OceanSide church of Christ

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OUR LIVELY HOPE

Victor M. Eskew

INTRODUCTION

A.             Hope is one of the motivating forces of life.

1.                The sick will persevere if there is hope.

2.                The unskilled will practice if there is hope.

3.                The downcast will press on if there is hope.

4.                The farmer will plow if there is hope.

5.                The preacher will preach if there is hope.

B.              Hope is an important force within the Christian religion.

1.                In Ephesians 4:4-6, hope is listed among the seven ones.

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.

2.                In Hebrews 7:19, our hope is referred to as “a better hope.”

3.                Our hope is rooted in Jesus Christ (I Tim. 1:1).

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope.

C.              This morning, we will be examining hope from three different angles.

I.        THE BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF HOPE

A.             Biblical hope has three main components:

1.                It involves something that is not seen.

a.         Hope is not a present reality.  Hope is something to be received in the future.

b.         Romans 8:24-25

For we are saved by hope:  but hope that is seen is not hope:  for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

2.                It involves earnest desire or longing.

3.                It involves eager expectation.

4.                NOTE:  When the word “hope” is used by some, expectation is often omitted.

a.         I hope it rains.

b.         I hope that boy changes his life.

B.              The Biblical definition of hope illustrated.

1.                The agricultural community (I Cor. 9:10).

Or saith he it altogether for our sakes?  For our sakes no doubt, this is written:  that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

                                    a.         The farmer plows and threshes in hope.

                                    b.         At first, he cannot literally see and touch his harvest.  It is future.

                                    c.         He earnestly desires a harvest.

                                    d.         He also eagerly expects a harvest.

                                    e.         Without hope, he would never plow.

                        2.         Abraham’s hope (Rom. 4:8).

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; accord-ing to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

                                   

a.               Abraham was told long in advance that he would have a son.

b.               Abraham was old and Sarah was past the age of child-bearing.

c.               Yet, against hope Abraham believed in hope.  He both earnestly desired and eagerly expected a son to be born to him due to the promise of God.

3.         The Thessalonians (I Thess. 2:19-20).

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?  Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord at his coming.  For ye are our glory and joy.

a.               Paul had preached the gospel to the Thessalonians.

b.               As converts, they were now his hope.

c.               He desired and expected to see them stand justified in the last day in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

II.      SOME OF THE THINGS WE HOPE FOR

A.             The second coming of Jesus Christ (Tit. 2:13).

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

B.              Our bodily resurrection (Acts 23:6).

…he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee:  of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called into question.

C.              Heaven (Col. 1:5).

For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.

D.             Eternal life (Tit. 1:2).

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.

E.              Our precious converts (I Thess. 2:19-20).

III.     WHAT REAL HOPE SHOULD DO TO US AND FOR US

A.             It saves me (Rom. 8:24).

For we are saved by hope…

B.              It causes us to rejoice (Rom. 5:1-2; 12:12; Heb. 3:6).

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

            C.        It causes us to be diligent to the end (Heb. 6:11-12).

And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:  that ye be not slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

D.        It anchors our soul (Heb. 6:19).

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.

E.        It causes us to purify our lives (I John 3:2-3).

Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:  but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

CONCLUSION

            A.        In I Corinthians 13:13, Paul noted three crowning virtues of Christianity.

Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three…

B.        But even though hope is available, not all have hope (Eph. 2:12; I Thess 4:13).

C.              Good hope is obtained by means of grace (II Thess. 2:16).

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even the Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace.

1.                Grace, however, can only be obtained by being “in Christ” (II Tim. 2:1).

Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2.                We get into Christ by being baptized into him (Gal. 3:26-27; Rom. 5:1-2).

For ye are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

3.                Baptism >>> in Christ >>> Grace >>> hope

D.             Once we are in Christ, hope can save us.

1.                We can look forward to being presented to God holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight (Col. 1:22).

2.                However, this will only be done if we are not moved away from the hope of the gospel (Col. 1:23).

If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard…

E.              Are you “in Christ”?  If so, have you moved away from the hope of the gospel?