance." In the words of another, Christianity can be described as the "religion of a happy (and glorious) ending."

Our God is the God of hope, and so we are the people of hope. We're unafraid of the end. We look forward to a finale or a consummation. Are you sure of God's happy endings? The last word in the Bible is "Amen," and beyond it is the "End." Paul says, "Then comes the end" (1Cor.15:24). God will surely have the last word in human history. History will end with God as the maker and master of the new heaven and the new earth (Rev.1:8; Eph.1:10; Rev.21:5). He says, "I am the End." "I make all things new." "I am the First and the Last" (Rev.1:11,17; 2:8; 22:13).

Lord, thank You for giving us a tomorrow! We have the hope of paradise. We have the hope of the parousia. Our estate is waiting for us. Our inheritance has been reserved for us in heaven. Our coronation will take place in heaven.

Faith in God is our hope's password. Only those who have faith in God have real hope. Hope is simply faith in the future. It's a belief that God has a future waiting for us. Faith in the future means power in the present. God never raises our hope to dash it. John Maxwell says, "Faith is our positive response to what God has said."

Our hope requires that we:

*Hold on to God by His Word.

*Obey His Word and occupy till Christ comes.

*Persevere in faith to the end.

*Engage in active waiting on God through prayer and praise, fellowship and service of love.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter