Biblical HOPE is not a shallow optimism or ignorant positivism.
HOPE is alive
His name is JESUS
1 Peter 1:3-9 CSB
A Living Hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
Our hope is alive!
“What can man do to me?”
“Why are you cast down, O my soul?”
What does it mean that our hope is living?
Living things grow
Living things reproduce themselves.
A living hope produces hope…which leads to more hope
What else have we been born into?
4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
NEW BIRTH → NEW FAMILY
1 John 3:1-2 (various) ESV
3 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are… The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
NEW IDENTITY
NEW INHERITANCE
A great reward
We are HOPING for the reward.
We are looking forward to FUTURE GRACE
6 You rejoice in this,[In this fact rejoice] even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
One day our lives will be put on display
God’s glory will shine
Romans 5:2-5 ESV
2…we[Let us] rejoice[boast] in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
HOPE will never put us to shame
God will never let us down
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Let us not waste this Christmas season.
Let us ask God to grow our HOPE
Psalm 31:14-24 (various) CSB
14 But I trust in you, LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 The course of my life is in your power;
rescue me from the power of my enemies
and from my persecutors.
16 Make your face shine on your servant;
save me by your faithful love.
17 LORD, do not let me be disgraced when I call on you…
Let the wicked be disgraced;
let them be quiet[e][f] in Sheol.
19 How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you.
In the presence of everyone[g] you have acted
for those who take refuge in you.
20 You hide them in the protection of your presence;
you conceal them in a shelter
from human schemes,
from quarrelsome tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD,
for he has wondrously shown his faithful love to me…
in a city under siege.
22 In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight.”
But you heard the sound of my pleading
when I cried to you for help.
23 Love the LORD, all his faithful ones…
The Lord protects the loyal,
but fully repays the arrogant.
24 Be strong, and let your heart be courageous,
all you who put your hope in the LORD.
RESPONSE
Are you feeling hopeless about something in your life right now?
What are you hoping for?
Is there anyone in your life that needs some hope?
BENEDICTION
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 (various) ESV
Stand Firm
13 But we ought to thank God always for you,
brothers and sisters loved by the Lord,
because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation
through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
14 He called you to this through our gospel,
so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm…and hold to the traditions you were taught, whether by what we said or what we wrote.
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us
and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace,
17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.